For Nicole Padovano, it was all about the gown. And what a gown it was. It was so magnificent that Nicole was willing to wait two years for it to be made. “As soon as I tried it on, I knew it was the one for me,” she says. Created in Sicily by Amelia Casablanca, it was made of silk and lace, with hundreds of Swarovski crystals sewn into the bodice and skirt. The only drawback was that it weighed 21 pounds. “But that didn’t stop me from getting my dream dress,” adds Nicole. “The day of the wedding it felt as if I was wearing chiffon and feathers. Nothing could have bothered me that day.”

It was also all about Lester Lembryk. The two met on a blind date that seemed like it was destined not to happen. A torrential downpour, a missing umbrella, and a late date all seemed to add up to a waste of time, until he walked through the door. “I remember looking up at the entrance and noticed the most amazing, most perfect guy walk through,” says Nicole. “From that point on we both knew we were meant to be together.”

They were married at St. Anne’s Church in Jersey City on July 14, 2007, and the reception was then held at the Rockleigh Country Club. “We wanted a grand ballroom wedding,” says Nicole, “and as soon as we saw it we both knew our guests would love it as much as we did.” Their theme was an enchanted summer’s night, with candles and butterflies placed throughout the centerpieces. But the best part of the whole evening was when Nicole saw the look on Lester’s face when he saw her for the first time. “I thought, now I can spend the rest of my life with the man I love,” she says. After a honeymoon to Playa Del Carmen in Mexico, the Lembryks are at home in Jersey City.