Exclusive: Niecy Nash Gushes About Her Wedding Day

Ms. Niecy Nash will be going by “Mrs.” from now on. Over the weekend, she and love Jay Tucker got hitched in a gorgeous outdoor ceremony and reception at the Church Estates Vineyard in Malibu. 

The glowing bride was a vision of beauty in a sexy off-the-shoulder mermaid gown and lace headband. Bridesmaids Sherri Shepard, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Holly Robinson-Peete and matron of honor Sheryl Lee Ralph were by her side.
 
ESSENCE.com caught up with the former “Dancing with the Stars” contestant before her Anguilla honeymoon so she could dish about all the lovely details.

Here’s what she had to say…

ESSENCE.com: Which wedding memories are playing over and over in your head? NIECY NASH: You know the part that was really special to me was the time before the wedding. I had a little time with each one of my bridesmaids… they just kept coming to my room, one by one, and we had conversations about our friendships, and what kind of woman they think I am and I was just like, ‘Oh my God!’ I was so overwhelmed that women I hold in such high esteem thought so highly of me. I definitely had to lay down for a little while and put ice on my eyes because I was so emotional.

We had a fun bachelorette party where we learned how to burlesque dance, and that was really nice because that was something you could almost pack in the bag and take with you on the honeymoon.

ESSENCE.com: Which moment felt the most romantic?
NASH: When Jay and I shared our first dance we were dancing on the dock and there were beautiful swans in the pond and our friends and family were all around. Brandy started singing “At last,” and girl, I thought my eyelashes were gonna fall off! Oh my goodness, it was the most magical part of the day for me. That was part of what she wanted to give to us on the day.

Then at the end of the night, the most fun had to be when I was on the dance floor and the only people there were myself, my new husband, my three children, his son, and my mom, and they started playing “We Are Family” and that sealed the deal. It was perfect!

ESSENCE.com: You tweeted about having butterflies the days before. How did you handle the pre-wedding excitement?
NASH: There’s so much planning that goes into it that when it all finally comes to fruition, you’re about to take steps into your destiny. You’re nervous, you’re excited, you’re a little overwhelmed. You want everything to be perfect. But it seems like all the things you worry about go right out of your head right before you walk out, because the only thing you’re thinking about is marrying the person that you love.

ESSENCE.com: Did you have something old, new, borrowed, and blue?
NASH: I did do all that. Sheryl Lee Ralph let me borrow the purse she carried on her wedding day. My grandmother gave me her old sapphire ring to wear. My ‘new’ was my dress and my blue, actually, I just kind of felt my own self and I wanted a blue crystal shoe. I reached out to the girls from Glam Luxe and they made the most gorgeous shoe for me — ever! Everybody was having a shoegasm and shoe envy. They made me two pairs; one for the wedding and one for the reception.

ESSENCE.com: Did Jay help plan your big day?
NASH: You know he was present whenever I said ‘I need you’. Would you help me pick this out? Could you take me here? Can we go look at that? Whatever I said he was there. I tried to give him a break a little bit because he’s really a guy’s guy, but when it really came down to it, if I ever needed him he never said “no” to anything. I think he beat me to the food tasting. Man!

ESSENCE.com: Is there anything you plan to try on your honeymoon in Anguilla that you haven’t tried before?
NASH: I’m feeling like at this stage in the game anything goes. I’ve never ridden a horse before, let’s go do it. Snorkeling? Let’s try it. Anything goes!

Be sure to catch a 2-hour special of Niecy Nash’s fabulous wedding on TLC, June 4th at 8pm. We know we’ll be watching!