Manzo'd With Children - General Discussion

[ZaldamoWilder]

^^ ::grabstambourine::  shame the devil and tell the truth slushie! 

 

Lol! That made me giggle

[Muffyn]

I've always suspected that Chris is gay.  Caroline will not be amused.  Oh wait, Caroline is never amused. 

[Bronzedog]

There's been a lot of speculation about Chris being gay. He's certainly very awkward around women and pretty immature. He's also creepily attached to his mother. So, who knows what the real deal is. Worrying about marriage and parenthood seem to be the least of his problems.

[bichonblitz]

I've always suspected that Chris is gay.  Caroline will not be amused.  Oh wait, Caroline is never amused. 

Yea, I kind of got the feeling that was a setup to soften the blow down the road when he finally tells mommy the truth. 

[EtheltoTillie]

Caroline's brother is gay. And she seems fine with it. But it it ever came out about her own son, she'd probably collapse.

[bichonblitz]

Fortunately, being gay no longer means not wanting to get married and/or have children.

 

So true. I just think he is afraid to tell his parents. It's sad because Caroline has certain expectations of  both of her sons, and he is not fitting her mold. neither is Albie for that matter. 

[Pickles]

Just saw the first look. Christopher's book is going to be published?! Right. That took about five minutes for him to "write" the book, visit a publisher and now it will be published. Think of all of the people who get multiple rejection letters from publishing companies. Not our Christopher! No college education. No writing classes. Just pure, raw talent. Lol.

[Bronzedog]

It is a little ironic that Caroline has such a high impression of her kids and they are all such losers. I'm also a little confused as to why Colorado would need marijuana shipped to them from New Jersey. Especially from one man band Albie.

[Ubiquitous]

I caught thd "first look" again b/c I was hoping to see the RHoOC at some point. I couldn't help but wonder if one of the mamma's boys remarks about their impromptu trip to Italy and what it would have been like if he had time to plan it was breaking the 4th wall or just stupidity.

"Olive Garden Italians", indeed! :-D

[EtheltoTillie]

It is a little ironic that Caroline has such a high impression of her kids and they are all such losers. I'm also a little confused as to why Colorado would need marijuana shipped to them from New Jersey. Especially from one man band Albie.

I think he's trying to sell them a special fertilizer to grow marijuana.  You can't grow marijuana in New Jersey.  His fertilizer is probably the same doo-doo as BLK Water.

Edited October 17, 2015 by GussieK

[Bronzedog]

I think he's trying to sell them a special fertilizer to grow marijuana.  You can't grow marijuana in New Jersey.  His fertilizer is probably the same doo-doo as BLK Water.

Thanks!

[cherry slushie]

 

As Caroline folds blankets at every baby store in Italy.

[Bossa Nova]

Caroline showing up at a New Jersey Woman's Expo this month. 

 

Th two other guest speakers have way more gravitas, credibility and something to offer than this mediocre bozo.

 

What is she going to talk about? How to raise 3 loser kids?

 

http://njwomensexpo.com/category/special-guests/

[Kitla]

I watch these losers to feel better about my life.

[LibertarianSlut]

I thought Caroline looked so much prettier and younger with her hair up in these last two episodes. She finally doesn't look like her own mother.

The future MIL is so loud and needy and exhausting and extra. We get it--you want a grandchild. Now relax.

I'm surprised no one has shown any concern for Lauren marrying someone who appears to be morbidly obese at such a young age. That puts him in a major risk for serious health complications down the line. What are the chances that this would have gone unmentioned in this family if if Vito had been a female?

[SFoster21]

I thought Caroline looked so much prettier and younger with her hair up in these last two episodes. She finally doesn't look like her own mother.

The future MIL is so loud and needy and exhausting and extra. We get it--you want a grandchild. Now relax.

I'm surprised no one has shown any concern for Lauren marrying someone who appears to be morbidly obese at such a young age. That puts him in a major risk for serious health complications down the line. What are the chances that this would have gone unmentioned in this family if if Vito had been a female?

Thr parents are in dangerous territory as well, so who's gonna bring it up?

[Jenilane6]

 

 

 

I thought Caroline looked so much prettier and younger with her hair up in these last two episodes. She finally doesn't look like her own mother.

 

Work done for the wedding?

[Petunia13]

I'm debating watching the wedding episode. I hate this shit show but wonder if its worth it for the snark here.

I think I dislike Lauren the most of the family. But I have never liked Caroline and the sons seem so shiftless and awkward and desperate.

[Bronzedog]

They are all posers. I wonder how much money they actually have.

[NewDigs]

I was hoping that Vito's big secret was that he was sterile.

Props to Caroline and Al et al for appearing sans makeup.

Otherwise, snooze.

[Pickles]

I don't get why Big Al is SO sad and emotional about Lauren getting married. She is not moving away. She is not marrying a guy they hate. It just seems weird to me. And the Cartier bracelet? I guess whatever Lauren says she needs, daddy will buy it for her.

[HorseyFace]

Repulsive.

[LilaFowler]

Something tells me that Big Al is going to be paying for Lauren's way in life until he's in his grave.  It won't matter if Vito can't afford the lifestyle that she wants -- Big Al will "gift" it to her in the form of "early" birthday/Christmas/Thanksgiving/Labor Day gifts and "loans."  Because Lauren has never worked in the real world, has never not had Daddy's Amex and to go from that to being Fat Vito's wife in Monroe... nah.  Ma Scalia isn't carrying a Chanel purse, so it stands to reason that the restaurant and deli don't provide the cake for that kind of life. 

 

If Lauren weren't so sheltered and stupid, she wouldn't be settling for Vito.  But she's spoiled, aimless and bored and has to have something to "do," because she's too old to be living at home and sponging.  So she's getting married.  She and Vito have no chemistry whatsoever... they barely even seem like friends.  I saw more passion from my 80something grandparents who've been married for more than 60 years.  Next she will have a baby, then probably another.  Finally, the money issue will no longer be able to be ignored or glossed over and one of two things will happen:  she'll either basically bully Vito into overextending himself to give her the life that she wants and they end up in bankruptcy, or she ends up back in Mommy and Daddy's house with the kids and files for divorce.

 

I often wonder what would have happened with these kids if Bravo hadn't happened.  When we met this family, Christopher was actually working at the Brownstone six days a week (parking cars, I believe).  Lauren was too (some posh but thankless job as a bride's helper or something).  Albie was getting ready to flunk out of law school.  However this show gave these people access to easy money for doing virtually nothing, and now that it all seems to be winding down, they are entering the "what now?" phase.  For Caroline and Big Al, it's no big deal because they are close to retirement age.  But while other people their age were out getting real job/life experience, the Manzo kids were wasting their time.   I feel sorry for Albie because I do think that he had some drive and goals at some point.  Flunking out of law school was obviously a setback but if memory serves, he had planned to apply to another and continue on that path.  He decided to go with Bravo instead.  Big mistake.

Edited October 26, 2015 by LilaFowler

[Pickles]

What does Christopher do?? Other than "write" a children's book?

[Kitla]

What do ANY of them, other than Big Al, really do, other than display their vacuousness on Bravo? 

[bichonblitz]

I don't get why Big Al is SO sad and emotional about Lauren getting married. She is not moving away. She is not marrying a guy they hate. It just seems weird to me. And the Cartier bracelet? I guess whatever Lauren says she needs, daddy will buy it for her.

I don't get it either! They like Vito. He went to college,earned a degree, works hard with his family in the deli and has dreams of branching out on his own with another store. He may not be Manzo wealthy but I'm sure he does just fine.  They should be relieved that somebody wants to marry that spoiled cow Lauren. So what's the problem. 

 

I really enjoyed seeing the beauty of Italy, and all of the fresh food!

 

Lauren and Carolyn walking around with identical buns on their heads the entire time and those strapless tube top thingies! They are not cute.  

[ZaldamoWilder]

I don't get it either! They like Vito. He went to college,earned a degree, works hard with his family in the deli and has dreams of branching out on his own with another store. He may not be Manzo wealthy but I'm sure he does just fine.  They should be relieved that somebody wants to marry that spoiled cow Lauren. So what's the problem. 

 

I really enjoyed seeing the beauty of Italy, and all of the fresh food!

 

Lauren and Carolyn walking around with identical buns on their heads the entire time and those strapless tube top thingies! They are not cute.  

 

This.  Please, no more tube top onesies.

 

I don't get the impression that they're sad about Vito per se.  I think it's that they've never considered Lauren anything other than their little girl and are having a hard time mentally transitioning to her being something else.  Someone's wife.  It'll happen again if/when they have a baby.  But I see it as that same sobby messy thing that happens when kids go off to college.  They're not your *baby* anymore and that ole nasty university is forcing you to confront it.  lol.

[Pickles]

I just can't believe this bunch is wealthy. Big Al works and they have that big house, but I would bet they don't have millions saved up. The inside of the house looks dated to me. Does anyone have an idea what the Bravo pay checks are for Caroline and Al? How much would each of the kids get?

[trimthatfat]

Hasn't the Brownstone been around for decades? Just googled - it's been around 70 years. It's a lovely space. I don't know if they are incredibly wealthy, but they are probably very financially comfortable. I imagine they do weddings every weekend which is a big money maker.

I don't get why Big Al is SO sad and emotional about Lauren getting married. She is not moving away. She is not marrying a guy they hate. It just seems weird to me. And the Cartier bracelet? I guess whatever Lauren says she needs, daddy will buy it for her.

Especially since Lauren has been with Vito for nearly a decade. I do think it was sweet that he was so emotional about her getting married, but I thought the bracelet was overkill. I don't think Al will be that tearful or generous when Albie or Chris move on. LOL!

 

I don't think Chris is gay, but he does appear uncomfortable with dating. Marriage and children isn't for everyone. Maybe he just wants to live his life without thinking about that.

 

While watching the Italy episodes I had a hard time telling Caroline and Lauren apart. They wore their hair in similar buns and wore ugly strapless clothes.

[Phei]

There's absolutely nothing charming about this family.

 

Why are they on TV again?

 

Caroline is an insufferable nit picking air sucking woman. Everything she says is so grating, not sure if it's her voice or her fake Italian accent. What has she done in life besides raise kids cook and clean toilets? Why does she act like such a know it all?

 

The laziness oozing out of Lauren and Vito they both look and act like such sloths.

They all seem exhausted and unhappy except for Chris. The family would be seriously depressing to watch without him there to bring some laughs.

 

Ugh.

Again, why are they on TV? Andy must be crushing hard on Albie.

Edited October 29, 2015 by Phei

[cereality]

I just can't believe this bunch is wealthy. Big Al works and they have that big house, but I would bet they don't have millions saved up. The inside of the house looks dated to me. Does anyone have an idea what the Bravo pay checks are for Caroline and Al? How much would each of the kids get?

What do the kids -- esp the boys -- actually DO for a living? I know the worked at the Brownstone for a while parking cars/setting up events. Then Albie was going to be a bigshot lawyer but failed out. Then signed up for the police academy with no follow thru. Then launched that BLK water thing that was a bust. Launched a restaurant which I imagine is still going though he never actually seems to be there. Now the pot fertilizer. And Christopher -- busted out a children's book 5 min ago but not sure what he's been doing for the last 5 yrs.

 

I'm sure their dad has done well with the Brownstone and that's great. But is he Rockefeller wealthy, such that each kid has a trust fund that will last them another 50-70 years at 200k+ a year? These kids are used to living well -- huge houses, fancy cars, apartments in Hoboken (which isn't Manhattan but still $2000+/month for a one bedroom in a fancy building). Not to mention their ridiculous business ideas, which also cost money; it costs money to get a restaurant going or to be flying here and there to sell BLK water or to be buying tickets to Colorado to go look at pot farms. Albie seems to have ongoing "anxiety" about how he needs to give it his all to get a business launched -- yet he jumps from one idea to the next without creating any steady source of income.

 

What exactly will these guys do when daddy isn't there to back them up? Does Al Sr. really have huge trusts set up for each kid? Wouldn't it be better if the boys were at least in the Brownstone business -- even if they find it boring (bc pot fertilizer is SOOO stimulating) so they can just take that business over when Al retires? Like it or not, the event space/wedding venue business is tough -- you have to be hands on every single day bc if you have a few parties that don't go off well and you develop a bad rep, your business falls off instantly esp in densely populated places like NJ where people have plenty of reception/catering hall options. These 2 morons seems like they could take a 50 yr old business and drive it into the ground in 1 yr.

[cereality]

I tend to like Al Sr, and I think he takes a lot of pride in being able to provide for his family and spoil his daughter, but I wonder if he sees the hypocrisy. He's telling Vito Sr -- that he wanted to spoil Lauren purposefully so that she would be attracted to guys who worked hard and provide her the finer things in life that she's use to. Fine. He expects a son in law to have a work ethic. What about his sons?? Has he instilled enough (or any) work ethic in them so they can provide the finer things in life to SOMEONE ELSE's daughter??

 

Did like the discussion between him and Vito Jr. where he plainly said -- she's spoiled, she'll act stupid, don't let her drag your around by your d**k and don't buy things you can't afford. Cue discussion with Lauren where she's going on about how he bought her a birthday present that was OMG -- sterling SILVER and the ugliest thing ever. She's definitely going to make him feel inadequate, though I guess Al Sr won't mind that bc he'll get to be the hero that's still buying Chanel bags and jewels and whatever for his daughter.

[SleepyAndClumsy]

Does anyone else think that Chris's roommate might be a little something more??

[selhars]

 

What about his sons?? Has he instilled enough (or any) work ethic in them so they can provide the finer things in life to SOMEONE ELSE's daughter??

 

Watching this family is like watching the Kardashians. Oh they SAY the love each other and know what's really important. I suppose I don't really question that they love each other. But, I will say it's fascinating how their views about money shape them as people. And perhaps even more so -- the blind spots they have about their OWN THOUGHTS about money and relationships.

 

What exactly have The Manzo kids accomplished? Caroline your kids haven' really done SHIT! Lauren's business was started with her family's money. Chris and Albie's restaurant, bottled water ventures were also. Chris is getting a book published, but he was also on a TV show, so sorry he get's no credit for that. SOme company would publish WHATEVER he wrote (if HE even wrote it as opposed to a ghostwriter), because he's on TV. Albie wanted to getting to spray products to help pot growers....and he needed to consult a lawyer to tell him that could be a grey area??? Really. Any dummy should know that.

 

Lauren likely thinks there was nothing wrong with her reaction to her sterling silver gift. You dont' tell the people you love -- especiailly you fiance/husband the gift was ugly. How about he gets you nothing next time...you ungrateful bitch. Lauren is the kind of person who would say something hurtful, and then apologize and think that can UNdo what she said. It doesn't. IF you kick me and apologize...you still KICKED ME! And one of these days a person MIGHT just get sick of it, and realize they deserve a person who won't kick them at all....or who'll appreciate their gifts.

 

I think all the Manzo kids are very high maintenance. I like Chris the best. He seems to have the best sense of humor and not take himself too seriously -- WHEN he doesn't let his family get to him. Caroline loves them to death. THAT I dont' doubt. BUT she doesn't know how to love with PRESSURING them. She SAYS she wants them to live their own lives. Yet she's still involved, and pushing, and commenting on everything they do. That' pressure....And clearly they feel that. Why can't thee kids just get JOBS! WHy do they feel like they HAVE to achieve GREAT THINGS. Just get a job, and work for a living. What? that's not good enough for you?

 

ETA: Why the hell does Albie need a life coach? Maybe because he feels so much pressure he can't think straight.

Edited November 2, 2015 by selhars

[bichonblitz]

Albie is a weird one, isn't he? I don't think he has ever gotten over not getting in to law school. I think he really wanted to be the big, important educated lawyer of the family. He is like a little  lost puppy.  He needs to stop with these fake storylines.  The girlfriend was never a real thing and I doubt the cannabis fertilizer bit was real. What kind of an idiot wouldn't have consulted with his friend BEFORE starting that bogus venture? 

 

Just because Christopher published a book it doesn't mean it's going to sell. Mommy and Daddy must have know somebody at the publishing company. 

 

Lauren- Is there any proof that Cafface is successful at all? Or is the parents money just barely keeping the doors open? 

 

Jacqueline Laurita and her camera time. She is the most boring person on earth. Go away. 

 

The wedding was nice. 

[SFoster21]

The wedding was nice. It was fun to see Dina and so forth and everyone seemed to have a good time.

[parrotlover]

The good - The wedding was nice. Lauren's dress was beautiful. Caroline even looked very pretty. I liked her hair.

 

The bad or things that annoyed me - Where to begin? Okay, I'm old and I know different brides do things different ways, but did that church not have a room where she could get dressed? There were so many people in that house who saw her in the dress so it wasn't the great reveal as it would have been at the church. I'm old fashioned but I always feel like no one should see the bride in the dress except her mom or maid of honor who are helping her get dressed, until she walks up the aisle. But I guess she wanted to descend down a staircase in the dress. Also squeezing in and out of the limo had to wrinkle it.  I don't know how much that dress cost, but I'm guessing at least 20K? And she had to eat greasy fast food in it. I just knew she was going to drop a fish nibbler on her dress and have a grease stain.

 

Jacqueline Laurita -1 minute of her is 1 minute too much.

 

Gregg Bennett - See Jacqueline Laurita.

 

Would have liked to seen Dina interacting with Caroline but maybe that didn't happen.

 

Vito seems like a nice guy. Hope he doesn't work himself to death buying the princess everything she wants. That Cartier love bracelet she had to have her daddy buy her in last week's episode cost close to $5,000.

Edited November 2, 2015 by parrotlover

[ZaldamoWilder]

The good - The wedding was nice. Lauren's dress was beautiful. Caroline even looked very pretty. I liked her hair.

 

The bad or things that annoyed me - Where to begin? Okay, I'm old and I know different brides do things different ways, but did that church not have a room where she could get dressed? There were so many people in that house who saw her in the dress so it wasn't the great reveal as it would have been at the church. I'm old fashioned but I always feel like no one should see the bride in the dress except her mom or maid of honor who are helping her get dressed, until she walks up the aisle. But I guess she wanted to descend down a staircase in the dress. Also squeezing in and out of the limo had to wrinkle it.  I don't know how much that dress cost, but I'm guessing $10K-$30K? And she had to eat greasy fast food in it. I just knew she was going to drop a fish nibbler on her dress and have a grease stain.

 

Jacqueline Laurita -1 minute of her is 1 minute too much.

 

Gregg Bennett - See Jacqueline Laurita.

 

Would have liked to seen Dina interacting with Caroline but maybe that didn't happen.

 

Vito seems like a nice guy. Hope he doesn't work himself to death buying the princess everything she wants. That Cartier love bracelet she had to have her daddy buy her in last week's episode cost close to $5,000.

 

Thank you.   I was uber annoyed at Mrs. Scalia's constant window peeping to look for her.   Girl first of all, you are not supposed to see the bride, get your life and get inside with your sons.  Second of all, unless the Bravo editing department was playing with my feelings, starting your wedding 4-13 minutes behind schedule is still pretty damn good.   I mean yeah ok it's a Catholic church, they straight up tell you, your wedding isn't gonna hold up the one behind yours but everybody simmer.  Maybe they'dve been on time if it weren't for the fish nibblers.  I was horrified.  It's normal to be so nervous or run out of time as to forget to eat but WHITE CASTLE fried fish......and taffeta.  Oh my God.   

 

I did understand her not dressing at the church.  As huge as my church is, it doesn't have a room that could accommodate a bride and all her maids in the mayhem and the rectory is off limits.   They (again, my church) actually discourage you from needing to do anything except the ceremony, so it's go time whenever you gets there.  Annoying.    What was the reason they "wouldn'tve considered" using any other priest than that dude?  Father forgive me but he reminded me of Breaking Bad's Hector.

 

The wedding was gorj.  Listen if my parents owned a banquet hall, I'd expect nothing less too.  Ironically the Brownstone's in a neighborhood that's rough as hell, can't tell that from the inside though so good job camera crew lol.  I loved Caroline's dress but for my tastes, it was way too cleavagey on her.  

 

The daddy daughter dance, cute.  I laughed when they showed up, essentially the morning after their honeymoon and Al was still struggling with whether or not they could share a bedroom. 

[LilaFowler]

I really wonder if this will be the last time I see the Manzos on my tv.  Were the ratings any good, or at least decent enough to warrant a third season? 

 

The wedding was nice although I thought it was silly to get dressed in Jersey and then married in NYC. 

[Pickles]

I think you will be seeing more of the Manzos. Ugh. Andy seems to love them. Lauren said she and Vito were ready to get pregnant (this was on andy's show last night). More episode ideas! Lauren is pregnant. They will buy a house. Vito will open his own restaurant. Albie will try yet another business venture. Christoper will "write" more books. It will go on forever.

[parrotlover]

I agree Pickles. It will probably go on a long time with all the ideas you mentioned, along with Vito maybe getting a lap band. As soon as I heard about the wedding, I figured there'd be a Lauren and Vito spinoff. I'm sure these shows are cheap to produce - except for whatever I'm sure ridiculous salary the Manzo's are getting. I can see them also doing an Albie/Chris spinoff too.

 

Zaldamo - You're right - the Catholic church I attend does have a room that can be used for the bride to dress, but I wasn't thinking that every church may not have one. My major annoyance was her eating greasy fish nibblers in that beautiful dress, especially now that I have found out that was a Vera Wang dress so probably more like $40K +!!!!!! She should have brought a sheet in the limo to drape over herself if she knew she was going to make daddy stop and get her something to eat.

[Muffyn]

I didn't watch the episode, but I cannot imagine anyone, unless they are a famewhore looking for drama, deciding to stiop for greasy fried fish to eat on the way to their wedding, especially while in their wedding dress.  I hope she ate with her fingers to ensure the smell of nasty fish would be all over her at the altar.  Ah, Vito, you got quite the winner! 

[The Ascension]

She looked stunning. Not many brides these days wear the veil over their faces when walking down the aisle so I was delighted that she did. I get why many don’t, but man I love how it looks. Kate Middleton’s veil over her face when she was outside the church before the ceremony was breathtaking and made me fall in love with it again. The dress though. Wasn’t a huge fan. I know some brides joke they can’t move in their dress, but she seriously couldn’t get off the altar to give the roses? I’d be mortified. I don't know how these brides in the huge taffeta dresses don't wrinkle the hell out of their gowns. A wedding I was just in, bride wanted pictures in her wedding gown at her childhood home, so she donned the dress for those pictures, took it off again to ride to the church, and we put it back on her at the church in the nursing/little kids room, lol. Not many churches have those bridal rooms anymore. Agreed at Mrs. Scalia. Love her, but c'mon, don't you want to wait for That Moment? I so love seeing the bride for the first time when she walks down the aisle. 

 

The fried food thing was just another ploy to be like ahh, look how quirky we are.

 

Really loved in the moments before walking down the aisle when Lauren was all nervous and Albert said his overprotectiveness kicked in and making sure she’d be okay gave him something to focus his energy on. Good God. That was so sweet and so like a dad, it made me tear up.

 

I love how Chris & Albie were unabashedly emotional. Seriously beautiful church!

[Ubiquitous]

I noticed this ep was on that show with people watching TV shows. Ugh, it was so obvious the "viewers" were coached to act like it was a real wedding.

[selhars]

^^ what do you mean?

It was a real wedding and it was on the show.

The viewers who comment on "The People's Couch were commenting on the wedding as they saw it on the show

[njmama]

I can't help but think that Andy is angling to make Lauren a RHONJ, unfortunately.

She did look beautiful for the wedding, can't deny that. Did you hear her rattling off everything she ate out of nervousness?? She told her future father in law on the phone. It was multiple 'meals' not snacks. She was laughing and I couldn't help but think she won't be laughing when the lbs start packing on, regardless of any lap band. You can still gain weight with that, BTW. Even on wwhl she looked fluffier.

Vito she's blessed with. He'll love her any size, as he should.

[Ubiquitous]

^^ what do you mean?

It was a real wedding and it was on the show.

The viewers who comment on "The People's Couch were commenting on the wedding as they saw it on the show

I found it hard to believe that the reactions of the people on TPC to a wedding on a candid reality show were genuine.

[Shangrilala]

So perhaps it's because I live in northern NJ where our "normal" wedding packages are over the top by comparison the the rest of the country, but I truly didn't see anything spectacular about Lauren's wedding.  I didn't see anything that put some special stamp on it from either an "extravagance" standpoint, or from a personal standpoint.  That's not to say that it wasn't pretty, sure it was nice, but I expected something more somehow.  You could have removed Lauren and Vito from the wedding and popped in some other couple and everything would have still fit perfectly.  I guess it was just another wedding at the Brownstone.  

 

So...meh.   I know that the Brownstone is just a wedding factory and a mediocre and dated looking one at best (there are far nicer venues in NJ).  I just expected something different or something more after all the talk this summer.  But instead we just got another wedding at the Brownstone - package B with the seafood bar add on.  Fair enough.  

 

The one thing that was fake - the morning after the wedding.  I refuse to believe that there wasn't a day-after brunch for all of their out of town guests.  Again, that's just kind of par for the course for weddings up here.  

 

The one thing I did like was Chris and Albie being so happy for their sister and honest Caroline and Al being so happy for their daughter.  I truly think this was the first episode of anything Manzo related that I've seen where somebody wasn't an asshole to Lauren.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Shangrilala

[stet]

Showing Lauren's wedding as a cookie cutter Brownstone wedding may actually be a great marketing tool. "We'll make sure your wedding will be just like our daughter's!"

 

I found the church they got married in to be a curious choice. St. Cyril's Church - full name Saints Cyril & Methodius & Saint Raphael's - is a predominantly Croatian congregation. Except for one English Mass on Sundays, all the services are apparently in Croatian, and most of the parishoners are of Croatian descent. It's a huge Gothic Revival building right at the Manhattan entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel; it's caught my eye many times as I was stuck in traffic.

 

Around the time I was getting married, there was a bride on my local Knot board who had her ceremony at that church, with her reception in New Jersey - but she was of Croatian descent.

 

Parts of what is now Croatia used to be Italy, but there doesn't seem to be evidence of Croatian descent in either family. (And if there is, it's not strong enough to explain a wedding at the big Croatian church in the city, beautiful as it may be.)

 

So I wonder if St. Cyril's was the only Catholic church in the area that would allow a tacky Ho-Wives franchise show to film. Which means that not only did Lauren have to have her reception at The Brownstone, she had to have her ceremony at a church that wasn't her home parish or of her choosing. Ah well.

[SFoster21]

Maybe St. Cyril's needed the cash. That's a poor community next to the Lincoln Tunnel.

It was a very nice wedding; no "housewife nastiness" occurred. The bride and groom seem to care for one another; both come from intact families, all of whom were there. The bride's family owns a wedding venue. I have no doubt that Lauren was pleased to have her father oversee the reception. I would be.