Nicole + Micheal by Rosita Lipari

My colour scheme was a lot of red – the colour of love.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

Nicole was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. She works in real estate and is working on her investment portfolio. Nicole has successfully completed two house renovations, and is now working on renovating the primary home that she owns with her husband Micheal. Nicole also spends a lot of time training their 2 year old Doberman, learning new cooking/ baking recipes, and staying active. She is a fitness enthusiast and loves to host different events that bring loved ones together. She enjoyed her wedding planning so much that she hopes to inspire and help others plan their special moments.

Micheal grew up on a farm that was also an animal rescue up in Prince George, Canada. He always had a love for animals, which is shown by his and Nicole’s Doberman. He now works in corporate lending in Los Angeles, where he lives with Nicole. Before that, he spent 7 years in the Canadian Military and was on a season of the reality show Big Brother Canada. His hobbies include skydiving (he has his license and is almost at 100 solo jumps), dirt biking, mountain biking, skiing, hockey, and many other sports. He is constantly learning new skills and lives life on the edge.

They both have a passion for travelling and exploring the world.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

Micheal was asked to do a boxing fight in Austin. His friend said to him that he has a brother in Los Angeles and they should go a few weeks before the fight so Micheal could get proper training. Well, Micheal did come down to Los Angeles for the first time and met Nicole. Their first date was to get ice cream at a popular spot called Salt and Straw on Abbott Kinney in Venice Beach. They instantly hit it off and saw each other every day for a week straight until Micheal had to go back to Canada. However, they stayed in touch, and 2 months later Micheal came back down to LA. This was over COVID, when you negative test results were required to travel. Well, Micheal and Nicole caught COVID and Micheal was “forced” to stay in LA for a month. That month changed the trajectory of their relationship. They did long distance between LA and Kelowna (where Micheal lived in Canada) for a year and a half before Micheal was able to move down to Los Angeles.

What styling and visual elements worked best for you? (could be things, the florals, particular hire products or your marquee, etc., something the stylist created or simply just the scenic beauty of your location or the existing design of your venue).

Micheal is half Italian, and Nicole did a summer abroad in Italy. They both find Italy to be one of their favourite countries. They did a trip to Taormina and fell in love with the city and decided this is where they want to get married. Taormina is so beautiful that I let the natural terrain shine.

My colour scheme was a lot of red – the colour of love. This is why my bridesmaids’ dresses and boutiques were a deep, rich red (like a dark cherry red), and I incorporated red with my florals at the ceremony and reception. My welcome sign also included red ribbons, our getaway car was red, and my wedding cake had red raspberries on it.

All about the little details that tie things together, like the pearls on my shoes matching my party dress, which matched the droplets on the cake, and more.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?

I loved the whole process, and I had so much fun. I had a 1-year and 11-month engagement, which gave me plenty of time to plan, which was great because I didn’t get stressed because I had the time to figure things out. Finding a venue is the first thing that needs to be done, and then for me was my wedding dress. Pinterest and Instagram are super helpful for inspiration, and following accounts like the Together Journal is very helpful.

Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?

My wedding planner was very helpful. It was great having a local planner who already had strong relationships with local vendors. The Belmond staﬀ was also wonderful. There was a chance of rain on my wedding day, and they worked with me at the last minute to have backup plans put in place. Luckily, everything worked out, and I had a rainbow! I also have to give a spotlight to the photographers because they had such a beautiful eye and captured the coolest moments that I feel an average photographer wouldn’t have. They spent lme at the church with Micheal and I to get exquisite pictures.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?

I loved the idea of having a traditional catholic wedding, and so I tried to tap into that cathedral vibe, which inspired my wedding dress and my extravagant wedding cake. I was obsessed with the details on my corset, which hugged my waist beautifully. The beading and embroidery were done by an artist. I also just love lace and an Italian wedding, which inspired my veil. For Micheal, Tom Ford has the reputation for making the most classic and elegant suits/ tuxedos. You only get married once, so dressing beyond was necessary.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

I chose a sapphire because I wanted something unique, valuable, and that matches my eyes! I feel like women back in the day had gorgeous rings of sapphires, emeralds and rubies, and I think it’s so classy/ such a royal vibe. My right hand has an invisible halo of diamonds, and my wedding ring is made of diamonds that match the band on my engagement ring. Micheal wanted a ring that was made in Taormina for the sentimental value, to tie the ring to the specific place. He also engraved our wedding date on the inside.

What were one or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on? (food, photography, florals, the venue, your outfits?).

We splurged on our outfits, reception venue, photographer, and upgraded our getaway car as well as the fireworks show. Luckily, florals, hair/makeup, and food are a lot more aﬀordable in Italy than they are in Los Angeles, and Italy has the best food ever. Who doesn’t love Italian pasta! Our truﬄe risouo starter was a hit!

Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?

I have a few favourite moments: Our first kiss as husband and wife, I mean, that’s when the knot is truly tied. It felt surreal. Second favourite moment was the drive from the church to our reception dinner, which was so magical. We got a special getaway car- a Porsche Speedster that was dark red (matched the colour scheme). The vintage Porsche was so cool, but also having that 15-minute drive with my husband after leaving the chapel and driving through the old town, and roads along the Italian coast felt like a movie! We had so many people wave at us and take pictures of us, I felt like a movie star lol! My final favourite memory was the cake cutting/fireworks show. That was insane. The cake was taller than me! And the fireworks show over the beach was something I would see on a Pinterest board. All the while, I had Lana del Rey’s song, Radio playing in the background. I felt like I was living a dream.

What does being married mean to you, and are there any special rituals you have that you would like to share?

Being married is committing yourself to the person you love most in the world. We are accountable to each other, but also to God. It’s a responsibility but also a blessing. We get to create a family together, and how beautiful is that? I can’t think of anything more beautiful.