Wedding Day

St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church

Ceremony

Mendenhall Inn

Cocktail Hour

Reception

Our Wedding

Book a Room at Mendenhall

We have a block of rooms for our wedding guests at Mendenhall Inn. Please see below for booking options and instructions!How to BookOnlineYou can book your rooms online by following this link: <a href="https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/reservations/groups.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Book Now!</a> and using our code S52ZP7W7. Over the PhoneIf you'd like to book your rooms over the phone, please call 610-388-2100 ext. 0 and let them know you'd like to book with the Muldowney/Bell Wedding.

Accommodations

The first time Darin saw Brittany, she was walking up to Sts. Markella and Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Mary Esther, Florida. It was late 2020, during the height of the COVID pandemic, and Darin was assisting the church by keeping track of attendees as required by state regulations. As he sat outside with a list of names, he didn’t recognize her as he did many of the regular parishioners, but he immediately noticed what he perceived to be her modest beauty. From a distance, he first noticed her cream veil, that some Orthodox women wear, part of her beautiful hair, and her simple but elegant dress. That moment was how he learned her name.Not long afterward, he remembered Brittany walking into the narthex, or front of the church, to buy candles. Darin greeted her with, “Good morning, Brittany!” and she looked up and smiled — a moment that stayed with both of them.Fast-forward to 2022, a mutual friend, Connie Morgan, asked Darin if he knew Brittany. During the conversation she mentioned that Brittany was single. He wondered if perhaps she might be interested in him.Skip ahead to 2023, Darin was often assisting Father John and usually arrived late to the fellowship hall after church, but he knew he wanted an opportunity to talk with her. All in God’s timing is the best way to describe their timeline as they both had prayerfully and specifically asked Saint Xenia for intercessory prayers.Since he kept missing Brittany after services, Darin finally sent her a friend request through Facebook on 01 October 2023. He felt fortunate they had mutual friends in the parish — and even more grateful when she accepted it. Before long, they began talking, which led to their first date on the beach in Destin, Florida around sunset — a picture-perfect start. Praise be to God!

Our Love Story

A Note on Our Last Name

As we prepare for marriage, we’re also honoring the past. Through his love of history and recent discoveries about his family’s journey from Italy to the United States, Darin learned that his great-grandfather’s surname was originally Ciamarra, before it was changed to Bell, with Ciamarra preserved as a middle name. As a tribute to that history, Darin will carry Bell as part of his middle name, and together we will begin our marriage as the Ciamarra family.

Our Story and Honoring the Past

What to Expect at Our Orthodox Wedding Ceremony

Please note, to try to prevent confusion, Darin and Brittany both were given and took a new name when becoming Orthodox Christians--Symeon and Paraskeva--in which these names will be used during the ceremony.

Details acquired and presented courtesy of Darin's (Symeon's) Godfather, John Walker, both of whom started their spiritual walk in the Greek Orthodox Church.Brittany (Paraskeva) started her spiritual walk in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.

Orthodox Wedding Details and History

CEREMONY2:00 - 3:00pmSt. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church2300 West Huntington DriveWilmington, DE 19808~COCKTAIL HOUR5:00 - 6:00pmMendenhall Inn - Gold Ballroom Atrium323 Kennett PikeChadds Ford, PA 19317~RECEPTION6:00 - 10:00pmMendenhall Inn - Gold Ballroom323 Kennett PikeChadds Ford, PA 19317

Schedule

Pros Dish on What to Wear to a Wedding

40 Affordable Guest Dresses to Save Money

Affordable Suits? They're a Click Away

While tuxedos are traditional for black tie, we understand they’re not always feasible. Guests are warmly invited to wear either a tuxedo or a well-tailored black suit.In addition to this being a black tie event, we kindly ask that guests would observe a modest dress code during our church ceremony.

Dress Code

Engagement Photo Session

Courtesy of Michelle Senatore's Photography Magic!Here's a snapshot of our engagement session 1 year prior to our wedding date--15 Feb 2025!(Instagram: rawvision.photography)

Brittany & Darin

Brittany & Darin

Registry