Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella celebrated their wedding in the sweetest way.
Nikki, 39, and Artem, 40, recited their heartfelt wedding vows in front of a small group of friends and family during Thursday's episode of the E! special Nikki Bella Says I Do. Before the vows' jokes and tears, there were a few hiccups along the way leading to the couple's big day.
The wedding day didn't exactly start off on a positive note — Nikki's wedding dresses had not been steamed the night before, and the wedding bands had gone missing.
"I'm not in a good place right now to give a vow because my mind clearly is not where it should be," Artem told Nikki's twin sister Brie Bella moments before he was supposed to walk down the aisle. "This is the most ridiculous situation right now. I don't understand how rings can just disappear."
"I just really want to get this ceremony started because we're not going to have time for anything else," Nikki, who was in the next room, told her makeup artist. "I feel like we're rushing through everything. I was really excited, and now there are all of these negative things."
"On wedding days, something always goes wrong," Brie told Artem. "I was just telling Nicole, you have to look past the little things."
After Artem asked for a minute by himself, his best man and fellow Dancing with the Stars pro Gleb Savchenko had a pep talk with him and Artem came to a realization.
"I have a beautiful women who wants to marry me and who I want to marry, and I have a room full of people who care for both of us," he said. "When I started thinking from that perspective, the storm in my mind died down. In reality, it's not about the rings, it's about expressing how you feel and being there and being present and seeing your future wife's face and when I started thinking of that, things just went back into place."
Once Nikki reached Artem at the end of the aisle, all was good — and both were more than ready to express their love to one another with their personal vows.
"From the moment you waltzed into my life, I knew you were heaven-sent," Nikki said, as she began reading her vows. "Our chemistry was undeniable. It was as if we knew each other our whole life and now I stand here about to become your wife. Wine nights with Tignanello, sushi and sake dates even in bed, secret vacation to France, vineyard walks and FaceTime sleeps, life with you is perfect what more can be said."
"Then you gave me the greatest gift of all," she continued, while they both fought through tears. "Making me a mother to our son Matteo. I promise to be there for you always, bossy and all. I promise you more trip to Turkey or wherever we get to kiss your parents and brother and all. From fighting through our ups and down to you being the greatest father, I know now as my heart has known forever, Mr. Chigvintsev — you are the one for me starting now and forever."
"This is hard because I'm not a good writer," Artem said, as he started his vows. "First of all I want to say that you look absolutely stunning. I feel so lucky standing here next to you. Next to a women who is absolutely incredible, amazing perfect, giving and thoughtful and making a hell of a mom. To everyone here, your family, my family, friends, I want to promise you to love you forever, an unconditional, no matter how hard it can get, because it can get crazy at times."
"We're just so passionate," Nikki responded.
"I want to promise to be patient and understanding," he continued. "It's really important to me because growing up I had two idols, my parents, it's a big shoe to fill. I believe in our love and what we have and it's definitely unforgettable. I cannot wait to call you my wife."
After the ceremony, the duo celebrated with laughs, champagne and plenty of dancing.
During the four-episode E! special, viewers saw the couple struggle with personal obstacles leading up to their wedding.
Last week, the pair got into a heated argument days before their wedding in Paris — leaving both feeling uneasy about their future.
"Artem and I got into a pretty bad argument last night, and he and Matteo leave for Turkey in a few hours," Nikki said. "Artem and I decided that Matteo will go to Turkey with Artem and our Nanny Mirium. I'm going to stay in Paris with Brie and we're just going to plan this wedding."
"They're going to be in Turkey for four days, which is giving me massive anxiety," she continued. "When I would ask about it or say things about it, Artem was taking it as I don't want him to go, I don't want him to see his parents, and I don't want any of that. It definitely caused a lot of tension and tension that is still there."
The DWTS pro added, "It's not the best feeling that Nicole and I had an argument. My frustration came from, 'Are you asking me to say, 'No, we're not going to go. We're just going to be in Paris?' I do feel like she doubts my ability at being with Matteo and being his dad. I can handle the situation."
Speaking to cameras, she acknowledged how difficult the wedding situation was becoming for the pair, and that having it in Paris — where they got engaged in November 2019 — was the best option.
"The one thing I've realized in being a fiancée to him, Artem is definitely a realist," she explained. "Artem is so close to his family, but yet they're so far away. Artem doesn't have a lot of people here in America. It makes me so emotional because I'm all about family. Family is No. 1 in my life. My son doesn't get to meet his grandparents. I'm starting to realize that getting married in Napa Valley is not going to work."
Nikki Bella Says I Do airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on E!
