Berlin woman becomes Rachael Ray on TV

Rachael Patterson stepped onto the TV set of "Rachael Ray" Monday.

With a few special words, the Berlin resident left the New York City studio as Rachael Ray.

What is this sorcery, you ask? Plastic surgery? Identity theft?

It was the holy union of TV magic and matrimony that brought Rachael Patterson and Bryan Ray to the altar.

Bubbly TV host Rachael Ray laid down her apron Monday and tied the couple's knot on her eponymous daytime talk show, which runs locally at 10 a.m. on ABC. The episode premieres Friday.

The process started three months ago, with the couple sending showrunners a photo of themselves, then their availability. The couple were given a week notice of their wedding.

"People do it for a year," she says. "We had a week."

The newlyweds had been hearing wedding bells for a while. Though engaged for two years, she had put planning for her wedding on hold due to life events and the cost of the ceremony.

"You're the only girl who's been engaged for two years and hasn't been planning a wedding," Bryan would tell her.

Rachael Ray, the host, had that covered.

"There was a lot of surprises," says newly married Rachael, a bartender at the Borgata in Atlantic City. "Wedding bands, wedding dress, tuxedo, a hotel (Hilton Fashion District in Manhattan) and they are giving us a honeymoon. We didn't pay a thing."

They still have some planning to do. The fun kind.

"We haven't picked it yet," Bryan says of their honeymoon destination. "Our options are Barbados, Bahamas, Saint Lucia, Grenada and Jamaica. We're leaning toward Saint Lucia."

But there's a cost to hastily organizing a free wedding.

"We do have some family members who were upset because they weren't invited," the blushing bride admits.

They shared the stage only with her maid of honor and Bryan's best man, his brother.

The Rays also planted a few friends and family members in the audience, including their 7- and 2-year-old sons, Gavin and Brennan.

The newlyweds plan on easing all grievances with a wedding reception in the next four to six weeks. Bryan still hopes to throw a post-wedding bachelor party.

"He wants to do a golfing outing with his friends," his wife says.

The couple are the partying type. They met at a Phillies tailgate party but passed on going to the game given the scorching three-digit temperatures.

Instead they got to know each other at the ballpark bar McFadden's.

"We hit it off right off the bat," she says.

It took only a few drinks to learn his surreal surname.

"When he went to the bathroom he gave me his business card," she says. "I was like, 'Oh my God. If we ever got married I'd be Rachael Ray.' "

Bryan admits the first-date marriage talk threw him a curveball.

"It was a little scary," the Washington, D.C., native says with a laugh.

Nevertheless, she would remind Bryan of her future as Mrs. Rachael Ray at every chance.

"Every time I saw a magazine with Rachael Ray on it, I would send him a photo," she says. "That was like the big joke."

Rachael, 39, never considered keeping her maiden name. She's already used to the double takes.

"Everyone knows my name at work," she says.

Her husband is still getting used to the name change.

"It's still weird to say it," Bryan admits. "I'll say I was on the Rachael Ray show with Steve Harvey and Rachael Ray, my wife. It's bizarre."

After exchanging their "I dos," the couple had a few questions of their own for special guest Steve Harvey.

The comedic TV host provided them marital advice on finances and how to keep the spark alive, among other subjects. Bryan appreciates the experience.

"I want to thank the Rachael Ray organization for just blessing us," he says.

After bringing them together at the altar, Rachael Ray will continue bringing the family together for dinner.

"We look at her recipes," Bryan says. "When you have kids, you don't have time. Her 30-minute meals really work for us."

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