Beautini | The Fashion Minx

There’s a quote about friendship that I love: “Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart”- Eleanor Roosevelt. 🌹 I count myself very lucky to have such incredible, supportive, positive, and beautiful friends in my life. One of them is my cherished friend, Yokairy Tavarez. Yokairy and I have been friends since high school, and I won’t say here exactly how long that is, but trust me, it’s LONG! 😆 Yokairy is a talented writer, (check out her website HERE, and you can also buy her books HERE), incredible mother, loving wife, and amazing friend. She’s the type of friend that you wish for, and that you’re lucky to find in this lifetime. She’s always been so supportive, encouraging, and selfless when it comes to being there for her friends, and I couldn’t have been more grateful that she agreed to be in my bridal party, and to stand by me on this important day.

I asked her to write a guest post for my blog, talking about the wedding from her perspective. She was more than happy to oblige, and sent me her draft within one day. I am so happy to share that with you now, and I am honored and grateful for the chance to showcase such a talented writer, and beautiful soul. 🌟

FLOWERS by Ivie Joy Flowers, BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES by Jenny Yoo.

You know that saying: always a bridesmaid, never a bride? Well, I’ve never been a bridesmaid. Ever. None of my close friends have had big weddings, and the ones that have, I was not asked to be a bridesmaid. When my friend Julie asked me, I was genuinely floored. Millions of questions ran through my head: What do I do? Do I have to order strippers for a bachelorette party? Do you have to keep the bride and groom apart the night before? What does all this mean?

Luckily, not only were my questions unfounded and ridiculous, they were unnecessary. Julie knew what she wanted to do, and set out to make it happen. It definitely helped that her maid-of-honor, Debbie, could run the universe if given the chance.

Julie allowed myself and the other bridesmaids to give our input on every step, from the dress choice, to our hairstyles. We planned and had an amazing bachelorette trip to Disney World, had a beautiful and intimate shower, and even stayed at a hotel the night before in preparation of the wedding.

(HOTEL- The Ravel Hotel, Photo by Glenmar Studio)

The morning of was quite the experience. A full itinerary- that an obsessive compulsive scheduling addicted Virgo like myself loves- kicked off the day, with hair and makeup in our hotel room. Primped and prepped, we made our grand entrance ahead of the beautiful blushing bride and danced the night away under a sea of green at The Foundry in Long Island City.

As a reserved and quiet person, who only really comes out of my mean-looking shell with my close friends, I was afraid at first, if I’m being honest, of meeting new girls and being thrust into dress shopping and lunches and travel and sleepovers. It was a bit overwhelming.

But I realized something as I got to know these amazing women and became actual friends with them. It’s easy to forget sometimes that the things that make you care for and remain friends with another person are also the traits they see in others as well. So wouldn’t it then make sense that their friends can also become your friends?

My first experience as a bridesmaid was eye-opening in more ways than one. I learned what bustling means, and that one must absolutely try a makeup plan before the wedding. I tasted dinges for the first time so that alone was pretty awesome.

And unbelievably enough, I made some new friends along the way.