Nikki Bella reveals Artem Chigvintsev wedding dress was for nuptials with ex John Cena
Nikki Bella's "something old" for her wedding to Artem Chigvintsev has some history with her ex-fiancé John Cena.
The WWE wrestler, 39, shared in an interview with Us Weekly Wednesday that one of the four wedding dresses she wore to say "I do" to Chigvintsev, 40, in August was something she had picked out when she was engaged to fellow wrestler Cena, 45.
"I had the moment with that dress … when I saw it," she told the outlet. "It was all something that I dreamed of."
The dress gave her a sense of "empowerment," which is why she held onto it in the years since she and Cena split. "For me, it (reflects) how I stand as a strong woman, I was like wait, why should I not wear what I love? Because of my past? It just didn’t make sense to me."
Jennifer Lopez's 'old movie' wedding dress remains a mystery: Everything we do and don't know
Bella admitted she was conflicted about her decision and ultimately would have chosen not to wear it if the "Dancing With the Stars" pro dancer had an issue with it. Her twin sister Brie was less supportive of the choice.
Chigvintsev was more surprised at the reactions from others. "I didn’t think it was going to be that big of a deal for people to react how I reacted," he told Us Weekly. "I think (if there’s) an issue with it, they’re bringing some other energy into our happiness."
"Why would we want to even waste time talking about it?" he added. "It did not bother me at all."
Bella and Chigvintsev first met in 2017 as partners for season 25 of "DWTS." At the time, she was still engaged to Cena. The now-husband-and-wife got engaged in November 2019, the WWE diva revealed in January 2020. They later welcomed their son Matteo in July 2020.
The couple's nuptials and details leading up to the event will be shown in a four-part E! special titled, "Nikki Bella Says I Do." The special premieres Thursday at 9 p.m.
Third time's the charm! See photos of Kourtney Kardashian, Travis Barker's lavish Italian wedding
How long were Nikki Bella and John Cena together?
Bella and Cena broke up in April 2018 after being together for six years. Bella tweeted out a short statement, announcing that she and Cena had split as a couple and called off their engagement just before their wedding.
"While this decision was a difficult one, we continue to have a great deal of love and respect for another," she wrote.
Cena proposed to Bella a year before they ended their engagement. The WWE stars teamed up for a feud with The Miz and Maryse that culminated at WrestleMania 33 in Orlando. After winning a mixed tag match, Cena dropped down to one knee and proposed in the middle of the ring in front of more than 70,000 people.
Contributing: Nick Schwartz
Kourtney Kardashian, Travis Barker love PDA. Do you? And does your partner?
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nikki Bella wore dress intended for John Cena to wed Artem Chigvintsev
