Our location and theme: St. John Vianney Chapel on Balboa Island, Newport Beach, California. Reception at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar.

Mike and I met and fell in love in Newport Beach, where we both live and work and envision starting a family, so we felt strongly about having our wedding there rather than in my hometown of Camarillo. We both had lots of friends flying in from New York City and Chicago for the wedding, and we wanted them to see and fall in love with where we live now.

The theme was romantic elegance. I wanted our wedding to ooze tradition and romance. The colors were blush, gold and silver. Beautiful flowers and mercury glass adorned the tables; the water glasses were gold-rimmed and the silverware gold-plated.

One of my favorite things was our guestbook table. The guestbook was surrounded by wedding pictures of our grandparents and our parents, with a sign that read, "All because two people fell in love." The guestbook was created by my mother using an online photobook program with all the pictures from our engagement shoot.

Special moments: One of my favorite moments was walking across the main street on Balboa Island to get from the bridal waiting area to the chapel. Traffic stopped as our entourage crossed the street, and all the passersby were cheering. It was so fun and made for a great photo!

Another favorite moment was filling up the dance floor with our closest friends and family when "The Wobble" played. I love dancing to that song, and it was so much fun for Mike and me to dance to it on a dance floor overflowing with our friends!

The bridesmaid dresses: I was extremely busy with work in the months leading up to the wedding, and Nordstrom.com was my go-to for all my wedding and accessory needs. My bridesmaids wore Monique Lhuillier Bridesmaids dresses in blush. This dress was beautiful and flattered everyone's body type. Additionally, the free shipping and free returns made the logistics easier on everyone. One of my bridesmaids had a baby just three months before the wedding, and the ability to buy the dress in three sizes and determine closer to the wedding which she would keep was extremely helpful. The groomsmen's ties were also purchased from Nordstrom. I ordered several online to find the best match.

I wore the Jimmy Choo Clue slingback pump, in a Nordstrom-exclusive color. I absolutely love them and kept them on while dancing the night away!

Advice for other brides-to-be: I highly recommend taking dance lessons for your first dance. They provide a fun outlet from wedding planning and a time to spend learning something new with your fiancé. It also makes the first dance much more fun for your guests; no one wants to watch people sway back and forth for three minutes!

Also, enjoy the planning. The key is organization and teamwork. Don't be afraid to delegate some responsibilities. It was a labor of love for Mike and me as well as our parents. We used this time to get to know our extended families.

Where was the honeymoon? We wanted a unique adventure and unspoiled beauty; we traveled to the islands of Gili Meno and Lombok in Indonesia.

Did you find your wedding gown or bridesmaid dresses at Nordstrom? We love a good wedding story! Email Nordstrom Wedding Stories for details on getting your wedding featured on our blog. And for more inspiration, make a complimentary appointment with a Wedding Stylist or browse our Wedding Suite.