Dolores Catania is excited to officially welcome her son Frankie Jr.’s girlfriend, Nicole Perricho, into their family.
“It was a lot of fun,” the Real Housewives of New Jersey star, 54, exclusively told Us Weekly of the couple’s recent proposal while promoting her, Teresa Giudice and Shannon Beador’s upcoming Fans at Sea Wives on the Waves cruise. “She was very surprised.”
Last month, Frankie Jr., 26, got down on one knee to ask his girlfriend for her hand in marriage — and Catania was present for the milestone event. (Dolores, 54, shares her son and daughter Gabrielle, 29 with her ex-husband, Frank Catania.)
“She got engaged in front of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and then Frankie had the lady chapel behind the altar, and all her family and friends were there,” she recalled. “A lot of thought went into it.”
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Dolores added that there were multiple floral bouquets involved that included “rosaries” from “Fatima.”
“It was just beautiful,” she said. “He set the bar pretty high.”
As Frankie Jr. gets ready to enter a new phase of life, Dolores is excited to become a mother-in-law — even though she already feels like she is one.
“She’s a beautiful girl and I’m very happy for both of them,” she gushed.
Frankie Jr. and Perricho’s engagement took place on February 22 at the iconic New York City landmark.
“2.22.25 
,” Perricho wrote via Instagram alongside a series of snaps from the romantic proposal.
After the couple announced the news of their engagement, Dolores shared a clip via her Instagram Story showing the proud mom sneakily getting ready for the big moment.
“Me incognito waiting for the proposal,” she wrote alongside a video of herself waiting outside the church dressed in a winter coat, a pair of oversized sunglasses and a face mask.
While Frankie Jr. and Perricho get underway with wedding planning, Dolores will be sailing off with her fellow Housewives and fans for the Wives on the Waves cruise from September 19 to 24. The five-day trip, which will take place on the new Norwegian Cruise Line Escape ship, embarks from New York City and stops in Bermuda. Packages for the Wives on the Waves cruise start at $900.
Dolores told Us that she’s “very excited” for the getaway with Giudice, Beador and the fans.
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“I’m looking forward to the bonfire on the Pink Beach. And just like me, I’m like, ‘Oh, kumbaya this is so nice,’” she told Us. “And bringing everyone together … I just can’t wait.”
In addition to mixing and mingling with the Housewives, there will also be countless activities for passengers.
“I want people to know that even a lot of people have a trepidation about going away by themselves,” she said. “And this is not going to be the type of trip that you can’t do that if you come — just come with yourself, bring your bags. A lot of single people are coming and it’s just a fun time to get together and meet people that are like you.”
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
