The induction you're thinking of happened in Trenton, where Angelo Bruno inducted four members at a wedding in 1962. The inductees were most likely Carl Ippolito, Michael Cammarota, Michael Tramantana, and "Blackie" Napoli, as Genovese captain Ray DeCarlo was taped saying that Bruno inducted those four members when the books were closed. The books were closed for Philly in 1962 (though the books weren't closed for the large induction a year or two earlier where Narducci and Monte were made), but Bruno apparently pleaded ignorance and New York let the inductions stand and the books would be opened for Philly within a couple of years anyway. Bruno himself was taped saying that he inducted four men at that wedding, so the timeline and number of names DeCarlo mentioned both match up.
Side note. but the above is interesting when you consider the Fresolone induction decades later, as there was controversy over them not circulating the names of the inductees to NY for approval. Bruno clearly didn't circulate names to NY for the 1962 induction and it included at least one Newark member, and the controversy seems to have been based on the books being closed and not necessarily the names not being circulated. This could indicate that it wasn't necessarily required for Philadelphia to get names approved in Newark and only became controversial later.
Never seen confirmation on Martirano's induction; Fresolone said early 1960s, I believe, but not sure if he was directly told that or assumed. It would make sense given the Simone crew was rapidly expanded during that period but just haven't seen anything concrete. It's possible too that Martirano was known by another nickname by CIs back then, as there are some unidentified members, including some in Jersey, known only by obscure nicknames and it's not uncommon for guys to have been known by different nicknames than the ones mentioned more famously by later sources, especially earlier on.
As far as I Know except for the Stanfa era the Philly family has always done fully traditional ceremonies, so I would guess that includes the Trenton wedding induction and these new ones. It has never been much of a mystery who these guys are within the community they're in, so if they all dip off into a private room I don't think many people would ask questions, though funny to think of them stealing some bridezilla's glory by inducting new members at a wedding... all of these guys congratulating some newly made gangster instead of the bride.
Weddings and funerals have been used for formal family meetings in a number of organizations going back to the early days of the US mafia. The St. Louis and DeCavalcante families used member-owned funeral parlors for formal meetings during funerals, for example. Wouldn't be surprised to hear that wedding/funeral inductions have happened in other organizations, too.
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The bit about Pellulo, Persiano, and Piccolo being inducted by the Lucchese family fits with some vague info that came out at the time of the Piccolo indictment indicating the latter two had been made with the Luccheses and transferred. If the ceremony happened around ten years ago, this sheds new light on the Philly/Gambino sitdown as they weren't just registering a complaint against Scarfo Jr. for making a move against Philly and stealing associates, but for having Philly associates made into the Lucchese family.
Pellulo is the nephew of influential old line Philly member Frank Nicoletti and Pellulo's older brothers were close to Scarfo and Leonetti through the 1980s, at some point going on record with Leonetti. Piccolo's history with Philly speaks for itself. They would have technically belonged to the Philadelphia family if they weren't released, though what muddies this up is that the Lucchese family is said to have considered Scarfo the official boss into the 2010s (no doubt Amuso/Scarfo's jailhouse friendship was a factor) which is why they condoned it.
Would be curious who officiated or otherwise approved the ceremony within the Lucchese family if those three were inducted.
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