"Having a local celebrity there was all the more perfect, and really elevated the day into even more of a fairytale dream," the newlywed couple tells PEOPLE
Credit: J & J Photography and Videography
NEED TO KNOW
- Arie Luyendyk Jr. officiated Nicholas Ansel and Zoe Skorey’s backyard wedding in Phoenix on March 28
- The couple wanted Luyendyk to officiate because they watched his season of The Bachelor early in their relationship
- Luyendyk personalized his speech by meeting the couple beforehand and referencing their love story and shared interests
Arie Luyendyk Jr. made one couple's wedding extra unforgettable.
Phoenix-based couple Nicholas Ansel and Zoe Skorey said "I do" in their backyard on Saturday, March 28, with Luyendyk, 44, as their officiant. After their honeymoon, the newlyweds opened up to PEOPLE about the "fairytale" ceremony experience.
"As we were planning for our wedding, we got the crazy idea to reach out to Arie to see if he would officiate our wedding," Ansel tells PEOPLE. "We had followed Arie’s season of The Bachelor religiously when we first started dating, and because he lived in Scottsdale, we decided to take a chance."
Credit: J & J Photography and Videography
The groom sent a message that read: "Hello, I am reaching out to see if Ari [sic] Luyendyk would be interested in officiating me and my fiancé's (Zoe) wedding on March 28 this year. We met around the time Ari was on The Bachelor and started to fall in love while watching the show together and comparing Ari and Lauren's story to our own, and it would be such an honor to have Ari officiate our wedding and have everything come full circle."
Ansel and Skorey were shocked when Luyendyk, who was the star of The Bachelor season 22, replied to them — and even more so that he accepted the honor. Ansel recalls, "I remember calling Zoe after I got the email and just freaking out about the whole thing."
Ahead of the ceremony, Luyendyk met up with Ansel and Skorey for coffee so that he could learn more about their relationship in order to personalize his ceremony speech.
"He brought a small notepad to write down little facts about our relationship and told us about his own experience getting married," Ansel explains.
Credit: J & J Photography and Videography
Luyendyk married Lauren Burnham in Maui on Jan. 12, 2019, about 10 months after getting engaged on The Bachelor‘s After the Final Rose. The couple shares four children: 6-year-old daughter Alessi, 4-year-old twins Senna and Lux, and 6-month-old daughter Livvy.
"He was so down to earth and generous with his time," Ansel says, adding, "Honestly, Arie was such a pleasure to work with throughout this process."
On the wedding day, Luyendyk was ready to go. One of the couple's favorite parts from his "lovely" officiant speech is when he said, "From sitting on the couch and watching The Bachelor to now being married by that same Bachelor…" Another fun line was a nod to the pair's love of cooking: "Nick brings the savory, and Zoe brings the sweet."
"Having a local celebrity there was all the more perfect, and really elevated the day into even more of a fairytale dream," the couple says.
About 100 guests attended the intimate ceremony. Ansel arranged all the flowers himself, and Skorey baked her famous chocolate chip cookies (which she notes were awarded first place at the 2024 Arizona State Fair). Drinks included local wine and beer from Rune Wines and Church Music.
Credit: J & J Photography and Videography
After the ceremony, the newlyweds headed to Thunderbird Lounge for their reception in Skorey's 1993 Mazda Miata, which their friends decorated with a "Just Married" sign and bedazzled cans.
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Luyendyk reflected on his decision to officiate the wedding on Instagram the next day, March 29. Even though the request was "out of left field," he thought to himself, "Why not? This should be amazing."
"After meeting the couple and writing a little speech, I practiced in front of Livvy and had Lauren help me out, pick out the outfit for the big day," Luyendyk said. "I danced off some nerves and got some encouragement from Lauren."
He continued, "Thankfully, the jokes landed, and I had a blast. Congrats, Nick and Zoe. I was so honored to be a part of your day."
Burnham, 34, commented, "So proud of you!!!❤️." She added in a second comment, "& congrats Nick and Zoe! 🥰."
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