In Style 2/1/1999 Love Takes Wing

As a 10-year-old, Tina Albanese was a card-carrying member of the Patrick and Matthew Labyorteaux fan club, clipping pictures of the dreamy teenage actors from Little House on the Prairie out of Tiger Beat magazine, and even memorizing their bios (favorite food: cheeseburgers) . So when she grew up to become an associate producer on JAG--the CBS series on which Patrick plays Navy Lieutenant JO. Roberts--then wound up secretly dating Patrick for almost a year, it was a fantasy come true. But the fairy-tale romance didn't end there. On the one-year anniversary of their very first date, Patrick told Tina he would pick her up for a weekend getaway. He didn't show, but a limo did, first whisking her to the Burke Williams spa in Santa Monica California, for a day of pampering, then to an airstrip; Patrick was waiting, with a dozen red roses, in a private jet. The couple flew to Las Vegas, where Patrick proposed marriage over lobster and champagne in a luxury suite at the MGM Grand. The crowning touch? Tina was handed a valet parking ticket that led her to a Mercedes 560 SL, her dream car. "It took me six months to plan," Patrick says of the elaborate strategy. But it only took him a moment to decide on Tina. "Our first date was a Cheap Trick concert at the House of Blues, " says the happy new groom. "From that night, I knew she was the one." Where and when: October 3, 1998, on the grounds of the Hotel Sd--Air in Beverly Hills. The evening began at 5:30 P.M. with a black-tie champagne reception. Each guest was handed a candle and a box of matches with the monogram TPL, for Tina and Patrick Labyorteaux, and asked to light the candle at 6:05 for the Catholic ceremony that followed. Said the bride of the romantic setting, which included a swan pond: "It was enchanting. The rings: Tina's engagement ring is a 3-carat emerald-cut diamond solitaire in a platinum setting designed by the groom and Los Angeles jeweler Henry Morett. Her wedding band is platinum, set with pave diamonds from Ron Herman/Fred Segal in Los Angeles. Patrick's simple gold band came from XIV Karats in Beverly Hills. The bride wore: An Ulla-Maija full-skirted satin gown with satin rosebuds on the scoop-necked bodice. "It felt very elegant," she said. Her hair was styled in a sophisticated updo by Laurent D. of Prive in West Hollywood; her makeup was by Thierry Pourtoy. Tinats shoes, mary janes decorated with fabric rosettes, were by Kenneth Cole. "Something borrowed" was a 60-carat pear-shaped diamond necklace with matching earrings from David Orgell jewelers in Beverly Hills. The groom wore: A Valentine tux and platinum cuff links set with square-cut diamonds, on loan from David Orgell jewelers. The bridesmaids: Four, with Patrick's niece Erica as the maid of honor. All wore different designs from Watters and Watters in the same taupe fabric. The groomsmen: Four, with Patrick's brother, Matthew, as the best man. The guests: 100 in all, including JAG cast members David James Elliott Catherine Bell, John M. Jackson and Karri Turner; JAG's producer, Donald P. Bellisario; JAG's co-producer, David Bellisario; executive producer of Family Guy, David Zuckerman; and director Jon Turteltaub. The music: Bob Gale's 12-piece orchestra provided a mix of jazz and pop standards, such as "Natural Woman, " "Johnny B. Goode" and "New York, New York." The couple chose "What a Wonderful World" for their first dance, followed by "Ain't That a Kick in the Head, ' and the bride danced with her father to "Fly Me to the Moon." Later, Catherine Bell led a conga line to "Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot." The flowers: On each of the dining tables sat centerpieces of candles and floating gardenia blossoms. At the ceremony, gardenias accented the green vines woven around lanterns near the seats. The cake: The hotel catering staff created the three-tier cake made of chocolate, lemon and marble layers, filled with white chocolate mousse, raspberries, strawberries, Grand Marnier and Chambord, and covered in white fondant icing and fresh gardenias.