The Wedding Story of... Nicole & Aaron Busse

Nicole and Aaron Busse pictured a soft and romantic wedding ceremony and a clean and chic reception. How do you make both of these very different visions a reality?

 

“We each had creative ideas such as the white theme, favorite flowers, lighting, etc. and then our wonderful wedding planner took our ideas and put them into action,” said Nicole, who is a neonatal intensive care nurse at Community North Hospital.  “We wanted a romantic garden ceremony and a reception with a VIP nightclub feel."

 

 

 

 

Nicole and Aaron, who met through a mutual friend while she was in nursing school in the winter of 2009, got engaged on October 30, 2011 – the day of her Golden Birthday (she turned 30 on October 30th). They were in Las Vegas when Aaron, a buyer for Omni Source, decided to charter a helicopter to fly to the Grand Canyon. 

 

“Once we reached the Grand Canyon, we flew down to a spot next to the Colorado River where Aaron had arranged a romantic picnic. He pretended he wanted to take a picture on the side of the cliff and that’s when he proposed.” They flew back to Vegas at sunset with the pilot playing their favorite songs.

 

 

 

 

While Nicole is from Terre Haute and Aaron is from Fort Wayne, the couple wanted to get married where they live (Carmel) and work (Indianapolis). Nicole hired Gene Huddleson, wedding planner with Detail + Design, to help realize the couples’ visions. Nicole said Huddleson stepped in and transformed the outdoor ceremony space where they live at the Village of West Clay. A wrought iron-style arbor was adorned with grapevine, wisteria vines, dogwood and honeysuckle - plants and flowers that might have grown there naturally (if it hadn’t been in the middle of a drought). 

 

“We used lavender wisteria, crème and white roses and pale pink vintage roses to create the look of this beautiful garden ceremony,” Nicole said. 

 

For the reception, Nicole imagined something like Christina Aguilera’s wedding – all white with some black and pink and pin lighting. Huddleson worked to create a soft, contemporary and urban feel with dramatic lighting and centerpieces. He brought in curtains and covered every window at the reception location, D’Amore Events of Indianapolis, to realize that nightclub feel despite the fact that it remains light in Indiana until 9:30 or even 10 p.m.

 

 

 

 

Nicole bought two dresses at Nancy’s Bridal-one that was perfect for the ceremony – beaded and elegant – and a very fitted, feathered dress for the reception. She also donned a sheer, beaded cocktail dress purchased in Miami for the late night portion of the evening. She admits that it was difficult to do the choreography she and Aaron had learned for their first dance, Etta James’ “At Last”, while wearing the feathered gown.

 

 

 

 

Despite the hot temperatures on the day of the wedding, Nicole said everything went extremely well, thanks mainly to Huddleson’s production schedule that kept events moving along. 

 

“Now, looking back, my favorite memory is walking down the aisle to marry the man that I was completely in love with and having the people we love the most there to share in our wedding day,” Nicole said.  Aaron just took her breath away when she first saw him standing there waiting for her. She also cherishes the fact that Aaron’s son and her nephew walked down the aisle together. 

 

The 250 guests danced the night away and the reception did not end until about 2 a.m. on Sunday. 

 

Huddleson had warned Nicole and Aaron that the day would speed by. He tells couples to leave their cell phones in the hotel room and advises them not to wear a watch. Nicole said that was sage advice. “You just need to enjoy being with your husband and your family. It goes so quickly and it’s really fun. You just want to do it all over again.”