Summer Long Honeymoon, Part 4: Nicole's Wedding
As I mentioned in the Season 9 installment, Michelle, Paige’s best friend and Maid of Honor, Nicole, got engaged to her boyfriend, Carson, about a month after Paige and I did. While Paige was initially in the bridal party, she made the executive decision to drop out for her own mental health because of the stress of our wedding. However, Paige was still treated as a bridesmaid at every point except for the actual ceremony.
Nicole had watched our cat, Charlie, for a little bit of the time that Paige and I were in Florida with my family last year. When we returned, we saw that Nicole had left our invite for her wedding. While it was addressed to “The soon-to-be Mitchell & Paige Ulibarri,” Nicole told us Paige’s entire family was invited. While none of them were able to make it, my brother Ryan was invited the day after Paige and my wedding.
On Sunday, July 19th, 2026, Ryan, Paige, and I, checked into our hotel at 2:30, which was about 20 minutes before the last shuttle was scheduled to leave for the venue. At 3:10, the shuttle dropped us off at the venue, Glass On Enchanted Acres. When we walked into the building, we were immediately greeted by Paige's high school friend Sophia's boyfriend, Riley. Since the rest of the friend group were bridesmaids, Riley stuck with Paige, Ryan, and I when we filed out for the outdoor ceremony. As we moved to our seats, I looked around at the beautiful sculptures and landscape surrounding us. I wish I could describe to you in detail what it looked like, but honestly I was way too overstimulated to actually process it. Once we found our seats, and as we were waiting for the ceremony to start, Riley told us that he was planning on proposing to Sophia the next week, and Paige and I lost our minds.
At 3:30, the bridal party processed down the aisle, and when everyone else was ready, we all turned around, preparing to see Nicole. To everyone's surprise (especially Carson's), Nicole had pre-recorded a message to him. Once “Recording Nicole” had finished professing her love (and emotionally wrecking all of us), actual Nicole made her appearance. After they were officially married 10 minutes later, we returned inside to start the cocktail hour. At about 5:30, the bridal party entered the reception, and after dinner, the speeches, and the cake cutting, Nicole and Carson had their first dance. They danced to Tale As Old As Time, and one of the event staff members poured dry ice on the ground so that they danced in the fog, which was chef's kiss.
The dance floor opened immediately after, and let me tell ya, I put my heart and soul into that dance floor. Over dinner, Paige had told me that she had heard from her cousins and social media, “The first wedding after your own is always top tier.” When she told me that, having only experienced the ceremony, I didn't disagree with her. I've always loved weddings, and while our wedding was the best day ever, we were still hosting the party. It was still a job. Not having that pressure, at the reception I completely let loose. I don't remember everything I did. I know I tied my tie around my forehead cuz I've seen that on TV and I've always wanted to try it. And the whole night, Nicole and I were just screaming at each other, “WE DID IT!” Referring to the fact that we were both now married to our respective best friends.
At the end of the night, Paige and Ryan were both crashing, and so we got on a shuttle about 30 minutes before the reception ended. On the ride back, Paige laid her head on my shoulder, and I looked out the window into the night with a smile. Nicole and Carson had figured out the plans for their wedding over the course of last summer. Paige and my wedding did not start to take shape until after Dad had the 30th anniversary of Kobolt party. That was in December. Paige and I planned our wedding in 6 months (a little less than that if you consider Christmas). As Paige’s Maid of Honor (and a fellow 2026 bride), Nicole had a huge supporting role in pulling off that feat.
Obviously, I was always aware that Nicole and Carson were getting married next, but it was something that was hard to conceptualize since our wedding had been all-consuming for us (as it should have been). Being able to celebrate someone who was there for us throughout the entire planning process and has been a part of our relationship since the beginning, as she started her “Greattasticly Ever After,” was something that Paige and I were so proud to be a part of, and we can’t wait to see what's next for them!
To Be Continued…
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