Love |
Married: Dec. 9 at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia. The Rev. Libby Smith, a Unitarian minister, presided over the black-tie-optional nuptials, before 120 guests.
Married:
Dec. 9 at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia. The Rev. Libby Smith, a Unitarian minister, presided over the black-tie-optional nuptials, before 120 guests.
They met:
In April 2004, at a King of Prussia Ski Club happy hour at Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery. Here's the thing: Neither of them ski. Cindy's girlfriend, who often scouts newspapers and the Web for ways to meet people, noticed the event listing.
"I didn't expect to meet anyone at all - especially at the King of Prussia Mall," Cindy says. Then she spotted Scott: "End of the bar, white golf shirt, let's go," she told her pal. Scott was busy talking to a few of his women friends, and "I pushed them out of the way," Cindy jokes.
They started talking, and Cindy suggested that Scott, a widower, visit Match.com and check out her profile, then send her an e-mail. "He said, 'That would be OK, but why don't I just take you to dinner?" Scott created a Match profile just so he could view Cindy's, and purposefully mirrored her traits. He asked her on a first date, to the Ski Club's black-tie ball, a week later, April 20, 2004.
He asked:
Aug. 20, 2005, the day of his parents' 50th wedding anniversary. That morning, Scott woke Cindy up and pulled a ring out of his robe. "It's an important day," he told her, then popped the question. They celebrated at his parents' huge surprise party later that day.
9 to 5:
Cindy, 48, of Doylestown, owns the CSC Group, a professional development, consulting and executive coaching business in Phoenixville. Scott, 44, of Yardley, is an IT project manager at the Vanguard Group in Valley Forge.
Making a home:
The couple and their three cats live in Phoenixville.
First steps:
"The Way You Look Tonight," by Frank Sinatra.
Doing it their way:
"There's nothing like having the dress made for you," says first-time bride Cindy, who approached Maria Romia on Walnut Street to customize a couture gown - V-neck, cap-sleeve reembroidered lace with a French silk underlay and short train. Her maid of honor, sister Katey Krauch, and bridesmaid Stacy Hinkle (Scott's sister) wore scarlet dresses from Suky.
The day before, Cindy and 14 of her closest friends took over the Adolf Biecker Spa/Salon, then capped their day of pampering with wine and cheese at Cindy's suite at the Radisson Plaza Warwick Hotel. The guys did the male-bonding thing over beer and pool at the couple's house.
The bride descended the sweeping staircase, decorated for the holidays with greens, poinsettias and votive candles, escorted by her father, Robert Stengel, 73. She carried a bouquet of red roses by Fortune Flowers on Market Street. Jeffrey Miller catered a stations-style dinner, and tables featured ivory tablecloths with a gold overlay, topped with white poinsettias and votives.
Not a dry eye:
"It was all emotional for me," says the bride. "But the biggest burst of emotion came after the pronouncement."
Bloopers:
The newlyweds had to sit with assorted friends at dinner. Their reserved seats up front, for themselves and immediate family, were filled by other guests.
Cindy says:
"Don't feel bad if you can't get to everyone and have a conversation. They understand."
The honeymoon:
One week in West Palm Beach, Fla.