Superstar Wedding Planner Mindy Weiss Talks Celeb Nuptials

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

Event planner and lifestyle expert, Mindy Weiss, is the mastermind behind many of Hollywood's A-List weddings. From Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale to Nicole Richie and Joel Madden to Kate Beckinsale and director Len Wiseman, Weiss is the go-to wedding planner of the stars. In 1992, she started Mindy Weiss Party Consultants and with her unique ideas, keen attention to detail and respect for her clients' privacy, the company has evolved into an entire brand. When it comes to wedding planning, Weiss literally wrote the book.

We caught up with the bicoastal planner during her busiest season of the year to let us in on a few of her wedding day tips while revealing what it's like planning a celeb's paparazzi-monitored nuptials.

Who was the first celebrity you worked with?
"My first celeb wedding was Brooke Shields and Andre Agassi. Back then I was clueless to the paparazzi and the measures they would take to get a picture! So I was overwhelmed the first time, but the more I planned, the more clever we became. Each event brings new ways to figure out things."

Simple Wedding Gown or Elaborate?
"Simple and glamorous." 

How does planning a celeb's wedding differ from other clients?
"The main difference is planning for security and paparazzi. Everything else about the wedding (decor, fashion, food) is the same as other weddings."

Best wedding colors?
"Grey, cream with touches of blush or grey blue."

What has been your worst wedding day nightmare?
"I had a wedding once where the rabbi put the wrong date in his calendar. Thank goodness there was another Jewish wedding in the ballroom across the way! I waited for that ceremony to end and approached the rabbi. He did a fantastic job. I aged 10 years! I got ordained just in case!"

Destination Wedding or Local?
"Destination."

What do the bride and groom disagree most about during the planning process?
"Its funny because I feel difficulty comes with the guest list and seating. Some of the arguments come with 'Why does your family get to invite more than our family?' But other than that, I haven't had too many issues. Most of my weddings are being planned by both the bride and groom together."

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Blue?
"Grandma's brooch, wedding gown, borrowed earrings from mom and my blue 'I Do' applique on the bottom of shoes."

What's one thing you always want to tell the bride?
"I give the same advice to all my couples: stay focused on the end goal of getting married, and be ok with laughing off the little things that don't go just right. The day after your wedding you might be embarrassed at the little things you obsessed about!"
· Mindy Weiss [Official Site]
· The Party Shop Wedding Consultant Mindy Weiss Swears By [Racked]
· All Weddings Week 2013 Coverage [Racked]