Nikki + Dominic

How did you meet?

Dom and I met in college in the fall of 2013. We both went to American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts on athletic scholarships. He was an incoming hockey freshman, while I was a junior on the lacrosse and volleyball teams. We technically met on his recruiting visit the spring prior, when one of his teammates introduced him to me in the dining hall, and he said he never forgot me. Dom and I started dating in the winter of 2014. Our roommates were going on a date with each other and asked us to double date. They ended up canceling on each other so I asked Dom if he still wanted to go out and he said yes. Since that first date at Panera Bread, we have never stopped hanging out.

When did you know they were the one?

Dom and I have gone through a lot of pivotal growing up moments together. In the last ten years, we have experienced graduating from college, graduating from graduate school, our first adult jobs, living apart, finally being in the same city, and then a big move to Pittsburgh from Boston together. We have had to grow up, grow into ourselves and establish who we are as individuals while in our relationship. Something I cherish about our relationship is that we have been able to grow into who we are and establish our own success, while together. I don’t know if there is truly a moment for people where they think, “they are the one”, but more so a moment where they realize, “this is the person that I want to continue on this path of growing and exploring with, and I think both of our paths are going in the same direction.”

What are your three favourite attributes of your partner?

I love how hard working Dom is in all ventures he partakes in. As a former D1 athlete, he brings that work ethic, integrity and drive into all aspects of his life. He is a fierce protector of our little family (amazing dog dad). One of my favorite things about Dom is how beautiful he always makes me feel.

Who proposed and how?

Dom proposed on October 30th, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He took me to a spot of the city that overlooks the entire city skyline. After he proposed, my dad, Dom’s brother, and my four best friends surprised me! They had all traveled from different cities in the US to be there for our big day. After the proposal, we all celebrated!

Where did you fall in love with your dress and why?

I had noticed the Archie dress on instagram before shopping for dresses and I couldn’t get it off my mind. I went to three dress shops but didn’t feel right in any other dress. I went to Blanc de Blanc Bridal in Pittsburgh, PA and when I put on the Archie, I knew it was the one. My dad was actually the person I brought with me and he also loved it. His words, “no need to try on more, that is the one”.

What was the best moment for you at your wedding?

The best moment for me at the wedding was seeing all of our favorite people on the dance floor having the best time together, to celebrate our love. Our friends and family that didn’t know each other were having a blast together. Being able to finally celebrate with my husband and closest friends and family was the best.

What were your favourite details?

My dress set the tone for everything. Its clean and classic vibe was exactly what I wanted. I loved my seating chart that I made and designed after a Taylor Swift lyric, “At Every Table, I’ll Save You A Seat, Lover”. My venue was the perfect match for my dress, as it was classic with elegant wooden details, black and white tile floors, and it’s french château inspired design. My florals were simple, baby’s breath paired with white and pink roses that were the size of my head! For the reception, I asked for the lights to be turned off and entirely lit by candles. That gave the room such an intimate and elevated feeling that I had never experienced at a wedding before. My words will never do the details justice, but something I am proud of is that the day was entirely designed and executed by me as I did not have a planner. I was so lucky my vendors helped pull off my vision.

What advice would you tell other brides?

There are areas where you should not cut corners due to price. Photography and your gown. You are in your gown all day and you want to be comfortable! The photographer is going to ultimately determine how that day is remembered forever, make sure that they see you the way you want to be seen. That they know your vision and can make that vision come to life. If your dream photographer is a little more than you had hoped, there are other areas you can make that up. My florist was amazing at understanding my budget and maximizing my vision. We created a solid plan of way to reuse items and be very efficient in the wow factors. For example, we created a ceremony statement piece that was able to then be used to decorate my seating chart. I was able to get a look that appeared to cost twice as much as it actually did.

Any standout vendors?

My photographer, Mariah Treibor Photography, was absolutely amazing. I had actually not hired her at first because I thought she was out of budget. I went with another photographer but after our engagement shoot, I realized her vision was not the same as mine. Mariah was thankfully still available and worked with me to be within my budget and she was the best decision I made for my wedding.

My florist, Branches and Blooms Designs, Kim was incredible. She is humble and does not push you to spend more than you need. She listened, was agile, and worked with me as time went on to create exactly what I wanted while being within my budget. Many florists have a minimum budget they will work with and Kim was always happy to work within mine.

My Venue – Hotel du Village. The staff was incredible from day one. The support they provide on the wedding day is unmatched. The food was amazing and everyone raved about the entire day.

Blanc de Blanc Bridal – Angelea and her team worked so hard to make sure my dress was tailored correctly. They always made me feel taken care of.