This bride is wedded to publicity

NEW YORK, NOV 26: First, she waited at the church for a groom who never showed. Now, she's winning sympathy, and some scorn, while he's off...

NEW YORK, NOV 26: First, she waited at the church for a groom who never showed. Now, she’s winning sympathy, and some scorn, while he’s off warming his cold feet on a Tahitian beach.

Literally left at the altar on Saturday before 250 guests, Nicole Contos went ahead anyway with the reception, estimated to have cost more than $65,000 and even danced to the anthem of the jilted, I will survive.

The 27-year-old teacher, whose father owns the American Banana Co., then went public with her story. “She put on a strong face and got on with her reception,” said bank employee Lisa Everly, 34. “But I think she’s enjoying all the attention. Her ex-fiance is a cad, though.”

Story continues below this ad

Her fleeing fiance, 35-year-old lawyer and shipping specialist Tasos Michael, is holed up at the posh resort in Tahiti where the couple had planned to honeymoon. He wasn’t taking calls on Tuesday and had not explained his actions to Contos, who says she still loves him and would consider taking him back.

Once her tale became front-page news, Contos was suddenly fielding calls from talk show hosts.

“Have you considered castration as an option?” Katie Couric inquired yesterday on NBC TV’s morning show, Today.

“No,” Contos replied, a smile frozen on her face.

By the time she sat down with Couric to tell her story again, many said their sympathy for Contos was waning.

Story continues below this ad

“She’s a brave girl for going on with her reception. That showed a lot of class,” said Alyssa Bergeron, a 35-year-old, recently married lawyer. “But I think she’s milking this situation for all it’s worth, all the TV appearances and all. I’m not sure why she wants the publicity, I wouldn’t,” she said.