Co-maids of honor Cara Kennedy Cuomo and Michaela Kennedy Cuomo, as well as 14 bridesmaids, wore baby blue and white V. Chapman dresses, and the two bridesmen—Mariah’s best friends from Brown, Ben Pruzan and Michael Dresdale—wore coordinated light blue suits with pocket squares made from the dress fabric. Tellef and his 18 groomsmen wore classic navy blue suits with ties, perfect for a summer day on the Cape.
The couple was married under a chuppah, covered in white roses and flowers and built from branches sourced in Norway, where Tellef’s family is from; Italy for Mariah’s father’s family; Ireland for her mother’s family; and the United States. The service—which was officiated by Father Matt Malone, a Jesuit priest and friend of the mother of the bride—was traditional in many ways, but also reflected the couple’s personal traditions. “It was important to Tellef and me that the wedding ceremony reflect our unique roots, celebrate who we are together, and intentionally usher in a long, successful, happy life together as husband and wife,” the bride explains. “Tellef and I wanted to weave important customs from both my Catholic and his Jewish heritages into the ceremony.” Relatives read Bible passages about love, before the bride and groom read vows they wrote themselves.
“The ceremony was all about love from start to finish—love was the subject of each bible reading, spoken to in our personal vows, and felt from the warmth emanating from those who had gathered at our ceremony to witness, celebrate, and support us,” Mariah says. “I felt overjoyed, peaceful, blessed, loved, and complete. It may sound trite, but marrying the man I love, Tellef, truly was a dream come true. Hearing Tellef speak his vows—about our love, our future together, and how we will raise our family—was deeply moving.” After the couple exchanged rings, the ceremony concluded with the breaking of the glass.
Then, after the service, guests gathered for cocktails inside Mariah’s grandmother’s home. “When Tellef and I first got engaged, we called grandma to tell her the happy news,” Mariah remembers. “She really likes Tellef—they share a love of football, a desire for adventure, and a great sense of humor. When grandma picked up the phone, she joked about hearing that I had ‘stolen her man.’ We laughed, and she insisted we marry on her front lawn. We were thrilled to say yes!”
The reception was held at the former JFK House, now owned by Mariah’s aunt and uncle Edward Kennedy Jr. and Katherine “Kiki” Kennedy, who offered their front yard as the location for the reception tent and the brunch held the next day. The large tent was adorned with white flowers and strung lights, and in between courses, everyone danced to The Sultans. After dinner, Mariah climbed up onto a ladder to cut into their eight-tier wedding cake. “It was inspired by my great-aunt Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s wedding cake, a feat by Confectionary Designs,” Mariah says. “Atop was a silver bell with our engagement date inscribed.”
Following the reception, the mother of the bride, Kerry Kennedy, hosted the after-party in her backyard at Edgehill Farm, just a short stroll down the street. “The garden gate is made of wood and features a Jewish star on one door, which opens to a Mother Mary figure at the center,” Mariah says. “This offers another beautiful symbol representative of our union.” Nestled between her vegetable garden and the chicken coop, guests danced all night beneath the stars.