Giddyup Cowboys and Cowgirls, because this show is in for a wild ride! This was my first trip out of New York for My Fair Wedding and Nicki was the first bride I was meeting on this rodeo. Boy, was I in for a treat! I opened the door to an overly ecstatic Nicki jumping up and down, screamin’ and hollerin’ which was VERY exciting. And to stay true to Dallas, she of course wore her cowboy boots, jean skirt and western top. She had this amazing charisma and energy that was extremely contagious and I was in turn excited to see her as well. One of the first lessons I got from her and her fiancé when I sat down was that there is a huge difference between country and western. I followed their advice and let them show me the ropes of their wedding plans – and let me tell you, their lasso did not catch on…Wagon wheels, boots with sunflowers, giant lone stars, horse shoes and bandanas as napkins were scattered about. Let me tell you something’ yall… I was confused about the whole thing!
Then came the time to see the dress. For someone as outgoing and energetic as Nicki, I was expecting to see a dress that exemplified her personality and spirit in every way possible. But what I saw instead was boring. She chose a dress that was hiding her figure and giving her no character.
Then she slowly inched her dress up to reveal lavender boots she was adamant about wearing down the aisle. If these boots were made for walking Nancy Sinatra, I wanted them to walk out of the door and off Nicki’s feet!
Last but not least were the party favors she had picked out, and what other way to end a lovely evening of beer drinking, brawling, and cowboys, then to go home with a coosie to keep your beer cold.. A what?! It wasn’t a typo… A coosie. My immediate reaction was utter shock! I tried to talk to her Mom but she too loved
the coosie ideas, the beer bottles, and decided to wear cowboy boots herself! There are a lot of lonestars in Texas, but this lone designer needed to wrangle up some ideas and quick!
Nicki was alone on this journey – without any bridesmaids. This was a first time for me to deal with a lone bride who didn’t have a million opinions hanging off her shoulders. She was already a confident woman (obviously, with her wedding décor selection), but she was also confident in her and her fiance Jeremy. She felt that they didn’t need anyone else up on stage with them for their celebration. It was special because she wasn’t trying to upstage anyone or be the center of attention, but make it about them as a couple. She taught me a very valuable lesson - always keep things simple and pay attention to important details. So we began our trek as the lone designer and lone bride. Little did we know we were on the horizon of some very drastic and very necessary changes.
Nicki needed to earn her right to wear her boots, so first thing was first; bridal boot camp. There was a cowboy trainer there to whip her into shape and work her out. This showed me how much she really loved those boots and needed to wear them down the aisle. Her courage and devotion came through, and she made it all the way after a difficult day. This helped get her mind off the stress of the wedding and channel her energy in a more productive and healthier outlet (which a lot of brides forget to do during crunch time). Nicki had earned her boots, and was ready for her big day.
I had Nicki try on three magnificent gowns that gave her the sparkle of life and personality she was missing with her previous dress. And I decided to change her venue to an actual ranch in the middle of the country. This venue was magnificent, complete with an apple orchard and grazing horses. Nicki was one happy cowgirl. She arrived in a white horse and carriage, and arrived to a space that was unlike any other. For ceremony, eclectic furniture was strewn about, facing the alter, where behind, horses roamed freely. Flowing ribbons and mason jars with candles hung elegantly from the tree, to give a rustic yet sophisticated feel. Like she said, it was about the simplicity.
After the ceremony, guests were all transported to the reception area on flat bed hay rides, in style of the wedding. They arrived at an old rustic barn, with its floor covered in hay and simple tables strategically placed about to give an intimate feel. Above the tables hung ribbons with sunflower heads and a wagon wheel, and on the table were mason jars filled with her favorite colors; yellow and blue. The linens on the table were also blue and yellow, which gave an elegant and simple feel. Outside the barn was a may pole with lights hanging from it, where guests could dance to the country western band. Fire pits for s’mores were scattered about, giving an intimate feel, and the groom also serenaded the bride with his own personal song. And yes. She wore her cowboy boots. This was a dream wedding for any cowgirl and Nicki deserved everything that came her way. At the end of the day, this cowboy still couldn’t tell you what the difference between country and western was, but more importantly, Nicki learned how to be an elegant, yet fun cowgirl.
