10 Wedding-Day Secrets From Industry Experts

BRIDES

By BRIDES Magazine

BRIDES has rounded up some of our favorite wedding pros and asked them to give our readers their best pointers for the party of a lifetime.

1. To diffuse any makeup stains, blot your dress with white talcum.
-Francesca Pitera, Jim Hjelm

2. Bring two pairs of shoes: one for the ceremony, the other to put in the reception site's freezer. When your feet start hurting, slip on the second pair to feel instantly refreshed--trust me!
-Nancy Williams, Carolina Herrera

3. On the day of the wedding, apply a skin primer to make sure your makeup stays on all day long.
-Trish McEvoy

Related: 10 Shocking Secrets of the First Year of Marriage

4. To look instantly refreshed, use an eye cream with caffeine to minimize dark circles.
-Dr. Fredric Brandt, Dr. Brandt Skincare

5. To make the most of your cake budget, order a small, custom tiered cake and supplement it with decorated sheet cakes that can be plated behind closed doors.
-Ellen Baumwoll, Bijoux Doux Specialty Cakes

6. Make a list of guests' names, assign each a number, then write the corresponding number on the back of each reply card. Guests often forget to put their names on their cards.
-Melinda Morris, Lion in the Sun

7. Try to have at least a few photographs shot at sunset, when the light is perfect. That is often the time when I take the most beautiful and intimate images of the day.
-Lisa Lefkowitz, Lisa Lefkowitz Fine Arts Photography

See Also: 5 Rules Not to Break at Your Wedding

8. Wear diamond bracelets or statement cuffs to bring attention to your left hand, which is where everyone is looking.
-Paul Tacorian, Tacori

9. Ask one of your bridesmaids to carry travel-size hairspray for you. It will come in handy for touch-ups (even for the groom), especially if you're taking outdoor photographs on a windy day.
-Frederic Fekkai

10. If things don't go exactly as planned, go with the flow-if you relax, your guests will, too.
-Alison Hotchkiss, Alison Events

Photo Credit: Bruce Soyez-Bernard/BRIDES

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