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Nicole and Brian at Park Chateau Estate & Gardens

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Nicole and Brian at Park Chateau Estate & Gardens

Posted on July 26, 2021 by Allison Dupree

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How did you get engaged?
Our wedding planner, Alkmini O’Brien, assisted Brian in setting up a surprise proposal in November 2018. Since For The Love of Details was my window designer for my retail store at the time, Brian secretly contacted her to help him coordinate a proposal that I would never expect. It was on the day Alkmini was scheduled to install the winter window display, and she asked me to meet her at the office before heading over to the store. Leaving the door to the office unlocked, she instructed me to just “come on in” whenever I made it there. It was at the office that Brian was waiting for me in front of a beautiful backdrop with rose petals, a bouquet of flowers and champagne on ice.

Details of the day!
One of the most unique and interesting aspects of our stunning wedding is that it was among the last weddings before the global shutdown of 2020. Taking place on February 22, 2020, no one knew the events that would take place in the following weeks, and that a wedding of this scale wouldn’t be possible for over a year due to the coronavirus.

Our wedding planner’s team had both of my wedding dresses and all of the bridesmaid dresses hung and steamed upon the bride’s arrival—along with the bridesmaid gifts laid out for display. The photographer arrived and it was all about the detail shots in the gorgeous light coming through the suite, the excited flower girls and me with my bridesmaids toasting to our happiness. Our first look took place on the main stairwell that boasted a stunning guest entrance of hundreds of fresh white roses cascading down both sides of the staircase. After we said “I do,” the doors opened and the bridal party made their way to greet us with sparklers!

Cocktail hour was in full swing, complete with a customized martini bar and a handmade cigar roller. Guests made their way to a one-of-a-kind flower wall, placed outside the ballroom, constructed of fresh white roses with built-in LED flatscreens that doubled as a seating chart and photo display. My vision was a timeless wedding that included a neutral color palette of white, cream, nude and gold. Blooming floral arrangements of traditional white roses and floating candles created a dreamy ambiance for guests as they entered the ballroom. For our first dance, we “danced on a cloud.” Our wedding took place on my parent’s wedding anniversary, and we coordinated a special cake to be presented to my parents along with a dance to their wedding song.

Why did you choose your venue?
Park Chateau was the perfect wedding venue for a formal estate wedding. Complete with luxury bridal suites, on-site chapel, library, ballrooms and MORE! It felt like a fairytale wedding in a castle. It was a perfect estate wedding that felt formal, fresh and romantic—all at the same time.

What was on your menu?
Our guests enjoyed an incredible spread for cocktail hour that included crepes, a fully loaded sushi station, burgers, tacos and MORE! Dinner started with the Chateau salad complete with a champagne walnut vinaigrette. Guests chose between Chateaubriand and Chilean sea bass, and the Chateau chicken with truffle sauce. The dessert station was overflowing with every sweet you could think of, including a full bar of after-dinner drinks. The cake was made of five tiers, with dark chocolate and white buttercream layers.

All about your gown!
Both of my wedding gowns were Pnina Tornai. The gown I wore for the first look, ceremony and cocktail hour was a traditional silk ballgown with all the details to make me look and feel like a princess. I styled it with a white fur shawl and my mother’s diamond earrings. It was beautifully classic with an extended train down the back. My second wedding dress was mermaid style, with adorable tulle ruffles at the bottom. It was a sexy and fun look for the reception and dancing!

What was your favorite moment?
My favorite moment was the reveal of the ballroom while guests were enjoying their cocktail hour. The production team made my vision come alive with floral thrones for the newlyweds, and thousands of stunning white roses and floating candles that made up the guest centerpieces. The pictures from the ballroom reveal say it all—we couldn’t have been happier!

One detail you couldn’t live without?
The one-of-a-kind custom flower wall constructed of fresh roses with build-in LED flat screens, used as the seating chart display, was the one detail that made this wedding so special. After guests took their seats, the screens switched over to a slideshow of our engagement photos.

Did anything go wrong?
There were minor hiccups in the timeline that happen in all weddings, but they were ironed out immediately by our wedding planner and their team of day-of coordinators.

Any advice for future brides?
Use a wedding planner! To have the ability to communicate your vision to a professional, who can then connect the dots and work out logistics makes the entire process much less overwhelming and much more enjoyable! I made every decision when it came to aesthetics, production, and design and was consulted throughout the entire process. Working closely with my planner enabled her to build the wedding of my dreams!

Honeymoon location:
Antigua. We left right after the wedding and when we returned, the world shut down. Best honeymoon ever!

the details

Reception Location

Park Chateau Estate & Gardens

Photographer

Photo DH

Bride’s Gown

Pnina Tornai

Bride’s Shoes

Jimmy Choo

+ more

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Nicole and Brian at Park Chateau Estate & Gardens

the details

Reception Location

Photographer

Bride’s Gown

Bride’s Shoes

Hair

Makeup

Groom’s Attire

Flowers

Cake

Invites

Music

Videographer

Transportation

Favors

Linens

Rentals

Honeymoon

Wedding Planner

Brides Jewelry

Brides Accessories