Boston Marathon bombing survivors wed at Biltmore Estate in wedding planned by TheKnot.com

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Very cool event. Here’s the press release:

On Friday, April 4, Biltmore was the site of the wedding of Rebekah Gregory and Pete DiMartino, both survivors of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Their wedding was planned by TheKnot.com, with an assist from the voting public, as part of its 2nd annual Dream Wedding Contest.

Each element of the couple’s Biltmore wedding was voted on via TheKnot.com, including the location, overall theme, the bride’s dress, bridesmaid dresses, cake, flowers and more.

Asheville, the couple’s favorite vacation destination, was announced on Valentine’s Day as the location. Asheville received the most votes over other cities that the couple has ties to, including New York, Boston and Louisville.

The wedding ceremony took place on the Tennis Lawn, adjacent to Biltmore House. The Italian Gardens was the setting for reception. The bride and groom hosted 150 friends and family for the event.

The couple has been profiled on The Today Show and has been featured in several national media outlets including People magazine.

The couple’s story, according to TheKnot.com: Rebekah and Pete were at the finish line of the Boston Marathon cheering on Pete’s mother. When the bomb exploded, Rebekah shielded her young son. She has endured 15 surgeries and the fear of the possible amputation of her leg, which she still faces today. Pete lost 90 percent of his right Achilles tendon and suffered multiple broken bones in his ankle. He has undergone surgeries and months of physical therapy. Their shared experience as a result of the explosion and surviving their injuries brought them even closer together and strengthened their relationship.

Thousands of people across the country tuned in to help Rebekah and Pete’s wedding dreams come true. The winning wedding elements were:

· Location: Asheville, N.C. A garden ceremony at Biltmore was chosen for its fairytale setting next to a real-life castle.

· Theme: The theme was Enchanted Garden, a vision created by Marcy Blum of Marcy Blum Associates. With green and brown woodland colors, plus whimsical elements like hanging lanterns, this theme is a nod to Biltmore’s gardens.

· Rings: Classically Cool wedding bands were selected: a pave diamond band for Rebekah and a titanium band for Pete, both by Michael C. Fina.

· Bridesmaid Dresses: Rebekah’s girls wore chiffon gowns in falcon, complete with a trendy sweetheart strapless neckline by Watters.

· The Dress: Rebekah wore an ivory fit-and-flare dress with beaded embroidery, a dropped-waist and sweetheart neckline by Sophia Moncelli for Kleinfeld Bridal.

· Flowers: The romantic and playful whimsical woodland centerpiece featured a willow adorned tree trunk base and a secret garden of flowers in shades of pink, plus blooming cherry blossoms designed by Holly Chapple. All flowers were American Grown from the California Cut Flower Commission and will play into the enchanted them with shades of pink, lavender and peach.

· Cake: Cake Alchemy created a multi-tiered confection with delicate white ruffles, buttons and peony sugar flowers to match the garden theme.

· Hair & Makeup: Rebekah traveled to NYC for a hair and makeup trial with Alli Web, founder of Drybar and Kate Turner from Too Faced.

More coverage of the wedding from Boston.com and NY Daily News.

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

  • 1

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4 Comments

  1. Ash January 16, 2017

    Thanks For Sharing!

    Reply
  2. Kate April 10, 2014

    Kate Watson from Too Faced- NOT Kate Turner

    Reply
  3. willc April 8, 2014

    Music at the reception cocktail hour was provided by my bluegrass band, The Night Trotters. We were honored to be asked to be a part of this event!

    Reply
    1. Jason Sandford April 9, 2014

      Awesome, Will!

      Reply

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