On June 18 th , 2008 Julie Perez walked into the offices of Elite Weddings and Events owned by New York City event planner Joanna Cummings. Little did she know the decision she made would change her life forever.
Julie Perez discovered she had cancer in 2008, right after her Valentine’s Day engagement. “It was the hardest thing to hear, but it was not going to stop me from marrying the man of my dreams.” said Perez, as she wiped tears from her eyes.
Perez went on to plan her wedding for 3 months until the fight against cancer slowed her down. She decided to book an event planner and met with Joanna Cummings. “I was touched by her story and her determination. She made every meeting, never missed a call and always had a smile on her face. She inspired me.” said Cummings, who lost her grandfather to cancer in 2001.
As the planning process continued the money began to run out. “With all the medication and treatments it looked like we were going to have to call the wedding off.” said Perez.
She scheduled a meeting with her planner, who insisted that the couple’s $10k budget was enough to cover the cost of the wedding. Relieved, yet reluctant, Perez continued to work with her planner, who reassured her constantly that everything would be fine. And it would be.
On March 14 th 2009, an ailing bride walked the aisle and said I Do . Soon to find out it would truly be the best day of her life. As Perez stepped out of the church she was amazed when she saw a Cinderella style, horse-drawn carriage in place of her stretch limo. “I was amazed and confused, but first things first, I had to pet the horse.” added Perez, whose father took her horseback riding every summer.
As she waved goodbye to her guests and boarded the carriage, her driver handed her a scroll. It simply stated: “To My Cinderella…” As the newlyweds arrived at the reception site, they were greeted by two ushers who rolled out a red carpet, helped her down onto the ground and opened a second scroll, it read: “May You Walk This Red Carpet and Step into a Fairytale.”
The couple was escorted into the event space to meet their planner, Joanna Cummings at the Ballroom Entrance. “I asked Joanna about the scrolls and the horse she just took my hand and led me into the ballroom without saying a word. My knees weekend and I almost fell. It was a fairytale, it was MY fairytale.”
Joanna led the confused couple through the event space that was covered with over 15,000 red roses in tall diamond cut centerpieces, over 500 candles sitting on crystal candelabras, red silk table cloths, and gold plated place settings. The amber lighting reflected off the crystal stemware and the stage was draped with a crystal curtain.
“As we approached the stage she was still confused, she leaned over and whispered to me… Joanna how can we afford this? I can’t Joanna I really can’t.” Cummings added, “It was truly the highlight of my career.”
The couple was asked to be seated as 8 strangers and the owner of the venue joined them on the stage and Cummings was handed a microphone. She went on to give a brief speech, stating how she was grateful to have worked with such a wonderful couple. She then directed her words to the newlyweds, “You are a wonderful woman; your dedication and strength is a true motivation. As a couple, I’ve watched you grow through hardship and each day you shine brighter. Here today with me are the eight generous company owners that made this event possible. They have sponsored every aspect of this event. From the flowers and tableware, to the lighting and candles, the horse and carriage, the cake, and the entire event space have been sponsored by these wonderful people.”
Tears poured from the bride and grooms faces as the hugged Joanna and the business owners. Joanna continued, “In addition, last month, Elite Weddings and RedKyss Photography held a local business fundraiser, 25 generous contributors have allowed us to present you with this check for ten thousand dollars.”
A standing ovation and applause were in order as the couple accepted the check. “In addition, on behalf of my staff at Elite Weddings & Events, I would like to present you with a check that covers every expense you have made towards making this the best day of your life, all the way down to your shoes!” Cummings went on to list in detail the names of the generous sponsors that made a dream come true.
A total of $26k was presented to the couple, allowing Perez to get the treatment she needed. The couple has since moved to Florida to raise their daughter Joanna and Perez in currently Cancer Free!