Marilouise and Frank met in 2006 during their junior year of high school. They shared several mutual friends and frequently crossed paths in the hallway, during social events and afterschool clubs. The pair soon became great friends, but strangely, their first few “dates” took place at the public library because Frank diligently helped Marilouise pass her advanced Spanish class. Eventually, Frank mustered up the courage to ask her to the senior prom. After Frank’s multiple attempts, Marilouise finally said yes. They later became inseparable and have spent the last nine years madly in love! Luckily, when Frank asked this time around for her hand, there was no question what Marilouise’s answer could be. Check out their elegant southern wedding at the Raleigh Marriott City Center, captured by Donnell Perry Photography.
Bride’s full name, age, and occupation: Marilouise Elizabeth Jones Nichols, 27, Speech-Language Pathologist
Groom’s full name, age, and occupation: Frank Abraham Nichols, 27, Marketing Consultant
Place of residence: Dayton, Ohio
Wedding date: November 4, 2017
Wedding location (Venue Name, City and State): Raleigh Marriott City Center, Raleigh, North Carolina
Wedding theme: Southern Elegance
Honeymoon Destination: Montego Bay, Jamaica
Engagement story:
I proposed to Marilouise on Saturday, November 19, 2016. I told Marilouise that I had a “friend” who had an up-and-coming photography company, and needed pictures of couples to expand his portfolio. My original plan was to do a romantic photo shoot in the park, but the day of proposal it was pouring rain. Luckily, the photographer and I had created a plan B and completed the photo shoot at the Dayton Art Institute. We spent the day admiring art exhibits from around the world while we were being photographed. At the end of the session, for our last shot, the photographer gave me our planned cue to “tie my shoe.” After getting down on one knee, pulling out the ring from my sock, and grabbing Marilouise’s left hand, I popped the question while the photographer captured the moment.
What makes your love special?
Our love is special because we were close friends before we started dating. Our relationship has an extremely strong foundation — years of friendship and trust!
From the Bride:
I was surprisingly calm the day of the wedding. I had an amazing wedding planner, bridal party and family member that were so supportive. I did get pretty nervous as the actual ceremony approached, but the “first look” helped to alleviate a lot of my nervousness and I was able to relax. The day moves so quickly — it’s truly a whirlwind! Frank and I still joke about not remembering things, and we often ask each other, “Do you remember-,” and “Did you see-?” All of the small details you stressed over for the past year, you don’t even notice them on the day of the wedding. You just get lost in all the magic and love.
From the Groom:
It was one of the most exciting and eventful days of my life. There was not a dull moment from the time I woke up to the following day. While the anticipation leading up to the ceremony was a little nerve-racking, everything else was a blast! Hanging out with old friends, seeing all of our family and getting to call my best friend “my wife” made it all worthwhile.
Your most memorable moment:
The “first look” before the ceremony was our most memorable moment. The anticipation was high! We couldn’t see each other at first, but we could see both our photographers’ faces and hear strangers on the street clapping, whistling and cheering. It was a climactic moment. It also helped to relieve a lot of those pre-wedding jitters before walking down the aisle.
Wedding song:
Our wedding song was “You & I (Nobody in the World)” by John Legend. We love this song because it is indicative of our relationship and of our first dance. With just the two of us on the dance floor, basking in the moment, we’ll cherish that moment forever.
Favorite wedding detail:
Our cake was definitely a favorite at our wedding. It stood out in looks and in taste. We had a beautiful 4-tier carrot cake with walnuts and cream cheese icing. It was a perfect fall flavor. Our guests really enjoyed something different from the “typical” wedding cake. People are still talking about our cake!
What are you most looking forward to as a married couple?
Having been in a long-distance relationship for a long time, we are most looking forward to seeing each other every day. We can’t wait to just be around each other for all the little moments.
Advice for a Bride and Groom on their wedding day:
Don’t be afraid to delegate tasks so you can relax and revel in your day. Despite having a fabulous wedding planner, there will still be a lot of little errands that will need to be completed on the day-of. Rely on your wedding party, and surround yourself with a supportive group of friends and family that are dedicated to keeping your day stress-free. Enjoy yourself and try to take in as much as possible.
Please feel free to include any other interesting anecdotes from your big day:
Despite getting Frank’s wedding band fitted before the wedding, we realized at the ceremony that it was still too small. After I put the ring on his finger during the exchange, I noticed his finger was starting to swell and turn red — and we tried hard to keep a straight face! After the ceremony, Frank quickly moved the ring to his pinky finger since it was much more comfortable that way. So now, when we look back at all of our wedding pictures, we see Frank is wearing his wedding band on his pinky and we always get a little laugh out of it.
Congratulations to the newlyweds! We wish you many years of wedded bliss.
Sources
Donnell Perry Photography|Raleigh Marriott City Center|Stella York|David’s Bridal|Men’s Men’s Wearhouse|Ambrosia Cake Creations|Raleigh Marriott City Center|Cheap Favor Shop|Elana Walker Events|Blue Sands Music|DJ Mass Appeal|Harlem Entertainment Services|Fresh Affairs|Suite Paper|Minted|Sharon Davis|Aura Salon & Boutique
