Consequences(182)

Claire sat back. “No.” At this Anthony smiled and put his hand on his wife’s knee. He goes on with the answer, “No, she didn’t. She made me wait for what seemed like an eternity.” But leaning over to kiss his bride, he added, “She finally relented. And I was elated.”

The worst thing you can do for love is deny it; so when you find that special someone, don’t let anyone or anything get in your way.

VF: Now some people have questioned the quickness of your nuptials. What do you have to say to those critiques?

Anthony answered, “I guess they have never been as in love.” Claire continued, “We didn’t want to wait. We made our decision. We wanted our family and friends to share in our happiness.”

VF: The personal accounts were extremely complimentary. How did you pull off the wedding of the century in less than a month?

Mrs. Rawlings replied, “With the best wedding planner and coordinator in the world! They were amazing. We never worried about a thing.”

According to the press releases the wedding was magnificent. The bride was gorgeous in an exquisite Vera Wang gown, reportedly from an elite Manhattan boutique. The groom was dazzling in a custom Armani tuxedo—(Photo of Mr. and Mrs. Rawlings in wedding attire standing at the base of the grand stairway, decorations can be seen behind them. Note: multiple wedding pictures and decorations can be seen in a collage of pictures at the end of the article.)


VF: Addressing Claire Rawlings, how has it been to be thrust into the public eye?

Claire blushed and glanced at Anthony. “May I say first I don’t feel that I’m a celebrity? I’ve done nothing to warrant celebrity status. That’s why when you ask your question, the first response I think of is, it’s been unreal. I still find it amazing that anyone would think my clothes, shopping habits, or hairstyle newsworthy. It’s something that I’m learning to handle. Anthony has been superb at buffering the media as much as possible.”

Claire added, “You can be overwhelming at times.” Addressing this reporter, she continued, “You meaning the press,” smiling a lovely smile, “not you; however, if being married to this marvelous man means seeing myself on an occasional magazine,” she leans toward his protection, “it’s more than worth it.” Mr. Rawlings included that he desired to shelter her from too much unwanted exposure. After all, he prefers to remain as private as possible.


As the couple walked hand in hand to share a tour of their home it wasn’t hard to imagine that a splendid wedding ceremony could easily occur within these walls. The grand hall is breathtaking on this February afternoon. The two-story winding staircase ascended to a railed landing which appeared to extend down various hallways. The ceiling, at least another story high, holds a magnificent chandelier that illuminates the foyer.

The intricate marble flooring extends behind the stairs to a window-lined sitting room. These areas were all utilized during the ceremony. Beyond the sitting room, which also contains a magnificent fireplace, is a comfortable sun porch that Mrs. Rawlings says is one of her favorite rooms in their home. She enjoys reading and sunlight very much. Even in the winter months, if it’s not too cold she can enjoy the sun’s rays on the porch; however, it is in the summer with the windows open and the fresh breeze that the room is ideal.

Not far from these exquisite rooms is a grand dining room that the newlyweds claim to utilize regularly. Mr. Rawlings commented that just being with his bride is a special occasion worthy of formal dining. Beyond the sun porch this reporter could see the expanse of their backyard. Apparently, during the wedding it contained a large tent that created the hall for their reception. On this day it was snow covered and pristine. The yard is encased by trees. Currently, the trees are bare and one can see into the depths of the forest, but Anthony explained that within months the green leaves will obstruct the view and the lawn will appear an oasis in itself. He also pointed out the deck, pool area, and patio. He is proud of the house. He offers that he helped design it from memories and ideas from other dwellings. He believes the result is exquisite, and this reporter agrees wholeheartedly.