Real Weddings

A New Year’s Eve Love Story at Boston’s Four Seasons

From a Boston College meeting to fireworks on the Common, this couple rang in 2025 with a quintessential city wedding at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and the Four Seasons Hotel.

By ·
A wedding party crossing a city street, with the bride in a white gown holding a bouquet, the groom in a black tuxedo, and bridesmaids and groomsmen dressed in formal black attire. The background features tall buildings and a traffic light showing a red hand signal.

Photo by Dani Fine Photography

This article is from the 2026 issue of Boston Weddings.

More:
See all »

December 31, 2024
Four Seasons Hotel Boston
Boston, Massachusetts

New Year’s Eve has always held special memories for Kayla Famolare and Patrick Gatta. The pair met in their junior year at Boston College through mutual friends, and they officially became a couple on New Year’s Eve. Eleven years later, the bride and groom tied the knot on New Year’s Eve, 2024.

Before their engagement, the couple relocated back and forth, landing in Patrick’s home state of New York before moving back to Boston, where Kayla is from. Once they were back where their love story began, an engagement and wedding were imminent.

A couple embracing and kissing at a celebration with gold and white confetti falling around them. The woman is wearing a white dress adorned with beads and feathers, and a white feathered headpiece. The man is dressed in a white shirt and black pants, holding a glass of champagne. Other people in festive attire are visible in the background.

Photo by Dani Fine Photography

A year and a half after Patrick proposed in front of their family and close friends, the pair got married at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, followed by a confetti-filled reception at the Four Seasons Boston. With the help of their families and wedding planner Paula Marrero, the couple pulled off a “quintessential Boston city wedding,” Kayla says.

“I’ve grown up going to the Four Seasons with my family,” she continues, noting the hotel’s recent redesign by the famed Ken Fulk. “I think it’s such a magical hotel right there on the Common.”

A couple dressed in formal wedding attire embraces on a city sidewalk at night. The bride wears a white gown with lace sleeves, and the groom is in a black suit. Fireworks light up the dark sky above, and festive lights decorate the trees and street lamps in the background.

Photo by Dani Fine Photography

THE FIREWORKS

“Seeing fireworks during the cocktail hour was definitely something we wanted to incorporate,” the bride says. The city’s annual fireworks display could be seen from the Common across from the hotel, so the couple and their guests ventured outside to participate in the festivity. “We grew up going into Boston to see the fireworks on New Year’s Eve, so it was really cool to be able to see them on our wedding day.”

A man dressed in a white shirt with black suspenders and a bow tie is playing a saxophone. In the foreground, a person is holding a microphone close to their mouth, partially out of focus. The scene appears to be indoors with a decorative wall and lighting equipment visible in the background. The image is in black and white.

Photo by Dani Fine Photography

THE BAND

“The music selection, too, was a key component to get people actually moving up to the dance floor, and [Night Shift Entertainment] brought the energy from the get-go,” says Patrick, who contributed a saxophone solo with the band—“Valerie” by Amy Winehouse.

Five pieces of gourmet finger food served on a black slate platter, each consisting of a square of bread topped with lettuce, a creamy seafood salad, and garnished with colorful edible flowers and microgreens.

Photo by Dani Fine Photography

THE FOOD

When Patrick suggested mini lobster rolls for the menu, the Four Seasons Boston was all in. “Everyone, still to this day, raves about the lobster rolls at our cocktail hour,” Kayla says. When it was time for dessert, Espresso Dave’s espresso cart rolled in and kept the crowd awake until midnight. “People loved that—affogatos, espressos, cappuccinos,” the groom says.

THE FLOWERS

The bride aimed for a classic, elegant floral look, incorporating a tribute to her family’s garden into the design. She paired her favorite white roses with greenery and lily of the valley as a tribute to the flowering bushes her mom cultivates. “Lily of the valley has always reminded me of her, so I thought using them was a special way to tie her into the wedding with us,” Kayla adds.

THE DRESS

The wedding gown was a two-piece ensemble, made up of an Anne Barge strapless gown and a Monique Lhuillier lace top over it. “I actually never thought that I would be in a strapless dress, but then when I put it on, it all just came together. I felt really beautiful.” Kayla says. “It truly was one of those moments where you put on the dress, and it’s so overwhelming. It was the only [dress] that I cried in.”

A bride and groom stand at the altar of a grand church, sharing a kiss. The bride wears a long white gown with a lace bodice and a flowing train, while the groom is dressed in a black suit. The altar is ornately decorated with red and white poinsettias, tall Christmas trees, and intricate architectural details, including a large, ornate white structure with religious statues and a gold cross. The setting is elegant and festive, with high arched windows and detailed wall patterns.

Photo by Dani Fine Photography

THE CHURCH

“We had our ceremony mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, which is just such a beautiful church, and it was all still decorated for Christmas, including poinsettias, and it was exceptional,” Kayla explains. “We had our good friend Father Patrick O’Connor marry us, so that was really special, too.”

A black and white photo of a bride and groom sitting closely together in the backseat of a vintage car at night. The bride is holding a bouquet of roses and leaning into the groom, who is wearing a tuxedo with a bow tie and a rose boutonniere. The groom has his arm around the bride, and they both appear content and affectionate. The background shows a dimly lit street with some lights and a fence.

Photo by Dani Fine Photography

THE TRANSPORTATION

From the church to the reception, the newlyweds traveled in style. “We actually had a police escort, because Boston on New Year’s Eve is such a crazy time,” Kayla explains. “[My boss] let us borrow—and actually chauffeured—his old-school gold convertible. I felt like a celebrity, like we were in a mini parade having the motorcade, and it was awesome.”

A collection of gold rings, including one with a large central diamond and another with smaller diamonds, is displayed on a white lace handkerchief. Nearby, a pair of pearl earrings with small blue stones and a delicate chain are placed next to a sprig of small white flowers on a textured dark surface. White and green flowers are blurred in the background.

Photo by Dani Fine Photography

Band Night Shift Entertainment
Bride’s Dress Anne Barge
Cake Dessert Works
Espresso Cart Espresso Dave
Flowers Floristika
Makeup Liz O’Malley Makeup
Photographer Dani Fine Photography
Planner Paula Marrero, Marrero Events
Reception Venue Four Seasons Boston
Rentals Peak Event Services

First published in the print issue of Boston Weddings 2026 in the “Parties” section, with the headline, “Rebecca Merson & Alexander Adami.”

Getting married? Start and end your wedding planning journey with Boston Weddings' guide to the best wedding vendors in the city.

Read More About:

Trending

  1. The Zebra Room Steakhouse Opens in Downtown Boston

  2. Peruvian Restaurant Rosa y Marigold Opens at the Lyrik Back Bay

  3. Is the Massachusetts Economy About to Get Wrecked?

  4. Can Celebrity Professor Steven Pinker Save Harvard?

  5. Nantucket Boutique Birdie Soars with Color, Craft, Island Charm