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Credit: Howard Wise/JPI (2); Jeremy Fraser/LA Exposure

“Things have come a little bit full circle.” 

Having watched Melody Thomas Scott play The Young and the Restless‘ Nikki since the character was a trouble-making teen, many fans feel as if they grew up with her. That’s a phenomenon her daughter, Alexandra Yeaggy, got to observe first hand. “It was such an honor to see that people were so taken with my mother,” she recalls. “It was very sweet to see the level of love and respect that the fans really have for her.”

Spending time behind the scenes as a child was always fun for Yeaggy, but she wasn’t particularly interested in Genoa City’s residents. “I absolutely lived in the costume and make-up departments,” she remembers with a laugh. “I’m sure I created total havoc, trying on all the shoes and opening up the felt drawer. It was a wonderful place to be, and I knew that I’d found my passion.”

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From that early discovery has sprung a successful design career in which she’s focused largely on bridal wear. And perhaps fittingly, one of her gorgeous gowns will be featured on the episode of The Bold and the Beautiful airing July 30. In the scenes, Ridge, Eric and Thomas are checking out a newly-designed wedding gown (though not the one Steffy will wear for her upcoming nuptials).

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“The gown they used is actually currently in development and still needed to be hemmed,” shares Yeaggy, “which made it perfect. Because in the scene the gown wasn’t supposed to be completely finished.”

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And if you’re getting sort of a flapper-era feel from the dress, you’re on the money. “This particular collection was designed to be a modern-era take on the flapper girl,” she acknowledges. “The inspiration for my aesthetic is sort of old-Hollywood glamour and red carpet couture, but in white.”

Although the designer doesn’t appear in the episode, she has guested in the past… or at least parts of her have. “There was a storyline a few years back in which Ridge had an accident and lost the ability to draw,” she explains. Needing an assist in that department, Ridge turned to Caroline, who helped guide his hand. The only problem? “They needed to show some live illustration in the close-up scenes.”

Supervising producer Edward J. Scott — who happens to be Yeaggy’s stepdad — immediately knew how to solve the problem. “He knew, of course, that I sketch fashion silhouettes for a living, so he called and said, ‘I trust your abilities… you’re hired!'” Just like that, Yeaggy was essentially a stunt hand for hire!

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Before shooting the actual scenes, one thing needed to be done for the sake of continuity: “Linsey Godfrey and I actually went to go get the same pedicure together,” Yeaggy says of Caroline’s former portrayer. “It was the first time I ever got gels. It was adorable!”

Now that one of her dresses is actually appearing on screen, Yeaggy says it’s “a little bit like things have come full circle. Because obviously, Ridge is the one who supposedly designed my gown this time around.”

Meanwhile, although we’ve been given the scoop on the dress Steffy actually will be wearing on her big day, we’ve been sworn to secrecy. So instead, you’ll just have to make do by perusing the gallery below in which we count down the 35 most memorable weddings in daytime history. See if you agree with the one we put at the top of the charts!