Meet Felica! She and her husband got married at the romantic Renault Winery in Harbor City, New Jersey. Before her big day, she hired Barbie to help her achieve her dream wedding look. In this exclusive interview, Felica gives us a first-hand look at her wedding-day preparations, shares her do’s and don’ts for upcoming brides, and reveals her experience with Cinderella Bridez!

What Bridal Look Did You Go For?

Before sitting down at her makeup trial with Barbie, Felica knew her wedding and reception outfits were going to be sparkly and dramatic. As she searched for inspiration on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, she leaned towards bridal looks with pops of color instead of the traditional shades of champagne, golds, and silvers. Even though she had an image of her wedding-day makeup as Barbie began her makeup trial, Barbie suggested she try a more “soft glam” aesthetic for her ceremony look after looking at her outfit for that day. Because it was already beautifully bejeweled and bedazzled, she wanted to see how a light pink makeup look would complement the glitz and glam. After discussing her opinions, Barbie worked through Felica’s inspiration and made her looks match the events. Although she doesn’t personally like pink, she saw Barbie’s vision and decided to step out of her comfort zone with her glamorous outfit and delicate makeup. For her reception, Felica went for something with a bit more dramatic flair, which turned out to be her absolute favorite wedding look. She loved how dramatic, yet authentic, her eyes appeared, and she wishes she can wear that look over and over.

What made you pick Renault Winery as your venue?

Both Felica and her husband considered their families and friends first when deciding on their wedding venue. Because their guests were mostly from New Jersey, they first looked at elegant venues from the area. The two also considered the sentimental aspect of having their wedding in this state because it’s where they met and grew up. After researching a couple of different options, they ultimately went with the Renault Winery in Harbor City not only because they loved its sophisticated and elegant aesthetic, but they also decided on a winery aesthetic for their big day. The location’s on-site staff ultimately ended up being another major part of their decision. They were incredibly accommodating with the wedding’s early state times by making sure they were up and ready for their preparations for the day. During their ceremony, they really went above and beyond for the couple’s baraat. They made sure their guests went to certain designated areas by navigating them properly, without any confusion or delays. They also blocked off the area for the celebration to make sure everything went seamlessly. Above all, Felica and her husband loved how the venue brought out the glamor in their wedding.

What factors did you consider when picking your wedding vendors?

As the two of them sat down to decide their wedding vendors, they both began by listing their most important factors, which were food, photography, and decor. They knew that amazing food would bring their guests together, and that incredible photos would make their memories last forever, so they both did extensive research to find vendors who would provide them with the best experience. On the day of their wedding, Felica noted how comfortable her photographer made her feel. Although she usually dislikes having all the attention on her, their photographer helped her feel like herself in front of a camera while also making her wedding jitters go away. Picking the best decorations was also an especially important aspect to their list. They wanted gorgeous florals and golden hues that matched their romantic theme and elegant venue. Their decoration, Abhishek Decorators, really made their visions come true. After many phone calls, they saw all of their wedding dreams realized when they saw it come to life on their big day. From the ceremony to reception, they transformed the already-beautiful space into a fairytale image, making Felica’s walk down the aisle with her parents a moment to never forget. They worked very well with the couple to create an aesthetic atmosphere that fit their vision. For Felica, she also added the importance of booking a great makeup artist to create her wedding look. She knew that finding a talented makeup artist was essential for her wedding look, and it made all the difference. With every detail coming together beautifully, it was a day they would remember for a lifetime.

How did You Start Planning for Your Wedding?

Before anything, their absolute first priority for their wedding was to create a manageable budget. They then went on to create and establish accommodations for everyone’s needs and wants. Because Indian weddings are usually filled with back-to-back events and ceremonies, they knew that they wanted to build a schedule that wouldn’t exhaust their guests the next day. To help them with their plans, the two hired a wedding planner from Xquisit Events, who specializes in planning South Asian weddings. Their planner helped the two of them take the back seat when making logistic decisions as well as acted as the middle-man between the couple and their families. She voiced what Felica and her husband wanted while maintaining an air of business professionalism. As someone who knows the ins-and-outs of the industry, she gave her point of view while giving them all of the deciding power, which they really appreciated.

Do you have any advice for upcoming brides?

Felica’s number-one piece of advice for upcoming brides is to prioritize your own happiness. Although she admits that this can sound a bit cliche, she emphasizes the importance of understanding and knowing what you and your fiance want for your wedding. Because time can sometimes get the best of us, she suggests planning out all self-care appointments, like skin treatments and facials, in advance. She also advises to plan out date nights as much as you can to both give you time away from wedding planning and to build up excitement for the big day.

As for don’ts, Felica discusses the importance of following your own wedding goals instead of following a trend on social media. Wedding posts on social media could deter you from your original plans by convincing you that what you wanted wasn’t “good enough” compared to everyone else’s wedding. Instead of getting sucked into other people’s weddings, you should instead focus on your own. As her own wedding day got closer, Felica would simply swipe away from any other wedding posts that came up on Instagram or TikTok.

She also discusses the value of saying no to others’ opinions. At the end of the day, your wedding comes from you and your fiance’s wants; although it can be tempting to do what everyone else wants, you have to remember that your wedding is ultimately yours.

**What Were Your Favorite Moments from Your Wedding?**

Felica has two moments that particularly stick out to her from her wedding: their private vows and the public announcement as husband and wife.
Although most couples profess their love in front of their family and friends, Felica and her husband wanted an intimate moment. The setting sun served as a beautiful background as they shared their love for each other on top of an empty rooftop. Although she was nervous, she laughed the entire time with her now-husband.
After their ceremony, the two walked down the stairs and were announced as husband and wife, with their family and friends waiting to cheer them on at the bottom. Because the two met in middle school, both sides of the family knew each other very well, and they were all incredibly excited to finally see the two of them officially married.

**How did you know you wanted to marry your husband?**
Even after 15 years of knowing each other, the two have something new to learn from each other every day. Although Felica admits that they are completely different people, their differences are what makes them the perfect match. Learning more about each other and talking about new topics are what makes every day so interesting. Their opposing personalities also help the two balance each other out. Felica is very structured, while her husband tends to go with the flow. Knowing and appreciating their differences lets her really feel like herself around him.

Why did you pick Cinderella Bridez for your makeup look?

Because Felica works in the beauty industry, she’s heard of Barbie and her company, not only from word-of-mouth, but also from her Instagram account. When the day of her wedding was confirmed, Felica asked one of Barbie’s makeup artists if she was available. To her surprise, she was. When she got to meet Barbie, she not only loved her trial look, but she was also pleasantly surprised by how comfortable she felt with her. When she normally gets her makeup done, she admits that she doesn’t always feel the most comfortable; however, she loved how Barbie consistently checked in to make sure Felica approved her decisions to change certain aspects of her makeup. When she said she didn’t like a certain part of her look, Barbie took the comment to heart and worked with what she wanted. Not only did Barbie make Felica feel beautiful and comfortable for her own wedding, but she also did the same for her mother and mother-in-law by completing their makeup and pinning their saris. Throughout the entire ceremony, Barbie remained cool, calm, and collected by doing whatever she could to make Felica’s wedding run smoothly.

To Felica and her husband, we wish you nothing but happiness for the future! And to Felica, 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.

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.

If you or a friend need help planning your destination wedding, visit Hans and Barbies’ website at luxxescapes.com.