Saint Mary wedding featured on TLC

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Michelle Santos and Kunal Ganti, long time parishioners at Saint Mary Church in Buffalo Grove, shared their wedding day with reality TV show Four Weddings. | Contributed photo

Updated: February 20, 2012 8:43AM

Some could say it was just another October wedding at Saint Mary Church in Buffalo Grove, but it was not just any wedding.

Oct. 22, 2011 was the day parishioners Michelle Santos and Kunal Ganti, long time parishioners at Saint Mary Church, shared their wedding day with reality TV show Four Weddings.

It all started when Michelle was emailed after attending a wedding show and asked to participate in a chance to be on the Four Weddings reality TV show.

Deciding to “go for it,” she filled out the application. After several months of back and forth emails with the TV show, she was notified of her selection by the producer in a phone call just a few weeks before her wedding day.

“Saint Mary’s was an obvious choice because my family and I have been attending mass here since I was a little girl,” Michelle said. “Similarly, Kunal’s mom was a parishioner.

“Saint Mary is beautiful in every aspect of the word. The church itself is intimate, historical and breathtaking with its adornment of the most beautiful stained glass art and elegant natural light shining through. The parish staff is nothing but wonderful and accommodating. It was most certainly our privilege and pleasure to have Father Denis (Carneiro) preside over our ceremony, have Tracy (Friedman) coordinate the ceremony, engage in our F.O.C.C.U.S. program with Dorothy and Len Schiller and Jane and have Mary Pietro sing during our ceremony while her daughters, Jessica and Kayla, were our altar servers.

“Father Denis has, especially, helped guide Kunal and me through some challenges along the way, and we know that he will continue to be a trusted, spiritual mentor for the both of us in our married life.

“Our wedding day was, most certainly, the best day of our lives thus far, and we wouldn’t have been able to have had such a flawless and blessed ceremony without the love and attentiveness of the most amazing Saint Mary staff. We’re looking forward to seeing the church and all the great work that went into making our day so very special on the show. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your support, encouragement and prayers.”

The entire parish will be watching and cheering for the couple at 9 p.m. Jan. 27 on TLC Channel.