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Ralph Fiore II & Aubrene Knott
Text: Merry Mayer
Photography: Jennifer Girard Photography Studio
When Glenn Kedzie, president and owner of Big Timber Landscape Company, was asked to do the landscaping for local news celebrity, Roz Varon, WLS-TV’s Traffic Anchor, he decided to take the job.
“I don’t usually do residentials, but when I got a call from Roz I was curious to meet her, having followed her career from radio to TV,” admits Glenn. Little did he know that he was going to meet his future spouse.
“I had recently moved and needed landscaping done at my house,” says Roz. “I basically chose Big Timber at random and liked the design so I hired him.”
The couple dated a year and then on Memorial Day Weekend, Glenn proposed. “[He] was very sweet in his proposal including my daughter Sara,” says Roz
Wanting to give a real Chicago feel to their wedding, the couple decided to have both their ceremony and reception at Marshall Field’s historic State Street Store. The ceremony was held on the Grand Staircase on the eighth floor, with harp music provided by another Chicago legend, Lyon & Healy Harps.
The beautiful ceremony ended with a long kiss. “It seemed to go on forever,” adds Roz.
The couple then jazzed the mood up a bit, exiting to “Satin Doll,” the famous standard written by Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer and Billy Strayhorn.
The reception followed just one floor below in the beautiful Walnut Room Restaurant, with its old time elegance of crystal chandeliers and imported dark Russian wood. Favors for guests were—what else—Marshall Field’s Frango Mints.
“My favorite memory was our first dance,” says Roz. “The song was “Unforgettable” and at the end of the dance we did the “dip”! We took dance lessons to learn it and we actually did it, wedding gown and all!”
To ensure the night went smoothly, the couple hired the Allan Kaye Orchestra, which has over twenty-five years of experience. To remember the night—and keep Chicago as a big part of their wedding day without taking too much time from their guests—Roz and Glenn had their photos taken in front of the Marshall Field’s Store and in front of Channel 7 on State Street (while the new studio was still under construction).
But while the couple chose to have an intimate affair with just 90 guests, the evening still didn’t provide enough time to enjoy those they are closest to. “What surprised me was that even though the guest list was relatively small, I’m sure there were some guests I didn’t get around to greet personally,” says Roz.
Although it went too fast, it was a great time. “The most fun was dancing with as many of my friends and relatives as I could, especially the ones who normally don’t dance,” says Roz.
The night ended as it had begun, on a romantic note. “We had a horse-drawn carriage take us from Field’s to the Chicago Hilton on Michigan Avenue. It was so great seeing the late-night crowd wave and cheer us on as we rode down the street. It was the most romantic ending to a most perfect day,” says Roz.
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CEREMONY SITE
Marshall Fields
RECEPTION SITE
Marshall Fields
PHOTOGRAPHY
Jennifer Girard Photography Studio
OFFICIANT
Judge Michelle Loranz
BRIDE’S GOWN
Marshall Fields
BRIDESMAID DRESSES
Marshall Fields men’s formalwear After Hours Formalwear
INVITATIONS
Printer and Invitation Design by Lake Media
FLOWERS
Bukiety
MENU/CATERING
Marshall Field's Catering
MUSIC/ENTERTAINMENT
Steve Hartman and Allan Kaye Orchestra
WEDDING CAKE
Eli's Cheesecake
LIGHTING
Frost Lighting-Chicago
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