Following her mother's urging, 25-year-old Caroline Cirrincione took a chance and wore a distinctive blue, white and black oversized shirt to an evening with her friends at Rino Lounge in Chicago's River North neighborhood. That night, she not only caught the eye of a photographer working for the Red Eye, a publication that would poke fun of self-described "cute, but different" shirt in a future issue, but also of the man to whom she would be pledging the rest of her life just two years later.
Luke Eimerman, a 29-year-old sales manager for medical supply company Hollister Inc., was a friend of a friend also attending the Ferrari party going on that night. "A couple days later he asked me out and then we were dating all of a sudden," Caroline says as a light blush spreads across her cheeks.
The following year passed quickly for the sweethearts, and the day after Thanksgiving Luke surprised Caroline with a romantic horse and carriage ride down Michigan Avenue. She was even more astounded when he got down on one knee and pulled the hidden engagement ring out of his coat. "I had no idea, and everyone already knew!" Caroline says, noting that Luke had asked her father, Tom, for his blessings beforehand.
"I actually had the carriage take us to the restaurant where we had our first date," Luke says. When they arrived at Flatwater on North Clark, both sets of parents were already waiting for them, and the wedding planning began right away.
Caroline's family has been in the restaurant business for 35 years and owns a number of restaurants and banquet halls in the Chicago area. They have been hosting elaborate receptions for a long time, so there was no one better to trust with planning the big day than her own mom and sister.
Working with two people so near and dear to her heart, mom Cathy and sister Jodi, who was also the Maid of Honor, the process was at times an emotional roller coaster for Caroline, but it was always a lot of fun. "There were bonding experiences when we'd go downtown and try on the dresses," she says. "As the day got closer we'd go every month, and then every week."
The final result was well worth the effort. The December 6th wedding began with a traditional Catholicceremony at St. Patrick's Church in Lake Forest. "I've been going there since we moved to Lake Forest when I was five, so there was no question about that," Caroline says. The interior was tastefully decorated with a white isle runner from Customized Wedding Creations, embroidered with the happy couple's initials, and complemented by arrangements of white hydrangeas, roses, lilies, and dendrobium orchids done by Yanni Design Studio.
The bride wore a Reem Acra strapless gown from Belle Vie Bridal Couture, sprinkled with beading on the bodice and draping down gracefully into a long train. "I didn't even like it on the hanger," she says, "But then I tried it on and I was obsessed with it!"
The groom had tears in his eyes as he watched his soon-to-be wife walk down the aisle. "I thought that I was going to be able to compose myself very well, but seeing her in her dress for the first time as she turned the corner was very emotional," Luke says. "The whole night was unbelievable, but I'll never forget that moment."
A forty-five minute drive took the party to the Belvedere Events & Banquets in Elk Grove Village, one of two banquet halls owned and operated by the Cirrincione family, where dim candlelight and floor-to-ceiling ivory drapery, also masterminded by Yanni, expertly transformed the modern venue into the romantic winter wonderland envisioned by the couple. BBJ Linens added sparkling touches with their beautifully unique, gold fantasia linens and silver bichon napkins.
A monogrammed light featuring the couple's initials shown down on the white-covered dance floor, and 350 guests watched them complete turns in perfect harmony to Lionel Richie's "My Love". "During the first dance we had a confetti drop - which was amazing," Catherine says. "That was probably the best moment." No one could have guessed that the couple had ducked out of their dancing lessons after just the second one.
A fabric wall separated cocktail hour from the main event, and catering was done in-house, with a cake from Rolf's Patisserie in Lincolnwood. Orchestra 33 provided music for the reception, later passing the baton to Fig Media, who played current, upbeat songs during the after party. "The cocktail hour room was converted into the after party room," Caroline said. "We were up until four in the morning dancing the night away." The whole event was documented by Pictures4ever Studio, Belvedere Events & Banquet's frequent photographers, and each guest left with a rhinestone candleholder, another of mom's great ideas.
"I was so excited, I was on cloud nine," Caroline says, adding that the only problem with the whole day was that it was over so soon. She woke up saying "Can we do that again?"
You can view some images form wedding here:
