“Our engagement brought us closer together, and we developed fond memories we can look back on.”

Nicole and Michael wanted to satiate their epicurean palate, and thus had a five-hour tasting with their caterer instead of the more standard two hours. The four-course meal included an antipasto plate, a custom Cobb salad, four choices of entrée selections for guests – braised short rib, honey-roasted chicken breast, seared salmon, or sweet potato gnocchi, each with their own gourmet side dishes – and several options for dessert, which were brought out via tableside carts. Slices from the stunning five-tier, baroque-style wedding cake were boxed up as favors for the attendees, who could select lemon cake with raspberry buttercream or double-chocolate cake with both peanut butter and salted caramel buttercream.

Naturally, the newlyweds chose “Heroes” by David Bowie for their first dance as husband and wife. Michael took the music selections very seriously for the big day, making sure all of his favorites were included. The reception was followed by not one, but two lively after-parties. The first featured eclectic dance music in the same room as the ceremony. “Our second after-party was a reflection of Michael and his favorite musicians. It was a private party enjoyed by our closest friends and family,” notes the bride.

Unlike many grooms, Michael was involved in the wedding planning and advises future grooms to do the same: “It means a lot to her that you care enough to share your opinion,” he asserts. Nicole did in fact appreciate the ability to bounce ideas off each other. She reveals, “Our engagement brought us closer together, and we developed fond memories we can look back on.”