On September 4, 2021, almost eight years after meeting one another during a competitive game of musical chairs at James Madison University, Nicole Elizabeth Pellegrino and Michael Dennis Freas finally tied the knot. However, Nicole, the host from the Betches Brides podcast, and Mike, who works in brand partnerships at DraftKings, were hoping they might call one another man and wife just a little sooner. They originally had booked to start dating? to marry on October 31, 2020.

"We decided in June 2020 to postpone until 2021, and also at that point, we'd already had the majority of our vendors booked and sent we save the dates," shares Nicole. "So, it had been logistically tough needing to find a new date where our vendors and guests could be available. We also had already had our South Africa honeymoon flights and hotels booked, so we'd to postpone all that as well."

So, the pair shifted their plans and booked a venue for her 165-person mermaid wedding dress in Annapolis, Maryland. "I was raised spending time around the Chesapeake Bay on and on boating, therefore it only made sense to possess our wedding immediately with the water and harbor without anyone's knowledge," explains Nicole. "With our new September 2021 vision, we desired to use earth tones plus some fall touches, too as relaxed and loose greenery. The bridesmaid's dresses were black, therefore we incorporated accents of black through the decor too, allowing it a more modern and contemporary vibe."