TLC Plans a Wedding with Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos
On Friday, June 12 at 10 PM ET/PT, TLC will premiere the one-hour sneak peek of MASTERS OF RECEPTION, a new series produced by Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos’ MILOJO Productions in partnership with Original Media. The series takes a behind-the-scenes look at the Frungillo family and their booming New Jersey catering business. Having served everyone from Frank Sinatra to the Pope, the Frungillos pride themselves on being the very best at bringing people together and providing every bride and groom with their ultimate dream wedding. The series is set to premiere this fall.
Robert and Jerry Frungillo started out as young boys working in a small deli business in Verona, NJ with their parents. They now have one of the most successful multiple-room wedding facilities in the state - “The Villa at Mountain Lakes” - and run three other elegant facilities including the renowned castle-like “Skylands Manor” in the New Jersey Botanical Gardens where brides get their true Cinderella experience as dashing princes often arrive on white horses to take them to their ball.
Viewers will witness the over-the-top requests and exactly what it takes for this family to pull them off. From hot air balloons and dogs in the bridal party, to brides arriving in a Cinderella buggy with trumpets blaring, the Frungillos don’t know the meaning of the word “No” and stop at nothing to ensure that each couple has their perfect day. In addition, they often put together off-site weddings and handle emergencies including inclement weather and last minute weddings with ease. Between their four locations, they can host up to 10 weddings a day, and often have two happening at once.
"The Frungillos have made it their family business to pull off incredible events on a daily basis,” states Nancy Daniels, SVP of Production and Development, TLC. “Our audience will get a peek behind-the-scenes to see how the magic happens. Kelly and Mark have brought their creative passion to the project, and we are so pleased to be working with them."
The Frungillo business is truly a family affair. While Robert’s son and daughter wait tables, their cousins are bartenders and check coats. Linda Pergola - their right hand for almost 20 years and the “sister” they never had - is often seen racing between locations while the events are going on. Linda’s son Frankie works at the Villa doing sales and Joe’l Falco, the outspoken young Linda protégé is constantly on the go, making sure everything runs smoothly on the big day. Their cousin Ben Frungillo goes to great lengths to guarantee that every affair is the best they’ve ever thrown. And John Williams, who’s been with the family for 20 years and has formed artistry out of his baking, invites brides and grooms into his kitchen to share in the experience as he creates their ultimate wedding cake.
“We are so excited to be teaming up with TLC and feel that this show is a natural fit with their programming,” says Ripa and Consuelos. “We are fascinated by how the Frungillos put these weddings together, and all the while make it seem so effortless. We truly believe TLC’s audience will fall in love with this family. We certainly have.”