A ‘Dancing With the Stars’ celebrity got married in Oregon this weekend

It’s not just Oregonians who think the south coast is scenic. According to several reports today, a celebrity couple, who are both dance professionals, got married this weekend at a venue on the southern coast.

As Brides magazine reports, Koko lwasaki, one of the professional dancers on the ABC series, “Dancing With the Stars,” and choreographer Kiki Nyemchek, got married on Saturday at Crook Point, which offers oceanfront lodging and is also a venue for destination weddings.

Crook Point vacation homes and event venues are located in the Pistol River area, which is midway between the southern Oregon coastal communities of Gold Beach and Brookings.

Iwasaki and Nyemchek met in 2017 when both competed in another TV competition series, “So You Think You Can Dance.” Brides reports that the couple got engaged five years later, in 2022.

As to how the fleet-footed duo came to choose Oregon as their wedding destination, Iwasaki told Brides, “Kiki and I both wanted outdoor energy for our entire wedding weekend. Our wedding planners, SAMKOMA, showed us this venue and when we took a visit, it felt like a dream.”

Iwasaki said, “I love the mountains and I just knew I wanted to be surrounded by them — and we wanted our family and friends to experience the magic of the Pacific Northwest.”

The color scheme for the ceremony was influenced by the forest and ocean, Iwasaki said. “We got married with the forest as the backdrop, the ocean off to one side, and our family and friends out in front of us.”

The reception also included music. “We found an incredible DJ from Portland, Travis Jones of Jupiter Williams,” Iwasaki said, adding that Jones was “amazing.”

Iwasaki and Nyemchek chose “Lover’s Rock” by Sade for their first dance, according to Brides, “opting to sway naturally to the music over choreographing a performance (in an effort to step away from their day jobs).”

(You can stream “Dancing With the Stars” on Fubo, or on Hulu.)

— Kristi Turnquist covers features and entertainment. Reach her at 503-221-8227, kturnquist@oregonian.com or @Kristiturnquist

Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe