Nov 19 2004
After weeks of planning, and viewers helping by voting on elements from the wedding dress to the welcome gift bags, the big day is finally here! Nikki and Buddy were married this morning on the island of Anguilla at the Cap Juluca resort. In case you missed it, here's all that happened:The weather was gorgeous – about 75 or 80 degrees, with only a little cloudiness. The name Cap Juluca is what the Arawack Indians called the rainbow god of Anguilla, and visitors to the island can often spot one.
Getting ready before the ceremony
Buddy said that he wasn't nervous at all – even holding out his hands to show that they were jitter free! He not only decided not to see Nikki at all before the wedding, but they purposely hung up the phone with each other at 11:59 pm the night before! The groomsmen were wearing the Kenneth Cole suits that viewers voted on, along with coral colored shirts. While his groomsmen are former football and army buddies, they looked quite comfortable wearing pink proving that the expressing "real men wear pink" is actually true! To distinguish him from the groomsmen, Buddy wore a white shirt with his suit.
Nikki and her bridesmaids looked beautiful and she also said she wasn't really nervous. Her bridesmaids wore the JCrew bridesmaid dresses that viewers voted on, and Addison looked so excited she could hardly stand it! Nikki wore her hair in the soft curls that viewers voted on, grey eyeshadow, and soft lipstick. Addison wore her pink flower girl dress, and her hair in soft curls as well. Nikki and her bridesmaids carried bouquets of colorful calla lilies.
Marriage Licenses for Destination Weddings
Buddy, Nikki and Addison were sent a few days early to enjoy the resort, and get a very important element – the wedding license. This is one of the first things you should research when you decide on a destination wedding location, as some countries require you to be there days, weeks, or even months early. (France requires you to be a resident 60 days before applying for the license!) As this is impossible for many couples, some choose to find a location with more lenient laws. Others chose to have a legal ceremony in the US, saving the vows and more meaningful parts of the wedding for the destination wedding. If you're considering a destination wedding, check out the marriage.about.com site's helpful guide.
The setting and processional:
Friends and family were seated in a semi circle on the beach in front of a gazebo decorated with tulle and surrounded by lush green plants. With a relatively strong wind, the bright blue water crashed in waves next to them, while the one and only Tony Bennett and his band played some light jazz numbers.The minister walked down the island first, followed by Buddy and his groomsmen, then each of the bridesmaids. Buddy's father, also his best man, walked Buddy's mother down the aisle, then took his spot next to Buddy. Nikki entered in her gorgeous Monique Lhuillier wedding dress and a streaming long veil, before walking up the aisle with her mom to the sounds of Tony Bennet singing "All for You" off of his new album.
