After college graduation, Nicole Della Cava and Thomas Intrieri met at a Fourth of July party. Since it was a small gathering, they had the opportunity to talk one-on-one for hours. Before long, Tom proposed on a family vacation on the island of St. Thomas in the Caribbean. 

On the first day of the trip, he drove Nicole down to a scenic beach, where he stopped to ask for her hand in marriage. "There were drinks and appetizers set up at the hotel when we returned, and we celebrated with our cousins and immediate family that night!" muses the bride. 

As the couple resides in New York City and most of their friends and family live nearby, they chose to get married at a country club in Westchester. Selected for its beautiful venues, including an outdoor space for a live band and a lounge for the after-party, the property also provided comfortable accommodations for both their immediate and extended families. 

“We included our family every step of the way, including getting ready together, the church ceremony, and introductions during the wedding,” notes the bride. She was beautiful in a strapless gown featuring lace embellishments as she met her groom at the altar. The couple opted out of a “first look” and chose to instead see each other for the first time at the Catholic ceremony when Nicole walked down the aisle – one of Tom’s most favored moments. 

“The reception had a European style in a tent, with dancing after under the stars.”

After the traditional mass, friends and family enjoyed a lively cocktail hour at a nearby country club. “We are avid eaters, so our cocktail hour reflected that with options from sushi to Mexican food and everything in between,” smiles the bride. “We also personalized cocktail napkins with a series of little-known, lighthearted multiple-choice questions about our life. We tried to stump our guests but also get conversations started.” 

“The reception had a European style in a tent, with dancing after under the stars,” the bride describes of the romantic scene. The clear tent gave the space a tailored look, chandeliers were suspended overhead, and long tables were adorned with runner-style centerpieces comprised of peonies, baby roses, and orchids. To further complement the elegant atmosphere, guests were dressed in black-tie attire for the soirée. 

The bride loved “watching our guests from different areas of our life mingle during breaks between dinner courses,” she reminisces of their dream wedding day. “The European-style dinner without loud music coupled with the banquet tables allowed for intimate conversations.” 

Despite a weather scare as a torrential downpour occurred during cocktail hour and dinner, “it fully cleared before dancing on the uncovered outdoor dance floor!” remembers Nicole. “It’s hard not to be positive when you get luck – or divine intervention! – like that.” As a surprise from the mother of the bride, a fireworks display awed attendees later in the night. 

Filled with happiness and joy for the new Mr. and Mrs., loved ones were sent home with boxes of chocolate-covered pretzels from a local boutique on their way out of the party, as well as gift bags in their guest rooms providing all of the essentials needed after a night of revelry, such as late-night snacks and morning-after Advil and hydration packs. 

The bride offers her advice for future couples: “Go with the flow! There will always be some (hopefully minor) issues that arise… [but] a good attitude goes a long way and allows you to keep your focus on the happiness of your life-changing celebration!”