By Paul Pannone

On Friday a forty-year wish to have the wedding of their dream was granted to Pasqual and Maria Ortiz at Ravellos in New Jersey. Pasqual and Maria have known each other that long and married in 1990 in a community service but could never have the formal wedding they both wanted– until now. The couple’s love story is a beautiful, romantic tale that turned into a race for time, as both suffer from health issues.

After decades of waiting Pasqual and Maria Ortiz get the wedding they’ve always wanted.

Officiant Ruthann Brown said on Face Book, “ The surprise wedding I was speaking of was held Friday for a couple who married quietly many years ago and always wanted the nice wedding. Knowing that medical reasons would shorten the timeline, their daughter asked for help in making their dream come true.

Today, believing they were having luncheon with their kids, found out the wedding was all planned and today was the day. With the help of Dream Team Wishes and TV celebrity wedding planner, Samantha Goldberg, this couple was escorted to hair and make-up, slipped into gown and tux, presented with flowers and walked down the aisle for a Celebration of a Lifetime. Video and photographers clicking, exchanging rings donated to the cause and escorted to a banquet, just for them, complete with DJ and cake. They cried through the whole thing (and most of us did, too).

Goldberg, through her charity organization Dream Team wishes,  has been quietly planning the surprise wedding for Pasqual and Maria for months but learned time was no longer on her side. Goldberg sent out a call to action to vendors to quickly get the event planned and staged. She shared some thoughts with her Face Book fans;

“While we were taping, I sat each person down and talked to them alone…to find out the love story of 40 years ago. The husband who said we met placing a bet from my friend..for $50.. I lost as I knew she was the one. Then interviewing the wife and asking her what type of wedding would she have had years ago…What was so magical about their meeting..How he proposed to her…The ring that was lost and the courthouse wedding. I’m not sure what the worst part was….hearing something that we know people search for and knowing this soon will be the end of someone’s story…or watching both cry as the dream was a reality yesterday. Do you have any idea how hard it is to watch a grown man cry or a woman who has only been focusing on this terrible issue….Getting her dream wedding in white cry?”

Goldberg told eWedNewz she plans on revving up her charity to give back to people that are in real need because she wants to help, not for the publicity.

“When someone does something nice it should be because they want to do it– quietly, with dignity and respect. There should be no profiteering or worse, monetary gain,” said Goldberg in an eWedNewz exclusive.

Goldberg says she will have a lot more to say about charities in the wedding business– and how they’re run– in the weeks and months ahead.

“That is a story for another time. For now, this beautiful couple got the greatest gift they could have ever received with their family beside them. I am very happy for them,” said Goldberg.

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