Getty Nikki Bella wore a wedding dress she bought while engaged to another man.
Nikki Bella wore a wedding dress she originally purchased when planning to marry John Cena to marry “Dancing With the Stars” professional dancer Artem Chigvintsev in 2021, she revealed ahead of the premiere of the “Nikki Bella Says I Do” special, which premieres on January 25, 2023, on E!.
In an interview with Us Weekly, Bella, 39, spoke about the decision to wear the previously purchased dress.
“I had the moment with that dress … when I saw it,” Bella told the outlet. “It was all something that I dreamed of.”
She told Us Weekly that she felt empowered in the dress, though she did purchase it when she was planning to marry Cena.
“I went back and forth with that decision,” she shared. “For me, it [reflects] how I stand as a strong woman, I was just like wait, why should I not wear what I love? Because of my past? It just didn’t make sense to me.”
She also said Chigvintsev had no issue with the dress.
“He just looks at it as a material thing,” she said. “He probably wanted me to save money but then didn’t realize I bought a few other dresses after.”
She later revealed that she didn’t choose her dress until 30 minutes before she walked down the aisle, but in photos shared on social media of the big day, she’s wearing the dress she purchased while engaged to Cena.
Chigvintsev & Bella Tied the Knot on August 26, 2022, in Paris
The couple announced that they got married on Instagram. Prior to the announcement, they’d been secretive about when the actual wedding would take place.
“We said I DO, can’t wait to share the entire journey with you all when our four-part special event, ‘Nikki Bella Says I Do,’ premieres on @eentertainment. #NikkiBellaSaysIDo,” Bella wrote in the caption. She shared photos of the wedding rings as well as a photo of she and her new husband looking away from the camera upon the cityscape of Paris.
From photos of the big day as well as the new trailer, it’s clear that the couple’s wedding was attended by many members of the “Dancing With the Stars” family and their friends. “Dancing With the Stars” professional dancer Emma Slater can be seen in the trailer at the wedding ceremony.
A Trailer Revealed That Chigvintsev Got ‘Cold Feet’ Ahead of the Wedding
In the first look at their wedding, which will be televised on E! in January as part of the “Nikki Bella Says I Do” special, Chigvintsev reveals he almost didn’t walk down the aisle.
“If that’s how it’s gonna be forever, that’s really like, a big deal,” Chigvintsev says to Bella during an argument shown in the trailer. Later, it’s shown that Bella’s sister, Brie, tells Nikki that Chigvintsev has “cold feet.”
In the trailer, Nikki is shown asking, “does everyone know the trauma that’s happening?” and Chigvintsev calls the wedding a “f***ing disaster.”
They still tied the knot, though, so everything must work out in the end.
Chigvintsev and Bella met and fell in love on season 25 of “Dancing With the Stars” when Bella was engaged to Cena. They got engaged two years later during a trip to France. They welcomed their son, Matteo, in July 2020, per Us Weekly.
“Nikki Bella Says I Do” premieres Thursday, Jan. 26 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on E!.