Brooke Cusumano and Chris Cacciarelli were the perfect match—just waiting for the right moment to ignite! “We’ve known each other practically our entire lives,” she says. “Our story is one that says, ‘Sometimes, you marry the person you least expect.’”

The couple’s parents have been friends for more than 20 years, and the two met as kids in the same Sunday school class. Chris and Brooke went on to attend the same summer camp, middle school and high school and even went to their sophomore dance at Westminster Christian Academy together as friends, joking that Cusumano/Cacciarelli sounded like a pizza joint. The timing wasn’t right for romance, and so after they graduated in 2013, Chris went off to Missouri State University, and Brooke studied at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

A few years later, they were both back in St. Louis. Chris started working as a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch, and Brooke became a technology consultant for Deloitte. When their mutual friend group planned a ski trip to Colorado, everything changed, according to Brooke. “We got to spend a lot of time skiing together alone, and the rest is history,” she says. “Our best day of skiing was at Vail, and it just so happens that about a year and half later we got engaged there. On that same mountain, we went from being friends to best friends to getting married!”

Brooke says she shares the same values as Chris along with many other similarities, including both being St. Louis natives with Italian families. “We both have incredibly long, hard last names to pronounce,” she jokes. They are both middle children, both have older brothers named Alex who are friends with each other, and they both have younger brothers currently in law school. As for the fun stuff, they both played college sports, are fiercely competitive, love food, sports and activities like hiking, biking, running, pickleball, tennis and golf. If that isn’t perfect enough, Brooke says her dad, Frank, fell in love with Chris, the “Italian Stallion” before she did. We wish you a life of happiness!

resources
Venue | Memorial Presbyterian Church
Reception | Missouri Athletic Club
Photographer | Heather Roth
Gown | TBD
Cake | Custom cake by the MAC
Florist | TBD
Honeymoon | Italy

wedding party
Maid of Honor | Erin Bognar
Bridesmaids | Ellie Straub, Megan Tilley, Della Woodward, Macy Cusumano, Alexis Landry, Caroline Speice
Best Men | Alex Cacciarelli & Nick Cacciarelli
Groomsmen | Alex Cusumano, Dominic Cusumano, Justin Summers, Ryan Conaghan, Skyler Hulse
Bride’s Parents | Frank & Monique Cusumano of St. Louis
Groom’s Parents | Marc & Nancy Cacciarelli of St. Louis