Sarasota showcased on reality show 'Total Divas'

Sarasota, as well as local businesses, will be in the spotlight this weekend on E!’s show, “Total Divas.” Natalie Neidhart, better known as WWE diva Natalya, married fellow WWE superstar Tyson Kidd (T.J. Wilson) June 26, at a private home on Siesta Key, with a reception following at Michael’s On East. The first episode featuring the wedding-planning process will air Sunday, Aug. 18, on E!.

The woman at the helm of this intimate wedding (minus all the cameras and crew) was Sarasota wedding planner Nicole Kaney, owner of NK Productions. Bunim/Murray Productions, the production company in charge of "Total Divas," which airs on E! following "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," sought Kaney out based on her professional reputation. More than 60 guests traveled to Sarasota to attend the wedding, of which Kaney had complete design control.

“When the company hired me, I kept saying, ‘I’m calm and not a planner who brings drama,’ but they were looking for a professional who could organize a wedding of that scale and execute it properly,” says Kaney. “It was an awesome experience, being put under that kind of pressure and getting to work with a company of this caliber — it was one of the most challenging and rewarding things I’ve ever done in my career.”

Michael’s On East will be featured on the show, as well as Something Blue Bridal, in Bradenton, where the bride selected her wedding gown.

“It was so much fun planning, so, when it was all over, we looked at each other and said were heading to L.A.,” jokes Phil Mancini of Michael’s On East.

"Total Divas" had 1.3 million viewers tune in to the first episode, which aired July 28.