World's Largest Pasta, and a Wedding in Utica, NY

Yes, it did indeed happen on February 14, 2004 when The Keeler TV Show on FOX 33 created the World's Largest Pasta - and wedding which broke the Guinness Book record at a weight of 7,355 pounds. It was enormous!

It happened on Valentine's Day 2004 in center court at Sangertown Square in New Hartford. Keeler held a contest asking for a couple to agree to get married by then Oneida County Executive Joe Griffo. Several couples entered the contest and the winner turns out to be

KEELER SHOW: GIANT PASTA BOWL WEDDING: Lisa trips over words while renewing her vows. Lisa and Steven Sanford of Sauquoit renewed their wedding vows in the Worlds Largest Bowl of Pasta at Sangertown Mall in New Hartford on Saturday, February 14, 2004. The couple won a contest to get married in the bowl of pasta. The Bill Keeler show aimed to break the previous world record of just under 3500 pounds. They succeeded in filling the bowl with 7876 pounds of spaghetti. (PHOTOS BY NANCY L. FORD)

The winning couple was Lisa and Steven Sanford, who were actually already married, but renewing their vows. The wedding went off without a hitch as the couple actually stepped into the huge dish of pasta. A large crowd at Sangertown watched on and the event was ultimately televised on Keeler's TV show.

Frank Cristiano of Tony's Pizzeria spent weeks cooking the spaghetti and storing it at his cooler at his pizzeria in Washington Mills. The sauce was provided by a New York City Company, Fuh-Getta-boutIt - The Boss of Sauce, which was distributed through Casa Imports in Utica, and played off a Soprano's theme.

The large dish of pasta shattered the record previously set at Guinness which was just over 3,500 pounds. Guinness certified the Utica dish at 7,355 pounds and the record stood in the book for almost a decade.

Once the couple was officially married, guests didn't throw rice at the happy couple - they threw pecorino-romano cheese to celebrate the occasion.

Check out these amazing photos taken by photo journalist Nancy L. Ford, 19 years ago today, back in 2004.

World's Largest Dish of Pasta, and a Wedding - Utica, NY, Feb 14, 2004

The Guinness Book of World Records affirmed in 2004, that the World's Largest Dish of Pasta was made in Utica, NY with the Keeler Show. Now with WIBX, Keeler worked with Tony's Pizzeria and other to create a dish of pasta weighing over 7,000 lbs. and the event included an actual wedding. The dish of pasta weighed 7,355 lbs. (3,336 kg) and lasted in the Guinness Book for several years. The dish was assembled and the wedding was held at Sangertown Square in New Hartford, when Keeler was hosting a 6 night a week television show, The Keeler Show, on FOX 33 TV in Utica and FOX 68 in Syracuse.

Source: World’s Largest Pasta, and a Wedding in Utica, NY – Feb 14, 2004

Filed Under: Guinness Book of World Record