Real {New York} Wedding in a {Mansion}: Patricia + Daniel -Munaluchi Bride

Patricia and Daniel had a fateful meeting. When Daniel came to Patricia’s house to visit their mutual friend, Natasha, and take her out for a bite, he probably didn’t realize that he was knocking on destiny’s door. There, in that very house, was a woman who would become his friend, his love, his wife! After that first meeting, Daniel and Patricia would take a big bite out of Love; they would not be love-hungry ever again.

Patricia and Daniel fit together like a well-worn glove. Their love is palpable in every image captured by photographer extraordinaire, Joshua Dwain of Joshua Dwain Photography, and they look like they were made for each other. It doesn’t hurt that both look amazing, or that their venue is the picture of elegance. You’ll enjoy every image – I promise! Plus, be sure to head over to our partners at Ebony.com for more.

Bride: Patricia Branch-Zakkour
Groom: Daniel Zakkour
Occupations: Bride – Investment Strategist; Groom – Luxury Retail Buyer
Wedding Date: 07.08.2012
Location: The Bourne Mansion, Long Island, NY

How He Proposed … “Daniel proposed during our annual birthday vacation (our birthdays are several days apart, so we always take a trip to celebrate together). In March 2011, we decided to return to the island of Jamaica for our birthday vacation. After dinner at our favorite restaurant on the island, The Houseboat Grill (a festively decorated houseboat restaurant in Freeport), he told me how much he loved me, and popped the question! Sitting in the middle of the water, under the Jamaican sky filled with a million stars, it was the most magical night I’ll never forget.”

Wedding Details … “Our wedding was held at the Bourne Mansion, a historic gold coast mansion in Long Island. We began planning our wedding during the summer after our engagement, and without the help of a wedding planner. After visiting several venues, we finally fell in love with the Bourne, which captured the theme of “old world elegance” that we wanted for our wedding, while accommodating our 300-person guest list. Every detail of our reception – from the all-white high and low center pieces, to the all-white wedding cake with detail from the corset and pickups on my dress – was designed to capture this theme and my personal style of classic, timeless beauty.

My dresses – the first, a Maggie Sottero ball gown, and the second, a Reem Acra tulle gown, also resonated with the overall theme and elegance of the venue.”

Incorporating Culture ….. “We certainly incorporated our Caribbean and West African cultures into the wedding! The bridesmaid dresses – designed by Halston Heritage, Carlos Miele and Badgley Mischka – were all brightly colored in Caribbean hues. The groomsmen wore khaki linen suits to mimic the cool Caribbean vibe of the wedding attendees, and music played throughout the cocktail hour and reception. The wedding cake was laced with hints of mango and passion fruit to reflect our favorite fruits. My husband’s West African culture was incorporated through music, as there was plenty of hip-life and high-life (Ghanaian music) throughout the event.”

The Most Unforgettable Moment ….. “The most memorable part of the day was when I first saw my husband. We did first-look photos and I could feel the excitement, love and passion in his eyes when he turned around to greet me. “You look so beautiful,” he said, and it felt like the first time I’d ever heard those words as butterflies traveled through my stomach.”

{You Make Loving You So Easy}

He loves ….. “He loves the fact that I am a female version of him: we love the same music, are both family oriented and very laid back, yet highly driven and ambitious people.”

She loves ….. “Daniel is the most respectful man I’ve ever met. He loves his family, honors his elders, and treats me like a queen. There is nothing that I could want more in a man than someone who is an ultimate gentleman, respected by his family, his business associates and his friends.”