Tara Bernstein Wore a 'Sports-Inspired' Bridal Dress for Her Pickleball-Themed Engagement Party with Hunter Fieri

Tara Bernstein was ready to kick off her engagement party look when she decided it was going to be pickled balls!

The social media creator celebrated her engagement to Hunter Fieri, Guy Fieri’s eldest son, with a turf fight held in New York City’s Central Park on June 23.

“I am very passionate about pickleball and the positivity it has brought to my life. I dreamed of an engagement party and the potential of a pickleball wedding dress that was comfortable on the courts but also stylish,” Bernstein shared in a statement.

Hunter Fieri and fiancee Tara Bernstein mark 1-year wedding anniversary: ​​’We’re gonna tear up the dance floor’

Hunter Fieri and Tara Bernstein celebrate their engagement in Central Park in New York.

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The designer tasked with creating this kind of elevated sporty look was Justin Warshaw, creative director and CEO of New York label Justin Alexander. Bernstein, who grew up in Glen Oaks, Queens, was new to supporting the local designer, whom she and Fieri met during Bridal Fashion Week in New York in April.

Going into the design process, the bride-to-be envisioned a one-of-a-kind piece that was “the perfect blend of sportswear and bridal wear” — and that’s exactly what she got.

“I couldn’t wait to help bring Tara’s vision for a sports-inspired bridal look to life,” Warshaw said in a statement.

Hunter Fieri Says He Designed Fiancée Tara Bernstein’s Engagement Ring With Pickleball In Mind (Exclusive)

A close-up look at Tara Bernstein’s engagement ring and Justin Alexandre’s engagement dress.

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Warshaw and his team had less than five weeks to create the actual dress. “We worked until the last minute to get the patches on the dress. Then we had to give Tara the dress to try on the day before the event,” he told PEOPLE exclusively. Fortunately, the dress “fit like a glove”.

The end result was a turtleneck mini dress with a pleated skirt with pockets! The entire design is made of ivory Mikado fabric. Warsaw also included a patch with Bernstein and Fieri’s initials as an emblem of the couple’s love story.

The all-white ensemble was completed with a pair of sneakers, and the bride-to-be wore a large bow on top of her braided ponytail.

Hunter Fieri and Tara Bernstein share a sweet moment at an engagement party.

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The entire outfit also matched her engagement ring, which Fieri (27) designed with Bernstein’s profession and favorite sport in mind.

While speaking to PEOPLE in 2023 about creating the sprinkler with a longtime friend, Fieri said he made the ring band and crown thicker to make them extra durable while Bernstein cuts them in the field.

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Bernstein expressed how thrilled she was with the dress on Instagram, writing: “What a MAGICAL day. The pickleball wedding dress of my dreams came to life at our engagement party! Thank you @justinalexander for making my vision a reality.”

She tells PEOPLE she was “in awe” of Warshaw’s attention to detail. Bernstein is considering whether to wear the design again on the court or for another special occasion.

Bernstein also reveals that her fiance “gasped” when he saw her in the fantastic number. “I am inspired by Tara’s mind. She always wants to create new, beautiful things and bring them to life. The dress fit her perfectly!” Fieri tells PEOPLE.

Hunter Fieri and Tara Bernstein rocked the cowboy chic look in their engagement photos.

Photo by Julia Blair

Bernstein and Fieri — who got engaged on Thanksgiving 2023 and are set to tie the knot on June 14, 2025 — are now less than a year away from officially saying “I do.” But their wedding style is already on fire.

For their engagement shoot — shot by Zulie Blair at the family’s Fieri Ranch in California (where the wedding is planned) — the couple wore a modern, western-inspired his-and-hers look. He opted for striped button-up jeans and black skinny jeans, while she wore a white mini dress, cowboy boots and a ‘Bride’ hat.

“365 days – I’m walking down the aisle marrying my best friend and we’ll be tearing up the dance floor with our loved ones by my side,” Bernstein wrote in the caption. “The countdown to the best day of our lives has begun.”

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