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Cynthia Cook Smith wearing Tory’s Aidyn dress and tassel mini saddle bag, photographed by Karen Kristian Beiler outside of New York’s JoJo restaurant -
Cynthia Cook Smith wearing Tory’s Palais cardigan, photographed by Karen Kristian Beiler at New York’s JoJo restaurant
Weddings are often described as the most memorable day in a bride’s life, but the reality is that they can be stressful. Instead of staring into the groom’s eyes and dancing with friends, you’re worrying about the florist, seating, wrangling family members into photos…. Enter Cynthia Cook, a former Vogue editor, who launched a business as a wedding stylist. She advises clients on everything from the day-of dress to the honeymoon. Here, wearing Tory’s Aidyn dress and tassel mini saddle bag and, in second image, Palais cardigan, she shares her tips and opens up about her own upcoming nuptials.
I have always loved dressing the important people in my life. I started with my sister and best friends, then as a fashion editor at Vogue, I was fortunate to dress special guests for the Met Ball and other stunning formal events. As more of my close circle got engaged, I observed that the wedding industry lacked the kind of personal styling services that would help brides part from the “cookie cutter” wedding formula (bridal gowns sold to them by people who don’t know their taste, bridesmaid dresses that are never worn again, etc). So I decided to combine my love for fashion with my editorial styling experience and apply this to weddings. Seeing my clients’ faces light up when they put on an outfit that makes them feel beautiful is so rewarding.
The biggest challenge when launching my business…
Leaving behind the infrastructure and resources of a global organization like Condé Nast to essentially become a start-up entrepreneur! I’ve had to expand my creative energy from cultivating stylized moments for print in the high-fashion editorial world to establishing the building blocks of a business: launching a website, designing a logo and transforming my vision into an actual company.
The most exciting part…
Getting to work with people on such a happy occasion in their lives.
And the most worrisome…
Not having an assistant!
The influence of my Vogue job now…
I bring an editorial point of view and personalized approach to each bride I get to work with. I treat every wedding the same way I would approach a fashion feature at Vogue — creating a theme that captures the aesthetic of the subject (in this case, the bride and groom) to design an elevated, cohesive and memorable look. So many brides have intuition around how they want their wedding to look and feel and be experienced — my job is to help them translate that intangible feeling into the physical outfits that will adorn every important wedding moment, from the engagement party to the big day and all the way to the honeymoon.
The ingredients to a perfect wedding…
1. Organization — it’s important to plan out all the details beforehand so you can relax and enjoy every moment during the wedding, and rest assured that your guests are doing the same.
2. Looking and feeling your best — the aesthetic is about so much more than the photographs; a great stylist can help you look like the best version of yourself, so you can glide throughout the evening completely at ease.
3. Remembering to slow down! My best friend Connie says it well: the night will fly by faster than you can imagine, so don’t leave each other’s side, be present and try your hardest to savor the moment.
The secret to perfect wedding makeup and hair…
Looking like the best version of yourself! Natural makeup with soft highlighting and contouring to give definition to your eyes and cheeks. No tight curls or beehive techniques — keep your hair simple with soft waves or loosely pulled back. Have a professional take care of your hair so that it looks soft and natural, but lasts through the day’s events and does not fall during the night.
The ultimate wedding party playlist includes…
Top 40 and mixing in the classics (no Eighties music for me). A nice touch is to include a bit of music that is specific to the couple or location, like steel drums in the Bahamas or a brass band in New Orleans.
My upcoming wedding…
Miles and I have both been going to Nantucket our whole lives, so we are planning an intimate wedding at the Wauwinet Hotel. Dinner will be under a clear tent on the oceanfront lawn followed by dancing inside at Topper’s. We like to imagine our wedding as a cozy and festive dinner party with our family and closest friends, with dancing to top it all off!
The story of our engagement…
Miles led me up six flights of stairs to the steeple of my favorite church on Nantucket, where at the top I was greeted by hundreds of red poppies that his brother and sister had set up earlier that day. My grandfather was called Poppy so it melted my heart, and through teary eyes I said yes to the best question I have ever been asked. We will walk down the aisle of the same church in June and I will hold a small bouquet of red poppies.
Our honeymoon plans…
One of my best friends, Missy, works at Indagare Travel and is planning an amazing trip on the Amalfi Coast with stops in Positano, Capri and Rome. All I want to do is paddle board in the Mediterranean, eat pasta for lunch and dinner and dress up at night — I can’t think of a better way to start married life!
Five must-pack honeymoon items…
The perfect sundress, espadrilles,tinted moisturizers with SPF, lingerie and camera.
Rain on a wedding day — good luck?
No, just accept that you cannot control the weather and be prepared with a back-up plan!
Favorite wedding traditions…
The wedding dress, naturally!