2008 August > StarStruck With Giovanni

It was a rainy day for a white wedding, as Ottawa's Mayor, Larry O'Brien, 58, wed his beautiful bride, real estate agent Colleen McBride, 44. Their wedding ceremony was held at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in the Glebe. The wedding was the first for Ms. McBride and the second for Mr. O'Brien, a self-made high-tech millionaire. As the bride walked down the aisle, a pianist played “Feather Theme,” by contemporary composer Alan Silvestri. Since the bride had opted not to have any bridesmaids, all eyes were on Ms. McBride in a strapless white satin and crushed organza gown, carrying a simple bouquet of cream-coloured roses, as she and her father, Rod McBride walked down the aisle to Mayor O’Brien. The hour-long ceremony was filled with prayers, music, laughter, and one long kiss shared by the bride and groom that brought the congregation to its feet in loud applause. The ceremony was presided over by Father Joe LeClair, better known as "Father Joe" in the community, who put everyone at ease and kept the ceremony intimate and warm. After the ceremony, invited guests headed to City Hall for a private reception in the main hall, Jean Pigott Place. The rotunda was elegantly decorated monochromatically, from the satin ribbon-edged tablecloths to the cream-coloured roses with tulle lace. Ottawa-based Brian Browne Trio provided the music, while glasses of wine were passed out on trays along with canapés, hors d'oeuvres, and sweet treats. The event was low-key, but by no means low-profile. Guests included politicians, journalists, prominent business men, and foreign diplomats, among the 500-plus people in attendance. After receiving all the guests, the groom made a series of toasts, and thanked his new wife “for bringing peace, kindness and love into my life and for making me a better person, as many of you know, I married my angel Colleen today”. The couple gave guests mini, triple-tiered, wedding cakes to take home instead of slices of traditional fruit cake. Contact Giovanni at giovannipublicist@yahoo.ca for up coming events