It was, North Fork native John Dunne says, the best day of his life.
On Nov. 12 Dunne and Katie Anthony were married at Brecknock Hall in Greenport, making them the seventh couple to receive an all-expenses-paid wedding compliments of Peconic Landing, Brecknock Hall and nearly two dozen vendors.
“We are so incredibly blessed to have been given this opportunity,” Dunne said in an email statement. “It was a beautiful, elegant, and picture perfect wedding. The generosity and compassion of every single vendor and volunteer is unparalleled and we cannot ever thank them enough. The wedding exceeded our wildest dreams and was truly an incredible experience.”
In 2011 Peconic Landing in partnership with Brecknock Hall created the Veterans Day Wedding Giveback as a way of thanking military personnel and recognizing their service. Military couples are required to fill out an application and provide references; one partner must be serving or have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Couples are interviewed either in person or via Skype and a committee chooses the winners.
Dunne, 25, is a graduate of Southold High School, and a U.S. Navy MH-60S helicopter pilot stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. Anthony, 28, of Cantonment, Florida. works for the Navy Federal Credit Union at their Corporate Operations Center.
The announcement that they’d been chosen as winners was made on May 1 via a Skype conference held at Peconic Landing. The couple thought they were sitting for an interview but were surprised by friends and family with the announcement. See story.
When asked what his favorite part of the day was, Dunne replied, “Watching the love of my life walking down the aisle to me, looking so incredibly beautiful, smiling at me in a way that I have never seen before. I have never felt a moment in my life more powerful and wonderful than that. It is a moment and a feeling that I will never forget.”
Southold-Greenport-Matttiuck NJROTC, with help from several wedding guests representing the U.S. Navy, performed a traditional sword ceremony after the couple took their vows. Major William Grigonis officiated.
Photos: Anchor & Lace Photography
