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Islanders unite to make dream wedding come true
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| Rose Kriberscheck holds up pictures of the bride and groom and the wedding party from the ceremony that friends helped provide. |
By Sue Keller
Rose Kriberscheck moved to Marco Island 21 years ago to start a new life.
She was a single mom with two small children. Her daughter Michele was 4 and son Daniel was 2.
Kriberscheck took a job as a waitress.
"The island seemed much smaller back then," she said.
Business people and islanders she befriended through the years would later play a pivotal role in one of the happiest occasions of her life.
She met husband Roger Kriberscheck on Marco and they were married in 1992. They have a son, Hunter.
Her daughter, Michele Fogel, attended Tommie Barfield Elementary, the Marco Island Charter School and graduated from Lely High School. Her daughter also wanted to be a nurse. Her mother described her as always being a happy, good-natured girl.
Michele and Johnny Dowis met on Marco Island. They both shared the same love for boating, fishing and the outdoors. The couple became best friends. They shared another common bond: Single moms raised them.
"Joy, Johnny's mom, is the same as me," said Rose Kriberscheck. "She worked waiting tables during the day so she could be home with her son at night."
Her daughter came home one day and told her mother she and Johnny wanted to get married. Rose Kriberscheck said she was determined that their wedding would be the best and most beautiful ever.
"But I also wondered where I was going to get the money," she said.
Daniel Kriberscheck had started college and that was costing extra money.
"Education is another big priority for me," Rose Kriberscheck said.
Planning
Her daughter told her mother that she really didn't care much about planning the wedding herself because she thought her mother could do it better anyway.
Rose Kriberscheck began the happy task of announcing to all their friends that Michele and Johnny were getting married.
She never mentioned a word about money or finances to them.
"It was like all these friends just started coming together and said they wanted to help," said Rose Kriberscheck.
One friend, Dawn Snyder, owns Marco Equipment and Parties to Go.
"I have tables and linens and anything else you need," said Snyder.
Rich Walthour has been a baker for Publix for several years.
"I'm making Michelle's wedding cake," said Walthour when he heard the news.
Jerry, a friend who works at Gene's Fifth Avenue Florist, found out Rose didn't use them for financial reasons. As a favor for the family, he made all the table arrangements from supplied flowers.
The big day
On Saturday, June 28, Michele Fogel and Johnny Dowis were married at San Marco Catholic Church. It was the same church where she made her first communion and was confirmed.
Father Andrew performed the ceremony as family and friends came together for the happy occasion from as far as California and New York.
Michele's Fogel's father, Eric Fogel, came from Pennsylvania to walk his daughter down the aisle.
"I'm one of seven children," Rose Kriberscheck said. "So this was a family reunion with spouses and their children. My mother, who will soon be 75, wanted to make the bridal bouquet. It was all a dream come true."
Keith and Jen Reeves, owners of Sunset Grille (formerly The Tide) closed the grill on Saturday for the wedding reception. Friends and family decorated the room.
Reception
Chef Michael prepared a buffet for the reception dinner.
"Everybody raved about the food," said Rose Kriberscheck.
Patty, Rose's sister, is a professional photographer in New Jersey. She captured the moment in pictures.
Friend Kelly Sheppard offered her camcorder skills for a DVD that was later given to the guests to remember the occasion.
"I didn't cry a tear at the wedding," said Rose Kriberscheck. "I knew I was giving Michelle to the right person."
Reflecting on the whole experience, Rose Kriberscheck said people are still talking about the wedding.
"It was like they were talking about Princess Di or somebody important like that. And it was just me and my daughter."
"Sometimes it takes a tragedy to realize how lucky you are," said Rose Kriberscheck. "I'm glad it didn't take a tragedy to realize how lucky we are. Words can't express the thanks I feel for so many people on Marco Island.
"Without a doubt, it takes a village to raise a child, but it took an island to make my daughter the most beautiful wedding anybody could ever ask for. I dreamed of this kind of wedding. I didn't think it was possible, but it was."
She was a single mom with two small children. Her daughter Michele was 4 and son Daniel was 2.
Kriberscheck took a job as a waitress.
"The island seemed much smaller back then," she said.
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Business people and islanders she befriended through the years would later play a pivotal role in one of the happiest occasions of her life.
She met husband Roger Kriberscheck on Marco and they were married in 1992. They have a son, Hunter.
Her daughter, Michele Fogel, attended Tommie Barfield Elementary, the Marco Island Charter School and graduated from Lely High School. Her daughter also wanted to be a nurse. Her mother described her as always being a happy, good-natured girl.
Michele and Johnny Dowis met on Marco Island. They both shared the same love for boating, fishing and the outdoors. The couple became best friends. They shared another common bond: Single moms raised them.
"Joy, Johnny's mom, is the same as me," said Rose Kriberscheck. "She worked waiting tables during the day so she could be home with her son at night."
Her daughter came home one day and told her mother she and Johnny wanted to get married. Rose Kriberscheck said she was determined that their wedding would be the best and most beautiful ever.
"But I also wondered where I was going to get the money," she said.
Daniel Kriberscheck had started college and that was costing extra money.
"Education is another big priority for me," Rose Kriberscheck said.
Planning
Her daughter told her mother that she really didn't care much about planning the wedding herself because she thought her mother could do it better anyway.
Rose Kriberscheck began the happy task of announcing to all their friends that Michele and Johnny were getting married.
She never mentioned a word about money or finances to them.
"It was like all these friends just started coming together and said they wanted to help," said Rose Kriberscheck.
One friend, Dawn Snyder, owns Marco Equipment and Parties to Go.
"I have tables and linens and anything else you need," said Snyder.
Rich Walthour has been a baker for Publix for several years.
"I'm making Michelle's wedding cake," said Walthour when he heard the news.
Jerry, a friend who works at Gene's Fifth Avenue Florist, found out Rose didn't use them for financial reasons. As a favor for the family, he made all the table arrangements from supplied flowers.
The big day
On Saturday, June 28, Michele Fogel and Johnny Dowis were married at San Marco Catholic Church. It was the same church where she made her first communion and was confirmed.
Father Andrew performed the ceremony as family and friends came together for the happy occasion from as far as California and New York.
Michele's Fogel's father, Eric Fogel, came from Pennsylvania to walk his daughter down the aisle.
"I'm one of seven children," Rose Kriberscheck said. "So this was a family reunion with spouses and their children. My mother, who will soon be 75, wanted to make the bridal bouquet. It was all a dream come true."
Keith and Jen Reeves, owners of Sunset Grille (formerly The Tide) closed the grill on Saturday for the wedding reception. Friends and family decorated the room.
Reception
Chef Michael prepared a buffet for the reception dinner.
"Everybody raved about the food," said Rose Kriberscheck.
Patty, Rose's sister, is a professional photographer in New Jersey. She captured the moment in pictures.
Friend Kelly Sheppard offered her camcorder skills for a DVD that was later given to the guests to remember the occasion.
"I didn't cry a tear at the wedding," said Rose Kriberscheck. "I knew I was giving Michelle to the right person."
Reflecting on the whole experience, Rose Kriberscheck said people are still talking about the wedding.
"It was like they were talking about Princess Di or somebody important like that. And it was just me and my daughter."
"Sometimes it takes a tragedy to realize how lucky you are," said Rose Kriberscheck. "I'm glad it didn't take a tragedy to realize how lucky we are. Words can't express the thanks I feel for so many people on Marco Island.
"Without a doubt, it takes a village to raise a child, but it took an island to make my daughter the most beautiful wedding anybody could ever ask for. I dreamed of this kind of wedding. I didn't think it was possible, but it was."
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