Merrimack Valley

North Andover couple comes close, loses TV wedding contest

By Crystal Bozek
cbozek@eagletribune.com
Published: July 2, 2009

NORTH ANDOVER — North Andover natives Alyssa Manzi and Gary Ritter will be married, just not on "Today."

The couple found out yesterday on air that they lost to Ohio couple Leigh Daniel and Nick Cordes in the "Today Throws a Wedding" contest, where the winning couple receives an all-expenses paid dream wedding in New York's Rockefeller Center, a reception and honeymoon. And the wedding will broadcast live on the show July 15.

Manzi, 30, a public relations executive and former New England Patriots cheerleader, and Ritter, 27, an energy sales analyst in Boston, were originally among 100 couples selected for the 10th annual wedding contest on NBC.

The field was narrowed to four couples who took part in competitive challenges like a wedding obstacle course and love song trivia.

Every week viewers voted for their favorite couple.

Manzi said last week they were just excited to make it to the final two.

"Whether or not we win, we're getting married," she said. "That's all that matters."

The two will be married away from the cameras on Oct. 15, at St. Michael Church in North Andover.