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Nick first saw Josie at a friends party, but they never chatted.
Photo: Dennis Roy Coronel
Nick jokes, Im not much of a gift shop person so I never stopped in.
Finally, the two connected in June 2019.
Josie tagged along as her friend (in true gay fashion) visited Nick to borrow some clothes.
Nick recalls, I was pretty much immediately smitten, but Josie was seeing someone.
We just became really good friends.
A year later, Josie was single and Nick had just undergone ankle surgery.
Despite the injury, she invited Josie to come visit her in New York.
I did my best to show her around the city with my little knee scooter.
It was a magical week.
When Nick decided to propose, she knew it had to be in that coastal town.
We both fell in love there so that was the natural place to do it, she shares.
Just before Labor Day weekend in 2022, the couple spent the morning working early New York hours.
It was stressful to watch her sleep, remembers Nick.
Once she got up, we went down for a sunset beach walk and drink.
I managed to keep it together for three minutes before asking her to marry me.
The pair decided that they would have to return to Santa Barbara for their nuptials.
As a queer couple, Josie and Nick didnt want their wedding to be anything near traditional.
The cool thing about planning a gay wedding is that you could make up the rules!
We simply wanted to shape the day around how we wanted to represent ourselves.
Being from Brazil, Nick wanted a touch of the junglealmost tropicalmixed with classy and traditional.
Being who we are somehow made it cohesive.
Delegating wedding planning tasks was also an exercise in collaboration.
The pair hiredNina Mooreto take on planning, while Josie tackled the aesthetics and Nick kept contracts in order.
Another important task to dole out?
The role of officiant.
When we were talking about who would marry us, we had two requirements.
First, they had to know each of us very well.
Second, they had to have been married for a long time, says Nick.
The couple realized only their parents would fit the bill.
So, instead of having our dads give us away, we had them marry us.
It was a nice way to get to know each other and bring our families closer.
I think it was the summer of crochet and lace shirts, she adds.
Next on the itinerary was the rustic Cowboy Chique welcome event atCold Spring Tavern.
The couple made sure their ensembles were perfect as they rolled up in aBrokeback Mountainembellished bus.
I wanted a fun bridal moment since I wasnt going to be wearing all white during the wedding.
