CHAD ARNOLD & NICHOLAS MIANO
Dec. 31, 2022 | Cheers at the OPO | Fayetteville | Aly England Photography
After five years together, Nick proposed to Chad in Salida, Colorado in September 2020. He flew several of their friends out to celebrate the engagement, and the couple prepared for a longer engagement due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On their one-year engagement anniversary, Chad took Nick back to Colorado to give Nick a “counter-proposal” ring at Devil’s Thumb Ranch.
Chad grew up in Arkansas while Nick grew up in New Jersey. They got married in Arkansas because they wanted to show Nick’s family how beautiful the Natural State is. With the holiday lights and being a beautiful historic building, getting married at Cheers in Fayetteville was a no-brainer!
They moved in New York City in 2018 for Nick’s job, and Chad quickly found a job in the city a few weeks after they made the move. Nick wanted to be closer to his family, and the move felt like a great transition for the couple as they enter their 30s. So sweet!
WEDDING VENDORS WE LOVE
Wedding planner
Amanda Reed of Amanda Reed Weddings
MORE VENDORS
Photographer: Aly England Photography; Venue, catering and drink service: Cheers at the OPO; Florals: Jules Designs; Rentals: Eventology; Linens: BBJ La Tavola, Nuage Designs; Wedding cake: Shelby Lynn’s Cake Shoppe; Lighting: Lightworks; Dance floor: The Dance Floor Man; Entertainment: DJ Derreck; Stationery: AR Graphics, The Knot; Photo booth: Social Photo Booth Co.; Balloon drop: Presley Paige; Grooms attire: Suit Supply; Wedding party attire: Azazie; Hair and makeup: Crown Beauty and Megan Harris
Q & A
Q: What inspired your florals?
A: “We have lots of plants in our apartment in Brooklyn so we’re most comfortable being surrounded by greenery,” Nick said. “Additionally, with our wedding being on New Years Eve, we wanted to have our florals match the season.”
Q: What is your secret to wedding planning success?
A: “Make decisions for yourself, not what you think people want because it’s fancier, classier, or more traditional,” Nick said. “Ideally, everyone at your wedding just wants to celebrate your day with you, so make it your own.”
Q: What detail made your day feel perfect?
A: “We had a private dinner upstairs after the ceremony,” Nick said. “It was a moment to be together and chill. We could hear the music and everyone hanging out. It was a perfect moment before being introduced.”
Q: Newlywed advice?
A: “Marry someone with whom you laugh loudly and often,” Nick said. “And related to that, be willing to laugh at yourself.”
Q: Are you glad you hired a wedding planner?
A: “We hired Amanda Reed Weddings to plan our wedding,” Nick said. “She was incredibly supportive of our (mostly Chad’s) vision and also helped keep us organized and on track. It’s easy to feel like you’re behind schedule, but with an expert like Amanda, she continually put us at ease.”
FAVORITE DETAIL
“I’m seeing more and more disco balls incorporated into wedding decor, which we leaned heavily into for our wedding,” Nick said.
INSPIRATION
Nick and Chad gathered inspiration for their reception from the grandiosity of the popular TV show “Bridgerton.”
