The Wedding Story of... Jessica & Anthony Severino

Jessica and Anthony Severino took dance lessons from a friend who is a professional Latin dancer in Chicago so that their “first dance” would be memorable. But when it came time for the dance at their reception, Jessica said she couldn’t remember any of the steps she had spent so much time learning. “My whole brain went blank and he helped me through it. That is exactly why I love him.”

 

 

 

 

The Chicago public school teacher and the financial advisor for Morgan Stanley had met on Match.com about four years earlier. When Anthony decided to propose to Jessica, after asking her father and mother for their permission, he planned a “spring break” trip to an unknown destination for her birthday. All she knew is he had purchased a pair of Christian Loubotin wedges and two dresses from Anthropologie she had admired while window shopping. 

 

They were at the gate at O’hare International Airport before she knew they were going to Maui (a place they had visited 9 months before). That’s only after her family had teased her that they were going on a ski trip or a camping vacation in Alaska. 

 

“The first night came and went. The second night he told me to wear the dress and shoes he had bought me. We went to see the sunset on Ulua Beach and I could tell something was up. His hands were a little sweaty. “There was a table for two at a beachside restaurant, but it was not for us. I thought we were just going to watch the sunset and look for some shells. He said he found a treasure and got down on one knee and that was it.”

 

 

 

 

Both the bride and groom are extremely close to their families, so it was only natural that family members would be an integral part of the wedding day. Jessica’s sister, Kendra Klink, is a coordinator at the Auburn Cord Dusenberg Museum, which is located in the town where Jessica grew up, so the decision about where to have the reception was an easy one. “I have always loved that place,” she said. “It’s fun to bring people to see what our town is all about.” While the couple served as their own “wedding planner,” Kendra helped coordinate everything at the museum reception. 

 

“It was second nature for her,” Jessica said of her sister’s abilities. “Since it was the first wedding on both sides it was so helpful to have her organizing things. She probably fielded a lot of questions that I didn’t need to deal with.”

 

To keep things in the family even more, her mother, Debra Klink, owns a paper and gift shop in Auburn –The  Paper Gourmet–and created the save the dates, invitations, place cards, and table numbers. 

 

 

 

 

The ceremony took place at the Auburn Presbyterian Church, the same church where Jessica’s parents had been married 40 years before that.  Anthony’s parents also were celebrating their 40th anniversary.  Coincidentally, Jessica and Anthony  had a photo taken in the exact same spot as her parents on their wedding day. The  newlyweds had both photos framed and displayed next to each other.  “It’s very special to us,” Jessica said. “Our parents are wonderful examples of what marriage is all about.”

 

A newer family tradition started by Jessica’s aunt is a “family aisle runner” monogrammed with the initials of all the cousins who had gotten married so that eventually the runner would be filled from top to bottom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The guests at the reception were able to roam around and tour the classic automobile museum during the reception, which Jessica said was nice for those who wanted a little break from the music. The museum has a collection of about 150 classic cars commemorating the Auburn Automobile Company. The couple got to have their photograph taken in a couple of replica cars, rather than the priceless antique vehicles on display, which Jessica described as “works of art.”

 

The banquet room was decorated with chandeliers that were brought in, hung from the ceiling and dropped, giving the venue an elegant, low lit, romantic feel. Rose, pink and green floral made up of roses, hydrangeas and French garden roses added to the romance and bridesmaids were dressed in “evening blue” dresses that were comfortable and flowing.

 

One of her bridesmaids had recommended the band Zanna Doo from Indianapolis. Jessica had not really heard them, but just trusted her friend and went with it. She said the decision was a good one as the dance floor was full the entire night. 

 

She treasures the memories from the individual dances they shared with their parents. She and her Dad took a few dance lessons as did Anthony and his Mom. She and Antony danced to “You and Me” by Dave Matthews, which is a moment she’ll never forget, despite her initial “stage fright!”

 

“It was so special because we created a ‘family’ event with a very loving atmosphere,” Jessica said.