Meet Marilyn! We had the absolute pleasure of getting her hair and makeup ready for her big day. Her beautiful church ceremony took place at St. Mark’s Syriac Orthodox Cathedral in New Jersey, with her reception taking place at the Westmount Country Club. Her guests traveled from India, Texas, and the tri-state region. We had the pleasure of interviewing her after her wedding ceremony so she can tell us about her wedding venue, her bridal look inspiration, and her experience with Cinderella Bridez.

Q: What bridal look were you going for?

Marilyn explained that she was going for a “simple, yet elegant look.” Although she didn’t really have any inspiration, she knew that she wanted to “look and feel like [herself] while marrying [her] best friend.”

Q: What made you decide your wedding venue?

The church that Marilyn and her husband decided for her wedding ceremony was simple and elegant, just like the makeup look she wanted. They went with the Westmount Country Club for their reception because they were very accommodating with their budget.

Q: How did you prepare for your wedding ceremony?

In preparation for her big day, Marilyn first handled the important vendors to make sure she and her husband had places booked for their reception and ceremony. She also booked hair and makeup specialists (us!), photographers, and a DJ. Marilyn and her husband made sure to tackle one task at a time to make sure they weren’t overwhelmed as the days of their ceremony got closer.

Q: How did you and your husband meet? How did you know you wanted to marry him?

Marilyn and her husband met when they were just 14 years old. They had common friends, so they always ran into each other at events or gatherings. Although they didn’t know each other very well at this point, mostly saying “hi” and “bye” to each other when they passed by, they reconnected in college. She was in Philadelphia for school, while her husband presented research at the University of Pennsylvania. He reached out to her one day, asking to grab lunch, and “the rest is history.”

Q: What are your honeymoon plans?

Marilyn and her husband went to St. Lucia, an Eastern Caribbean island, for their honeymoon. She personally recommends this location for anyone’s honeymoon if you just want to “sit on a beach and do nothing but eat, drink, and nap.” This relaxing beach location is perfect for those who want a nice break after a long wedding week.

Q: What advice would you give to a bride who’s planning her wedding?

For those currently planning their dream wedding, Marilyn advises to not listen to other people’s opinions. Your wedding should be about you and your future partner, and it should reflect the both of you. If you and your partner want your wedding to be perfect, then other people’s opinions don’t matter as much. It’s not their wedding, it’s yours.

Q: Why did you choose Cinderella Bridez for your wedding day?

Marilyn chose to work with Cinderella Bridez because she wanted to go with a team that “knows how to do makeup for brown skin.” She heard great reviews about how the makeup artists really take the time to understand how to prepare your skin for the perfect look. On her wedding day, Marilyn had her makeup and hair done by Cinderella Bridez’s CEO, Barbie Patel. Before her big day, she had a look planned out for Barbie to execute. However, when she woke up on her wedding day, she decided to go with a completely different hair and makeup look. Marilyn describes that Barbie was “so accommodating with the last minute change and executed the look [she] wanted perfectly.” She also told us that she still gets compliments about her wedding look to this day. Her last piece of advice for upcoming brides: “book Cinderella Bridez.” She says that “you won’t regret it!”

We had an amazing time getting to know Marilyn as we prepared her perfect bridal look. To Marilyn, thank you so much again for the chance to interview you about your experience!

If you want to read more about weddings, makeup looks, skincare, and travel tips, or if you’re trying to find a great service that provides the perfect bridal day look for your wedding, check out cinderellabridez.com to learn more!