Farotto's Italian Restaurant has long provided a little bit of The Hill in the county. A recent trip back after a long absence was a reminder of just why we used to keep their number at the ready.

Men have it pretty easy when it comes to wedding attire: If the invitation says black tie, a tuxedo is in order, whether you own one or not. If you’re in the latter category, you must rent one. But don’t let the young guys at the tux shop rent you anything but the most traditional of tuxedos. In addition, instead of patent leather shoes that look like plastic, I recommend you wear a highly shined pair of black, lace-up dress shoes.

Kim Eberlein (Volunteer Leadership)

You voted, we listened! Ladue News readers know what they like; and with this year's Platinum List, you've made your voices heard. This list compiles the best of St. Louis. 

Get a load of you! You’ve found the perfect dress, veil and shoes. But there is one more accessory you need to choose: a magnificent bridal bouquet.

An intercontinental love story, Sara Elyse Badler and Thomas William Greaney met at a Mexican bar in Shanghai, China. Both were working in Shanghai as English teachers. Thomas was struck from the start and knew early on that he would spend his life with Sara. “It was pretty easy, actually,” he recalls. After two years spent in Shanghai, they moved to New York together in 2010, where Thomas proposed with a ring hidden inside a vintage Pucci bag that Sara had been eyeing.

Next stop, Clayton! STL Culinary Tours has added Clayton to its growing list of neighborhood-centric foodie excursions. On Saturday, March 9, the company will conduct a tour of some of Clayton's finest eateries. The tour will start at Bar Les Freres and will traverse the neighborhood, stopping at Extra Virgin, Oceano Bistro, Little Country Gentlemen and end up at I Fratellini. For more info and to purchase tickets, go online at StlCulinaryTours.com.

Planning a wedding tends to make brides-to-be and their mothers very irritable and annoyed—and usually with each other. What should be one of the happiest collaborations ever may turn into a nasty test of wills.

Alice McGee Coulter and Jonathan Robert Benner met in middle school, and their young love blossomed through the years. Jon popped the question at a party Alice planned to celebrate his graduation from business school, in front of all their friends and family.

Cristina Grace Wetterau and Andrew John Orchulli

Everyone I talk to—or every site I visit online—predicts one word when it comes to wedding dresses for spring 2013: lace.

Julie Elizabeth Meyers and Jason Andrew Shanker first said “I do” during the Sadie Hawkins dance at Camp Sabra in Rocky Mount, Mo., when Julie was 12 and Jason was 14. Unfortunately, as young love can be unpredictable, they went their separate ways after camp was over. But as fate would have it, the two reunited in their late teen years back at Camp Sabra, this time as camp counselors.

Ely Comerio Anderson was living in Baton Rouge, La., and visiting her parents in St. Louis when she met Edward Patrick 'Ted' Thurmond on a blind date. The two hit it off right away and ended up closing the restaurant down at 1:00 a.m. The two were engaged at the Saint Louis Club after what Ely jokingly describes as “a series of deceptions.”

Trieste Lynn Signorino and Patrick Adams Bowe met in high school; and even then, Trieste knew she had found the one she would spend her life with. “I realized he would support me in following my dreams, even if it meant being apart while we both went to college,” she explained. Patrick popped the question over a simple dinner at Trieste’s apartment, not realizing it was April Fool’s Day when he proposed. Luckily for both, it was not a prank.

Timing was just right for Lauren Paige Macheca and Michael Anthony Ambersley when they met at Bar Louie in Kirkwood through a mutual friend. They discovered that their paths had intertwined for years, but it wasn’t until that January night that they officially had their first conversation – which was the beginning of a whirlwind long-distance relationship as Mike began his professional soccer career in upstate New York.

Looking for a new signature scent? Lucky for you, we’ve had a preview of the season’s most indulgent fragrances—and we’d be happy to give you the scoop!

Missouri History Museum’s new George Washington exhibit goes behind the iconic figure on the dollar bill to reveal the first president’s true self. Life-sized figures and intimate objects tell the story of Washington’s greatest interests and diverse career paths—from a farmer, surveyor, architect and military general to president of the United States. LN recently spoke with Elizabeth Chambers, collections manager for the president’s hometown of Mount Vernon, to learn more about Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon, which runs through Jan. 20.

How many times has this happened to you? You're in a restaurant and can't decide what to order. You glance at a nearby table as food is being served and say, “That looks great, I’ll have what that gentleman’s having.”

The Details

On Trend: Brocade Brigade

THEIR STORY... Nina Schmid and Alex Engelsmann met through mutual friends in 2007. Fueled by their appreciation of the other’s sense of humor, a romance blossomed. “I knew pretty quickly Alex was ‘the one.’ We have a similar sense of humor and we just get the biggest kick out of each other,” says Nina. Alex echoes her sentiment, “She makes me laugh more than anyone; and she thinks I’m funny, which is a plus. We also share a lot of the same values.”

Wear a beige lace dress? Shut up and show up? Not any longer, as mothers of the groom are taking a bigger role in weddings today than ever before. With so many details to address prior to a wedding, the groom’s mother may wonder what her duties are, particularly with regard to the wedding rehearsal dinner, as it is a common custom for the groom’s parents to host the dinner party after the rehearsal.

Story: Life is fine for the residents of Armadillo Acres, a trailer park in the town of Starke, Florida, a hamlet of 5,500 residents that boasts at least two stripper joints. Trouble is brewing, however, because tollbooth collector Norbert wants to celebrate his 20th wedding anniversary with agoraphobic wife Jeannie at the Ice Capades. Jeannie hasn’t ventured outside since their infant son was abducted two decades earlier, and Norbert’s level of frustration is at a fever pitch.