About this vendor
Located in Rockford, Illinois, Franchesco’s Ristorante is a wedding venue with a family touch. A blend of generational cuisine and opulent surroundings makes this an ideal location to host a special celebration of your love. The warmth and dedication shown by this hospitable staff are second to none. They hope that you will choose to spend your big day with them in style and sophistication, feeling like you’re part of the family.
Franchesco’s Ristorante has a rich history, with roots reaching all the way back to Sicily. Frank Salamone established the original branch of the restaurant in 1986, two decades after he and his family had settled in America. His aim was to bring a fine Sicilian cooking and dining experience to the masses. This included centuries-old recipes and the careful methods that are used to prepare them. This treasured practice has been officially handed down to the newest generation of Salamones, who are dedicated to keeping the cuisine’s traditions alive. This is a business that has family firmly at its heart. At their Rockford location, the staff delight in being able to host the union of two families. Their on-site wedding specialists, Kim Salamone and Michelle Lamay, are learned experts in orchestrating remarkable events. They aim to make the planning process as seamless as possible, with Franchesco’s acting as a full-service venue. Here, you can relish the elegant decor featuring high molded ceilings, fresco artwork, and relaxed patios for outdoor dining. You can choose to host your ceremony on-site and then proceed to a reception in the ballroom. This spacious location can host up to 250 guests for ceremonies and 500 guests for receptions. To prepare for your special day in total tranquility, you can also avail of the venue’s get-ready room.
Carrying you through from planning to your procession down the aisle, the venue’s event specialists can handle all kinds of coordination for your event. If you are on the fence about vendors, you’re invited to peruse their catalog of recommended florists, photographers, entertainment, and more. Add some of your personal flavor to your wedding menu by collaborating with the culinary staff, or trust in the timeless flavors carried down through the Salamone family. For your wedding banquet, you will be appointed a banquet captain who will oversee all aspects of the meal and ensure that everything runs smoothly. The management of this venue encourages you to make the space your own with your custom decorations. They can also provide high-tech AV equipment for entertainment and speeches.
Amenities + details
Ceremony Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Liability Insurance
On-Site Accommodations
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Ceremony Types
- Civil Union
- Commitment Ceremony
- Elopement
- Interfaith Ceremony
- Non-Religious Ceremony
- Religious Ceremony
Settings
- Backyard
- Ballroom
- Garden
- Industrial & Warehouse
- Library
- Restaurant
Venue Service Offerings
- Bar & Drinks
- Cakes & Desserts
- Food & Catering
- Planning
- Rentals & Equipment
- Service Staff
Awards and Affiliations
2023 'Best of Weddings'
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
Reviews
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4.9
out of 5.040 reviews
Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 5
I’m very grateful for my experience. From the first day I decided to book with them they laid a full couse meal out for me my family to select our entrees. Very much available when...
needed. Great communication, friendly, understanding, and accommodating. They go above and beyond to make your dreams/vision come true.
Communication was great. They took the time to meet with my husband and I a few times to go over everything and to make sure all the details were correct. The dinner and dessert we...
re delicious. We got several compliments on both! The dessert table was also set up beautifully. When we had an issue, we were able to get ahold of someone, and they were more than willing to help fix the issue.
My spouse and I were married at Franchesco's Ristorante on July 25th, 2025, and we cannot recommend this venue highly enough! Our experience, from the moment we first walked throug...
h the doors to inquire, was absolutely seamless and filled with joy!
The communication throughout the planning process was superb; the team was always responsive, organized, and truly listened to our vision. The food was exceptional—all of our guests raved about the quality and portion sizes, which is so important for a reception.
The entire staff ensured the evening flowed perfectly, culminating in a packed, unforgettable dance floor. If you are looking for a venue that offers top-tier service, incredible catering, and a beautiful atmosphere, Franchesco's is the only choice. They made our wedding day perfect, and we are so happy we chose them!
When my husband and I reflected on our wedding and our vendors, Franchescos was by far our absolute favorite to work with. The food at our wedding was spectacular, and our friends ...
and family raved over it! They were so easy to work with and made the process such a breeze. We had a plated dinner at another venue. They brought so much class and elegance to our event. Truly loved working with them and so happy we went with Franchescos!
I had my wedding reception at Fresco at the Gardens, catered and ran by Franchesco's. They made the process leading up wedding day a easy process for me and they took care of every...
thing on the wedding day. I planned my own wedding in 6 months, without a hired planner and booking Franchesco's to do the reception was the best choice I made. Kim Salamone helped me to make sure I thought of everything and helped me plan the food, drinks, cake, decor, floorplans, and flow of the evening. The tastings I did at Franchesco's made me feel special and cared for. Their food is amazing. All of their entrée choices were top quality, we especially loved the miso salmon and the fun sorbet options. Kim's cake was so delicious, I wish I could have more of it now months later. Thank you to Kim and Jocelyn for all the work you put into my wedding day! It was magical!
Franchesco's Ristorante Catering is second to none. We had so many compliments on our food and appetizers at our wedding. The management and staff were so great to work with!
Franchesco's catered our wedding in April 2024 and we were blown away by not only the food but the service provided by Michelle and her team! We felt special the entire day, and ou...
r guests still rave about the cocktail hour food and dinner :)
We chose Franchesco’s for our wedding caterer and honestly cannot say enough good things. From the very start, everything about our experience was exceptional. We set up a tasting ...
where we had our choice of trying several appetizers, salads, and entrées for a group of six of us. She even had them make us a pizza to take home as we were planning to have pizza as a late night snack. The food was so wonderful we decided to book them on the spot at our tasting. Throughout the time leading up to our wedding, Michelle LaMay walked us through everything and was so accommodating with all of our food allergies/preferences and ensuring every detail was well taken care of. On our wedding day, the service was incredible and Michelle went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect including checking on us frequently to see if there was anything she could do for us. She even helped break down extra tables when we needed more room for the dance floor! We received so many compliments from guests on our appetizers and dinner choices. I highly recommend Franchesco’s to anyone looking for a wonderful caterer to provide great food and excellent service for your wedding or special event!
Michelle, Kim, and the entire team at Franchesco’s were phenomenal to work with. They treated us like family from the moment we walked through the door. The process was very smooth...
from start to finish. We did our food and cake tasting right in the restaurant and they made it such a fun and memorable experience! Our food was incredible at our reception and the space was decorated beautifully. The team was so accommodating and involved us with decisions from start to finish. They were very professional and clearly know what they are doing! I would recommend Franchesco’s to anyone looking for a professional, classy, fun and reliable team to host their wedding ceremony or reception.
10 out of 10 would recommend Franchesco's Ristorante. They were professional, accommodating, and the food was amazing! They are the exclusive caterer for outdoor events at Klehm Ar...
boretum, where we had our wedding. Michelle Lamay is so sweet and was an absolute gem to work with. She really made us feel loved and cared for during the planning stages of the wedding and especially on our big day. All of our wedding guests raved about how good the food was. We did the BBQ Fiesta Buffet package with beer, wine, and soda. I mentioned to Michelle that I like Moscato, but it was considered a "premium" selection and we couldn't afford that package. She comes up to me during the reception with a nice bottle of Moscato Champagne in hand and said she brought it just for me! I was blown away by her kindness and attention to detail. If you want a stress-free experience and delicious food, choose Franchesco's!
Overall a beautiful and spacious venue for our wedding! Michelle and Kim were very helpful at the beginning stages of our planning, but then communication got a little more scarce ...
toward the wedding day. I understand they have other weddings to tend to, and we had to do most of the planning virtually since my fiancé and I live in a different state. We were able to schedule a couple of in-person appointments for tastings, but it was difficult to get a hold of anyone the week of the wedding. The day of the wedding, someone was supposed to help my fiancé set up some things that morning but no one showed until later. There was also no drinks other than the open bar and table wine, so guests had to ask for water throughout the night. We also didn’t get any gelato with our cake, but the cake was delicious either way! Other than that, the reception turned out great and everything else went smoothly during dinner and dancing.
We held out rehearsal dinner here and the crew was fantastic. Kim came out to meet with us and check in at the beginning of the night which was really appreciated. The food was inc...
redible and the space was perfect! We highly recommend this venue!
We absolutely loved working with Franchescos team for our wedding. The team was extremely welcoming and helped with so many details of our wedding reception. We had a tasting with ...
them before our big day to make sure the menu was perfect, which it was! They set up the venue so beautifully and the staff was extremely professional. The food is absolutely amazing! They truly made us feel like family and made our day so special!
We had our wedding at Franchesco's in September 2021. Everything was absolutely incredible! They were so accommodating and set up the venue beautifully where we just had to add a f...
ew details the day before. They made it so easy to plan our entire reception there! The food was amazing! Everyone commented on how it was the best wedding meal they've had and everything was cooked perfectly. Kim's cake was delicious as always and so beautiful. They made the entire day so magical for us and the staff was so attentive and caring for our big day. I would recommend them for any private event!!
We had a perfect wedding for 135 people two weeks ago. Kim (and her team) did an amazing job. Planning a wedding during covid had its struggles but they made sure everything went s...
moothly and answered any questions we had. All the food was delicious and the guests raved about the tilapia and cake. Some guests wished they had gotten the tilapia instead of the chicken. We also had Kim make our cake, which was both very beautiful and very tasty. She also acts as the wedding coordinator and met with us a few times to help us plan from the ceremony to the rehearsal dinner, timelines, decor you name it. Day of they made sure everything went great and our day was just how we had imagined. Definitely would recommend. Thank you so much For making our day great!
So much goes into planning a reception, but we were told in the beginning by Benny, Kim, and Michelle not to worry and that they would take care of everything that evening... That ...
was an understatement! We did not hire a wedding coordinator for this event, nor did we need one that evening! They seamlessly worked with the photographers and DJ to time the events of the evening perfectly. Dinner was exquisite! They put everything of themselves into making it perfect for us! We can't thank them enough for all that they did to make this wedding so unforgettable!
We love Franchesco's! We started eating here when planning our off-site wedding, as they were catering. The food is excellent, the service is top notch, and the atmosphere is great...
! I would recommend their restaurant for a date night or any occasion. I also recommend their catering services for any occasion, especially weddings. They were excellent to work with, made our day extra special and I love that they made us feel like part of the family! From Decor, to Amazing food, to great cocktails, and delicious wedding cake they have you covered! My wedding guests raved about the food and Cake for weeks!
We had our first date and my (now) husband asked my parents if he could marry me at Franchescos. We knew to bring it all together we needed to celebrate our most important day the...
re as well! Kim was fun to work with and she also made our wedding cake, which was delicious and absolutely gorgeous. She did a great job at the reception making sure that we had everything we needed along with our family and guests. The food was amazing and we keep getting compliments about how it was the best meal that people have ever had at a wedding reception! Franchescos did an fantastic job and the staff executed the night flawlessly.
Just two days ago our daughter and son in law had their ceremony and reception at Franchesco's in Rockford Illinois on 04/13/19. It was a pleasure to work with Kim Salamone (owner ...
of the restaurant/along with her husband Benny and daughters Andrea and Michelle. We chose the platinum package which included Hors d'oeuvres and 4 hours of open bar. Many months before the event Kim,does a tasting for the couple/ family to try the entrees. We chose the Boursin Filet,Chicken Madeira and Gnocchi Basilico!!! The food is absolutely fantastic and the chef personalized meals with me due to Gluten, Dairy and Sulfite allergies and I had no worries that anyone would fall ill due to their respective allergies and that is such a relief because many times people with allergies feel ostracized during public events!! Kim, also is a world class baker she made our daughter's wedding cake(so beautiful) and for us with gluten issues she made 2 dozen GF cupcakes Yummy!! We used the entire room for the ceremony and they flipped the entire room in 45 minutes and had all the touches that I/my daughter had planned for this special day!!! Our family cannot say enough positive things for the truly wonderful and memorable wedding experience at Franchesco's (it is a lovely venue but it truly is the people who make all the difference. That means listening to all the details that the family wants, providing a nice venue and having delicious food and they did all of this and more. So do not hesitate to have your ceremony and reception here!!!
From day one Michelle and Kim were so loving and welcoming. We weren't physically at Franchesco's for our reception, but they catered ours at DC Estate Winery. All our guests said ...
the food and cake were nothing short of amazing and the best food they've had at a wedding. Would recommend them 10/10!!
Our reception at Franchesco's was nothing short of amazing! The food was delicious and the venue itself looked stunning. Kim was wonderful to work with and helped us make the day a...
bsolutely perfect. Every detail was cared for and each time we went to plan with Kim we were treated like family. Wonderful venue, wonderful staff, and delicious food. You cannot go wrong!!
If there was one to describe the atmosphere Franchesco's bestowed upon us at our reception it would be family. From the day we began planning our wedding at working with Benny, Ki...
m, Michelle and the whole family, we were treated and brought in like we were one of their own.
On top of that, the food was absolutely delicious, the main reception room was a perfect size for our 150+ guests and 10-piece band, the service was exceptional and we simply cannot thank Franchesco's enough!
Francesco's made our wedding magical! The room was updated and beautiful (didn't need a ton of decorations), the food was hot and delicious and the management and staff were so kin...
d and professional. They exceeded our expectations! Thanks Francesco's!
My wife and I got married in South Beloit. Franchesco's was their preferred vendor for catering. Surprised it was such a family affair for such a large restaurant. We met Michel...
le (owners daughter) multiple times over the wedding planning process to make sure everything was perfect. She was on top of everything. Kim (Michelle's mom) made our wedding cake. It was gorgeous. On our wedding day Michelle was their helping to dish out food and make sure everything was perfect. Benny was in venues kitchen. Truly a family run establishment. The food was hot and absolutely delicious. With all the other stress involved in a wedding, Franchesco's helped make the catering & bar stressless on us.
Brenna & Jarett
I could not have imagined a more perfect place for my wedding ceremony and reception! The amount of time and detail that went into everything I wanted was truly amazing. Kim and An...
drea were so lovely to deal with and I honestly now consider them a part of my family. From the very moment we met, they took us in and treated us as part of their family and went above and beyond what I expected. It was affordable and everything I wanted, I got. It didn't matter what it was, Kim was even willing to run out and buy certain items for us if we wanted to have them be a part of that day. She also made our cake....by far the best cake you will ever have the pleasure of trying! We had a slight superhero theme to our reception and wanted a little Spiderman sticking out from under the cake; she came through and it was awesome! She also helped in coming up with a cake topper that incorporated the superhero theme as well. It was your traditional elegant white cake with beautiful flowers coming down the side of it, but matched perfectly with a hint of our theme included into it. The day before the wedding, we weren't happy with the setup of the room for our ceremony and Kim and Andrea made sure to get it exactly the way we wanted it even though it may take hours to do. Needless to say, it turned out gorgeous and just the way we wanted it. So, thank you Franchesco's, especially to Kim and Andrea, for everything you did. It was a perfect day!
Franchesco's went above and beyond what we expected! Kim is fantastic and her daughters and her whole team! They did anything and everything that we wanted and even offered things ...
we never thought of! The food was fantastic, everyone was raving about the food, and the proportions were huge! We had many to go boxes handed out which was very thoughtful and generous! I would recommend Franchesco's, Kim, and her team to everyone!
Franchesco's is the perfect venue to have a wedding reception at! Kim went above and beyond to help me during the wedding planning process! She took time out of her busy day to mak...
e me feel as though I was family; she was just as invested in helping me make decisions as my mother was! I appreciated her help and assistance throughout the process! I would HIGHLY recommend Franchesco's to any couple looking to get married in Rockford! What a beautiful facility with incredible food! The friendly staff makes you feel welcomed and special the minute you walk in. Kim takes any stress off of your shoulders as she goes out of her way to help in any way that she can! I LOVE Franchesco's!
We had both our ceremony and reception at Franchesco's and it was a seamless and beautiful experience for our guests. Having a cocktail hour in between across the hall from the roo...
m made it a nice way for our guests to keep warm and really enjoy themselves. I anticipated it being a stressful day but Kim handled everything so smoothly. We had a rather large party (155) so they were going to be tight on time to turn the room over. They did it with time spare and even let my family come in and take pictures in front of the head table since it was too cold outside for family portraits. All around a great experience and worth every penny.
My (now) husband and I started looking for venues over a year out because we were planning long distance. Franchesco's was the first we saw, and I knew even while looking at other...
venues it was what we wanted. Particularly since we were planning from across the country, the convenience of having so much in one place was awesome- linens, food, lighting, cake (the wedding coordinator makes her own) and even some decor pieces. Since the food is from the restaurant in-house, it was delicious! They were so flexible about accommodating for everything we needed and wanted, from cocktail hour to cleanup. The only hiccup we had was the communication between the coordinator (who is wonderful!!) and the rest of the staff; sometimes things were "no problem," and then we later learned they couldn't happen. In the end, all the details worked themselves out and we had an absolutely amazing time. I would do it the same all over again!
Franchesco's was the perfect venue for our wedding reception! Kim was wonderful to work with. It is obvious that she cares about making the day special for each couple. The food wa...
s amazing - our family and friends are still raving about it! The ball room is beautiful and the perfect size for our 120 guests. I highly recommend Franchesco's!
The Pros:
1. AMAZING FOOD
2. Very nice ball room
The Cons:
1. Kim. The "coordinator" is very difficult to work with. She consistently forgot almost everything we had discusse...
d, including meetings. I live an hour and 30 minutes away and drove down for a few different needs (final payments, meeting my band, food tasting, etc) and each time I was asked to wait at least 30 minutes to meet with her and was even stood up once. We had to remind her several times about each food selection and still had the incorrect salmon dish served at our wedding.
I loved my wedding. I even loved my reception! But I loved it because I brought in a great band, created a great environment and event, had amazing guests/attendants, and Franchesco's served great food.
It's a good space, but be prepared to be driven crazy working with them if you choose Franchesco's as a reception venue.
I would recommend Franchescos to anyone and everyone! They did such a wonderful job and everything was beautiful and went so smooth! Everyone had such a great time and gave me nons...
top compliments on how amazing everything was! The food is to die for and they make sure that your day is nothing short of incredible!
My reception was at Franchesco's in Frank's Room on Sept 14. The entire experience with Michelle LaMay and staff was, hands-down, a top-quality experience. They do business like ev...
ery business should. It's a few weeks after my wedding and I am still hearing from guests how fabulous the room looked, how good the food was and how attentive the staff were. Initial Conversations: From the start, I was pleased with Michelle's prompt & thorough responses. It was so evident that she takes her role in the coordinating of special events seriously. When my husband and I met with her, she greeted us with like we were the only customers in the busy restaurant. She was very professional, but we felt like we were being taken care like family. Other venues we visited or spoke with made us feel more like any random couple walking through their door. On the contrary, we had so much fun meeting with Michelle. and felt like we would be taken care of going forward. My husband and I emailed and called Michelle so many times after booking. She always responded immediately with detail and enthusiasm. The Room: We've gotten rave reviews on how the room looked and was set up from so many guests. My vision was to have something like you see in the old Hollywood club photos. My florist knew the room and said not much more was needed as it is already such a great space. Huge bonus. When my husband stopped by Franchesco's to drop off our slideshow, he was asked if he wanted the lighting in the room switched to emphasize the peacock my florist displayed. That really shows their attention to detail. On our big night, Michelle checked up on us regularly. The owners even stopped in a few times. They truly make you feel taken care of. Our buffet consistently had fresh food that my guests enjoyed. After my wedding, the first email I received was from Michelle with a sweet message. I was touched. I'm more than happy to answer questions brides have about this venue and am happy to show my photos.
This place is truly AMAZING!! Me and my husband attended a wedding at Franchesco's about a month ago and we were blown away by the beautiful venue, amazing service and great food! ...
I have been to a lot of big weddings over the past couple of years and from what I have witnessed with venues is when they have 300 or more people they lose control of quality service and quality food. Franchesco's did not lose one ounce of quality throughout the whole night everything was ★★★★★!! To make the night even more interesting the Banquet manager came over to our table to make sure everything was tasting amazing and to make sure we were having a great time. This young man couldn't have been any older than 23 years old, its crazy how someone so young can orchestrate such a great night. Hats off to Franchesco's for providing a great night!
We had the most beautiful and incredible reception at Franchesco's! The service and quality of incredible food was outstanding. It is our favorite restaurant in town and would not...
have chosen any other venue. We love the atmosphere and our amazing wedding cake was even created personally by their staff member. We love dining there as it reminds us of our special event.
I could not have been more pleased with the outcome of my daughter's wedding reception at Franchesco's. The room was beautiful, the service was excellent, and our guests are still...
talking about the fabulous food! I spent a year planning and researching all the many details that go into such a "once in a lifetime event". I had many meetings with Kim Salamone regarding the reception. I found her to be wonderful to work with. On the night of the event, she and her staff did not miss a detail. If I had another reception to plan, I would put Franchesco's on speed dial!
My daughter and son-in-law's reception in the Sinatra Room was outstanding in terms of quality and quantity of food, beverage service available, room set up and decor, as well as t...
op notch service and friendliness of the wait staff during our event. Kim's expertise and attention to detail while working with us to plan this event was greatly appreciated as was her very beautiful and delicious wedding cake which we chose to add to our package.
We recently had our wedding reception at Franchesco's and it was amazing. The servers were friendly and efficient; the food was fabulous and the room was elegant. Beautiful surro...
undings and loved the wedding reception at Franchesco's. We would recommend it to anyone and everyone.
Everything turned out so great for my wedding reception at Franchesco's! The decor, food and service was great. It was a little frustrating during the planning process, but as long...
as I stayed as organized as possible, it went really smooth.
I've planned events for a large company before, so maybe my expectations are somewhat different than others. Let me start by saying the night of the event, everything went great. T...
he room was perfect, Kim (co-owner and responsible for events), went over and above to make the room perfect. I am VERY happy I had my reception there. The space is GORGEOUS and the food is the best I've ever had at a wedding reception.
That being said, Kim is very unorganized. When meeting with her prior to the wedding, she often leaves for long periods of time to check on something for you, and when she comes back you can tell her mind is in many different places. I would describe her as "flighty". She just really needs an assistant to help her, I think. If you can get past that, you will have a great reception, because she really will make it great. It's just terribly frustrating meeting with her! (And don't bother emailing her, because she never responds. She's better in person.)
Contact
7128 Spring Creek rd, Rockford, IL
Franchesco's Ristorante