Christina Quesada and Cliff Mahoney met by chance at a high school play at Fordham Prep in the Bronx. Christina, who attended Ursuline in New Rochelle, was there to see afriend perform, and Cliff was there on a school assignment. Christina remembers telling her friend, “This guy is pretty cute,” but the friend informed her they would never get along.
But luckily she ignored her friend, because, 10 years later, they are still together and now joyfully planning their nuptials.
Christina worked for the media for years, but found itrather unfulfilling. It was Cliff who encouraged her to pursue her dreams of going to culinary school. She now works as a pastry chef at 350° in Rye. Cliff works as a supply chain manager in real estate for Jarden Corporation, also in Rye.
Every year for the past 10 years, the couple has celebrated Valentine’s Day at Half Moon in Dobbs Ferry (which used to be The Chart House). Cliff thought it would be the perfect place for a proposal.
Friday night is date night for the couple and, even though it wasn’t Valentine’s Day, Cliff made up a story about other restaurants not having any available reservations as an excuse to go to Half Moon. While they hadn’t talked specifically about their future plans, Christina once had said to Cliff, “I don’t care how you propose, but I hope my family will be there to celebrate with us.”
At the restaurant, Christina found it a little odd that Cliff wouldn’t let them check his coat, and when she noticed both their families sitting at tables nearby, propped and ready to go with a camera, she knew what was about to unfold. Christina has been looking forward to this day for a long time. “I always loved reading the New York Times‘s Engagements, and now it was my turn.”
Christina’s family vacationed out in Montauk and she always knew that that is where she would get married. The couple decided on a September 14th, 2013, wedding at the Yacht Club in Montauk. Christina has found two dresses for the big day. Her main gown is by designer Alita Graham, which she found at Kleinfeld’s in Manhattan. She plans to change into her sample Paloma Blanca gown that she found on etsy.com for the reception.
Christina has sent out three different nautical-themed save the dates, playing on the expression of “tying the knot.”