Allen & Collin
April 15, 2023 | GoggleWorks Center for the Arts
How They Met
The Internet brought Allen and Collin together, and their first date was a meet-up for drinks at The Ugly Oyster in Reading. After a quick two months of dating, the pair took the leap and moved in together. Allen’s down-to-earth, calm demeanor collided with Collin’s care-free, extroverted lifestyle, and they found balance as a couple. Says Allen, “We like to compare our relationship to a yin-yang.”
Tell us about the Proposal!
Being that Collin’s favorite first lady is Jackie Kennedy, Allen looked up how and where John F. Kennedy proposed to Jackie, which was at a small restaurant in the Georgetown area of Washington, DC called Martin’s Tavern. On March 5, 2021, the pair was seated at that same spot where JFK and Jacqueline were years before, enjoying an amazing dinner. When dessert arrived, Allen proposed to Collin with a beautiful sunset orange-colored padparadscha-sapphire-and-diamond ring. The restaurant staff and guests clapped when Collin answered “yes,” and Allen soon had a blue-green mermaid sapphire-and-diamond engagement ring on his finger in a matching style.
The Big Day
The pair were born and raised in Berks County, and they were looking for a venue that would allow for their creativity and that would not tie them down to a strict list of vendors. Therefore, the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts was a perfect fit. In attendance among the approximately 120 guests were Allen’s parents, Allen and Dawn Liszcz, as well as Lisa and Dr. Jeffrey Nemeroff, mother and stepfather of Collin, and Brian Adam and Steward Willman, father and stepfather to Collin. Donielle Barlan was Maid of Honor; Lindsay Lessie was Groomswoman; Ruby Nemeroff was Groomsperson, and Bismark, the couple’s dog, served as Ringbearer. Also in attendance was Rose Willman, Collin’s step-grandmother, and Nicholas Willman, Collin’s step-cousin. The couple appreciated the venue’s industrial feel as it, as well as Collin’s suit, was a nod to London’s industrial past. The pair’s grandparents and parents walked down the aisle to start the procession. Allen walked down with his parents on each arm to the tune of A Thousand Years performed by a solo violinist, and Collin was escorted by his younger sibling, Ruby, to Simply the Best, a nod to his favorite show, Schitt’s Creek.
The venue and reception carried the theme of “An Evening in Phuket” — dark wooden chairs and tables, lush tropical greenery, vibrant and exotic, colorful flowers, and an Asian fusion-inspired menu by Table 13 Catering, Robesonia. Collin was inspired by the film Crazy Rich Asians. The cake, baked by Unique Desserts by Chef Anne Louise in West Reading, consisted of three tiers. The bottom was lemon cake with strawberry filling; the middle was lemon cake with a passionfruit mango filling, and the top was solely lemon cake.
Allen and Collin chose Lover by Taylor Swift as their first-dance song as played by their DJ from The Party People.
Highlight for Allen
“For me, the highlight of the big day was watching my future husband walk down the aisle toward me and being able to see him happy and smiling.”
Highlight for Collin
“I’d say watching everyone enjoying our day with us was the highlight for me.”
The Honeymoon
The couple enjoyed a 16-day honeymoon with seven nights in Phuket, Thailand, a 24-hour layover in Dubai and seven nights in London, England. In Thailand they enjoyed highlights like holding an eagle on their arms and petting a tiger, touring the Big Buddha, snorkeling in a clear ocean and waking up to the rainforest sounds around their villa. In London, they indulged in food at local pubs and at a Gordon Ramsey-owned spot for wagyu steak, visited Alexander McQueen’s store and museum, viewed local architecture that dates back hundreds of years and more.
Future Plans
Allen, an accountant, and Collin, a student working towards a fashion merchandising degree, now reside in Alexandria, Va., and look to travel more and to begin their family life together.
Advice for Future Couples Planning Their Big Day
Hire a month-of, or a day-of, coordinator. The stress of planning a wedding is overwhelming. Our month-of coordinator kept us on track. She also was able to take care of many details leading up to the wedding, the wedding itself and the cleanup. A good coordinator and planner can take care of the stress on the wedding day. It is well worth the price to have them.
Vendors
Coordinator/Decor
LEO Design Gallery, Wyomissing
Florist
Acacia Flower and Gift Shop, Sinking Spring
String Quartet
New Age Strings, Philadelphia
Bartending Services
Bar 51 Mobile Bartending, Baltimore, MD
Officiant
Marriages by Mary Rita, Philadelphia
Coffee Bar
Ebru Coffee Roastery, Audubon
Allen’s Wedding Jacket
Etro, New York, NY
Collin’s Wedding Suit
Alexander McQueen, New York, NY
