Always a bridesmaid

Hi Girls,
My sister Devon’s (aka Brownie’s) wedding was breathtakingly divine!! The ceremony was a total tear-jerker, her husband was uncomfortably good-looking in his tux, and everyone danced till their hair “went home.” But more than any other detail, I’m still in awe, plain awe, of the gorgeousness of Brownie. I swear, she was Vogue-should’ve-covered-the-wedding gorgeous. She really went there with this Monique Lhuillier- number—it was all ivory lace, with the chicest little cap sleeves and a graceful, totally bare back. And Brownie’s friend Veronica lent her an uber-glamorous ivory mink stole that pushed her whole 1930s, Harlem Rennaissance, James Van der Zee-portrait thing over the edge. Honestly, it was like she’d gotten lost on her way to the Oscars.

And here’s my favorite part—were it not for my lightening-quick reflexes, Brownie’s bridal perfection was almost not to be! Okay, here’s the story. When I showed up at her hotel room the morning of her wedding day, the first thing she did, of course, was try on her wedding dress for her big sis. And, to our unending horror—it was almost TWO SIZES too big (she had lost quite a bit of weight, but still, her tailor should’ve caught that!!) On the day of her wedding! Anyway, Brownie began to hyperventilate, but out of nowhere materialized a never-seen-before, fabulous-in-a-crisis version of Tia! I instantly called the concierge (shout out to the incredibly efficient staff at DC’s ritziest boutique hotel, The Hay Adams) and demanded he find us a capable tailor in the area. In mere minutes, we found ourselves at a swanky shop called Georges de Paris (we knew it was swanky because the walls were covered with autographed pictures of several US presidents and First Ladies). Suddenly, a roly-poly, opaque-accented man wearing a three-piece suit and a grey-haired, chin-length bob (Georges?) swept us inside. Brownie tried on the dress, and in a flurry of pins and French-sounding grunts, the Keebler Elf-looking man announced the gown would be ready in an hour. And guess what? He finished in LESS than an hour…and Gorgeous Brownie swanned down the aisle in a couture-perfect gown!!

Ah, my shining moment. You have to understand, I’m usually prone to bouts of shrill hysteria in stressful situations, so this was a very big deal. I’d like my epitaph to read: “She saved her sister’s wedding dress and wrote a couple books.”

And how about those bridesmaids? All that sexiness in one place just isn’t fair! I had the distinct pleasure of doing their makeup (as I’d gently point out to anyone who’d listen), but these girls—all Brownie’s friends from UNC Chapel Hill, except for me and Lauren, of course—are legendarily beautiful, chic, and stylish on their own. So much so, that I stole some beauty tips from them on the Big Day…and here they are!
Love,
Tia


BEAUTY FAVES VIA BROWNIE’S SUPER-BAD BRIDAL PARTY

BRIDESMAID: Erin, a long-limbed, Harvard Law-trained attorney
BEAUTY FAVE: Alterna Classic Styling & Nutritive Crème Gel, ($16): At 8am, famed Washington DC hairstylist Bogard applied this miracle cream to her hair before curling it—and he swore her curls would keep all day. She raves, “He was completely right. I never had to touch-up with a curling iron, or even cover my hair with a scarf in the rain!” I was there, it’s true—her hair was bouncy and frizz-free long after mine had exploded into a fuzzy, danced-out mess.


BRIDESMAID: Lauren, a pin-up-girl-gorgeous editor for Menupages.com (and our baby sister)
BEAUTY FAVE: Stila Eyeshadow in Wheat, ($14): She’s been wearing this insanely flattering, shimmery beigey-tan shade for years, and it’s obvious why. It’s the quintessential day-to-night shade—it’s neutral enough to wear to work or school, but add a little more and the pearly tones make eyes pop in a sultry, party-time way.


BRIDESMAID: Shay, a green-eyed wine distributor and dancing queen
BEAUTY FAVE: L’oreal Volume Shocking Mascara in Black ($12.95): When I was doing Shay’s eyes, she totally intercepted me. “Omigod girl, use my mascara—it’s The Business!” she announced in her sing-songy voice. I did, and the whole room gasped. It’s all about the dual-ended formula—first, you apply the fiber-rich base coat that bulks up lashes, and then layer on the volumizing mascara. Why even wear false lashes anymore when this stuff exists?


BRIDESMAID: Jennifer, a sultry real-estate agent with cheekbones for days
BEAUTY FAVE: MAC Powder Blush in Format ($17.50): You know I’m all about either Nars Blush in Taos or Tarte Cheek Stain in Sunkissed, but after Saturday, I think I have a new blush obsession. I was looking through Jennifer’s makeup bag because, well, that’s what I do—and my breath stopped short at the sight of this shimmery, reddish-pinky-bronze blush. I tried it on, and oh, it’s so toasty and summery on my rapidly-getting-paler skin! A seasonless suntan.


THE BRIDE, HERSELF: Devon/Brownie, our queeeen-to-beeee
BEAUTY FAVE: L’Occitane en Provence Candle in Honey Harvest ($22): Okay, she’s not a bridesmaid, but I had to include Brownie in the roundup—because when I stepped into her bridal suit at the Hay Adams, I was met with the most intoxicating, lovely scent ever. She was burning L’Occitane’s delicious honey candles…and they managed to gently sweeten up the atmosphere without knocking us all out. Mmm, it smelled like some ridiculously chic boutique in the Left Bank. A must during a sexy dinner party for two.