Nicolas & Michael: Love Around The World
Nicolas and Michael first met in Tulum on December 26th, 2014. The day after Christmas, they were amongst a group of mutual friends celebrating the holiday in paradise. Their first date occurred about 3 days into the vacation with one another. They went out to dinner at a rooftop restaurant that they can’t remember the name of, but there were much more important details to remember about the evening.
“Nicolas still teases me about almost drowning in a mangrove, but thought I was still cute. I thought Nicolas had the most beautiful blue eyes and smile and I knew those were the eyes I wanted to look into for the rest of my life.”
It was love at first sight. Nicolas and Michael returned back to New York and continued seeing each other. Their relationship quickly became serious, and within 5 months, they were assured this was true love. Nicolas reflected that it was around the time they took a trip to Hillsdale, New York (where they would soon get married), that he knew this was the man he wanted to marry.
With engagement on the mind, they headed to Capri, off the coast of Italy for a romantic getaway in August of 2017. “It was our second year going together and Nicolas had scoped out the perfect place before our dinner at Da Gel Sonima. Unfortunately, there were too many people in that “perfect” place, so it didn’t happen there. After dinner, we visited this small jewelry store where we bought stuff the year prior. It was a full moon that night and the jeweler told us we should take a 10 minute walk to the Piazza de La Notte. I was wearing a new pair of shoes and that 10-minute walk turned into a 20-minute walk, in a new pair of shoes, and i almost refused to go any further.” Through the pain, Michael winced to finish the walk. “We reached the piazza, and next to the bright light of the moon Nicolas got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.” Michael gladly said yes, and the two kissed in the moonlight.
Returning back to New York, Nicolas and Michael began the long process of planning their wedding day. They found their perfect venue at Taconic Ridge Farm in Hillsdale, New York. “Not only were we the first gays to get married there, we were the first people to get married there!” Overall, it didn’t even feel as stressful as they expected to plan the wedding. However, the budget completely flew out the window from the start. Try as hard as you might, sometimes you just got to splurge and make the day exactly what you want.
The wedding weekend began on a Friday night amongst good friends. “We rented yellow school buses to take us on a hike around these beautiful falls for some great photos. Then we went to our favorite distillery, Hillrock, where we toured the grounds and did a tasting.”
For the rehearsal dinner, the grooms asked everyone to wear their absolute best. This was a fun way to bring an eclectic group of friends together and show-off their individual styles.
“For the wedding, we kept things simple. Instead of a champagne toast, we did a martini toast.” The guests were asked to bring their preferred alcohol or virgin mixer for their personalized martinis. On the tables were individual shakers for the guests to pour out a drink for those next to them. The ceremony was held in an outer field that at the time was flanked with the most dramatic clouds overhead. “There was an 80% chance of rain, but somehow it never happened!”
The ceremony was officiated by their best friend, Steven, and friend Halina, Steven’s twin. The grooms were full of emotion. Excitement to get married, nervous for the event, and feelings of gratitude to have such an intimate wedding with those they love.
Together, Nicolas and Michael joined hands amongst their closest family and friends to exchange their vows. Nicolas started, “We will change over time but one thing you can count on is our love, unwavering and limitless.”
Michael continued the vows, “I promise to grow with you, whether it be our garden or our family from Einstein to a child. I promise to grow as a person to adapt to you and the world while being true to us. To listen and evolve. To improve and care and grow as a couple, preparing ourselves for what’s next and what might even come after that.”
The grooms exchanged rings, and upon being announced as husband and husband for the first time, shared a kiss to seal the deal. Exiting the field, Michael and Nicolas joined their guests for dinner in a candle-lit barn on the Tarconic Ridge Farm’s premises. “Good lighting is everything, right? We then had our speeches, dinner sourced from the best local places, and then it turned into a dance party with our favorite DJ and good friend, Lina Bradford with a furs performance from Fergie. We did a runway and had the best time. The night ended with a campfire, s’mores and popcorn as we released paper lanterns into the sky.” Every part of the day felt like a dream they were living.
Due to the Covid19 pandemic, their honeymoon plans were temporarily putt on hold. “We do plan to ride horses in Patagonia in the near future.”
When asked about what advice they would give to other couples planning their wedding day, the happy grooms recommend to hire more staff than you think you will need. Don’t stress out too much, and be aware—your wedding day will fly by! When it is finally time for your wedding, slow down and take it all in. Stop to smell the roses. You’ll appreciate taking time to reflect and absorb in hindsight.
“Nothing has changed about our relationship except for our marital status. We are still finding our way in the world together. We are here to support each other in our own dreams and collective dreams. We are very different but so much alike. We are best friends and you can’t ask for more than that.”
Venue — Taconic Ridge Farm
Photography — Carlos Lopez and Matthew Raney
Wedding Planner — Sprig & Social
DJ — DJ Lina
Catering — The Hudson Larder
Cake Design — Nine Cakes
Apparel/Accessories — Richard James Bespoke & Jimmy Choo
Hair Stylist — Scott Cunha
Rentals — Rhinebeck Rentals
