This Professional Planner's Romantic, European-Inspired California Wedding Was 862 Days in the Making

When Nicolette and Jason met for their first date in December 2016 after finding each other on Bumble, they knew they had a connection. “After talking about our families all night, I knew something was different,” says Nicolette. “After our first date, Jason asked me to meet his family  the following week, including his mom, four siblings, and 14 nieces and nephews. Just weeks after meeting, we decided to spend the holidays together. I finally understood the saying ‘When you know, you know!’”

That first-date connection also came up during Jason’s proposal, when he got down on one knee and presented Nicolette with….his iPhone. “The screen displayed a note he had archived, originally written on December 15, 2016, just days after our first date,” she says. “It was a tentative guest list for our future wedding. It was so sweet that he knew so early on that I was ‘the one.’”

The bride, owner of Sparkling Soirees in Orange County, California, began planning right away, but it took years for the couple to finally reach the altar. They chose a venue and booked their wedding for April of 2020, but the 2018 wildfires in Malibu destroyed the property they had fallen in love with. After pivoting to Hummingbird Nest Ranch in Simi Valley, they were forced to reschedule again—and then again—due to stay-at-home orders. When Nicolette and Jason finally hosted their dream day for 110 guests on October 24, 2020, every detail was perfect. “From someone who thought I could perfectly plan out the day and handle any and all curve balls thrown my way, the pandemic shook my plans upside down,” she admits. “I felt some self-imposed pressure to make the day spectacular when it was finally scheduled.”

And spectacular it was. Ahead, see the details that created the “romantic, European vibe” of Nicolette and Jason’s wedding, as photographed by Erica Streelman. 

After planning hundreds of weddings for other couples, Nicolette had a vision for her own: “I knew I wanted to mesh timeless romance with fun, innovative details,” she says. She designed a wedding invitation suite that combined a modern, all-caps font with a classic script, embossed floral designs onto torn-edge paper, and added a wax seal with a custom logo.

Guests also received keychains—referencing the couple’s long wait for their wedding day—which were attached to personalized welcome bags.

The moment that Nicolette tried on her Justin Alexander A-line wedding dress, she felt confident she had found her dream gown. “The romantic aesthetic of the strapless dress was so perfect for our wedding,” she says. “As I stood on the pedestal and looked up into the mirror, I just felt it. I knew it was the right dress.” The organza and tulle gown was adorned with beaded lace appliqués and 3D petals, and was complemented by a cathedral-length veil; the bride added detachable lace accents across the arms.

Nicolette’s half-up hairstyle showed off handmade earrings from Twigs & Honey, while a string of pearls worn by her mother and grandmother served as something borrowed. “Sewing something old and blue onto my own dress, I attached a piece of delicate lace from my mom’s wedding dress to a heart-shaped scrap of blue fabric cut from the skirt I wore on my first date with Jason,” she says. “Once I put on my dress and saw my family’s reactions, it finally hit me that it was real and I was the bride. Once the veil was on, and I was all glammed up, I knew I was ready to soak in every minute of the big day.”

Jason and his groomsmen donned timeless black tuxedos from Friar Tux, and the groom added personalized accessories that were gifts from Nicolette. “To honor the memory of Jason’s father, who passed away when he was young, I surprised him by embroidering his father’s initials onto a pocket square for him to wear close to his heart on our wedding day,” she says. “I also gifted him custom cufflinks engraved with our favorite saying, ‘I love you more than.’”

Jason also referenced the couple’s first date by wearing Azzaro Chrome cologne, the same scent he used the day they met. 

The Tangled Vine Designs created lush, organic bouquets and arrangements that coordinated with the shades of lilac, rose, and blush worn by the bridesmaids. “I wanted lavish florals to complement the beauty of the venue,” says Nicolette. “With a dusty rose and French truffle color palette, my bridesmaids carried bouquets full of pink and white spray roses, anemones, and pink butterfly ranunculus that mirrored the aisle décor and reception tables.”

Jason and Nicolette asked the youngest members of their family to join the wedding party, too. “Our cutie nieces and nephews were the stars of the show!” says Nicolette. “Our nephews wore mini tuxedos and had Ring Security briefcases, earpieces and badges. Right before the ceremony began, the boys decided they did not want to hold the goodies, and went piggyback down the aisle instead—it was precious! The little ladies wore sweet white dresses with fresh flower crowns and couldn’t wait to throw flowers down the aisle. They understood the task at hand and nailed it!”

Nicolette and Jason knew a first look would be part of their wedding day. “For Jason and I, it was an easy decision, and it was one of the most magical moments of the day!” says Nicolette. “I always stress to my clients the importance of a first look, as I know it allows the couple to spend more time enjoying their cocktail hour and reception with their loved ones. It was so special getting to see Jason for the first time on a day that we talked about for years before. It was such an intimate moment that we were able to share together before seeing all of our loved ones, and is one of my favorite moments of our wedding day.”

 A floral arch covered with greenery and lush blooms framed the couple as they exchanged vows. “The aisle was decorated by cascading florals and bouquets of roses and greenery that enhanced the beauty of the giant olive trees surrounding the ceremony,” says Nicolette. Opulent gold stands held overflowing arrangements at the entrance to the space.

Ceremony programs with pink letterpress text, a callback to the wedding invitation suite, informed guests about the order of events.

Before Jason’s mother escorted him down the aisle, he and his groomsmen shared a spiritual moment. “His brother prayed over them before everyone walked down the aisle, and Jason still talks about that prayer to this day,” says Nicolette.

The bride’s father walked her to the altar as a string quartet played Edwin McCain’s “I’ll Be.” “I had dreamed of walking down the aisle with my dad since I was a little girl, and it was everything I could have dreamed of and more,” she says. “Jason never cries, so I was not expecting it when I walked down the aisle—especially since we did a first look and had already seen each other—but as my dad and I got closer to the altar, I could see tears streaming down Jason’s cheek. It was one of the most meaningful moments of my life!”

Jason’s brother officiated the ceremony, which “brought guests and the bridal party to laughter and happy tears,” says Nicolette. The couple’s personalized vows included references to the L.A. Lakers, Bumble, and a favorite television show. “Jason surprised me by ending his vows singing a few bars of Mariah Carey’s 'Always Be My Baby,' à la Schitt’s Creek’s Patrick during his wedding to David Rose, bringing everyone to tears,” says Nicolette.

The couple also included a plaque that honored Jason’s father and a traditional jumping the broom ceremony. “After our vows were shared, Jason’s mom placed a beautiful Thai broom in front of us, a souvenir from our 2019 trip to Chiang Mai,” says Nicolette. “We ‘jumped the broom,’ a moment honoring Jason’s African-American heritage.”

Nicolette created multiple custom elements throughout the day, including an escort card wall of individual bud vases and hair scrunchies made from a personalized fabric with the couple’s wedding logo.

The outdoor dining area, lit by overhead string lights, was pretty in pink. Tall and short floral arrangements, velvet tablecloths, mauve-colored candles, and matte gold accents brought the French atmosphere to life.

“A carefully designed ‘Cool Kids Table’ kept the youngest members of the bridal party entertained,” says Nicolette. “The flower girls and ring bearers enjoyed special gifts and goodies made just for them, including wooden puzzles created with cartoon versions of us as the bride and groom, activity books, and kid-friendly glittery glasses.”

Plumeria Cake Studio created a five-tier Champagne-orange and vanilla cake with strawberry filling, which the couple presented on a hanging swing built by Nicolette’s father. “The elaborate confection featured intricate piping that mirrored the lace from my bridal gown and sugar-crafted flowers that were indistinguishable from the organic florals decorating the base of the swing it sat on,” says Nicolette. “It was the jaw-dropping moment I always dreamed of.”

For their first dance, the couple chose Leroy Sanchez’s version of Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect.” Tetris Kelly of Vox DJs and saxophonist Tyler Varnell kept the dance floor full during the reception, while Jason and his mother performed a special dance. “Jason and his mom started the dance with ‘How Sweet It Is’ by James Taylor and then they broke into a choreographed dance to ‘24K Magic’ by Bruno Mars,” says Nicolette.

During their toasts, Nicolette and Jason opened a vintage bottle with a sentimental history. “The year I was born, my parents bought a bottle of Dom Perignon and gifted it to me when I turned 18,” she says. “They told me to save it for a special occasion, so Jason and I popped the bottle for our first toast of the night, which was given by my dad. Sharing a glass of our special Champagne to kick off the evening set the tone for our celebration.”

To close out the night, the duo left the party through a tunnel of sparklers waved by their guests. The planner-turned-bride's best advice for future couples? "Remind yourselves that at the end of the day, you will get to marry your best friend," Nicolette says. "There are hiccups with every wedding, but don’t let them distract you from the magic and love that surrounds you on such a special day."