Peabody Store Gives Gloucester Couple $40,000 Wedding Package

PEABODY, MA -- Lucky in love and lucky in a Peabody store's offer to give one lucky couple their dream wedding. Leah Palazola and her fiancé Paul Russo, both of Gloucester, were named winners Tuesday in contest sponsored by the Ultimate Woman Apparel, which has long been one of the top destinations for North Shore brides-to-be.

The wedding package the couple won is valued at $40,000 and includes engraved invitations, a reception at Pierce Farm in Topsfield, designer gowns, engraved invitations and a honeymoon at Walt Disney World. The couple was chosen from hundreds of entries; eight finalists had videos posted on the store's Website and social media accounts. Palazola and Russo were chosen in a random raffle of the eight finalists.

The couple, according to CBS Boston, dated in high school but didn't get serious until two week's before Russo's 24th birthday, when he was diagnosed with brain cancer. The romance blossomed as Palazola accompanied him to every doctor’s visit and chemo session. They plan to marry in July.

See the couple's winning video:

For more on this story, see CBS Boston. Subscribe to Peabody Patch for more local news and real-time alerts.

Patch file photo.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).