Dancing with the Stars Koko Iwasaki Goes Dress Shopping for Wedding to Kiki Nyemchek — See the Exclusive Photos!

Dancing with the Stars pro Koko Iwasaki tapped her best friends to help her find the perfect wedding reception dress.

Iwasaki, who is set to walk down the aisle alongside longtime boyfriend Kiki Nyemchek, shared an exclusive glimpse into her reception dress shopping experience alongside her maid of honor, Sofia Ghavami, and bridesmaids Valerie Rockey, Sarah McGinely and fellow Dancing with the Stars pro Peta Murgatroyd. 

The dancer said she went into Jaxon James Couture Bridal Shop in West Hollywood, California with just an idea of what she wanted for the big event.

“All I knew is that I wanted it to be a totally different vibe from my ceremony dress,” Iwasaki tells PEOPLE. “My goal for the wedding weekend along with a bunch of different things is to show all my different styles! My fun side, my quirky side, my elegant side, etc.”

To try out different styles — including those she may not have been inclined to wear — she opted to have her bridal party choose dresses for her to try on. The idea worked, as she ultimately picked a dress her friend Rockey chose, which she described as “completely different from what I thought I’d ever choose.”

“It’s a dress I never would’ve picked for myself but I knew the second I put it on that it was the one,” she shares. “My face lit up and I didn’t want to take it off!”

“She KNEW and we knew,” Ghavami adds. “She was glowing and squealing with excitement! It was different from all the rest, the way she spoke and walked and glowed in the dress was just right. We all felt it when she walked out in it!”

The group worked with a stylist named Elisa, who Iwasaki said “fit” into their chats about what kind of outfit she wanted and made her feel “comfortable and beautiful in every dress.” The dancer noted that the experience was completely different from the “emotional” experience shopping for her ceremony dress with her closest family and friends.

“This time around we had so many laughs and I really value time with my girls,” she said. “They make everything so fun. Being with a group of dancers anywhere is always a good idea.”

Iwasaki and Nyemchek announced on social media in November, 2022 that they were engaged by sharing several photos of the special moment. The post started with a candid of Nyemchek mid-proposal and Iwasaki bending down with a huge smile on her face. The next two photos showed the couple embracing each other in a hug and holding hands as Iwasaki debuted her engagement ring.

"11/26/22 - Easy ask, easy yes. 🤍," Iwasaki and Nyemchek captioned the photos.