What Did Rachael Ray Do For The First Time At Anne Burrell's Wedding?
Not everyone is lucky enough to have the wedding of their dreams, but Rachael Ray is among the few who were. In 2005, Rachael married John Cusimano in a "fairy-tale wedding in a Tuscan castle that was a dream come true," as was described by Rachael Ray In Season. That said, John's proposal was less than ... picturesque. "We had been together for years, we had already bought our apartment," she recalled during a "Q&J" segment on the "Rachael Ray Show" in January. "He threw the Tiffany diamond ring at my head — it's a long story, but it was very funny."
A close friend of Rachel's — fellow celebrity chef Anne Burwell — wanted to have her own fairytale wedding, too. Burrell and her fiance Stuart Claxton were married in upstate New York in Burrell's hometown of Cazenovia on October 16, per People. A day before tying the knot, the "Worst Cooks in America" host shared a photo on Instagram of the duo locking lips. "I get to marry my Prince Charming this weekend!! He finally arrived!! And I'm the luckiest girl in the world," she wrote.
For the ceremony, Burrell made an extravagant entrance that featured her going down the aisle in a horse and carriage. "I don't care about the cheese factor," the chef told People after the wedding. "It's my moment and I mean to have it," she added. So, what was Rachael's involvement in the lavish event?
Rachael Ray was never the bridesmaid ... until now!
On the day of her wedding, Anne Burwell shared a photo of her four bridesmaids on Instagram. The quartet included her sister, Jane Burrell, a friend, Melissa Rosenfield, another close friend — and Rachael Ray! Somewhat surprisingly, this was Rachael's first time serving as a bridesmaid at a wedding, per People. According to her website, friend Melissa is a "director of Vibe," and was once described by the New York Post as an "ultra-ambitious lifestyle maven," per her site.
Following the wedding, pal Melissa uploaded an eight-photo set to Instagram that captured the bridesmaids in their orange dresses. As Anne revealed to People, she hand-selected the autumn-influenced color. Other notable names in attendance included Marc Murphy, Jeff Mauro, Jenni "JWoww" Farley, and celebrity chef Alex Guarnaschelli, per Page Six. Alex did not hold back on sharing photos from the nuptials. The "Chopped" judge uploaded a closeup of Anne, whom she described as the "Beautiful blushing bride." The chef also included a snap of Anne and her husband gleefully being introduced at the reception.
The Bachelorette party included a stay at Rachael's home in Tuscany, Italy, per People. "I don't know if I would say it was very bachelorette-y, but it was exactly what I wanted," Anne told the outlet. "I will give up a Vegas vacation to stuff my face full of carbonara in Rome any day of the week." Well, that's one perk of adding Rachael Ray to the squad!