In Hollywood, grand events are the norm. Red carpets, flashing bulbs, and meticulously planned press releases are all part of the public performance. But on a recent Saturday evening in Los Angeles, General Hospital star Kate Mansi and her partner, producer Matt McInnis, decided to write their own script—one that was intimate, unexpected, and rooted in a connection so deep, it left 115 of their closest friends and family utterly speechless.
Guests arrived at the stunning restaurant Redbird, believing they were gathering to celebrate the couple’s engagement. The atmosphere was cozy, set with candlelight and minimalist florals. But as champagne was passed, a new path was revealed. Guests were guided down a candlelit staircase into a garden space they hadn’t seen, a “secret garden” that felt worlds away from the city.
There, an arched mirror set the tone, displaying a quote from Mary Oliver that perfectly captured the couple’s journey: “I did think, let’s go about this slowly… But bless us, we didn’t.”
This was no engagement party. This was a wedding.
The surprise alone was enough to make the night unforgettable, but the true magic—the fairytale moment that cemented the evening—came not from the decor, but from a sound. As the bride prepared to walk down the aisle, the first notes of a song began to play. It wasn’t a recording. It was her General Hospital co-star and real-life friend, Giovanni Mazza, playing a heartfelt, original violin arrangement of Taylor Swift’s “Lover.”
This single act was the heartfelt contribution that transformed a beautiful wedding into a legendary one. It wasn’t just a friend playing a song; it was a testament to the couple’s story, a secret language shared between them, and a display of profound talent from one of television’s most unique rising stars.
The Man Behind the Music
To understand why this moment was so powerful, you have to understand who Giovanni Mazza is. On General Hospital, he’s known as Gio Palmieri, the charming cousin of Brook Lynn Quartermaine. But in the real world, Mazza is a world-class musician.
He isn’t just an actor who happens to play an instrument; he’s a violin prodigy who began his journey at the age of three. By nine, he was already a sensation, discovered after performing a solo medley at a Chicago Bulls kids’ talent search. His career as a musician has seen him perform at numerous professional sporting events, including NBA All-Star games, long before he ever stepped onto a soap opera set.
When Mazza, who holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and Italy, joined the cast of General Hospital, his musical talent was written into his character. Fans of the show have seen “Gio” perform, but this was different. This was not a performance for a camera; it was a deeply personal gift for his friend, Kate.
As Mansi, accompanied by her father, walked down the aisle in a breathtaking Newhite wedding dress, Mazza’s violin filled the “secret garden.” The choice of song was no accident. It was the anchor of the couple’s entire relationship.
The Meaning of “Lover”
Kate Mansi and Matt McInnis’s love story, like their wedding, moved to its own rhythm. They first met at a birthday party for Days of Our Lives alum Shelley Hennig (who also gave a speech at the wedding). Their connection was immediate, but it was also complicated by geography. With McInnis, a producer, often working internationally, their relationship quickly became what they termed an “international 24/7 operation.”
“One of us is always up, thinking about the other,” Mansi has said of their long-distance courtship. “It’s a constant exchange of energy.”
Early in their relationship, McInnis took Mansi to a Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert. It was there that the song “Lover” became their song. The lyrics—”This is our place, we make the rules” and “I’ve loved you three summers now, honey, but I want ’em all”—resonated deeply with a couple building a life on their own terms, across time zones and continents.
For Giovanni Mazza to not only play that song, but to create a special arrangement for it, was the ultimate tribute to their love story. It was a musical acknowledgment that, despite the distance and the hurdles, they had found their “place.”
A Masterclass in Surprise
The music was the emotional core, but the entire event was a masterclass in personal, joyous storytelling. To maintain the surprise, both bride and groom wore “decoy” outfits upon arrival.
Mansi greeted her guests in a chic, backless two-piece set from Cult Gaia, paired with burnt orange Saint Laurent mules—a subtle nod to McInnis’s favorite baseball team, the New York Mets. McInnis wore a deep green suit, a quiet reference to how he has always described their relationship: “evergreen.”
Once the guests were guided to the garden, the couple slipped away to change. McInnis re-emerged in a custom-fit suit, ready at the altar. And Mansi appeared in her stunning Newhite gown, having sourced it from her friend Christy Doxtator at LOHO Bride, paired with classic Manolo Blahniks.
The ceremony itself was just as personal. The couple exchanged a mix of traditional and handwritten vows, which included a promise they have always shared. Instead of a simple “I love you,” they would put a hand on their own heart and say, “I got you,” before doing the same to each other. It was a physical and verbal promise of unwavering support.
After their first kiss as husband and wife, the newlyweds walked back down the aisle together as “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer played—a perfect, upbeat transition from the sacred to the celebratory.
The surprises continued into the reception. The “secret garden” opened up into a dramatic, open-air dinner space. The theme shifted from soft and romantic to bold and refined, with warm tones set against black metal and marble, and high-impact, single-stem burgundy flowers.
For the party, Mansi made one final, deeply touching change. She slipped into a vintage cocktail dress that belonged to her great-grandmother. It was a beautiful way to carry her family’s history with her as she stepped into her future. The couple had their first dance to Joe Cocker’s soulful classic, “With a Little Help from My Friends,” a fitting anthem for a night made perfect by the love and contributions of their community.
In the end, Kate Mansi and Matt McInnis’s wedding was a fairytale, but not one of passive princesses and pre-written destinies. It was a modern fairytale they wrote themselves—full of humor, clever twists, and deep meaning. And at the center of it all was the magical sound of a violin, a heartfelt contribution from a friend that proved the most beautiful music is the kind that plays just for you.
