Meet Bhavna! She and her husband got married at the beautiful Hard Rock Hotel in Punta Cana back in December of this year. She hired Barbie to help her with her big day by planning and executing her bridal hair and makeup look. In this exclusive interview, she talks about her wedding-day preparations, gives advice to upcoming brides, and shares her experiences with Cinderella Bridez!.

What Indian bridal makeup look were you going for on your wedding day? Glamorous and bold? Simple yet elegant? Soft glam?

Bhavna didn’t have much inspiration for her wedding-day look besides from a few photos saved from Pinterest. Instead, she wanted her artist to simply create a beautiful look based on her outfits. Because she decided to give her makeup artist all of the creative freedom, she really wanted to choose one she could trust. She wanted her makeup to be one aspect of her wedding that she didn’t stress about, so choosing the right artist was a must. In fact, due to the fear of her getting booked up, one of the first vendors that Bhavna booked for her wedding was Barbie. During their trial, Barbie created one full look for Bhavna, which was great for her engagement photos that were scheduled later that day.

What did your South Asian wedding attire consist of?

Bhavna had four different looks for her wedding. The first outfit consisted of a gorgeous magenta color, with pink makeup to match. Her favorite look was her second outfit, which was a colorful one, consisting of purples, blues, and pinks. This outfit was for her sangeet, and it was completed with a side fishtail braid and a natural makeup look.

How did you handle any stress (if you had any) while getting ready for your South Asian wedding?

Because Bhavna had a destination wedding, she experienced unique challenges along her way. She faced a language barrier, which made it difficult to communicate with the resort and its local vendors. And because of the distance, she could only discuss wedding plans through the phone or video chat. Thankfully, Barbie offered to help with other aspects of the wedding. She had not only been to the Hard Rock previously, but she also had a friend who worked as a wedding planner who had coordinated many events at this hotel. She helped Bhavna with many of the technical aspects for her wedding. Bhavna’s day-of coordinator also gave her a lot of assistance. With everyone’s help, Bhavna was able to allocate some of her responsibilities to others she could trust. Although planning a destination wedding proved to be very stressful for Bhavna, she saw how all of the elements came together and believes that these difficulties were worth it.

How did you choose your perfect wedding venue? What aspects did you consider?

Bhavna and her husband hired Shaadi Destinations, an Indian destination wedding agency, to help them pick their perfect location for their big day. They first asked for some information about their wedding, such as guest size and budgets, to narrow down their list of options. Bhavna and her husband had a few locations to choose from, a few of which were in Cancun. However, because they knew a lot of couples usually get married at this location, they wanted to go somewhere different. The Hard Rock Hotel in Punta Cana was not only a new location for the couple and their families, but it was also large enough to hold their 200 guests.

Where did your guests travel from and how did you accommodate their lodging (if you had to)?

Most of their guests were from New Jersey and Connecticut, which is where Bhavna and her husband are from. She and her husband reserved room bookings in the resort for their friends and family; however, once they got to Punta Cana, they realized that all of their guests were dispersed randomly in the large resort instead of being close together. For any future brides who are planning their own destination weddings, Bhavna advises to pay attention to the room assignments the resort gives you and to make sure your guests are placed where you want them.

How did you and your spouse meet? How did you know you wanted to marry them?

The two met on a dating app, where they communicated for a couple of weeks before meeting in person. At the time, Bhavna was living in the D.C. area, so one weekend, her husband traveled down to see her. They immediately began to hit it off, and as they continued to get to know each other, they met each others’ families and eventually decided on a wedding date. The two share similar goals about their careers and personal lives. After dating around for a few months, they both knew they shared something different as they continued dating.

What are your honeymoon travel plans?

By the time the two got back from their destination wedding, Christmas was quickly approaching, and afterwards the New Year. Since Bhavna’s husband is a tax accountant, and the two have seven more weddings to attend this year, they knew they would be too busy to plan their honeymoon right after their wedding. They plan on holding off their honeymoon until a more opportune time presents itself. Although there are no definite plans, they know that they want to take their time relaxing and enjoying the sun when they go on their honeymoon.

Are there any moments that stand out to you from your South Asian wedding?

When thinking back on her wedding, Bhavna remembers feeling stressed out and anxious until the events began. Once started, her nerves gradually lifted, and she enjoyed herself at each event and happily watched as her guests had fun as well. One of her concerns before the wedding was if her friends and family would have a good time. She wanted them to feel as though they were on vacation and not simply just a wedding. When she saw that they were having a great time, this worry began to disappear.

Why did you choose Cinderella Bridez for bridal makeup, bridal hair, and bridal styling for your Indian wedding?

A few years ago, one of Bhavna cousins hired an artist on Barbie’s team for her wedding, which is where Bhavna first experienced Cinderella Bridez. She saw how capable her cousin’s artist was, which gave her reassurance that her own makeup would be executed perfectly for her big day. She also saw some of the team’s work on Instagram. And because she’s from New Jersey, Cinderella Bridez’s main location, she’s heard about the team through her friends and neighbors.

To the new couple, we wish you nothing but happiness for the future and relaxation for your honeymoon! And to Bhavna , thank you again for participating in this interview!

If you want to read more about our South Asian bridal hair and makeup services, check out the rest of our website at cinderellabridez.com! Or if you want to learn about Barbie’s experiences as a small business owner and want some tips for your own business ventures, visit her website at barbiepatel.com!

Credit to the wedding photographer: Prime House Productions