Before her wedding , Katharine McPhee talked with InStyle about meeting her future husband , picking the ring and her wedding day . ( InStyle.com ) -- Every bit the blushing bride , American Idol alum Katharine McPhee gushes about her producer fiance , Nick Cokas , and shares their plans for a big , fat , half-Greek wedding . Q : How did you and Nick meet ? We met in 2005 , doing a show in Los Angeles called The Ghost and Mrs. Muir . [ Cokas was a producer . ] I had just turned 21 and had no idea what I was doing with my life . I was totally focused on my career . Plus , I was at my wit 's end with this other boyfriend . Nick and I went on a few dates . We would go to a bar , and then go back to his car . It was so high school . We 'd kiss in the car and then talk until like four in the morning . It was very sweet . Q : Tell us about your gown . It 's a Manuel Mota for Pronovias . It originally had lace straps that were very beautiful , but I really like my shoulders . That part of my body is one of my favorites . I wanted to show off my shoulders and my back a little bit for the wedding . And the people at R-Mine Bridal Couture , where I bought it said , `` No problem . We can make it into a sweetheart neckline . '' Watch how she looked at wedding » . Q : Are you going to wear a veil ? Yes , but I was n't going to at first . I thought , `` Who wears veils over their heads anymore ? This is 2008 ! '' But now I am excited to wear one . I think it will be good because I might be teary-eyed when I 'm coming down the aisle ... or nervous . My dad 's going to pull it back for me when we get to the altar . The thing about weddings is it 's the one time in your life that you actually get to wear a big , poofy dress . Unless you 're getting an Academy Award , you really do n't have opportunities like that , so you might as well take advantage of it . I say , `` Go big ! This is your wedding . Go big ! '' Q : Do you have any advice for other brides ? Remember that it 's your wedding day . Nick and I talk about this a lot . We 're having these amazing musicians come for the cocktail hour and we 're having this huge gospel choir , this huge band and everything 's big , big , big . The dress is big , and we have so many groomsmen and bridesmaids , but you know what ? At the end of the day , it 's really about the expression of commitment in love and marriage . So , do n't get too carried away . A wedding is about the commitment of love that you 're making to your partner . It 's as simple as that . Q : Will any of your Idol `` classmates '' be performing ? Mandisa is actually going to sing at the ceremony . She is going to sing this song that means a lot to me and Nick . It 's called `` Stay with You '' by John Legend , and we 're going to have the gospel choir behind her . And then Kellie [ Pickler ] will be there , but I do n't know if she 'll sing . She might just hang out . Q : Tell us about your ring . Did you pick it out together ? Nick designed it with jeweler Cindy Boudov , an amazing woman who does everything by hand . The poor thing [ Cokas ] . I was all over the place . We 'd be in this store , we 'd be in that store , and I was , `` I want that one , '' and he 'd be , `` But you just said you wanted a pear shape . '' And then I 'd be , `` Oh , look at this antique ring . I want it to look like that , really antique looking . '' He was , `` Oh my god . '' He did an amazing job . It 's just beautiful , so I 'm a happy girl . [ McPhee 's ring is a 3-carat-brilliant-cut round diamond set in platinum. ] . Q : What are your honeymoon plans ? We 're leaving the day after the wedding for Maui . We 've never been there before . I really want to ride in a helicopter and go hiking , and I want to take surf lessons . I am not much of a lay-on-the-beach kind of girl . I want to be in the ocean . E-mail to a friend . Get a FREE TRIAL issue of InStyle - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2009 Time Inc. All rights reserved .
R-Mine Bridal Couture alum Nick Cokas had first thoughts about veil . She had her `` big , Los Angeles dress '' changed to show off her favorite bits . Her husband Katharine McPhee helped design her engagement ring .