Rained-Out Wedding Held In Empty Circus Liquor Store In Middletown

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — That man and woman from Highlands weren't the only couple who planned to get married last Saturday, Sept. 26 and had to rapidly pivot when the nor'easter poured cold water — literally — all over their plans.

A couple from Middletown was about to witness their backyard wedding get rained out, but at the last minute, the young lovebirds were able to get married in the empty Circus liquor store on Rt. 35.

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Ted Maloney, 57, and his wife Alaina were planning to host their daughter's wedding in the backyard of their home off Kings Highway. Daughter Jane Maloney, 28, had been dating Trey Wheelahan, 30, for several years and they were ready to get hitched.

A lovely backyard wedding for approximately 80 guests was planned. As the rain forecasts kept increasing, Maloney and his wife simply ordered more tents.

"But then the forecast turned into a nor'easter with 60 MPH gusts, so I was panicking!" shared Maloney. "We either had to cram 80 people into our house with the caterer, or cancel the wedding. But we had people in town from California, North Carolina, Vermont, Boston and Florida. We were stressed out to the max."

Maloney lives directly across the street from the old Food Circus grocery store, and over the years, he and his family became good friends with the Azzolina and Scaduto families who owned it, and still own the land to this day.

"My parents built their house the same year the Food Circus was built (1955) and my entire family grew up in that store. My father and five of the eight Maloney kids worked there over the years, along with the Azzolina and Scaduto kids. The families became very close," he said. "So on Friday morning, desperate, I texted Joe Azzolina Jr. asking if I could possibly use the old store for the wedding."

"Within an hour, I spoke with Joe and his cousin, Lou Scaduto, on a conference call and got their OK."

Maloney had to get event insurance and he called his insurance company, USSA, Friday. They were able to grant him same-day event insurance for that weekend.

Jane and Trey's family and friends spent Saturday morning preparing the empty liquor store into a wedding venue.

"By 9 a.m., everyone arrived at our house and we started moving tables, chairs and string lights across Kings Highway East to start cleaning and decorating the store," said the father of the bride. "We cranked the tunes and we all went to work. It was a blast. When we were done, the store was beautiful with lights, music and a dance floor."

Maloney said the wedding was a hit, and all the guests were able to make it, despite the torrential rain and flooding outside all day Saturday.

"Three generations of the Scaduto, Azzolina and Maloney families have been friends and neighbors for over 70 years. I really cannot thank the Scaduto and Azzolina families enough. They really saved the day."

"The younger people loved the hip, industrial look and feel of the venue and long-time Middletown folks, like my siblings and me, enjoyed the nostalgic surroundings," he said. "It was the hippest, most fun wedding ever!"

Another local nor'easter wedding story: Nor'easter Nearly Ruined Their Wedding. Newlyweds Married At Middletown Life Time Gym