Australian fashion blogger Nicole Warne’s insanely extra wedding beauty prep
AUSTRALIAN fashion blogger Nicole Warne just got married. Now she’s revealed every detail about the incredible amount of time and money that went into her big day.
STALKING other people’s weddings on Instagram is one of life’s most glorious, time-sucking hobbies.
On Sunday nights, as photos roll in from nuptials held over the weekend, there is nothing quite like lying in bed with a glass of Pinot and watching what happens when loved-up couples spend a small house deposit on one day to mark their commitment to each other.
That’s exactly how I spent a recent Sunday evening, delving deep into the wedding hashtag of Nicole Warne, the 28-year-old Australian fashion influencer behind the popular Gary Pepper Girl blog.
Warne married her partner of 11 years, photographer Luke Shadbolt, in a stunning ceremony in New Zealand.
As far as weddings go, it was as extra as they come.
Warne said her vows wearing Valentino haute couture, one of five custom designer looks she wore over the three-day celebration. Her weddings photos were published on Vogue.com.
And she literally said “I do” on top of a mountain in Wanaka, in New Zealand’s South Island, surrounded by some jaw-dropping Lord Of The Rings-esque scenery.
But what the photos from the big day didn’t show was the extraordinary amount of time and money that went into getting the bride’s face, body, hair, and even teeth ready for the day.
Warne went all out and said she became “addicted” to the preparation.
“All that beauty and health and fitness—the bridal overdrive I see so many people jump into leading up to their big day—was never something that appealed to me…until it happened to me,” she wrote on beauty website Into The Gloss.
“For once, I didn’t feel guilty for making the time to work out or disappearing for hours to get my hair done. It’s the one time in your life that you feel like you’re ‘allowed’ to put yourself first, and it’s so, so fun.
“I’ll be honest with you: It’s a lot of work. It’s tedious. It’s expensive. It’s a commitment.
“But I don’t have kids just yet and I feel lucky to be self-employed, which made it doable. I also understand if my wedding prep isn’t for you or your schedule. But that said, I can’t recommend it enough to take some time to spoil yourself.”
We’ve broken down her preparation into different categories, because honestly it’s overwhelming and this needs to be simplified.
FACE:
Warne has been going to Sydney-based celebrity facialist Melanie Grant, whose clients include Cate Blanchett and Lara Bingle, regularly for years.
But a month out from the wedding, she committed to three treatments a week. FYI, a facial at Melanie Grant starts at $150 and can cost up to $600.
These included a once-a-month deep cleanse, microdermabrasion, custom lactic acid and niacinamide or enzyme peels, vitamin infusions of a customized cocktail of actives, light therapy, facial massages and masks.
She even had a facial on the morning of her wedding.
“Melanie came over and we did a quick facial,” Warne wrote. “This isn’t normal and I don’t recommend it if you don’t know without a doubt what your results will be, but I felt radiant.”
BODY:
Warne said she normally exercises three times a week with a trainer doing a combination of Cross Fit, cardio and weights.
“Four weeks before the wedding, I started working with my personal trainer Scott Madden of Body Movement to target specific areas. I wanted to tone arms, armpits, abs, and butt. I committed to three classes a week, plus two private sessions, focusing on lifting heavier weights,” she wrote.
A month out, she started private Pilates lessons with Kirsten King at Fluidform in Sydney’s Waterloo.
She also took regular baths and had massages.
DIET:
Warne has been on aplant-based, caffeine-free diet for the past two years “by choice” and is also gluten intolerant. So she stuck to her regular healthy diet.
“A month out, I cut out refined sugars, alcohol, and whole grains. I lived on a diet of plant-based protein, vegetables, some complex carbs, fruit, and natural fats,” she wrote.
She saw a naturopath, took a bunch of different supplements and did a weekly session of Vinyasa yoga or Bikram to help “decompress and centre my thoughts”.
HAIR:
She got a haircut two weeks before the weddings at the suggestion of her hairdresser, but her mates flipped.
“My friends freaked out when I told them I was getting it cut, and I get it, so I’d only suggest getting it cut that close to the wedding if you completely trust your hairdresser,” she said.
LASHES:
“My lashes are nearly non-existent. I’ve had eyelash extensions in the past, but they would last about a week before they started falling out. A friend told me about eyelash lifts, and after trying my first one I was hooked,” she wrote.
“My eyelashes looked twice as long even before I applied mascara. Best thing is it lasts until your eyelash naturally falls out.”
TEETH
Warne got her teeth straightened and whitened.
“Oddly, as soon as I got engaged, fixing my teeth was my first priority. My bottom teeth were overcrowded but I could never commit to Invisalign’s price tag or treatment time due to work,” she wrote.
“I cut my treatment time in half by buying Acceledent, a small vibrating machine you wear with a mouth guard for 20 minutes every day that helps your teeth move faster. After six months I had perfect, straight teeth and I couldn’t be happier.
“I got a Philips Zoom in-chair treatment at my dentist. It was expensive, painful and I had sensitivity for days, but if you’re time-poor, this is the fastest way to get instant results.”
That’s it. I’m exhausted. Good night.
rebecca.sullivan@news.com.au
