Alex and Nikki’s wedding is one of the most memorable weddings we have done for a multitude of reasons!! First, this bride says “You can never have too many flowers!” We agree with Nikki and loved creating her gorgeous floral vision. Because of heavy rains in the early morning, the ceremony was moved inside the barn, but the sun came out and they were still able to proceed with the rest of their plans for the day. Second, about 2 a.m. in the morning my husband suffered a heart attack and we will never forget how family and friends rallied around us and helped set up the wedding and reception decor. Third, the venue owner had some bizarre expectations even expecting us to place all the table linens for her!! We are so thankful that in spite of the challenges, everything came together beautifully!!
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Alex and Nikki celebrated their one year anniversary of being together at Harpole’s Heartland Lodge where they were hiking, fishing and four-wheeling. As they stopped back at the lodge for a break, Alex told Nikki he needed to fix something on the four wheeler, but what he really did was create a wonderful surprise for her. He led her to their favorite bluff and as they rounded the corner, there was a basket with a whole picnic spread on a blanket in front of a beautiful lookout. Alex got down on one knee and popped the question! Nikki had no idea and hadn’t suspected a thing!!
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Nikki was not looking forward to dress shopping as she feared she would end up at dozens of bridal salons searching for the dress that would work for her. As she started looking through plastic bag after plastic bag of white dresses, they seemed to blend together. But after she tried on a few different styles, she started to narrow it down and about 10 dresses in she knew at that instant the dress she had on was it!! She had heard of people having that experience but never believed she would be one of them. She was able to wear her mother’s veil which was very sentimental for them.
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Alex and Nikki are both laid back and love the outdoors. When deciding on the theme/style for their wedding it was important to have a place where all of their family and friends could be there to truly celebrate their union. They chose a mix of rustic and classic which suits their personalities. Rain or shine (which it did both on their big day) they were going to have it outside and after the ceremony in the barn, they were able to move everything outside so guests could enjoy the games they had planned.
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Nikki chose a blend of bright and cheerful blooms for her wedding bouquets and ceremony decor as well as her reception table decor.
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Thinking about their favorite memory from their wedding day, Nikki stated “I can’t describe how full my heart felt when we walked into our reception and were surrounded by friends and family. We made our way through a tent filled with people that traveled, gave up their time and incurred expenses in order to be at our wedding and help celebrate our marriage. I felt so loved and overwhelmed with happiness.”
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Nikki’s advice to couples just starting to plan their wedding:
Get advice on vendors and venues from people who have personally used them or know others who have done business with them. She states that reviews can be manipulated online by vendors paying a fee to clear bad reviews which is why she feels it is important to get contact information from former clients of the vendor and reach out to them. Some of their vendors went above and beyond (caterer and florist), and others were a huge disappointment (unfortunately the venue owners).
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Looking back Nikki says her biggest regret was thinking she would be able to tie up a few loose ends the morning of her wedding. She did end up getting everything done but wasn’t able to relax and celebrate with her bridesmaids the morning of. She encourages other brides to make this a priority!! She also stated that you can never have too many flowers. It absolutely made the space feel so special and bridal. “I gave Nancy my vision with a couple pictures and what she created out of it was more than I could have ever imagined!” Photos by Ernst Jacobson Photgraphy.