Melissa Rihn and Marc Stein
June 18, 2004
New York, NY
This is no ordinary story or wedding. Melissa and Marc met at a day camp in Long Island, where they were both working as camp counselors. The attraction was there from the beginning, as they realized they shared common interests and were both deeply dedicated to their families. But it wasn't smooth sailing from the get-go. In fact, their first date was almost a disaster. Much to Marc's dismay, Melissa was forced to cancel because of a last-minute wedding she had been invited to. But this minor setback didn't stop Marc from pursuing his girl. Being the tenacious man that he is, he decided to crash the wedding (remember that this was their first date!), hoping to win Melissa over. While not the most conventional way to win a woman's heart, his plan somehow worked. When she saw him approaching her, she walked up to him and gave him a kiss, thus beginning their relationship. After almost four years of dating, Marc decided to propose to Melissa in yet another extraordinary way. This time Melissa was in the Bahamas for a close friend's birthday; Marc added to the celebration by flying down with a diamond ring and asking her to be his wife. Overwhelmed with emotion, Melissa said yes as tears streamed down both their faces.
It just so happened that around this time, the CBS Early Show was staging their "Wedding in a Week" contest. The winning couple would have CBS plan and pay for the wedding of their dreams, all within a week! At the prompting of his secretary, Marc wrote in with his story and CBS chose them as the lucky couple. After being engaged for only six weeks, things moved swiftly as Marc and Melissa left all the planning to the CBS team. Each morning they appeared on the show as the producers unveiled the different vendors who would donate their services and create this spectacular event. Melissa chose a chic embroidered gown, bronze dresses for her bridesmaids, flowers in soft hues, and a whimsical cake. For the honeymoon and gift registry, CBS put the decision in the hands of America. The voters decided on gifts from REI and sent them on a trip of a lifetime to Tahiti.
The wedding day started bright and early in The Early Show plaza, where the ceremony was shown live to television viewers around the country. Marc and Melissa remained calm throughout the whole event, even with the numerous cameras hovering over them. The radiant bride walked down the aisle with both her parents, and Marc's childhood rabbi performed a traditional Jewish ceremony in a record eight minutes! The celebration then continued with a lunch reception at the glamorous Ritz-Carlton, Battery Park, where a beautifully decorated reception hall awed the newlyweds. In the evening, the 130 guests were treated to more entertainment with a cruise around the harbor. As an added surprise, Melissa and Marc were presented with tickets to see Jessica Simpson, who was giving a concert that night. This unexpected treat was the perfect way for the couple to cap off a week full of wedding surprises!
