Real Wedding | Niki + Wesley | June 4, 2023
We had the joy of hosting Niki & Wesley at the Cliff House on June 4, 2023. We are so thrilled to share all the special, colorful and fun details of their union. Enjoy!
We met at an intramural soccer game at UT Arlington. We were introduced by a mutual friend. We talked a few times after that at fraternity events and he asked me out three months later at a party. I didn’t know if he was being serious, so I just laughed when he asked me. He walked away and I couldn’t find him for the rest of the night. I DMed him the next day and told him if he was being serious, that I wanted to go on a date. We went on our first date that same day to a sushi restaurant!
We didn’t have a “theme”, but we knew we wanted color and for it to be cheerful and loud. We also wanted to incorporate our favorite things like our dog and our love of playing video games together.
What was it like for both of you getting ready that day?
Bride: I was a total wreck. I was so nervous about everything being perfect and going right. Our rehearsal felt a little shaky so I was afraid of something going wrong. When I saw the groom for our first look, I burst into tears and realized that this was all about us and that the day was finally here. Of course, everything went perfectly (all thanks to the Boxwood team and my friends).
Groom: I was relaxed and hanging with my boys. Of course, I was anxious with anticipation.
We toured some of the other Boxwood locations and loved the company’s professionalism and value of what was included with the venue. We loved that Cliff House was in the city and in one of our favorite neighborhoods. We also loved the bones of the venue and knew that we could make it our own and still keep the integrity and natural beauty of the site. We also knew we wanted a smaller wedding and the Cliff House space was perfect for a more intimate wedding.
Our photos in front of the front door came out really beautiful. We also loved taking pictures at the altar where you could see the streamers cropping the frame.
We also took photos by the bus with our wedding party and took couples photos inside the arcade behind the Cliff House!
We felt so loved that day by everyone and that was so special. I wanted this day to be enjoyable and fun for everyone and I think we succeeded.
I (bride), love creating, so I DIYd a lot for our wedding. I laser cut acrylic swizzle sticks with our dog’s face that said “Let’s paw-ty” that went on everyone’s napkin. I also laser cut Super Mario LED table numbers to share our love of playing video games together. My husband actually introduced me to gaming and always picks “cute” ones for me. We also took photos at the arcade during our wedding!
We are also into retro and MCM decor, so I knew I wanted centerpieces to reflect that so we went with disco ball vases.
We also knew we wanted a bright, colorful wedding complete with tinsel, so we hired Color Condition to create a ceiling installation in our wedding colors and I got a custom tinsel jacket made by Rachel Burke (@imakestagram) to compliment the Color Condition’s work.
Some of our favorite moments were our first look, reading/hearing the other person’s vows, seeing our friends dancing (especially the Vogue battle), the cake and food were so good, and hearing our friend’s speeches.
Some of the funnier parts were one of the best men dropping the ring when he came up to the altar (he also ripped his pants later that night), everyone singing to the father of the groom on the stage during “Mr. Brightside”, and the DJ playing the Stanky Leg.
Our ceremony was also very funny because we were candid about some of our first interactions together (alcohol was involved and granny panties were mentioned).
Tell me about the catering/beverages at your event? Was there an item or drink you especially loved?
Yes. Everything was amazing!!! Not your typical dry, wedding chicken breast. My husband said I ate more food off of my plate that night than he has ever seen. We even chose the Tier One option and it was still so good. He loved his spicy margaritas and I loved my gin and tonics throughout the night. Our hors d'oeuvres were also amazing and we appreciated that the catering team created something new for us to honor a family recipe! Our cake from Bird Bakery was also delicious and we are looking forward to getting the same one on our one year anniversary!
Everyone had a great time. One of the groomsmen said “I’ve been to a lot of weddings, and I’ve been to bad weddings, but that was a good wedding.”
Everyone talked about how happy we looked on that day and in the photos.
We also got a comment that our ceremony was the perfect blend of funny and heartfelt.
Looking back, what words would you use to describe the day?
Easy, magical, carefree, fun, busy!
Are there any vendors you felt were instrumental in making your day special?
Yes, all of them.
Boxwood Hospitality melted my stress away when I saw how professional they were and how receptive they were to my vision. Kayleigh and Madison were so amazing to us and our families.
LeForce Entertainment DJ was popping and LB was very receptive to the vibes and requests.
Color Condition transformed the space and made it feel magical.
Floral Eclectic flowers were stunning and unique.
JC Bigornia’s backdrop was beautiful and encapsulated everything else so well.
Shawna (Honey Rose Photo) captured the day so well and was a wedding pro! She was so helpful and supportive that day.
She is Art Beauty made me look the best I have ever looked and the HAMU was so easy to work with and executed my vision perfectly.
A&Be dress was perfect and everything I wanted to look like as a bride.
The Black Tux made the groom look so handsome! His groomsmen and dad also looked very nice.
Encanto pops was such a fun and cute late night snack.
Do you have any advice for future couples?
Don’t ask for anyone else’s input and have the wedding that you want.
Don’t get caught up in all the TikTok suggestions.
Do remember that this day is literally only about you and your partner’s union.
Niki and Wesley, thank you so much for sharing your wedding day with us at our intimate Dallas Venue! We wish you nothing but the best in the years to come!
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Vendors:
Catering: Boxwood Catering
Gown: A&Be Bridal Shop
Tux/Suit: The Black Tux
Hair and Makeup: She is Art Beauty
Florist: The Floral Eclectic
Bakery: Bird Bakery
DJ/Band: LeForce Entertainment
Photographer: Honey Rose Photo
Decorations: The Color Condition
Custom Tinsel Jacket: Rachel Burke
Backdrop: JC Bigornia
