Meet Anisha and Meghan Owens! We had the pleasure of getting these two ready for their reception ceremony. They got married in March 2022 surrounded by their immediate family, and they had a separate ceremony a year later. We reached out to them and had the pleasure of interviewing them about their experiences.

Q: What Looks Were You Going For? Glamorous and Bold? Simple yet Elegant?

Both Anisha and Meghan preferred simple, yet elegant looks. Barbie helped the two of them achieve beautiful makeup looks while still feeling like themselves. Meghan doesn’t wear a lot of makeup on a regular basis, and before the trial, she was afraid that she wouldn’t look like herself. However, she was pleasantly surprised at the final result. They both got inspiration for their looks on Instagram, specifically Cinderella Bridez’s page, where they saw the different looks our makeup team has done in the past.

Q: How Did You Get Your Skin Ready for Your Makeup Looks?

The two did dermaplaning, which involves shaving away at the top layers of skin to help reduce the appearance of acne scars and other imperfections. This process helps to reveal newer, undamaged skin. Anisha also used products like vitamin C serums, retinol creams, and moisturizers, which helped her prepare for their ceremony. The two continue to use these skincare products to help their skin even after the reception.

Q: How Did You Handle Any Stress While Getting Ready?

Although the two didn’t face any challenges before or during their ceremony, they still got some nervous jitters. They both don’t like being the center of attention, so when it came time for their grand entrances with their families, they experienced a bit of anxiety. They jokingly said that champagne helped them with their nerves, but after their father-daughter dances, they began to calm down and really enjoy their time together with family and friends.

Q: Where Did Your Wedding and Reception Take Place?

Their wedding took place at a restaurant surrounded by their immediate family. Although their wedding consisted of a small, intimate group of people, their reception had around 200 guests of extended family and friends who live all over the country. Their reception took place at Sheraton in Parsippany. When asked why they chose this venue, Meghan described how her mom would mention the building every time they drove past: “That’s where you’ll get married.” The building looks like a castle, which both Anisha and Meghan loved. It’s also a central location for most of their guests, making it a perfect spot for everyone.

Q: How Did You Prepare for Your Reception?

Like most of our clients, Meghan and Anisha hired an event planner to handle small tasks for them. The year leading up to their reception, however, they mostly did their planning together. Anisha described their process to stay organized amongst the chaos of planning a big ceremony, which included binders, separate email folders, and spreadsheets. They both highlighted the importance of staying organized while planning such a big event. There’s so many separate parts to big ceremonies like theirs, and you'll have a hard time remembering them all if you don’t write them down.

Q: How Did You and Your Spouse Meet? How Did You Know You Wanted to Marry Them?

The two met on a popular dating app called Bumble, and their relationship grew from there. As they continued dating, they realized that their morals, values, goals, and personalities meshed together very well. Anisha knew that she wanted Meghan to be part of her life forever. Although they didn’t have a “moment” when they knew they wanted to get married, they both described having a “feeling.” When you know, you just know. They wanted to keep being part of each other’s lives, and marriage was a way to solidify this. Meghan proposed to Anisha during a trip to the Dominican Republic. Before going to dinner with some of Anisha’s friends, Meghan began talking about her feelings towards her. Throughout her speech, Anisha kept asking, “Wait, are you proposing to me?”, to which Meghan replied, “Well, I’m trying to.” This cute and intimate proposal began their journey towards becoming a happily married couple.

Q: What Are/Were Your Honeymoon Plans?

After their wedding, the two traveled to Saint Martin, an island in the northeast Caribbean. After their reception, they went to Turks and Caicos. Although Anisha got sick during this trip, she explained that if there was anywhere in the world to catch a cold, it would be there. The ocean’s waters are extremely clear, making it a beautiful and relaxing vacation spot. They both enjoyed their time together to the fullest extent, making sure to take the time to unwind after months of planning their reception.

Q: What Advice Would You Give to a Bride Who’s Planning Her Wedding?

The two advised that brides shouldn’t let their wedding planning take over everything. Although your wedding will be a huge event in your life, planning it shouldn’t become your life. Remember to step back and breathe once and a while. They also said to not become too stressed over the small details. Even if one thing goes wrong on your wedding day, your guests will not know there are any issues. There are also going to be challenges you might not be able to control, which is completely normal. Time will fly by during your wedding, and you don’t want to spend it focusing on the small things. Have fun and enjoy the time spent with your friends and family.

Q: Are There Any Moments that Stand out to You from Your Reception?

Because Anisha is Indian and Meghan is Irish, they decided to blend their two cultures together for their reception. They hired a bagpiper and a Dhol drummer to kick-off the dance floor. They said that if there’s only one thing that their guests remember from their ceremony, it would be this duet.

Q: Do You Have any Do’s and Don’ts for Planning a Wedding?

For any upcoming brides, make sure to stay organized as you begin to plan. It’s easy to get lost in the process if you don’t have a system in place to remember the small details. Try creating folders, contracts, and spreadsheets to keep track of everything. They also advised to not ask for anyone else’s opinion, because they might get upset if you decide not to take it. Their last piece of advice is to not spend too much money on the little details. Most people won’t remember your centerpieces or furniture, but they will remember the food, music, and ambiance of your wedding. Focus on the bigger things and don’t overthink the small details.

Q: Why Did You Choose Cinderella Bridez for Your Reception?

Anisha experienced Cinderella Bridez first-hand during her friend’s wedding, where she was a bridesmaid. Barbie did everyone’s makeup, and Anisha loved the finished product. She saw how organized the team was and followed them on Instagram, where she saw other brides’ makeup looks. She described that other Indian bridal agencies tend to make their brides look like a completely different person, which she didn’t want for her own reception. She wanted to feel elegant while also looking like herself, which is what Meghan wanted as well.

To Meghan and Anisha, thank you so much for this interview opportunity. We wish you guys nothing but the best for the future!

If you want to read more about our services, check out the rest of our website at cinderellabridez.com. Or if you want to learn about Barbie’s journey as a small business owner, visit her website at barbiepatel.com.