This Saturday, it seems as though the Big Apple’s lovebirds aren’t the only ones receiving rings.
In a curious twist, many couples in the tri-state area, who’ve dedicated months or even years to planning their weddings, will say “I do” on the same night as Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
The New York Knicks, currently ahead 3-1 in the playoffs, are set to face off against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden, aiming for their first championship title since 1973.
While some wedding guests fret about missing a crucial moment with the Knicks, The Post connected with a couple adjusting their plans to accommodate the game.
Victoria Perry and James Costa-Dallas
“This is more thrilling than any other part of my wedding!” exclaimed Victoria Perry, 33, a lifelong Knicks fan from Manhattan. She is set to marry her fellow Knicks enthusiast, James Costa-Dallas, this Saturday at a stylish Midtown East venue.
“As a girl, I didn’t exactly fantasize about wedding details like dresses and flowers,” she admitted. “But the Knicks have brought me joy through the years.”
Victoria and James’ first date was at a Knicks game in Astoria in 2023. Upon realizing that the Finals coincided with their wedding, they decided to incorporate the game into their June 13th celebration.
However, Knicks excitement nearly threw them off course. Victoria recalled James mentioning he’d consider postponing the wedding if necessary due to the game. “If you give me a guarantee that the Knicks will win, I’ll move it,” she jokingly relayed to The Post, saying their relationship priorities go: 1. God, 2. Knicks winning, and 3. The wedding.
In the end, she’s really just eager to share Game 5 with her loved ones.
“That’s the biggest blessing,” she added.
After a traditional Greek Orthodox ceremony, guests will head to a spacious reception for dancing and live music, where bands will also provide score updates during the game.
Victoria is planning a wardrobe change, sporting a white Knicks jacket over her dress for the reception.
For the after-party, guests will move to another space transformed into an authentic Knicks viewing party, complete with large screens, team-themed floral arrangements, and sports bar fare. They even have a hip-hop DJ lined up to play New York-themed tracks, including Ja Rule’s “New York.”
Ariel Salmon and Greg Eichenholtz
Ariel Salmon, a 28-year-old teacher from Bergen County, New Jersey, shared her mixed feelings about her wedding coinciding with the Knicks’ potential championship match.
“It’s strange to feel both excited and nervous,” she told The Post.
A devoted Knicks fan along with her fiancé Greg Eichenholtz, 29, Ariel admitted that the possibility of a scheduling conflict made them anxious as they planned their wedding shortly after their January 2025 engagement.
“I was hyperventilating on the couch Monday night… I just couldn’t handle it,” Ariel confessed after the Knicks lost Game 3, making their wedding day potentially clash with Game 5.
“We were upset because that’s not how we envisioned things. We thought they’d win four in a row and finish before our big day,” she said.
Ariel was also fielding questions from guests asking if the game would be streamed during the reception, a request she found somewhat rude. “I don’t ask anyone that,” she remarked. “How do we handle this properly?”
Even though they aren’t planning to show the game live at their reception, they encourage guests to wear their best Knicks gear.
The wedding band is prepared to lead guests in famous chants as well as play Knicks-themed songs to keep spirits high.
“The great part is, even if they lose, there’s still another game, which helps ease our minds,” Salmon mentioned.
“We’re trusting everyone we invited to care about us, and hoping they’ll celebrate with us rather than just watch the game,” she concluded, looking for the positives.
Robin Ferguson
Robin Ferguson, a consultant from the Upper East Side, connected with her anonymous fiancée back in 2022, bonding over their mutual love for sports, particularly the Knicks.
Even before the Knicks appeared in the Finals, they joked about the fun they’d have if their team won, entertaining the idea of getting a TV at their upcoming wedding at the Metropolitan Club.
They were shocked when their joke turned into reality as the team made it to the Finals.
“We thought, ‘Wow, this could actually happen!’” Ferguson shared, recalling their surprise as the playoffs progressed.
With potential game day approaching, they arranged for a TV to be set up at the venue and informed the band about incorporating game updates into their set.
The response from their wedding planner and musicians ranged from disbelief to laughter. “Everyone thought it was typical of us,” she said, excited about the shared enthusiasm.
The venue even offers a Knicks-themed cocktail menu filled with signature drinks for the occasion.
As for family and friends, Ferguson noted that everyone seems thrilled about the dual celebration.
“You should see the messages I’m getting! Friends are saying, ‘The Knicks are going to make our wedding unforgettable!'” She and her fiancé will include Knicks jerseys for guests and some themed attire at the reception.
“We have fantastic friends coming; it’s going to be a huge party,” she added.
Regardless, the couple asserts that they won’t let the game overshadow their wedding and believe that the excitement from the game will only enhance their celebration.
“Finding out that the Knicks were going to the Finals made me even more pumped for our wedding, as crazy as it might sound,” Ferguson declared. “Celebrating big sports moments is special, and we feel lucky to have this opportunity.”
