One very important person was missing from Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev's walk down the aisle.
The couple exclusively revealed on the Jan. 2 episode of E! News their 2-year-old son Matteo Chigvintsev ended up having to skip their August 2022 wedding ceremony in Paris for a totally understandable reason. As Artem put it, Matteo got a bit "too excited" about his duties as ring bearer.
"He was throwing up," Nikki told E! News co-hosts Adrienne Bailon-Houghton and Justin Sylvester, adding that her brother JJ Garcia was the bearer of bad news. "The Nutcracker plays and we're like looking down the aisle, and I'm like, 'Where is he?'" the Total Bellas alum explained. "And I feel just his hand like this, and my brother's like, 'Here's the rings. Matteo's vomiting. Just, you know, continue to get married.'"
The situation left both stars heartbroken, as Nikki noted, "I think I turned white." But as they say in showbiz, the show must go on, and that's exactly what happened.
"We both don't even remember the ring part because we both kept looking at each other like, 'Are we terrible parents, like putting our rings on and we were just told our son is vomiting in the back?'" Nikki continued. "He ended up throwing up and he went back to the hotel, and he actually ended up being okay. But I'm sad we don't have that moment, but it's okay. We got to see him before."
Fans will see the moment for themselves on the upcoming season finale of E!'s four-part wedding special Nikki Bella Says I Do. And though Nikki and Artem planned their entire wedding in four weeks, it is not something the WWE star would recommend.
Stating that her wedding timeline wasn't "the smartest" decision she's ever made, Nikki told E! News that it was the "most spontaneous," noting, "It kind of made it fun for wedding planning, at times, until we got to Paris and found out that everyone leaves in August, the majority of things were closed."
Despite hitting some wedding planning road bumps along the way—from struggling to find a venue to Artem's family potentially not being able to attend and more—Nikki said there was no room for "bride or groomzillas."
"For me, when things didn't work out, I was just like, 'Whatever. You know, whatever does is meant to be,' and it kind of made it more magical," the 39-year-old shared. "And Paris is very magical, especially when it comes to love, but I do not suggest it."
Hear more from Nikki and Artem—including their thoughts on trying for baby No. 2—in the full interview above.
Nikki Bella Says I Do airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on E!.
E! News airs Mondays through Thursdays at 11 p.m. on E!.