The planning for The Knot Dream Wedding has begun! I’m beyond excited to plan (with The Knot editors and, of course, you Knotties!) this wedding celebration on Valentine’s Day 2013 at Citi Pond at Bryant Park — Manhattan’s very own ice playground.

Why Citi Pond? Well, the fact that more proposals have happened right here than pretty much any other place on the planet makes it a very romantic setting. Plus, it’s New York City’s crown-jewel skating venue — where millions of winter enthusiasts, including Olympians, world champions and celebrities, travel each year for a chance to dance on the ice. It’s an inspiring location for this once-in-a-lifetime wedding, and it is quintessentially New York!

After the ceremony on ice (no worries — the bride, groom and guests won’t need to wear skates!), everyone will head over to the stunning two-story glass-enclosed restaurant, Celsius at Bryant Park, for a cozy cocktail hour on the outdoor terrace, complete with glacier-inspired drinks and toasty hors d’oeuvres, luxury banquettes, rink-side table service and heaters to keep guests warm as they chill on the deck.

Then everyone will head upstairs to dine and dance at the stunning Atrium at Celsius. Under the chandelier-adorned glass ceiling, the in-house mixologist will serve up warm and cold winter-themed cocktails like Chilled Polar Bear Cosmos and Snojitos from the 24-foot bar! Guests will enjoy a comfort-food-gone-luxe reception featuring eclectic American dishes. Favorites include Celsius Mac and Cheese, Home-Style Chicken Pot Pie and Four Cheese Ravioli! And of course, the sparkling decor and magnificent views of the Manhattan skyline will take everyone’s breath away.

We’ve got lots of surprises in store for the bride and groom, their guests and all of America as they tune in on February 14 to watch this wedding stream LIVE on TheKnot.com. A mystery celebrity guest? A dramatic performance on the ice? Hmmm…the surprises await! Share your vision with me by casting your vote on each and every wedding detail at TheKnot.com/dreamwedding! After all, you’re the wedding planners too!

To honor the release of Astonishing X-Men No. 51, which features the marriage between openly gay mutant Northstar and his longtime “normal” boyfriend Kyle, Midtown Comics of New York City kept its doors closed Wednesday morning to host its first wedding.

Ohio couple Scott Everhart and Jason Walker were selected out of more than 50 applicants to publicly tie the knot in celebration of the comic book world’s first gay nuptials. Reuters reports that the in-store wedding, complete with a band, balloons and decorations, was followed by a superhero-tune-filled reception at the Eventi Hotel in Chelsea.

It’s no surprise that the self-professed “geeks in love” chose the comic book hub as their wedding locale — the two had one of their first dates at the 2011 Free Comic Book Day industry event, according to the New York Times.

Here’s where the real and comic book world collide: both marriages mark the one-year anniversary of the legalization of gay marriage in New York, and closely follow President Barack Obama’s statement publicizing his support for gay marriage.

Photo: MidtownComics.com

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