When doing makeup and hair for my clients, I get asked a lot how my own wedding turned out… How I had my own hair done, how I did my makeup (yes, I did my own makeup!), where it was, what my dress was like… etc.

I love how all the details turned out. Our wedding was so much more DIY than I could have anticipated, but being able to be in charge of every little detail resulted in a wedding that was so much more authentically US.

Don’t get me wrong… I love weddings. But there will always be the weddings that just feel more generic and like a performance. We wanted to focus on having a big party, celebrating our love, but with amazing music, food, and keeping the tequila flowing. Needless to say- it was one hell of a party.

Be true to yourself… not what you think you “should” have or do.

Follow your heart and do what makes you happy! This day is about you and your partner’s love, and things that make you both happy. I battled with feeling like I should have a wedding dress that was more rustic since our wedding was at a vineyard with a barn… yet I found myself in a crepe white dress from Louvienne, with a beaded bodice. I had a custom fringe jacket made that I wore with my dress, adding that rustic flare, and I felt like this combo was very much ME.

For my makeup, I used Danessa Myricks Color fix in a pink/copper chrome on my lids. It was so fun that people could notice in person up close, but you can’t tell in photos! I tell my clients this all the time, because people are often afraid of color for weddings. If you love color- go for it!!!

My hair I wanted to just be like having a perfect hair day. My business partner, April, from D+A Bridal did my hair for me. She put it in big rollers, and gave me these big waves, adding little gems. It was so special having her style my hair for me.

Don’t sweat the small stuff before the wedding… and Hire a Pro Makeup and Hair Team!!!

While we were getting ready, I was a bit of a nervous wreck. Because my bridesmaids were all pros in the beauty and fashion world, I opted to just have them get themselves ready. As a pro myself, I should’ve known this was a bad idea. After splurging more on our food (one of the top priorities for us), I couldn’t afford to have a team get all my girls ready, and I also waited till the last minute to consider hiring a pro makeup and hair artist for my girls.

Even though my bridesmaids and family is skilled at getting themselves ready- it was chaos having such a large group of women ALL fight over mirrors and outlets to get themselves ready. The best thing about having a pro makeup artist and hairstylist for your wedding, is that they keep everyone on time, and stagger everyone so no one is fighting over space to get themselves ready. These little details were something I didn’t totally consider, since this scenario wasn’t something I had witnessed before.

So basically, take it from me, and hire yourself a beauty team (like myself!).

I also was in such a weird head space over some drama that happened the night prior. Basically, none of this mattered AT ALL once the ceremony began, and it was still the best day of my life. Lesson: don’t sweat the details that you can’t control on the wedding day. Things are already rolling in motion, and just soak up every moment!

Get a second outfit for dancing!

Wedding days are LONG. Can’t recommend getting a second outfit enough.

After cutting the cake and doing our first dances, I ran off and quickly changed into white sequin pants by “Made with Love Bridal” and a satin 70s style top from Isalis. I felt like this second outfit really matched our decor in the barn, which was very disco inspiried! We had our disco ball, and handmade bright colorful fringe. We also had a custom neon pink sign over our bar.

Have a flower girl!

And if you have no children at your wedding, have a friend be your flower girl. This was a last minute decision for us, and having the bright pop of flowers in our ceremony photos made a HUGE difference. I really love how the red rose petals stand out, but add to the overall aesthetic.

Most of all… just have fun with it.

We wanted a photo booth- so we got a VW bus booth! We wanted the barn to feel like one of our favorite bars in San Francisco where we met- the Makeout Room, mixed with other fringe decor I saw on Pinterest. We wanted the best tacos anyone ever had. We wanted a mariachi band. We wanted people to dance their asses off!

And all of that happened. If you want it- go for it!

Cheers, and happy planning.

Dez