One of my favorite memories of our wedding was getting ready before the ceremony, and Erin Knapp France is a huge part of why.

But I'll start at the beginning: our phenomenally talented and easygoing event planner, Jamie Kirby of Heyday Event Labs, recommended Erin when I finally decided that I actually did want my makeup done professionally a month before the wedding.

Jamie had worked with Erin in the past, and the pictures she shared with me from that experience were phenomenal. (They were even published in a magazine, which Jamie gave me a copy of--so, so gorgeous! )

Erin arrived on time, glowing beautifully, sweetly, and also pregnantly. My uber-talented hairstylist, the young-but-sophisticated Emily Smith, was already at work on my locks, so I asked Erin to start with my bridesmaids. We didn't give her a ton of direction; my bridesmaids were all naturally very pretty, but the first one had the cutest little freckles, so I just asked her not to hide those but to also bring out her features and make her classically pretty. And classically pretty she was -- holy cow! By the time she was finished, all of my bridesmaids--even the ones who insisted they didn't want professional makeup--were begging to be next in line.

Before I get to me, I want to mention the mood. The place was swarming with ladies, from 14-years old on up. Erin France chatted with us all comfortably, and made us all feel at ease. I think that my 14-year old cousin might have had the happiest day of her life -- she loves doing nails and everything beauty related and painted a bride's nails while sitting in between a makeup artist and a hairstylist. It was really a special, sweet morning, and by the time Erin left, I felt like I had known her my entire life. Also: I feel terrible, but there was no time for Erin to sit down and relax while we were getting our makeup done. As I mentioned before, she was pregnant -- but she didn't complain once. In retrospect, I wish I had thought to make her more comfortable.

We did my makeup last, because I had so many other things that were more urgent, like making sure that my dress emergency was solved and that I wouldn't be a stinky bride. In about 20 rushed minutes total, Erin transformed me. I think that I'm reasonably cute to begin with, but man, Erin made me look so beautiful…but still like me. Even in pictures that friends and family took with unflattering flash, my face still looked so, so pretty.

This was an investment that I wasn't sure if I needed. I mean, I'm a Sephora VIP. I've taken makeup lessons. We hired Amy Carroll for our photography--and looking through her work, every bride she's every photographed looks incredibly pretty. And Kate Middleton didn't hire a wedding photographer and did her makeup herself…and she looked beyond incredible. But I'm not the Duchess of Wales -- and looking pretty on a date is not the same thing as looking pretty in photographs in settings that may have less than flattering light like the theaters we chose as our venues. But looking back, this is one of the investments that I'm the most happy with making--I know how to do makeup for daily life, but not stage/photography makeup.

Erin Knapp France was a delight to work with and she made me look like an extra beautiful version of myself. I am so happy that I hired her to do my wedding day makeup, and I would not hesitate to hire her again for any cosmetic needs. I 100% recommend Erin for whenever you need that extra gorgeeousness!