Consequences

She was completely shocked. But there he was, in a horse-drawn carriage in Central Park, under the lights, with a diamond ring.
    Vanity Fair will add that her “diamond ring” is actually a designer original Tiffany & Co. 4.3 carat brilliant center stone bordered by a delicate diamond bead set in mil-grain detail in platinum. The matching wedding band is also platinum, with delicate inset diamonds. While actual value would not be released by Mr. Rawlings or Tiffany & Co., New York, where he is said to have purchased the set, due to the size, clarity, and unique cut, it is estimated above $400,000.
    VF : Did you say yes immediately? (Now come on, ladies, think about what you would have done.)
    Claire sat back. “No.” At this Anthony smiled and put his hand on his wife’s knee. He goes on with the answer, “No, she didn’t. She made me wait for what seemed like an eternity.” But leaning over to kiss his bride, he added, “She finally relented. And I was elated.”
The worst thing you can do for love is deny it; so when you find
that special someone, don’t let anyone or anything get in your way.
    VF: Now some people have questioned the quickness of your nuptials. What do you have to say to those critiques?
     
    Anthony answered, “I guess they have never been as in love.” Claire continued, “We didn’t want to wait. We had made our decision. We wanted our family and friends to share in our happiness.”
     
    VF : The personal accounts were extremely complimentary. How did you pull off the wedding of the century in less than a month?
     
    Mrs. Rawlings replied, “With the best wedding planner and coordinator in the world! They were amazing. We never worried about a thing.”
     
    According to the press releases the wedding was magnificent. The bride was gorgeous in an exquisite Vera Wang gown, reportedly from an elite Manhattan boutique. The groom was dazzling in a custom Armani tuxedo. The estate was impressively decorated with a Christmas theme. Lights and evergreens were everywhere, with deep red accents. The guest list was limited and exclusive, but was said to contain some powerful business and political individuals, as well as personal friends and family of the bride. The groom’s only family is now his wife. (Photo of Mr. and Mrs. Rawlings in wedding attire standing at the base of the grand stairway, decorations can be seen behind them. Note: multiple wedding pictures and decorations can be seen in a collage of pictures at the end of the article.)
     
    VF : Addressing Claire Rawlings, how has it been to be thrust into the public eye? It seems that the stigma that accompanied the death of Princess Diana has begun to fade and reporters are once again brazenly pursuing celebrities.
     
    Claire blushed and glanced at Anthony. “May I say first I do not feel that I am a celebrity. I have done nothing to warrant celebrity status. That is why when you asked your question the first response I could think of was it has been unreal. I still find it amazing that anyone would think my clothes, my shopping habits, or my hairstyle newsworthy. It is something that I am learning to handle. Anthony has been superb at buffering the media as much as possible.” Claire added, “ You can be overwhelming at times.” Addressing this reporter, she continued, “ You meaning the press,” smiling a lovely smile, “not you . However, if being married to this marvelous man means seeing myself on an occasional magazine,” she leans toward his protection, “it is more than worth it.” Mr. Rawlings included that he desired to shelter her from too much unwanted exposure. After all, he preferred to remain as private as possible.
     
    A s the couple walked hand in hand to share a tour of their home it wasn’t hard to imagine that a splendid wedding ceremony could easily occur within these walls. The grand hall is breathtaking on this February afternoon. The two-story winding staircase ascended to a railed landing which appeared to extend down various hallways. The ceiling, at least another story high, holds a magnificent chandelier that illuminates the foyer. The intricate marble flooring extends behind the stairs to a window-lined sitting room. These areas were all utilized during the ceremony. Beyond the sitting room, which also contains a magnificent fireplace, is a comfortable sunporch that Mrs. Rawlings says is one of her favorite rooms in their home. She enjoys reading and sunlight very much. Even in the winter