Like something straight out of a romantic comedy, Niki Ikahihifo-Bender and Jordan Mailata physically ran into each other in the most charming meet-cute. It was at Philadelphia’s Reading Terminal Market, a busy shopping and dining outpost. “I was living in New York City at the time and took the train to Philadelphia for my dad’s medical school reunion with my mother, father, and sister," Niki remembers. During a break during the packed weekend, they stopped at Reading for lunch. “Coincidentally, Jordan, who had recently been drafted to the Philadelphia Eagles, decided to drag his fellow rookie friends on a detour through Reading Terminal. It’s a bustling, crowded place that, particularly pre-Covid, often had people packed like sardines, front to back to front to back. My sister and I physically bumped into Jordan in between Godshall’s Poultry and Nanee’s Kitchen.” 

Four years later to the day, Jordan proposed in the exact same spot—but this time, it wasn’t so crowded. They very well may have had their wedding there, too, but needed a venue more central for their worldwide guest list. They landed on Montage Healdsburg, which checked all of their boxes. The sprawling venue could host almost all their weekend events—from their rehearsal dinner and welcome party to their post-wedding brunch—and provide accommodations and exclusivity. Considering there would be just about an entire NFL team in attendance hoping for privacy, the couple opted for a full property buyout, so their guests could relax and have fun. 

“Thematically, I wanted an outdoor wedding with a breathtaking view for my ceremony [and] a European feel,” Niki shares. “But overall and most importantly, I wanted our wedding to accurately represent Jordan and me as individual people with diverse backgrounds and as a couple.”

The rehearsal dinner was modern and chic, the welcome party was an island-inspired celebration, and the wedding day on July 1, 2023, was all earthy romance. Read on to see all the stunning details from the latter, as planned by MaKela Allen at Cole Drake Events and photographed by Greg Finck.

The party got started the moment guests arrived. “We wanted to offer our guests a fun welcome gift, something they would actually use and truly enjoy,” Niki says. “Our planner came up with the idea of a welcome cocktail kit that each guest would get upon check-in to the Montage. Our drink was a mai tai; the kits were such a fun touch and a great way to set the tone and welcome our guests to the resort.” TPD Design House brought the vision to life.

Niki worked with stylist Carrie Goldberg to find the perfect gown. “I knew I wanted an A-line dress, exposed boning, and the incorporation of a nude color in some way; I found through trial and error that I was preferring dresses with a nude underlay,” she recalls. “Carrie suggested we try this Oscar de la Renta dress in a custom nude-wheat color that complemented my skin. The fact I not only felt amazing in it, but I was the only one in the world with that dress in that color was just dream-worthy.” She paired the gown with a veil and detachable tulle wrap in the same custom nude tone for the ceremony.

Carrie also helped outfit Jordan, who often has difficulty finding clothes that fit his 6-foot-8 frame. “There are not many things I can buy, so when we found Zegna and their custom suits, I was so happy to see what they had in mind,” Jordan says. “The whole experience was memorable; every trip we made to New York City was worth it.” They selected a unique hue that fit the season perfectly. 

"Jordan had no hints about my dress, neither style nor color, going into it, so I was hoping for a surprise and a few tears at the first look,” Niki says. “Jordan was surprised and did get teary-eyed. I was just so excited for him to see me, and to see him for the first time that day.” 

Their ceremony was the only event to take place off-site, and they built a unique space from the ground up at a private estate inspired by a Tuscan villa. “As our ceremony venue was already so lush and had a large expansive lawn, we ultimately decided to keep the ceremony very timeless and elegant,” Niki says. “Ceremony florals were white, ivory, and pops of greenery. The only pops of vibrant colors were in our personal flowers and, of course, the bridal gown.” 

Austalia’s strongest man (literally!) Eddie Jo Williams kicked the ceremony off on a humorous note as “flower man”—then things got more emotional. “We wrote our own vows, which was important to us,” Niki shares. “It was also important for me to include a Tongan hymn, which my Tongan family sang. It was especially meaningful for me because so many members of my family flew over from Adelaide, Australia, just to be there and do that for me. That made me tear up.”

“Our going-out song was pretty notable: 'Miracles Happen' by Myra from The Princess Diaries soundtrack,” Niki says. “People said it made them feel like a ’90s rom-com—which I appreciated and hoped for, growing up in the ’90s."

“Once guests were transported back to Montage for the cocktail reception, dinner, and dancing, we wanted to create a very distinct change in design. Mauve, brown, chocolate tones, touches of gold, and lots of velvet and warmth were used—the design here was much more modern-romantic,” Niki says. 

There were nods to Jordan’s career throughout, including jersey placard escort cards arranged in a stadium seating array, and a custom Eagles jersey attendees signed instead of a traditional guest book.

“MaKela really designed our events with thought to how our guests would interact with the space best,” Niki says. “While some of our guests were very tiny and short, we also had many very large humans. MaKela saw the bigger picture of the space; she recommended we design each table slightly differently so the space as a whole could be seen at different levels and heights.” They envisioned romance without being too feminine, and included tall greenery centerpieces and lower, lusher floral ones. 

For the reception, Niki changed into a custom look from Factory New York by designer Paul Burgo. She paired it with a Judith Lieber clutch that was a cheeky nod to her groom. “The clutch was not intentionally shaped like a football, but it gave us football vibes and we loved it for that.”

Niki’s dad had had mobility issues over the past year and successfully completed enough rehab to dance with her for the father-daughter dance. Jordan stepped in to make it even more special: He took the stage and belted out Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely" as Niki and her dad danced.

“The main courses of our reception meal were served family-style, and also made up of some of our favorite foods from our hometowns: Alaskan king salmon, pork belly, barbecued chicken, and guava passionfruit cake," Niki says. “This reflects how we like to eat as a family in the Polynesian culture—but also helped us to meet the appetites of the many offensive linemen and other hungry athletes in attendance!” 

The vibe changed again for the after-party—and so did Niki. “We wanted to create a fun ‘club’ atmosphere: black-and-white checkered dance floor, huge LED video wall behind our DJ, and a cool black-and-white photo booth.” The bride looked the part in a custom organza jersey by Paul Burgo and Naeem Khan pants. They danced the night away, including during one extra-special moment. “Niki has a line dance to Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shivers’ that she loves, but few people know how to do,” the couple shares. “Jordan’s family learned the dance in Australia and surprised her on the after-party dance floor with it to officially welcome her to the family.”