EW Profile_1 V2.indd

#$%lov
e
-./01(/ &&&
2/134(
526(7/
8-09/(
8-4:/
!"#$%&%'!()!**%+,&((((!"
!"#$%&'()*+,#-./(011###.
23.43,,###56,7682#$9
Amazing!"#$%
234567)"89:3;)<)$53;73)=58>73;
&'%() &"#*%+%,) &-) ./.%) $-0.&"/%1 in one month;
unrolled 75 six-feet-tall hay bales in Sweden; herded hundreds of wild ducks in Vietnam; raced Formula One cars
in Dubai; played volleyball in a waste-high bog in Estonia;
counted out one million dollars worth of poker chips in
record speed; and repelled face-first down Mandalay Bay in
Vegas. And the entire time, these winners of The Amazing
Race’s 15th season were never more than a few feet apart.
Talk about testing the waters to see if you can face challenges
as a couple.
San Diego natives Meghan Rickey and Cheyne Whitney
won seven of the 12 legs of the popular reality show. “We
really worked together and were known as the team that
was friendly and supportive,” chimes Meghan. So when the
winners returned home with a cool million, they bought
a house together near Kensington and started planning
the wedding. While the couple met playing tetherball in
elementary school, Cheyne’s crush had to simmer for several
years until they went on a date six-and-a-half years ago when
the timing was finally right. When it came to a proposal, a
unique opportunity opened up after the couple appeared on
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Brides magazine approached
Cheyne for a story, thinking they were already engaged, and
then got creative with the groom-to-be. The couple flew to
Temecula for a wine-infused lunch, then returned to San
A5B>B4C6D5;)E;)&CF3)A5B>B4C6D5;)=3GG874H
!"))))%?@0/1/&%)=%,,/.!1
!"#$%&'()*+,#-./(011###,
23.43,,###,,5.65.6#78
Diego for a stroll down memory lane—visiting their old schools
and favorite spots. During a champagne and chocolate-covered
strawberry snack, he handed Meghan a copy of the magazine and
opened to a page that said, “Meghan, will you marry me?” As
she accepted the ArtCarved ring, Entertainment Tonight jumped
from the bushes having filmed the entire thing. Though Meghan
was truly surprised, the camera-ready couple did an on the spot
interview and the rest is history.
“We knew we wanted a San Diego wedding because our lives
are here. We wanted it to be a big celebration since we never had
a party after we won The Amazing Race. “We used to watch each
episode with 200 friends—so the wedding was also a reunion,”
explains, Meghan. Cheyne adds, “We thought the Hard Rock
was the ultimate San Diego VIP rockstar party place.”
An Amazing Race theme wove throughout the wedding: passports served as escort cards, and clay figurines of the pair in their
team uniforms topped the cake. Tables sported the names of
places they’d visited during the show with pictures of them doing
!"#$#%"&'$(#)*"
123245678$3292:;<56$=59>;<568$>6?$9>;23<6@A$#$%&'()*+'#),-.'/$0'12-3)8$
B>3?359CB5;2=D?E954E$"F26;$9553?<6>;53A$45)%-'67-0,89':-0';$..)<8$
>45322F26;DE954E$"F26;$?2D<@6A$=)0*->,8'67-0,'1-82308$
95692:;D2F26;?2D<@6E954E$G=53<D;$>6?$92324567$9>65:7A$?.@8A'?),$02*$.88$
H=IDBH5;>6<9>=DE954E$JKK<9<>6;A$:$8)0'1-028)08$L>D56?26<D56E954E$
%><3A$B<0C<'D)E203E$12324567$26;23;><6426;A$(56@M@I<;>3$324<N$5K$0>;>DB>$
O2?<6@K<2=?$P*5F2$*<C2$#B<DQ$H7$:$8)0'1-028)0$>6?$B<0C<'D)E203E$1>C2$>6?$
9I:9>C2DA$/E--,'=A--+8'?$+-%<8$DR22;9B22CDH>C<6@E954E$1>C2$;5::23A$
=.$<'F23@%20-8'#)@8-8$9>7K<@I3<62DE954E$!5R6A$($5)0$'G-7-C$'
B-3-0&8'=)..-*,2)08$35456>C2F2S>E954$K354$H828'?%2&$.'?)@,2I@-8$
<D<DH5I;<TI2DE954E$O3<?2D4><?D$L2R2=37A$??8,)0-'=)..-*,2)0E$"6@>@2426;$3<6@$
>6?$R2??<6@$H>6?DA$4%,'=$%7-&'?%2&$.8$>3;9>3F2?H3<?>=E954E$(B52DA$
:255<'=A))8$L<4479B55E954E$U>C2I:A$G-.8-<'B<0'1))0$0';$+-@>8$
C=764>C2I:E954E$!3554VD$>;;<32A$?-0'/A-%5$08$H26DB234>6ID>E954E$
!3554VD$DB52DA$=%-$,27-'(-*%-$,2)08$93W329E954E$!3554VD$R>;9BA$
DJ/A)*+8$@DB59CE954E$O3<?2D4><?DV$?32DD2DA$?-..$'?%2&-85$2&88$
H2==>H3<?2D4><?E954E$/X8$=<@B;<6@8$>6?$YMZA$K25'4.,L$@5'M%)&@*,2)088$
;>:35?I9;<56DE954E$&6F<;>;<56D$>6?$:>:23$2=2426;DA$#)@8-'D%$>A2*88$
B5ID2@3>:B<9DE62;E$*<626D$>6?$326;>=DA$=)0*->,8'67-0,'1-82308$
95692:;D2F26;?2D<@6E954E$[B5;5$H55;BM[<N2=$Y3;$!3>KK<;<$.>==A$=.$88<'
67-0,'D%)@>'J'M2N-.'M-%O-*,9$9=>DD72F26;@35I:E954E$
1>6?7$H>3A$45)%-'67-0,88$>45322F26;DE954E$[B5;5@3>:B7A$
K%@-'MA),)3%$>A<'P-&&20388$;3I2:B5;5@3>:B7R2??<6@DE954$
!"$$$$"+,-&(&#"$."//&0!(
!"#$%&'()*+,#-./(011###2
34.54,,###,,6.7628#9:
their challenges. “We asked six of our fellow cast mates/opponents
from The Amazing Race to be in our wedding party as we made lifelong friends from that experience,” exclaims Cheyne.
To incorporate the Hard Rock music theme, The Beatles also
played a key role as the recessional music for the ceremony; the
invites had silk screened blue guitars with Beatles guitar picks as a
pullout tab.
The bride wore a gorgeous, trumpet-cut Romona Keveza dress with
a sweetheart neckline and jeweled belt, while the men looked smart in
charcoal silver suits with designer shirts, blue ties, and clips. The stylish nuptials took place on the Hard Rock rooftop under a diaphanous
white canopy, surrounded by the colorful urban landscape.
FLOAT, the alfresco poolside lounge, served as the sleek setting
for cocktail hour, where they served a signature quaffable called
“Love Potion Number 9.” Inside at the reception, shades of blue,
silver, and gray filled the stunning wintry room—the all white
dance floor sported a giant CMW monogram with subtle pink
lighting to soften the look. Several couples made grand entrances
during the music-fueled festivities dressed in drag or performing
acrobatics, stirring the receptive crowd.
Sweet treats included a red velvet cupcake tower, a chocolate
ganache, a raspberry-filled cutting cake, along with an eye-popping
candy bar.
After throwing a rock ‘n’ good party, the couple jetted off to
Thailand to ride elephants and relax on the white sand beaches. But
they were happy to return home. “We love San Diego. We are never
leaving,” declares Meghan empathically.
—-++!)./011
#
$%%#&''()(*+&,#-.*)*/#01*2#3%4.&+#&+'#5.%6+%7/#8%''(+4#
&)#%9:;(/()%8%''(+4/2&4&<(+%=>*2=
!"!!!!"#$%&'&("!)"**&+,'
!"#$%&'()*+,#-./(011###2
34.54,,###,,6.7628#9:
!"#!!!!"#$%&'&("!)"**&+,'
You'
l
l
want
?C@*DC,ABDE
8'-&1.*E&'2%.&*
F*>1G#2*D1H#-0*
4567,89*:;:<:*=69>*6?,4@*,A4B@*?B@>,*=6,4, Laurie Granger
and Simon Nicoud got married. It was a picture-perfect day on
Coronado Island, where, in front of 100 guests, Simon promised
Laurie she would want for nothing. Laurie responded with a
resounding “Wahoo!” and their guests laughed at his sweet but
bold promise.
Laurie and Simon met in San Diego, and knew there was
something special about each other early on. Their love story
proves opposites attract: Canadian software engineer falls in love
with an artsy Californian.
Close friend and officiant, John Silva took a unique approach
to the ceremony by interviewing Laurie and Simon separately and
then shared their answers with the guests. The circle of friends
and family found out Laurie dreamed of getting married in the
Mormon Temple since it looked like a fairytale castle, while
Simon fantasized about the princess at the end of Super Mario
Bros. They also learned that Simon had wooed her with his
musical talents. On one of their early dates, he serenaded her on
the piano with songs by her beloved Backstreet Boys—her first
glimpse of Simon’s romantic nature.
True to form, Simon enjoyed planning the proposal. “I just
loved surprising her.” He showed up on a Tuesday evening at
work and whisked her away to Coronado Island for dinner at
!"#$#%&'(")*+)*,&-.*!"#$#%&'(")*/.0012%3
45IJB>B,4*/4==BDE>****!"!
A7S(SJ7Q0(@STP7
!"#"$%&'()%*+,-%&.(!"#$"##%&'()&*+,(!-*-#&.-/(0"*"1,-%&()%*+,-%&(
+&2(*+,"#-&3.(!&#."'&/0(-#($1"(2&3,(!-*-#&.-4(*+&2")+5652/*%$/(
78"&,(*%%#2-&+,%#.(0+*9")(:"))+&2(%;(2'%00(45"#$04(<)-55"8"&,/*%$/(
=)%#-5,(+&2(*"#"$%&'(*+&%1'.(6&"(7'-*&"4(#+";)%#+"/*%$/(>;;-*-+&,.(?%9&(
@-)8+4(=#-"&2(%;(A#%%$/(B+&2(C!"#"$%&'D.(8"&*#3(9"0&(!-#:"*$(2&#.4(
E"+#&'$"5+*%&*"#,<+&2/*%$/(A%F&.(;0%0(2*%.&',(9%+&"''&4(
-5-5<%G,-HG"5/*%$/(?"F")#'.(<"##%="*(6"&(<">"'*34(I"&&-;"##"+/*%$/(
B#-2"(+&2(B#-2"5$+-2(J+-#1-"*"5.(6&:1"'(?-**&%#"4(#+*9"))+##+-&"/*%$/(
@9%"5.(2&.@'"3(9%0:1+&4(<+23)"'$-5*9E+/*%$/(J+-#(K(L+E"G1.(8&$%"(
A&*%:&(+&2(!-B*$#"3(C"%004(E+,-",+#-*+/*%$/(A#%%$(+&2(
3#%%$5$"&M5(+,,-#".(D(2"$$"*(E"&'(E"0%@#"*(ABF".-0(&#.(GB%$04(
+<",,"#2"+),GN"2%/*%$/(O?(+&2(P-39,-&3.(2B*#()*-.B:$%-#04(1+#,'52/*%$/
Q&8-,+,-%&5.(H--#(E"0%@#04(&%%&2"5-3&59%1/*%$/(0"&,+)5.(
)&*$3()*-.B:$%-#(6"#$&'04(1+#,'1#%2G*,-%&#"&,+)5/*%$/(R9%,%3#+19'.(
A*B"()1-$-@*&I13(C"..%#@04(,#G"19%,%3#+19'F"22-&35/*%$
veLLL
C4(lo E')-&"
-,'(5
,9"(* "22-&3(
(F
+5(,9" E2#%1
+
< *
JKK((((7UVWQ@QS7(:7OOQXA@
the Hotel Del, pretending they were celebrating her half birthday.
The two enjoyed wine flights before heading out to the sand. Simon
had a blanket waiting with candles and an Extraordinary Desserts
chocolate cake, and then he dropped to one knee to propose.
Fast-forward eleven months to a candlelit Candela’s restaurant
on Coronado Island, set aglow to celebrate Laurie and Simon tying
the knot. Being the Art Director at Exquisite Weddings, Laurie had
been planning her own nuptials over the years while designing layouts in the magazine. Her favorite part of the planning process was
dress shopping with her mom, sisters, and friends. Ultimately, she
decided on a mermaid-style gown by Canadian designer Mikaella. It
was the last dress she tried on and she didn’t want to take it off. She
knew it was the one. Luckily she can still “shop” for the magazine.
While the men sported tan suits with white shirts, the bridesmaids
wore cocktail dresses in shades of teal to match her satin Badgley
Mischka heels.
For their first dance, they chose Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours.” Guests
watched while sipping on Candela’s signature sangria and margaritas. Once seated, they enjoyed hearts of palm salad and black bean
soup followed by lobster ravioli, sea bass, and tres leches for dessert.
The tables were named after songs picked by the couple, such as
“Crazy in Love” and “How Sweet It Is,” and when the song was
played, the guests at that table were invited onto the dance floor.
As a late night snack, guests enjoyed mini red velvet cheesecakes
topped with Canadian flags in honor of Simon’s family.
Laurie’s favorite moment of the day was walking down the aisle.
“I was nervous about being able to say my vows without crying, to
the point where I almost canceled that part of the ceremony. But
as I walked with my father and saw Simon down the aisle, I had
this incredible peaceful feeling. I was able to look our guests in the
eye and enjoy the moment. I felt like I was in the right spot, and I
knew I could recite them.” Simon agreed, saying he loved watching
Laurie glide toward him to a special song he picked called “Elsa’s
Procession to the Cathedral” from the opera Lohengrin. Simon had
performed it at a wedding 10 years ago and loved it because it was
so moving, so he had his own band play it for their wedding.
Simon fondly recalls a surprise element neither had planned:
Standing on the pier outside the reception, they were greeted by an
astounding fireworks show over the Coronado Bridge, which felt
like their own private show. They kissed, both agreeing without
words that it was a wonderful way to start their new life together.
—!"##$%"&'&"(
!""#$%%&'&()$*#+,('(-#./(0#1$2/&"#$)%#!&0()3-#4"%%&)5#
$)%#")5$5"0")'#$'#"672&-&'"4"%%&)5-0$5$8&)"9:(09
;<=''''")*+$,$-"'."//$#0,