In Brides of Long Island’s Monthly “Mrs.” series, we profile some of our members’ unforgettable weddings. This month, Nikki talks about a special moment with her father, as well as a Stonebridge Country Club staff member who made her wedding day perfect.
(Photo courtesy of Studio 27 Photography)
A little competition led to a love connection for Nikki and Tim. Over 10 years later, the pair said ‘I Do’ in the church that Nikki grew up in, and partied the night away at Stonebridge Country Club, a BOLI preferred vendor.
A Little Long Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
Nikki and Tim met through mutual friends the summer before she started college at James Madison University in Virginia. “He caught my eye because he was cheating at beer pong,” she said, with a laugh. They balanced their long distance relationship for two years before Nikki eventually transferred back home. “It wasn’t easy,” she explained. “I didn’t have a car, and he was working full time. But we managed to make it work.”
Almost 10 years later when the pair were established in their careers, Tim proposed to Nikki. “It was perfect,” she said. “Just me, him and our dog Hunter in our home. Very private, which is what I wanted.” Afterwards, they celebrated with their families at her parents’ home.
(Photo courtesy of Studio 27 Photography)
Narrowing Down the Details
Since they got engaged around the holidays, they started looking at venues the following January. “I’m a planner,” she explained. “I wanted to hit the ground running. And since I had an idea of what we wanted for our wedding day, it was easy to narrow vendors down and cross them off my list!” After touring 13 venues, they decided to book their May 11, 2024 wedding at the very first venue they saw – Stonebridge Country Club. “I loved how beautiful and open Stonebridge felt,” Nikki said. “It has sort of a rustic vibe that we were looking for, with a little bit of glam – which makes our personalities perfectly. Also, it helped that it was on a golf course, since my husband is a golfer.”
After they booked Stonebridge, the rest of the vendors fell into place for Nikki and Tim. The most important vendor for them, though, was the DJ. “We love to dance and have a good time. And the best way to get people to dance is to have the perfect playlist,” she said. “Studio 27 [a BOLI preferred vendor] did not disappoint. Our DJ played songs to keep everyone on the dance floor all night long.”
As for those little details that Nikki planned, they made sure to include their dog Hunter on their special day. “He was on the cocktail napkins, and we had a special drink named after him,” she said. She also made sure to include her grandparents with charms in her bouquet.
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(Photo courtesy of Studio 27 Photography)
Those Extra Special Moments
Getting ready with her mother and sister was an important and special aspect for Nikki. But it was her first look with her dad that really stood out that day. “My dad doesn’t get emotional, but when he saw me walk down the staircase, he started to tear up,” she said. “It hit me too, as I was his first daughter to get married. It was just really special for me.” Later on, as they waited for the limo to take them to St. Anne’s Church, Nikki said her father calmed her nerves as she realized all eyes would be on her. “He said, ‘you’ve done this before at your Sweet 16, and I’ll be right there with you,’” she said. “It was just so reassuring to know that everything was going to work out and be wonderful. And it was!”
(Photo courtesy of Studio 27 Photography)
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The man of the hour though (besides Tim of course!) was Terrance from Stonebridge. “Everyone raves on BOLI about how he’s the reason their wedding went so smooth, and I honestly didn’t believe it,” she said. “Until our wedding day. He really is THAT good.” From serving drinks on the dance floor to wiping sweat off of Tim’s forehead while he was dancing, Terrance made sure everything went off without a hitch. And at the end of the night, he actually drove Nikki and Tim to their hotel. “Our shuttle driver was impatient, so I told him to leave without us,” she said. “When we were ready, without hesitation, Terrance drove us to the hotel. He made sure from the second we walked into Stonebridge to the second he dropped us off that everything was perfect.”
(Photo courtesy of Studio 27 Photography)
Do Something That’s “You”
Nikki said she loved the BOLI Facebook page. “I looked up all of my vendors, I connected with other brides who gave me honest answers to my questions,” she said. “It’s such an amazing community, and helped all the way through to our honeymoon planning.”
And she hopes to continue helping other brides now that she’s graduated. Her first piece of advice: “it’s never too early to start planning!” She said that planning early really helped keep her stress levels low throughout the entire process. “Just know that nothing is finalized until about a month before your wedding,” she said. “So, even if you book a florist at the beginning of planning, you can change your mind about your flowers until closer to your wedding.”
As far as your wedding day, Nikki said she and Tim made a point to take several moments throughout the night to just look around and see what was going on. “Everyone says it goes by so fast, so we made sure to take those moments to appreciate all of the love in the room.”
And lastly, do something for yourself. “We got an espresso martini cart, and it was the best decision we made,” she said. She explained that she and Tim love espresso martinis, so it was only natural to incorporate the cart from BOLI Preferred Vendor Dolce and Gelato Catering into their wedding day. “Everyone kept saying, ‘this is so you,’” she said. “And I think it’s important to make sure to incorporate something that encompasses you and your future spouse.”
(Photo courtesy of Studio 27 Photography)
Vendors:
Venue: Stonebridge Country Club, a BOLI Preferred Vendor
Photographer/Videography: Studio 27 Photography, a BOLI Preferred Vendor
DJ: Studio 27 DJs, a BOLI Preferred Vendor
Florist: Dalsimer Spitz and Peck
Pew Bows: Pew Bow Rentals, a BOLI Preferred Vendor
Hair: Isabella BeBeautiful
Makeup: Makeup by Vic
Cake: Batter Up Bakery
Transportation: Sir Oliver
Espresso Cart: Dolce and Gelato Catering, a BOLI Preferred Vendor
