A month later, she and “Subway Doug,” as she and her friends referred to him, ran into each other at a restaurant downtown. This time, Doug, a financial analyst who grew up on Staten Island, was sure to get Lauren’s phone number, even though he was on a date with someone else. He called Lauren, the two started dating, and by August 2008 they were a couple. Just over a year later, Doug popped the question after a romantic dinner at the Oak Room at the Plaza.

Though their meeting was dramatic, Lauren and Doug opted for understated elegance when it came to their June 11, 2010, nuptials. With Lauren wearing a simple Monique Lhuillier gown and cathedral-length veil and Doug in a Ralph Lauren Black Label tuxedo with ivory tie, the two exchanged vows in front of 225 guests at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church in Atlantic City with Father John DeLora, a close friend of Doug’s family, presiding. Adding to the personal feeling of the ceremony, three aunts did readings and Doug’s niece and nephew served as flower girl and ring bearer. After the traditional Catholic Mass, everyone headed to One Atlantic, a sophisticated Atlantic City venue overlooking the ocean, to enjoy the chic ivory- and white-hued reception that Lauren designed with help from her mother and an unexpected but eager wedding planner: her dad.

During the reception, guests dined on clams casino, shrimp, sea bass, and filet mignon and feasted on a selection of miniature desserts as well as a gorgeous four-tier red velvet cake with cream-cheese frosting. “I still think about how delicious that cake was!” says Lauren.

The newlyweds shared their first dance to Billy Joel’s “She’s Got a Way” and reveled in the heartfelt toasts offered by Lauren’s dad, the best man, and the maid of honor. As the trio took turns speaking, “Doug and I sat back and realized how fortunate we were to have all these special people in our lives,” says Lauren.