BRIDE DIARIES
OUR EDITORS’ GUIDE TO A STYLISH & SANE WEDDING
Tip: Stay in the moment, advises wedding planner Martina Stritesky. “You’ll never get all the people you love most in the world in the same room again at the same time.”
I knew what I wanted for my wedding: a fun black-tie party to end all parties with my loved ones. I made big decisions, like the venue (the Trump Toronto) and the date (Valentine’s Day), quickly so that I could focus on the little things I could do to make the evening as memorable as possible. (At least that’s how I justified having a cake made to match the gilded pattern on the flirty party dress I changed into after dinner.) At the ceremony, we included our families in our vows and “jumped the broom” after we were married—an African-American custom that signifies the start of a new life. I wore my beloved hairdresser’s necklace in my updo as my “something borrowed,” and, instead of place cards, guests’ names were written on their plates in gold. These small touches (and about two gazillion candles) helped create a moment in time as beautiful as the life I hope to have with my new husband.