Interview with our STUNNING bride, Nicole:
HOW DID YOU MEET? While we attended SMU together and shared many mutual friends, we did not actually meet until years later when Rush moved to Ft. Lauderdale for work. At the suggestion of a friend, who would end up being one of my bridesmaids, I met Rush for a drink in an effort to introduce him to potential friends in S. Florida. One drink turned into dinner, which turned into a second date and ultimately a relationship blossomed. Getting to know him and falling in love was a uniquely enjoyable time; almost three years later, I am so happy I get to call him my husband.
WHAT ATTRACTED YOU THE MOST TO YOUR HUSBAND? Not only do we always have tons of fun together, but Rush is handsome, intelligent, charming, loving and knows how to keep a smile on my face.
HOW DID HE PROPOSE? The day started out with breakfast in bed, a plan to go to our first date spot for lunch and eventually to a movie. The agenda suddenly shifted when Rush surprised me with a letter at the end of lunch and excused himself from the table. As I read the letter, I simultaneously noticed he was gone. The contents of the note had specific instructions; he told me how much he loved me as well as to go home to locate an additional letter. Upon arriving at home, I located the note which essentially told me to pack a bag for the weekend and make my way to the W hotel in Ft. Lauderdale…a place of significance as it was where he first met my family. When I got to the front desk, a gentleman politely handed me a note with a room key in it. The room was a beautiful suite overlooking the ocean with rose petals everywhere, champagne on ice and my favorite singer, Michael Buble, playing on the sound system. But there was no Rush. Five minutes later he showed up in the room and asked me to marry him; I happily said yes. As I was finally beginning to calm down we decided go to Steak 954 for dinner and to my amazement my entire immediate family was there; Rush even thought to fly my sister and brother in law in town for the evening. It was an unforgettable day.
WHAT INSPIRED YOUR VISION FOR YOUR WEDDING: It has always been my dream to get married in Italy, but with the size of our respective families it was simply not realistic. The next best option was to recreate that feel in S. Florida and the Brazilian Court Hotel and Flagler Museum were the perfect venues to accomplish that. We also added small Italian touches such as wine cork place cards, wine pairings with each course and al dente pasta served as an appetizer.
TELL US ABOUT FINDING YOUR VENUE: After weeks of what seemed like a futile effort in finding a wedding venue, we finally made our way to Palm Beach. We weren’t in the Flagler Museum for five minutes and we both knew it was the place we wanted to get married.
WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST PLANNING CHALLENGE? We knew all along we wanted a smaller, more intimate wedding, but again with the size of our families that was not an option. The biggest challenge was being able to create that small wedding, charming feel with 170 people.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE DESIGN ELEMENT OF YOUR WEDDING? I absolutely loved our tables at the reception; if for some reason you were suddenly transported into a seat at one of them, you would have sworn you were at a dinner party in a Tuscan villa. Everything from the cast iron used in the centerpieces, to the candle holders, to the parmesan cheese blocks and the olives in the antipasti were truly authentic. It had a quintessential rustic northern Italian feel.
DID YOU HAVE ANY DIY DETAILS? Our amazing wedding planner, Breeze Taylor, helped put all the little details together.
WHAT WAS THE MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT OF YOUR WEDDING DAY? At the risk of sounding cheesy, I would say my favorite memory was the first glance. You spend your whole day getting ready, and while it is exciting, there is certainly an element of nervousness and anticipation associated with it. When I saw Rush for the first time, it really calmed me and it was a moment that we got to share together as opposed to sharing it in front of 170 people. I’m certain I will never forget it as long as I live.
DESCRIBE YOUR CAKE: Our cake was absolutely delicious. It was a beautiful four tier cake with alternating flavors of butter cream and red velvet with a butter cream frosting. It was served with vanilla gelato.
HOW WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER? Jason and Sara were amazing. Being that we used them for our engagement shoot, we had a pretty good idea what to expect in terms of professionalism and demeanor and as a result had very high expectations. They exceeded them. While their photography skills are second to none, it is their calm demeanor and relaxing nature which set them apart. They are so easy to be around and that ultimately leads to better shots because both the bride and groom are more relaxed. (Plus the secret that no one tells you when you are planning a wedding is that you spend more time with your photographers than anyone, so it is imperative that you enjoy their company).
WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND AS A COUPLE? As exciting as the wedding planning process and the event itself were, we are excited about being able to take a step back, relax and settle into our lives as newlyweds. We are also ecstatic to welcome a nephew into our family shortly.
CAN YOU PLEASE LIST YOUR VENDORS:
Breeze Taylor, Dream Concierge – Wedding coordinator
Concept Photography – Photographer
Ray Roman – Videographer
Flagler Museum – Venue
Brazilian Court – Hotel
Royal Poinciana Chapel – Ceremony
C’est Si Bon – Catering
Dalsimer Atlas – Décor
Libido – Band
Bryan Thompson – DJ
Sweet Tiers – Cake