25+ Planning, Style, and Life Wedding Tips From a Newlywed Editor

As a beauty editor, I love flower crowns but decided not to wear one for my big day. (More on the accessory I did wear later!) So when my florist, Lee Vazquez, presented this idea of creating a giant floral wreath for the perfect photo op, I was instantly sold. If you can find a way to work a photo setting — be it this, a wall of roses, etc. — into your budget, it will make your event unique.

Also, hire vendors you creatively vibe with! I was on a strict budget for florals and hired Lee because she had innovative ways on how to stretch what I could spend and reuse different pieces throughout the night.

This sounds obvious, but don't assume the food is delicious. Either do a food sampling, get a recommendation from someone you trust (like a foodie friend), or dine at the venue's restaurant. Most people remember three things: the venue, the food, and the music.

Eliminate day-of stress by enlisting a hairstylist who understands you and knows your hair well. Dhiran Mistry of Spoke & Weal (pictured) has been cutting my strands for five years, so he was the perfect man for the job. We had three hair trials to choose my half-up style, cut the extensions, and perfect the look.

On the big day, he kicked everyone out of the room to concentrate. He nailed the updo in one shot, and not a hair fell out after hours of dancing. That's the sign of a good friend (and a pro!).

Many moons before I got a rock on my left hand, I obsessed over this Lelet NY Orbit Pearl Halo piece. Lauren Conrad's hairstylist Kristin Ess posted photos on Instagram of Lelet NY accessories, and I fell down a rabbit hole, swooning over crowns, barrette, and combs. This one spoke to me because it felt classic with a twist. And the pearls show up well in brunette hair!

Whether you just love hair flowers or jewels, trust your gut when you find a hairpiece that seems like The One.

As a beauty editor, I felt pressure to get the best glam team. After trials with many brands and pros, Phillip Silvas fell into my lap. I had booked GlamSquad for my bridal shower hair and makeup, and Phillip was the artist the on-demand service sent.

He nailed my makeup that day, and I received many compliments on it from my friends and family. People even told me: "Wear this exact look on your wedding."

I did a second, more formal trial with Phillip to perfect his art (tip: do it for your engagement photos, so you can see how it photographs!). We decided on a rose gold eye (to match my theme), a bronzy cheek, and faux lashes.

GlamSquad is affordable enough that I was able to pay for all seven of my bridesmaids plus the two moms. It costs about $100 per person, plus tax and gratuity.

What is also great about GlamSquad (and most on-demand services) is that you can give them your own makeup to use. This leaves less room for problems, such as an allergic reactions to the formulas.

I provided Phillip with a handful of Charlotte Tilbury skin-perfecting products (including Magic Cream and Film Star Bronze & Glow Palette), the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette for my eye shadow, and Christian Louboutin Lipstick in Petal Rose.

Fun fact: I sent Phillip selfies of me trying lipstick colors from the makeup counter, and he helped me choose the right shade for my complexion.

My best piece of advice in this whole damn story is to buy a dress you don't feel like you have to lose weight for. While I got toned and worked out almost every day in the final weeks leading up to my wedding, I probably lost about three pounds total. I didn't worry about losing weight, since I bought a gown that flatters my shape. This is the Reem Acra She's in Love style with a simple veil from Saks.

I love sexy, strappy stilettos just as much as the next person, but since you could not actually see my shoes under the gown, I opted for a practical style. These Stuart Weitzman Nearly Nude Sandals in Lame were the perfect combination of glam and functional. The block heels with grip allowed me to move about the room feeling supported. And I will wear them to other affairs!

One of the best pieces of advice I received came from another POPSUGAR editor who wrote this story about picking a signature bridal fragrance. I did this early on and chose Chloé Love Story. I wore the fresh jasmine and citrus scent to every event — engagement party, bachelorette weekend, bridal shower, wedding day, and honeymoon. Now, every time I spray it, I am reminded of this special time in my life. (I received this gifted monogrammed bottle for my big day.)

Instead of basic patent leather dress shoes, he found this cool pair with a pony-hair texture from the Hugo Boss outlet in Woodbury Commons.

Michael got a dapper pair of Lanvin cufflinks that were on sale for $90 at Mr Porter.

When it came to his grooming, Michael got a professional shave from Harry's Corner Shop in NYC, a haircut from Dhiran, and his eyebrows groomed by Sania Vucetaj. I booked all of these appointments for him and just sent him calendar invites. Do what you gotta do!

He also found his Theory tux on sale! (Similarly, my brother snagged a discounted John Varvatos suit at Woodbury Commons.)

My grandmother and aunts pulled through, lending me these pearl earrings and diamond bracelet to wear. The pieces had been worn by different family members for their weddings and brought good karma to my event. (Also, I just put on my dress here, so I was feeling emotional.)

The one thing I did to prepare for the strapless dress was to laser my armpit hair off. And it worked! I did it at Romeo and Juliette in NYC, which you can read more about here. (This image is not Photoshopped, and the skin on my pits is really that clean and bright now!)

My florist — who made this gorgeous South of France-inspired bouquet — told me your wedding is the time to be your most elegant self. For me, that meant wearing lace (an homage to my late grandfather, who owned a lace factory) and ruffles (a nod to all of the dance costumes I wore growing up). It also inspired me to choose a simple blush, white, and green color palette — because I actually love pink!

Like I said, be creative — but if you also love blush, white, and green flowers, it can still be original.

My husband teases me that you won't find me without a denim jacket glued to my body during the Summer. Instead of getting a fancy bolero or fur topper, I had a white Levi's jacket monogrammed in gold with stars (for Goldsmith!). I love it, and wore it during my honeymoon.