The Engagement. On Christmas day, Nicole and Michael were enjoying their holiday celebration while opening presents. After all the gifts had been exchanged and unwrapped, Nicole's father, aunt, uncle, and grandmother stopped by to see her with one final present. She eagerly accepted the gift and ripped off the paper to find her own clutch that her sister had borrowed a while back. She laughed, and said "Thanks A LOT dad!" But then her sister pointed out that she didn't look inside. Nicole opened up the clutch and saw a small, black box wrapped in a satin cream ribbon. She started to get a feeling, and turned around to find Mike on one knee behind her. All he said was, "You are everything I want for the rest of my life, will you marry me?" Nicole began to cry, and then immediately replied "Yes!" and then the family began to celebrate. "It was simple and adorable," just like she always wanted.
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rThe Ceremony. The newlyweds held their ceremony at Saint Andrews United Methodist church, where Nicole attended elementary school. They loved the hometown feel of the church, and it meant a lot that it was meaningful to them. Nicole had the doors opened right before she walked down the isle, to achieve a grand entrance. Mike even got a little choked up when he saw his new wife coming down the aisle. "Since we are not very serious people, guests found it very entertaining as we smiled and even laughed as we held hands throughout the ceremony, and were just so antsy to say the vows and kiss!" says Nicole. "Neither of us could keep a grin off of our face." The guests cheered for the happy couple as they became husband and wife.
rThe Reception. Nicole and Mike had the reception at the Westin Annapolis. "We looked at four or five other venues in downtown Annapolis, but we really loved the elegance and European feeling that the Westin offered," Nicole says. The reception began with a cocktail hour, which included hors d'oeuvres, a full bar, and a string quartet. The bridal party took a break with their own separate cocktail hour. The reception had a very elegant feel. The couple's favorite part of the reception was the extraordinarily beautiful flower centerpieces. The arrangements included red velvet roses and black magic roses, which were flanked in a tall arrangement of calla lilies and Dendrobium orchids. The flowers were placed in a thin, glass vase with rocks and greens. When guests entered the reception, the female guests received a pair of black or white flip-flops to wear during the reception. There was an open candy bar that guests could walk through to collect black, white, and red candies in a lace bag to take home as wedding favors. The couple served a formal three-course meal. Their menu included fresh pear and Gorgonzola salad with an entrée choice of chicken stuffed with crabmeat and cheeses sided with spiced vegetables or a petite filet with mushrooms and whipped potatoes. Guests could choose their desserts from a platter brought to each table. After dinner, everyone danced, enjoyed drinks, and socialized. Nicole and Mike's favorite moment was dancing at their reception, and celebrating their marriage with friends and family.
rThe Honeymoon. After the big day, Mike and Nicole took off for a southern Caribbean cruise to St. John, St. Maarten, San Juan, and St. Thomas. "We flew to Miami the morning after the wedding, and boarded our ten-night celebrity cruise ship where we had a penthouse honeymoon suite, which was waiting for us with champagne, cakes, fruits, and wines, as well as signs and balloons saying 'Happy Honeymoon,'" says Nicole. The couple enjoyed massages, shows, cocktails by the pool, five-star dining, and their own personal concierge during the week. Mike had been the one to make the honeymoon arrangements, especially for the bride. "It was absolutely amazing, we felt like celebrities!" says Nicole.
r—Ellie Storck
rTHE DETAILS
r| Florist | rGateway Florist, Annapolis, MD | r
| Cakes/Dessert | rSweet Bakery, Ellicott City, MD | r
| Caterer | rThe Westin Annapolis | r
| Wedding Dress | rAllure couture, Jo Lin's Bridal - Irmo, SC | r
| Bridesmaid Dresses | rImpression Bridal | r
| Men's Attire | rJoseph and Feiss, Men's Wearhouse- Annapolis, MD | r
| Jeweler | rSandler's Fine Jewelry, Columbia, SC | r
| Stationer | rCarolina Caligraphy, Florence, SC | r
| Videographer | rBlue Sky Films, Videographer: Shelley Gross | r
| Hair/Makeup | rr Up Do's for I Do's, Annapolis, MD r | r
