Empire State Building Announces Winners of 2018 Valentine's Day Wedding Contest
Eleven Couples Will Tie the Knot at the Iconic Landmark on February 14th
NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Empire State Building (ESB) today announced the eleven lucky couples who have been selected as winners of its Valentine's Day Wedding Contest presented by Kleinfeld Bridal.
Since 1931, ESB's world-renowned 86th Floor Observatory has been the site for countless on-screen romances which makes it the perfect backdrop for couples to share their love and exchange their vows. Valentine's Day is the one day of the year on which select couples receive the chance of a lifetime to get married at the World's Most Romantic Building. This year on February 14th, eleven couples will make their wedding dreams come true on the 24th anniversary of this special Valentine's Day tradition.
ESB will host each wedding ceremony on the famed 86th floor Observatory throughout the day as follows:
- 8:15 a.m. – Taryn Baum and Jarred Traub (Queens, NY) – Our hometown couple, Taryn and Jarred got engaged at the Palace of Versailles in France. As both Taryn and Jared are born and bred New Yorkers, Taryn could think of no better place to get married than Jared's favorite place in New York City, the Empire State Building. She secretly entered the contest, surprised her fiancé with the amazing news, and now this local couple is excited to exchange their vows in front of family and friends on the world-famous 86th floor Observatory.
- 8:30 a.m. – Alyx Paul and Jonathan Nazon (Bensalem, PA) – Alyx and Jonathan met in high school and are a classic tale of "opposites attract": Alyx was into science while Jonathan was an athlete. Together for over seven years, including a stint when they had to weather a long distance relationship while Alyx pursued her dream of going to medical school, Jonathan proposed to Alyx on the Empire State Building's Observatory while she was on a rare visit home. They are thrilled to exchange their vows at the exact place where their lives were changed forever.
- 8:45 a.m. – Alixandra and Brett Epps (Charlotte, NC) – Brett and Alixandra's first date was the same night that Brett began to experience symptoms that led to a diagnosis of FSGS, a rare form of kidney disease. Their relationship was strengthened by the hurdles that Brett had to overcome, and after it was determined that Brett needed a kidney transplant, Alixandra was tested and proved to be his perfect match. The morning of the surgery, Brett proposed. The couple is excited to renew their vows to be together in sickness and in health atop the Empire State Building.
- 9:00 a.m. – An Wang and Wei Cui (Beijing, China and New York, NY) – Though An Wang and Wei Cui have been together for ten years, for the past four, the two have visited each other once a year as Wei currently resides in New York while An lives in Beijing. Two winters ago, they visited the world-famous Empire State Building together and loved the breathtaking open-air views. The couple is over the moon about sharing this extraordinary view again on their very special wedding day.
- 9:15 a.m. – Patricia and Kevin Byrnes (Yorktown Heights, NY) – Kevin and Patricia were married at the Empire State Building in 1998 when they were both sergeants in the NYPD. Twenty years, three kids, and a successful battle with breast cancer later, they return to the scene to renew their vows.
- 9:30 a.m. – Arika and Justin Wilson (Virginia Beach, VA) – Arika and Justin took a leap of faith when after six weeks of e-mails and phone calls, Arika got on a plane to meet Justin in person and drove straight from the airport to the Justice of the Peace to get married. February 15, 2018, will be their ten year anniversary and the couple is excited to renew their vows and their faith at the iconic Empire State Building.
- 9:45 a.m. – Savina Vavlas and Joshua Ortiz (Whitestone, NY) – When she was young, Savina Vavlas dreamed of living in the Big Apple. Now that she's achieved that dream, living here alongside her fiancé and dream man Joshua, the next item on her bucket list is to get married at the Empire State Building. Joshua and Savina are thrilled to check another item off their list as they get started on realizing their dreams together as husband and wife.
- 10:15 a.m. – Yahira Inoa and Jose Martinez (West Haverstraw, NY) – True love for Yahira and Jose began with a smile. Through an online dating website the two were instantly drawn to the way the other lit up a picture. Almost a year to the date they got engaged on the world-famous 86th Floor Observatory. Yahira and Jose will return this Valentine's Day to say "I Do" at the world's most romantic building.
- 10:30 a.m. – Michelle Davis and Loc Vu (Greendale, WI) – Good things come to those who wait, and Loc and Michelle's love has only grown throughout the twenty-four years they have been together. Now with their son Connor to join them, the couple is delighted to renew their vows and celebrate their love at the Empire State Building.
- 10:45 a.m. – Maria Yvette Nario and Julian Paulino (Los Angeles, CA) – Maria Yvette and Julian come from different states, backgrounds and cultures, but they met in the most diverse city in the world, New York, where they created a life perfect for them. Although they now reside in Los Angeles, Maria Yvette and Julian knew they had to get married at the iconic landmark that represents the city where they fell in love.
- 11:00 a.m. – Laurie and Rich Trezza (Randolph, NJ) – When her father was a tenant at the Empire State Building, Laurie had access that would make any New Yorker jealous. It has been a big part of her life ever since, even insisting that she have a view of the building from her wedding venue the night she married the love of her life, Rich. Twenty years later, Rich and Laurie get to renew their commitment to each other at a place that means the world to both of them.
Kleinfeld Bridal is the presenting sponsor of the Empire State Building 2018 Valentine's Day Weddings. As the leader in bridal fashion, each bride will be gifted a wedding dress of their choice from its famous flagship location in New York City.
Additionally, all stateside couples will enjoy a one night stay at Grand Hyatt New York, an exclusive continental breakfast and prosecco toast at the Empire State Building's own STATE Grill and Bar, a bridal bouquet and boutonniere from 1-800-Flowers.com®, and complimentary name-change from HitchSwitch. One lucky couple will also win a honeymoon package to an all-inclusive Royalton Luxury Resort.
An Wang, the bride-to-be from China, also received roundtrip Air China tickets from Beijing to New York to get married to her significant other atop the world famous building.
For complete contest details, please visit www.facebook.com/empirestatebuilding. For more information about Kleinfeld Bridal, 1-800-Flowers.com, Grand Hyatt New York, Royalton Luxury Resorts, HitchSwitch and STATE Grill & Bar, visit https://www.kleinfeldbridal.com/, https://www.1800flowers.com/, http://newyork.grand.hyatt.com/, http://www.royaltonresorts.com/, http://www.hitchswitch.com, and www.stategrillesb.com.
About the Empire State Building
Soaring 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan (from base to antenna), the Empire State Building, owned by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc., is the "World's Most Famous Building." With new investments in energy efficiency, infrastructure, public areas and amenities, the Empire State Building has attracted first-rate tenants in a diverse array of industries from around the world. The skyscraper's robust broadcasting technology supports major television and FM radio stations in the New York metropolitan market. The Empire State Building was named America's favorite building in a poll conducted by the American Institute of Architects, and the Empire State Building Observatory is one of the world's most beloved attractions as the region's #1 tourist destination. For more information on the Empire State Building, please visit www.empirestatebuilding.com, www.facebook.com/empirestatebuilding, @EmpireStateBldg, www.instagram.com/empirestatebldg, www.youtube.com/esbnyc or www.pinterest.com/empirestatebldg/.
About Empire State Realty Trust
Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT), a leading real estate investment trust (REIT), owns, manages, operates, acquires and repositions office and retail properties in Manhattan and the greater New York metropolitan area, including the Empire State Building, the world's most famous building. Headquartered in New York, New York, the Company's office and retail portfolio covers 10.1 million rentable square feet, as of September 30, 2017, consisting of 9.4 million rentable square feet in 14 office properties, including nine in Manhattan, three in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and two in Westchester County, New York; and approximately 700,000 rentable square feet in the retail portfolio.
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