Days after Bianca Betancourt documented Madison Utendahl’s engagement social gathering extravaganza for Harper’s Bazaar, she was preparing for her personal large day—her marriage ceremony! The tradition editor married fiancé DJ Ben Stepnowski in October. The couple tied the knot in The Huge Simple on the sixth anniversary of their first date—and a 12 months after they acquired engaged on the similar resort. The weekend was a glittering celebration of dancing, NOLA, and naturally, love. Let’s let Bianca take it away.

Pricey ITG,

I’m a spouse! I married my husband, Ben, in New Orleans, on October 20.

Ben and I met in late 2017—waaay earlier than I grew to become the tradition editor at Harper’s Bazaar—after I was residing in Chicago. Humorous sufficient, he was my ex-boyfriend’s roommate, which is all the time a enjoyable dialog starter. On the time, I ran an indie artwork journal known as Circus, and after I discovered he was a DJ, I requested him to play at a gallery occasion hosted by the journal. He was an actual DJ taking part in at golf equipment, however there I used to be asking him to do that small occasion, each as a result of I wanted a DJ but in addition as a result of I preferred him. We frolicked for a few weeks, and the evening of the social gathering, he requested me to be his girlfriend.

The primary journey we took collectively was to New Orleans to rejoice Ben’s birthday. I had gone to NOLA on my own earlier that 12 months, and I cherished all the pieces about it—the meals, the music, the individuals—and I simply knew that Ben would find it irresistible, too. After that first journey and up till the pandemic, we went yearly, whether or not it was for a birthday or an anniversary or simply to get away for the weekend.

On our five-year anniversary final 12 months, Ben stunned me with a keep at Lodge Saint Vincent, and he proposed on one of many balconies with dinner and flowers. We checked out a couple of different venues once we have been planning our marriage ceremony early on, however we finally landed on HSV. Not solely was it attractive, however we cherished the meals, the drinks, and the employees. It was a no brainer.

The colour scheme for the marriage was cream and black. We additionally had pops of silver—the picture sales space had a enjoyable, metallic fringe, and we had a disco ball—so it form of gave Beyoncé’s Membership Renaissance, earlier than we even knew what that will seem like.

At first, I needed a princess robe. Don’t get me improper, these robes are stunning, however they’d approach an excessive amount of cloth after I truly began attempting them on. I ended up discovering the proper costume from Eva Lendel. It has a very stunning off-the-shoulder neckline, a practice that isn’t overwhelmingly lengthy, and a leg slit for a little bit little bit of sexiness. It’s off-white, too; I didn’t desire a true white as a result of it might be too stark on my pores and skin. I wore a pair of strappy sandals from Magda Butrym for the ceremony, after which switched into Loeffler Randall kitten mules that carried me by our second line, cocktail hour, and our first dance. When the dance ground was actually going, I switched right into a child blue strapless costume from 16Arlington and silver kitten heels from Larroudé.

I labored with make-up artist Mollie Gloss for my make-up. We met in Chicago and moved to New York across the similar time, so we’ve been buddies for nearly a decade. Going into it, she already knew what I used to be—and wasn’t—keen to experiment with and what works for my face. My two foremost inspirations have been Zendaya, particularly her work with Raoul Alejandre, and Beyoncé. I assumed her make-up on the Renaissance tour was so good. It was festive however not excessive. So, I actually needed a little bit little bit of the shimmer from Renaissance and the contemporary, glowy look that Zendaya is understood for.

Mollie used a number of Charlotte Tilbury, Uncommon Magnificence, and Saie on me for each the rehearsal dinner and the precise marriage ceremony. For my dinner lip look, she used a combo of the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat liners in Iconic Nude and Pillow Speak 3 Intense, with a little bit of the Uncommon Magnificence Lip Soufflé Matte Cream Lipstick in Braveness on the middle of the lips, topped with the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustre Gloss in Pillow Speak to mix all of it in. The subsequent day, we stored the Charlotte Tilbury combo however swapped within the Uncommon Magnificence Lip Soufflé Matte Lip Cream in Assured and the Saie Glossybounce Lip Gloss Oil in Kiss.

My updo was very ‘90s and Pamela Anderson-inspired. Now that I’m occupied with it, it undoubtedly provides off Selena Quintanilla vibes, too; Selena-everything is all the time embedded in my mind. Finally, my seems have been a two-part course of. I went to my common hairstylist Mickiela Mbatha for a contemporary trim and my first-ever extensions for quantity. Truthfully, I used to be scared—I assumed they could look loopy—however nobody knew I had them except I advised them. Then in New Orleans, my hairstylist was Courtney Bradberry from Paris Parker. She’s principally the queen of hair in NOLA. She’s been doing it for 15 years, so if you would like fabulous, particular occasion hair, you go to her. We went with a aspect bang for my rehearsal dinner hair and exquisite, voluminous waves for the ceremony. For the after-party, she put it again up in simply quarter-hour. She’s magic.

I went to this actually cute salon on Journal Avenue known as Southern Swings Nail Spa, the place you actually sit on swings, for a basic French mani—I didn’t wish to give it some thought too arduous. For my toes, I went with a very nice pinky nude known as My Vampire is Buff from OPI. Ben acquired a mani-pedi, too.

Selecting a fragrance for the weekend was so necessary. I ended up layering Phlur’s Father Determine and Dauphinette’s 369. Father Determine could be very fig-forward with touches of bergamot, which is a big sure for me. The evening earlier than, I wore Phlur’s Lacking Individual, a heat, spicy scent with a touch of citrus, blended with Reduox’s Paradise Service.

We’re actually excited for our honeymoon subsequent 12 months. We’ll in all probability go to the Amalfi Coast within the spring, however for a small celebration, we spent a few days on the Delamar Lodge in Southport, Connecticut after the marriage. Ben laughs as a result of I hold saying it felt like an episode of Gilmore Ladies in the course of the fall, but it surely did!

—As advised to Daise Bedolla

Photographs by Mollie Gloss and JP Calubaquib; Courtesy of Bianca Betancourt