There are many things about my job that I enjoy, and destination weddings are at the top of that list. I recently had the pleasure to assist Tanya and Shawn with their wedding in Puerto Rico.

Planning an out-of-state wedding can be difficult, but Tanya’s organizational skills made my trip to Puerto Rico flawless. At the airport, she had transportation waiting to take me to the stunning Ritz-Carlton hotel in San Juan. I arrived just in time to help make her look beautiful for the rehearsal dinner in Old San Juan.

No wedding is without its hiccups. On the wedding day, the Ritz-Carlton suite where we were to get ready was not available at the time Tanya had specified. Situations like that require quick thinking, so I decided to temporarily set things up in my hotel room until the suite was ready. By the time I applied makeup to a few family members, the suite was ready.

With everything moved over to a very spacious suite, all that remained was makeup for Tanya and her mom. Tanya is a woman who loves fashion with bold colors. For a dramatic effect, I created a look with her eyes as the main focus. Emphasis is placed on the liner and individual flair lashes were applied to give her lashes more volume. I refer to this look as eyes with some pop.

As they were getting ready it started to rain. Many people think of rain on their wedding day as an obstacle, but, according to several cultures, it brings good luck. A wedding is often referred to as tying the knot; a knot that’s wet is harder to untie than a dry one, so rain on your wedding day guarantees a long, happy marriage.

I’ve been told by many of my clients that the wedding day goes by so fast it’s hard for them to remember all of the details. However, there are usually a few special moments that stand out. Tanya remembers that the hotel staff let her and Shawn have a sneak peek into the ballroom just before the reception. The candles were lit, the lights were dimmed, soft music was playing and the colorful flowers with their fragrant scent took their breath away. It’s a cherished memory for Tanya and Shawn because it was the only moment the two of them shared alone on their wedding day.