Patricia knew after her first date with Anthony that he would be the man she would marry. Anthony, too, knew Patricia was The One just moments after meeting. As fate would have it, the couple – who was introduced to one another by the bride’s mother – soon discovered that Patricia’s late grandfather had been a friend of Anthony’s grandfather during their time at the same assisted-living facility. “Patricia’s whole family had met my grandpa, and when they visited her grandpa, they would also visit mine,” shares Anthony. “My mother’s family knew my father’s grandma before [my parents] had ever met, and the same thing was happening to me!”

Before proposing to “the sweetest, nicest, most caring woman” he had ever known, Anthony asked Patricia’s father for his blessing. Then, on a supposed “last-minute” trip to The Field Museum in Chicago to view some of the most rare and unique gemstones in the world, Patricia noticed something special in the final display case. “There in the lit-up glass window was a ring with a little plaque that read, ‘I love you more. Donated by Anthony Segretto,’” exclaims the bride. “Anthony got down on one knee, and from that day on, we were officially headed to the altar to be husband and wife!”

A beautiful church provided the perfect setting for the couple’s traditional Greek Orthodox ceremony. Décor was kept minimal to highlight the beauty of the venue. A custom aisle runner embellished with the couple’s initials adorned the aisleway along with four large French urns brimming with vanilla roses and hydrangeas. The bride and groom wore crowns during the ceremony to symbolize their roles as “king and queen” of their new family per Greek tradition.

Patricia was dazzling in a strapless ball gown featuring intricate silver beading. The sizeable bouquet of vanilla roses she carried, though beautiful, turned out to be heftier than anticipated. “My bouquet was so large the florist had to trim [it down] because my hands were too small to fit around it,” reveals the bride. Her groom and his groomsmen were formal in black tie with white rose boutonnieres. Bridesmaids wore floor-length gowns in a champagne hue and jeweled sashes around their waists. They held nosegays of roses wrapped in silk and fastened with rhinestone brooches, identical to the ones that adorned the couple’s wedding invitations.

Following the ceremony, 400 of the newlyweds’ loved ones entered the enchanting reception space. The ballroom’s high ceiling was illuminated with an elegant scroll motif and sparkling crystal chandeliers that cast a gorgeous glow onto the dinner seating below. Round and rectangular tables were strewn with ivory linens and surrounded by gold chairs topped with crème brûlée cushions. High and low centerpieces overflowing with vanilla roses and hydrangeas bedecked the tabletops along with flickering candles. The couple of honor dined at a charming sweetheart table with white, tufted chairs that provided a wonderful view of their guests, as well as the live band and dance floor.

As the dinner service concluded, wedding attendees made their way to the white vinyl dance floor decorated with the couple’s names. More than any other element of the wedding, Anthony was most keen on the entertainment of the evening. After viewing a number of musical vendors, he selected an impressive band for the reception. “They kept everyone on the dance floor the entire night,” says the groom. “People are still talking about them!” Exploding confetti cannons added to the excitement of the performance. 

Libations flowed throughout the celebration and guests were encouraged to indulge in three signature cocktails: Hers, a pomegranate martini; His, an old-fashioned; and Theirs, a mojito. For dessert, a four-tiered wedding cake designed to resemble the bride’s gown delighted guests. As a baker, Patricia took much interest in the taste of the confection and chose almond cake with passion fruit and cream cheese fillings. “It was the best cake we had ever tasted!” she declares. Guests also relished miniature ice-cream cones and additional sweets presented by a woman dressed as Marie Antoinette, who served as a “moving dessert table.”

A lively after-party extended the festivities until 2AM. Sunglasses and glow sticks were passed out to guests on the dance floor, and American favorites from a popular fast-food chain satisfied late-night cravings. Patricia and Anthony had the time of their lives celebrating their love and marriage with family and friends. Recalls the bride, “I enjoyed every single bit of it.”