A Party in Eden

By Lisa Arnett
July 2025 View more Better Together

This foodie couple celebrates with fabulous fare and Fox River views

Kristina Santiago and Manny Mendoza met 10 years ago at their local gym. One day after a workout, Mendoza struck up a conversation; Santiago loved his smile and agreed to a first date. “We hung out for so long and just spent hours and hours talking,” she says of their first dinner together. Mendoza was equally impressed at how easily their conversation flowed. “I’m a social butterfly and I love to talk,” he says. “I thought: She’s out-talking me; that’s awesome!” They also bonded over having a tight-knit relationship with their respective families.

Mendoza confessed early on that he was afraid of heights, and throughout their years of dating, Santiago playfully insisted that she’d only accept a proposal if it were aboard a hot-air balloon. Though he didn’t go that route exactly, in summer 2022, Mendoza enlisted a pilot friend to take them out in his four-seater propeller plane. “Right as we approached the Chicago skyline, Manny popped the question,” Santiago says.

Though Santiago and Mendoza live in the northwest suburbs, they often head south to explore the western suburbs’ culinary destinations. “We are big foodies,” Santiago says. “You can catch us finding new restaurants on the weekends and enjoying their different cuisines and cocktails. Manny loves his old-fashioneds, and I also [like to] see who has the best charcuterie board.”

In 2023, they decided to elope at their local courthouse and plan a reception to celebrate with friends and family the following year.

When it came time to choose a venue, they knew that the Mediterranean fare and craft cocktails at Eden Events along the Fox River in downtown St. Charles would fill the bill. The bride also enlisted her pastry chef friend, Kasey Manecke of Lemon & Lavender Bake Shop, to make their strawberry-coconut wedding cake.

Taking first-look portraits together before their Oct. 5 celebration was one of Mendoza’s favorite moments. “I’m a pretty sentimental person, so it was emotional,” he says. “She looked so beautiful, and it was a priceless moment for sure.” Not content to let the vibe get too serious, they rode into the reception on toy hobby horses. “That was our biggest thing, to have good music, good drinks, and everyone having fun on the dance floor,” Santiago says.

Santiago flexed her DIY skills to create their table centerpieces and a massive floral backdrop accented with tufts of pampas grass. “It was just so much fun putting everything together,” she says. To celebrate their families’ cultures, the couple sent their guests home with gift bags filled with candies from Puerto Rico, Poland, and Mexico. In their spare time as newlyweds, you can find them going on hikes with their goldendoodle, Luna, and planning their belated honeymoon.

Wedding Details

Venue and catering
Eden Events, St. Charles

Bride’s attire
The Altar Bridal, Barrington

Bride’s hair and makeup
One Salon & Bridal Co., St. Charles

Grooms’ attire
Men’s Wearhouse

Rings
Jared Jewelers

Cake
Lemon & Lavender Bake Shop

Entertainment
The Pink Noise DJ, Elmhurst

Photographer
TWA Photographic Artists, Lombard

Photos: TWA Photographic Artists/twaphoto.com