Melissa Gorga
Melissa Gorga joins the cast in Season 3, but is already part of the family as her husband Joe is Teresa Giudice's brother. Melissa is a sassy Italian who is known for her witty, fun, and loving personality. After graduating from New Jersey City University with a B.A. degree in Education and Psychology, she is now a stay-at-home mom whose life is all about her family. Melissa and Joe have been married for almost seven years and met while both were away on spring break in Cancun. They live in an ornate mansion that her husband, a successful real estate developer, built and Melissa decorated. Melissa and Joe have three children, ages five, three, and 11 months.
Kathy Wakile
Kathy Wakile is one of the new faces on Season 3, but she's no stranger to the cast as she is a first cousin with fellow housewife, Teresa Giudice. Kathy resides in Wayne, New Jersey, with her husband of more than 19 years, Rich, and their two children, Victoria, 17, and Joseph, 15. Kathy works hard to keep her family's world in order and carefully monitors her children's social lives. However, she loves to party and have a good time. Whether Kathy is hosting a theme night with her girlfriends or celebrating Victoria's Sweet 16 birthday party with belly dancers, Kathy and her family definitely live life to the fullest.
Teresa Giudice
Teresa Giudice is a true Jersey girl born and raised. Her parents emigrated from Italy and raised Teresa and her brother Giuseppe, in an Italian Catholic home. She grew up in Paterson, New Jersey, where she met her husband of more than 10 years, Joe. Teresa devotes herself to her four beautiful daughters and manages the household all without the help of a nanny, housekeeper, or personal assistant. She finds time to shuttle her girls to their various activities and sports while making sure her home is beautiful and a homemade meal is on the table every night. After graduating from Berkeley College with a degree in Fashion Marketing and Management, Teresa worked as an associate buyer for Macy's in New York before deciding to stay home with her children. She owns an online boutique, TG Fabulicious, and her first book, Skinny Italian, a lifestyle title that teaches authentic, healthy Italian cooking, was on the New York Times Bestseller List. Her newest cookbook, Fabulicious!: Teresa's Italian Family Cookbook, debuted May 3.
Jacqueline Laurita
Jacqueline Laurita is a former cosmetologist from Las Vegas and now a full-time New Jersey housewife. She has been married for more than ten years to her husband, Chris, who happens to be the brother of Caroline Manzo. Chris is president and CEO of an apparel company and is venturing into the organic beverage business. The couple has two sons, eight-year-old CJ and two-year-old Nicholas, and Jacqueline has a 20-year-old daughter, Ashley, from a previous marriage. Aside from spending time with her family, Jacqueline enjoys cooking, road trips, working out, going to the spa, and catching up with friends. She always likes to see the good in people, but can hold her own when challenged. Jacqueline does not take anything for granted and believes that true wealth is about love, family, friends, personal growth, and helping others in need.
Caroline Manzo
Caroline Manzo is the epitome of a strong New Jersey woman. Always putting family first, she's a devoted wife and mother of three children, Albie, 25, Lauren, 23, and Christopher, 22. Caroline has been married for more than 27 years to her husband, Albert, who runs The Brownstone, a very successful catering facility in Paterson, NJ. The business has been with the family for over 30 years and is one of the premiere event spaces in the state. Although Caroline spends the majority of her time running the household, she recently launched a new concept, Caroline Manzo, Family, Faith, & Charity, a collection of handbags and accessories available in Fall 2011. Caroline is affiliated with several charities including SCTNOW, a foundation dedicated to stopping the horrific crime of child trafficking within our own borders; CROC, a foundation dedicated to helping cancer survivors; Best Friends Animal Society; Rescue Ink; and Wounded Warriors Project. Often described as a feisty spitfire, Caroline manages to have it all: family, friends, and a career. In her opinion, that is what makes her a "Real Housewife" of New Jersey.