New Beginnings at Barrington’s White House

Barrington’s White House calendar is filling up for 2016 with terrific events for the public to enjoy.

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story by kris zeile | Photo by ciana alexander

There’s nothing like becoming a bride when you and your fiancé both work in the wedding industry. As the editor and web developer for Chicago Style Weddings, Kelsey (nee O’Shaughnessy) and Ben Podgorski were thrilled to tour and select Barrington’s White House for their wedding and reception which took place on October 17, 2015. The couple now has the distinction of being the White House’s “First Couple” and Kelsey its first bride!

“About 90 percent of our day is spent on visual and content for weddings and that made our [wedding planning] process a lot harder,” Kelsey says. “Chicago Style Weddings is the longest-running premier wedding publication and we have seen it all; the best of the best! It was also difficult because we have many friends who have businesses that serve the wedding industry and we wanted to choose carefully.”

The newly married Podgorskis started their planning process by narrowing their priority list and found that Barrington’s White House met all their criteria for a unique and elegant venue that would be very memorable for guests. Priority two was quality food with an unexpected menu; and finally, they wanted to ensure they captured exceptional photos of the wedding party, guests, and attributes of the White House.

An eclectic customized menu was expertly prepared from scratch by their cousin, Chef Jeramie from Wild Asparagus Catering, including stir fry and pasta appetizers, a multiple choice plated dinner for guests, a poached pear salad, and special sides like Kelsey’s aunt’s stuffing recipe. Desserts included fabulous mini-pastries and to 150 guests' delight, sundaes from Julianne’s Frozen Custard Bar. Late night dining included artisan homemade pizzas and gourmet sliders.

After hosting a grand opening on an idyllic Sesquicentennial Fourth of July, Barrington’s White House is now a gracious and capable destination for special celebrations and new beginnings. The grand Classic Revival on Main Street has hosted a beautiful fall wedding for its very first bride; a festive celebration for a long-awaited retirement; multiple showers to welcome babies on the way; and an exceptional couples’shower that was a send-off for a destination wedding in Mexico.

The house lends itself beautifully to any number of events, and this New Year finds Barrington’s White House calendar filling quickly with cultural and community activities, private parties, weddings, and business and corporate events. Quintessential Barrington was invited to share some of these wonderful moments with you.

To accommodate their wedding party’s guests and spouses they opted for a “kings table” over the traditional “head table” so that everyone could enjoy their dinner together. They further personalized their day by having a close friend officiate who created a short and meaningful program for their ceremony. Guests also enjoyed trivia cards at their tables, late night board games, and of course, hours of dancing.

One of the best memories of their wedding day was a brief respite after their first dance where they took a break, enjoyed their dessert, and relaxed for just a few minutes in the White House bridal room—just the two of them.

Following the wedding, the new couple enjoyed brunch with the family and headed off for a mini-honeymoon to take in several fall days in beautiful Door County. Upon their return, their wedding guest’s feedback was enthusiastic, including comments on how much fun they had at Barrington’s White House and how the setting lent itself perfectly to a wonderful celebration.

The new couple are living in Crystal Lake in close proximity to family—the Podgorskis in Barrington, and the O’Shaughnessys in Cary.

The next chapter for Kelsey and Ben includes planning a more extensive honeymoon, enjoying time with friends and family, and focusing on their careers.

When asked what the secret will be to a long happy life ahead, Ben agreed that “making a great choice” was key, followed by being co-pilots, working as a team, and of course “being really silly.”

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A Destination Wedding

Follows a Barrington’s White House Bridal Shower

Officially introduced by friends six years ago, newly married Maria and Dave Johnson discovered they were never really too far apart. She went to Rolling Meadows High School; he went to Fremd. She went to Mizzou; he went to University of Illinois. They actually had mutual friends as early as junior high. It was a Tuesday night when they met … a game of darts, a dinner out. They reconnected a year later through Facebook. Maria remembers Dave’s terrific smile and a story about how he was involved in “helping others”… which reached her heart.

Fast forward to 2015. Maria and Dave formally began celebrating their life together at Barrington’s White House. Over 100 guests enjoyed a Sunday afternoon couples’ shower in the White House Ballroom featuring fine food and wine, special gifts, and toasts to their future. Attendees included family, friends from grade school through college, and several of Dave’s fellow firefighters.

Having lived in Barrington for the past year, both Maria and Dave watched the renovation project on Main Street and felt a special connection to the White House due to their mutual love of historic properties, as well as seeing that the integrity of the house was being preserved. “Having our shower at the White House was really special for us,” Maria said. We were so excited to host our friends in a beautiful place in our community with such a rich history.”

Dave is a second-generation firefighter and Maria works downtown as a marketing manager. The Village of Barrington was an ideal location for their first home with Dave’s parents living in Barrington Hills and Maria’s in Palatine. They are looking forward to settling into life in the Village and continuing to remodel and decorate their home.

Five weeks after their spectacular shower at Barrington’s White House, Maria and Dave were married alongside a natural white-sand beach at the Riviera Maya with 14 attendants and groomsmen, surrounded by lush tropical gardens and the crystal-clear Caribbean. Nearly 100 guests joined them in Mexico from as far as Spain to share their special day and enjoy the gorgeous destination. Following their wedding, they enjoyed a few glorious days on the beach and now are planning for an extended honeymoon through Europe in 2016.

Kris Zeile is principal at kmz Communications Ltd., a media consulting and marketing firm.

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Where to Learn More

Barrington’s White House calendar is filling up for 2016 with terrific events for the public to enjoy. (See Arts & Culture section on page 80). If you are interested in attending or scheduling an event, view the White House Calendar at www.barringtonswhitehouse.com, or email events@barringtonswhitehouse.com.