Attending a Las Vegas bachelorette party in the spring of 2006 had an extra special payoff for Arizona native Marcey Hofelich -- she met her future husband during the weekend celebration. "As part of the bachelorette schemes, the maid of honor put pink handcuffs on all the cute guys and made them dance or serenade the bride for their release," Marcey explains. "Nick was captured temporarily, but I got to keep him!" The couple's subsequent long-distance romance culminated in Marcey moving to California, and a romantic seaside proposal soon after she arrived.

As an alumna of one of two private schools linked to beautiful Brophy Chapel, Marcey was able to book the historic Phoenix landmark for the couple's Catholic ceremony. A magnificent painted ceiling, wrought-iron chandeliers, and an altar made of rosy tufa stone reflected the Spanish Colonial architecture that influenced the chapel's design. Illuminated by the filtered light of brilliant stained-glass windows, Marcey made a dazzling entrance in a strapless Anne Barge gown and a vintage crystal necklace that had belonged to her maternal grandmother. On her right hand, Marcey wore her paternal grandmother's engagement ring, while her mother's wedding-day handkerchief rounded out the ensemble. "With all those heirlooms from very happy marriages, I walked down the aisle not only with the heritage of my family, but with their blessings and hopes for Nick's and my future," says the bride. Marcey was then given away by her father with the same meaningful gesture that her paternal grandfather used to bestow on his own children every night: a sign of the cross and a pat on the cheek.

After the couple exchanged wedding vows they had written themselves, the scene of the joyous event switched to the Silverleaf Club in nearby Scottsdale. Lush, Mediterranean-inspired floral arrangements complemented the Tuscan flavor of the private club, while glass hurricane lamps added a romantic glow. Guests found their seats courtesy of calligraphed favor boxes filled with chocolate-covered espresso beans, and were delighted with CDs of the couple's favorite songs. Rich, bronze table linens embroidered with flowers coordinated perfectly with coppery satin chair covers as a decadent gourmet dinner was served. The eye-catching wedding cake of flourless dark-chocolate layers and raspberry cheesecake was draped in a pink fondant that matched the vivid shade of the bridesmaids' gowns. A dusting of copper-colored sugar added sheen to the gorgeous showpiece, and flowers that mimicked the centerpieces pulled the whole look together.

The highlight of the reception was musical entertainment by the band Emilio, the same group that Nick and Marcey saw in concert on one of the bride's first trips to California. "They were playing in Newport Beach," Marcey remembers, "and never dreaming it could be true, we said to each other, 'Wouldn't it be awesome to have them play at our wedding?'" The band's unique, modern-edged blend of Spanish flamenco guitar, percussion, and gypsy violin tied in beautifully with the European look and feel of the wedding.

After the bouquet had been caught and the last slice of cake enjoyed, the couple looked back on their wedding during what the groom recalls as his favorite moment: "Driving together at the end of the night to the Royal Palms [Resort & Spa], thinking about how amazing the evening was, how much we loved each other, and how we wished we could do it all over again." Advises the bride: "Take the night in, because it will be over before you know it." And don't let everything that happens in Vegas stay there.