a real-life wedding Melissa CENTRE STAGE DATE TO RED CARPET WEDDING Eugenio F rom their first date on, Melissa Natale and Eugenio Satino were in harmony. Meeting through mutual friends, Geno picked up Melissa in his car which was loaded with equipment for a rock band gig at Hard Rock. There was barely room for her with all the gear. When the music began, people in the packed room went crazy and Melissa was captivated, not only by the band’s repertoire, but by the handsome and talented guitar player, her date. She also struck a chord with him — he couldn’t take his eyes off the dark-haired beauty. After the gig they went to watch the planes land at the airport for the rest of the night, then saw the sun rise over the Toronto cityscape. They talked and talked and talked... and have been inseparable ever since. VALENTINE’S DAY PROPOSAL Although the date was February 14, this seemed more like a trick-or-treat evening. After eight years together, when Geno took Melissa to their favourite restaurant for dinner on Valentine’s Day, she was convinced this was the evening he planned to propose. She was shaking with excitement as he pulled out a large ring box. Opening it to find a candy ring pop inside, she questioned him. “Is this supposed to be a joke?” Geno’s response was long and detailed, about how he was going to start saving for a ring, about how someday they would be married, etc. Meanwhile Melissa was thinking he should have started saving for the real thing for a long time already and was both disappointed and annoyed. 86 Wedding Essentials 2013