Unlike the rest of us, who remained blissfully unaware of the Spears/Federline wedding plans in mid-September, neighborhood resident Niven Morgan was busy scrambling around making last-minute preparations.
“We found out three days before [the surprise wedding],” he says.
That’s right — Niven Morgan, whose company of the same name makes body and skin care products and candles — has his first celebrity client.
It actually started months before the wedding.
“Last October [2003], Britney was introduced to my products by her interior designer,” says Morgan, who moved to
Morgan, of course, was thrilled.
“We shipped each candle according to the Christmas list, along with a note from Britney.”
Since then, his connection to the Spears circle has only become stronger. He says he and Culotta have become close friends, and when he heard about the wedding plans called her to see if he could provide any gifts. Culotta, in turn, put him in touch with the wedding planner, Alyson Fox, after swearing him to secrecy.
Asked if he had to sign any sort of confidentiality agreement, Morgan chuckles. “No,” he insists. “Felicia’s worked with me so long now — we talk regularly, so I think she had a pretty good level of comfort with me.”
Morgan originally was supposed to supply the couple with 200 winter fig-scented candles with a “BK” (for Britney/Kevin) logo, wrapped in red organza bags, that they would give to all their guests. But then, as most of the world now knows, the wedding date was moved up to throw off the press.
“Due to the sudden change in wedding plans, we over-nighted about 30 candles for the event,” Morgan says. “Britney also gave our skin care line to each of the groomsmen.”
As of about three weeks after the wedding, Morgan says his involvement had had little effect on his business — not that he minds.
“You know what? That doesn’t matter. We’re still having a good year,” says the down-to-earth Morgan, who started his company seven years ago after quitting a job doing sales and marketing for a chemical company. He says growth has been “steady,” and his 2004 sales are up 32 percent over last year.
For now, he’s basking in the glow of being so close to Spears’ inner circle. Lately, he’s become close with her mom, Lynne (also a fan of his products).
“They’re very nice,” he says. “Everyone Britney surrounds herself with, they’re just the nicest group of people.”
And is he as big a fan of Spears’ work as she is of his?
“Of course!” Morgan says, adding that he owns two of her CDs. “I know not everybody likes her, but she’s just huge. And it’s kinda cool that some little ’ole boy from
