With beautiful music, enthusiastic community, and gorgeous scenery, it’s hardly a surprise that Ravinia is a special place for many. For some concertgoers, however, Ravinia holds extra sentimental value as a venue where their love stories have grown and flourished. Thank you to those who shared their stories with us – we are grateful to be included in such romantic milestones.
Kristin and Todd Schmidt
Kristin and Todd first went to Ravinia for a Chicago Symphony Orchestra performance in the summer of 1993. They went as friends because they were unable to go back to college for Greek Weekend due to their work schedules. Somewhere in the midst of that night, Kristin and Todd decided they wanted to date. They were engaged three years later at Ravinia in July 1996.
“Ravinia is an integral part of our story, and we come back every year!!”
Olivia Lee and Michael Locashio
Olivia and Michael met about eight years ago, and some of their earliest shared memories started at Ravinia. During their first summer together, there wasn’t a week when the two of them weren’t racing up to Highland Park to catch a show under the stars. It didn’t make a difference who was performing that night – Ravinia was their Heaven on Earth!
They have hosted nearly 25 soirées at Ravinia, with no less than 20 to 25 friends for each gathering. Olivia and Michael are told that their parties are epic! Random strangers will often crash their bash, but they’re never turned away. For many, their Ravinia gatherings are the highlight of their summer.
When the time came for their wedding, there was no question about where Olivia and Michael wanted to exchange vows to continue sharing so much love, laughter, and joy. So, on February 11, 2023, Olivia and Michael stood before the Tyler Gate and pledged their eternal love, with two of their closest friends, Jon and Tracey Shimabukuro, as officiants, and their beloved dog, Mr. Paddington, was the Best Man. It was a beautiful afternoon, and they couldn’t have been any happier.
“This oasis that had given us so many great memories throughout the years was the backdrop for the greatest day of our lives.”
Seven months later, on August 19, 2023, Ravinia hosted their wedding reception. Fifty loved ones joined in what was, and always will be, their greatest soirée ever! It was Yacht Rock Night—dressed in their best ’70s/’80s attire, they all danced and partied from Kenny Loggins’s first guitar chord through the encore and beyond. No one wanted to leave until security politely told everyone the park was about to close for the night. LOL!
“Ravinia will always be a huge part of our lives. We often call this place our summer home. And, like our hearts, the door to this loving home is open to all, rain or shine.”
Sally and Tom Coyle
In 1963, Tom, a fresh college graduate new to Chicago, took the advice of a very nice lady in his office. He bought a bottle of wine, packed a picnic, grabbed his Wisconsin football blanket, and invited Sally to take the train with him to a Ravinia concert. Sally had moved to town a few months earlier and had never heard of Ravinia.
They no longer remember who they heard, but they were married in May 1964, and Ravinia concerts remain one of their many shared joys.
For many years, Sally and Tom would get a babysitter and enjoy a night out. They have hosted bridal showers, baby showers, and family gatherings at Ravinia. Twenty years ago, their daughter and her husband bought a home near Ravinia. Once, while granddog-sitting about ten years ago, they wiled away a night listening to Beethoven’s Fifth with the windows open. A love of Ravinia runs through their family – their grandson and granddaughter even worked at Ravinia as high school students.
When their nest was empty, Sally and Tom began donating to Ravinia and regularly enjoyed their season lawn pass. At a donor reception four years ago, a couple offered to share a table, and they all became good friends and still enjoy concerts together. Today, Sally and Tom are once again taking the train to concerts.
“Yes, we are in love and in love with Ravinia.”
Peter Ambriz and Edna Ybarra
Peter and Edna’s love story began years before their first Ravinia date. The pair attended neighboring high schools and knew each other as teenagers, but they lost touch as the years passed. Nearly two decades later, Peter’s childhood best friend ran into Edna and reconnected them.
Peter was a Ravinia regular, so when Edna said she had never visited before, he knew he had to bring her along. In July 2013, Peter had tickets to see Sheryl Crow with friends and invited Edna along because he had an extra ticket. The two snapped a picture in front of Tyler Gate on their way in, and despite an unexpected storm, they enjoyed a lovely evening in the Pavilion
A month later, the two visited again to see Gipsy Kings. “This time, we went officially as a couple,” Peter said. “I was introducing Edna to all my friends on the Lawn.”
The couple have been frequent guests at the festival ever since. “We average easily four to six concerts a year,” Peter said. So, when it came time for him to pick a proposal location, Ravinia seemed like the perfect spot. Peter already had the ring when he heard about the Winter Weekend, and quickly decided that would be his moment.
“When we arrived at the front gate, I thought, that’s perfect, because it'll go with our first photo from 11 years ago at the very same arch that says Ravinia on top.”
Now, the couple looks forward to many more nights on the Lawn together. Peter says you can expect to see them at “anything from the ’80s going back to our teenage years. The experience is always great. I always look forward to the schedule.”
