By Setarreh Massihzadegan
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

By the time the big day dawned, the union about to take place at Brooksby was known simply as “The Wedding.”

On a bright day in February, about 200 guests gathered to see Cynthia Ferratusco and Irving B. Goldston become the first couple that met at Brooksby to wed in the community’s chapel.

Love and courage
“It’s wonderful what they’ve proven—that age doesn’t matter when it comes to love,” says Kay McManus, who has been Cynthia’s friend since they participated in Brooksby’s theater group together.

As the couple walked down the aisle, which was lined with red and white ribbons and flowers, the bride was already in tears of joy.

Brooksby’s Pastoral Ministries Manager Rich Byrne married the couple in a nondenominational ceremony.

“It takes a lot of courage to do what they did,” Byrne told the crowd. Though many romances have come out of Brooksby, no couple before has wed in the community’s own chapel. For those who couldn’t attend, the ceremony was broadcast live on the community television station.

In harmony
Music helped to bring the bride and groom together, and they made it part of their ceremony when Cynthia sang “Wind Beneath My Wings.” Later, the couple’s friend Loretta Tenaglia, who was the unofficial wedding planner, read a Khalil Gibran poem. Eugenia Loomis, who Cynthia met at Brooksby, told the crowd how special the day was for her.

Cynthia easily retells the story of how she met Irving just over two years ago. She had recently moved to Brooksby and asked some friends if there were any available men in the community. Loomis mentioned Irving, and Cynthia gave him a call. He suggested they meet for dinner that evening.

“I looked at him and I said, ‘Oh, it’s you,’” Cynthia recalls. She remembered seeing him from across the room at Brooksby’s annual gala.