Photo: john barone photography
Christy Altomareand Chris Crook have officially tied the knot!
The actress, best known for originating the role of Anastasia in theBroadway musicalof the same name, married her childhood crush Sunday during an intimate ceremony at the Lambertville Station in New Jersey, PEOPLE can exclusively confirm.
“We wanted to get married as fast as humanly possible,” Altomare tells PEOPLE, adding that they chose a venue close to the Bucks County Playhouse in Pennsylvania, where they wereengagedin February.
After all, the two grew up together and even attended the same schools. They went their separate ways beforereconnecting 20 years laterwhen Crook, a software engineer, met up with the singer after her solo concert last June at the Pennsylvania theater.
Altomare happened to save emails from Crook, in which he professed “his love” for her in middle school, though the timing had never been right up until their chance meeting during the pandemic. (Crook, 35, eventually married; Altomare, 36, was previously engaged.)
john barone photography
Last year, the two were once again single and found themselves in the same place at the same time — and the rest was history.
During Sunday’s ceremony, the couple proved their love story stood the test of time, with one of Crook’s best friends reciting that middle-school email he sent to Altomare once upon a time in 2000.
“We have a few guests who are from that era,” Crook jokes.
Among the over 160 guests in attendance included Liz Callaway, who voiced the character of Anastasia in the 1997 animated film; Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony-winning duo who wroteAnastasia’s score;Orange Is the New BlackactressKimiko Glenn; and husband-and-wife Broadway actors Krystina Alabado, who toured with Altomare in the musicalSpring Awakening, and Robert Lenzi, among others.
Altomare donned a gown fromSposabella Bridal, one that she says is “reminiscent of my red dress inAnastasia.”
She explains, “I got my dress while I was performing inThe Wanderer[atPaper Mill Playhouse]. I only had two days to find a dress. It’s like a princess dress.” Her sparkly shoes, she notes, are fromWorldtone Dance, a staple in the Broadway industry, so that she could dance the night away to theBachelor Boys Bandplaying at the reception. PhotographerJohn Baronecaptured the festivities.
Crook wore a dark charcoal gray suit with a eucalyptus green tie with Allen Edmonds double monk-strap shoes.
During the reception, the newlyweds offered a performance of “Only Us” from the musicalDear Evan Hansen. “I’m slightly terrified,” admits Crook ahead of the big day.
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“We just loved it when we started dating, and we would always sing it together in the car,” says Altomare, adding that Justin Paul of the Tony-winningDear Evan Hansensongwriting duo Pasek and Paul gave them his blessing.
“Every time I dated a guy, ever since I heard this song, it was my litmus test to whether or not the guy I was dating was right. And the last four guys, I played this song for them, and they all were like, ‘It’s okay, this song’s fine,’ " says Altomare.
“When I played this song for Chris, he started to cry,” she adds. “And I think this is when he said I love you for the first time.”
source: people.com
