Nicole & Michael
By Margie Monin Dombrowski
Photography By Thomas Paul Photography
“I could never have guessed that taking my mother’s advice would change my life,” says Nicole, referring to a night when a girlfriend coaxed her into going out with some college friends. While picking up the phone to back out, her mother told her, “You’re only young once—what if this night changes your life? If you stay home, you’ll miss out on it altogether.” So off she went to the pub, with an explicit request for her friend: “Please, don’t set me up with anyone.”
But her friend already had. Two young men were meeting up with them. Michael, the guy that Nicole’s friend set her up with, played pool with her the entire night (and possibly let her win two of three games). Nicole says, “My friend asked how the night was going, and if I wanted to see Michael again. I couldn’t believe how excited I was getting. Just hours earlier I felt as though no one could pique my interest, and there I was gushing over this guy!”
Michael walked Nicole to her car before asking for her number and promising to call the next day to plan a “proper date.” Which he did. A romantic dinner at an exquisite New York City restaurant, visit to the Empire State Building’s Observation Deck and ride in a horse-drawn carriage quickly led to their first kiss and boyfriend/girlfriend status.
Fast forward five years, Nicole, and Michael were still together, but he hadn’t popped the question yet. Then one day when Michael was dropping Nicole off at school, he went to open the door for her as usual but knelt down outside the car door. “What are you doing?” Nicole asked. “Did you drop something?” Michael said No, and Nicole was getting ready to go to class when he reached into his pocket, pulled out a little blue box, opened it and said, “There are no rainbows in the sky. I don’t have any fireworks or big show. I really just want you. I love you more than anything in this world. Nicole, will you marry me?” Needless to say, she was late to class that day.
Nicole and Michael finally made it official in a church ceremony at St. Matthew’s Roman Catholic Church in Dix Hills, officiated by Deacon James McQuade, who also led their Pre-Cana instruction. A Phantom Rolls Royce and stretch Escalade provided by Dynasty Limousine transported the bridal party to the ceremony. The couple took bridal pictures at both Oheka Castle (where they held their pre-nuptial dinner) and the Vanderbilt Mansion, and traveled to the Venetian Yacht Club, where everybody celebrated Nicole and Michael’s union.
Big Hits Entertainment added drama to the setting with spectacular LED uplighting around the room and provided two plasma screens that displayed a biography-style video and photomontage showing Nicole and Michael growing up and telling their love story.
The gorgeous centerpieces by Pedestals florist were black magic roses and red hydrangeas arranged with St. John’s branches laced with cymbidium orchids coming from the center.
A cocktail hour featuring numerous hors d’oeuvres, a carving station and fresh seafood was followed by a four-course meal, and then an ice-cream station, pastries, petit fours and chocolate covered strawberries for the Viennese Hour. Their wedding cake of alternating layers of chocolate and strawberry shortcake was crowned with a Swarovski crystal “nCm” topper, and guests received gift bags of local Long Island treats put together by Platinum Affairs. The 10-piece band, Code Bleu, kept guests dancing all night, while Nicole and Michael shared a special moment on the dance floor as Michael lifted Nicole up like the classic scene in “Dirty Dancing.”
Just before they were announced at the reception, Michael shouted, “This is the best night of my life!”—one of Nicole’s favorite moments. So was the first time she saw Michael: “I loved when my dad lifted my veil,” Nicole says, “and my first sight was Michael with a huge smile on his face.” She was also touched by her dad’s speech, which brought everyone to a standing ovation and Nicole to tears. “My favorite memories,” says Michael, “were our first dance, cutting the cake and watching the wedding biography.”
The couple flew to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida before boarding the Royal Caribbean “Oasis of the Seas” to Nassau, the Bahamas, St. Thomas and St. Maarten for their honeymoon, which consisted of scuba diving, dune buggy racing, swimming with dolphins at Atlantis, rock climbing, wine tasting, couples massages, and a Cirque du Soleil “Aqua” show.
During the planning stage, Michael recommends having the groom’s family contact the groom with questions and suggestions instead of the bride. “She already has enough to deal with; she shouldn’t have to answer to two families,” he says, and that the groom should manage his groomsmen, tuxedo fittings and bachelor party planning himself. Nicole says having an unbiased opinion from someone you trust is invaluable for the wedding details. For her, it was her mother. “She never said to me, ‘You have to do it like this,’ or ‘I want it this way,’” says Nicole, “but rather she said, “Is it what you like?” and, “Make sure you are happy, and don’t worry about what others say.”
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