All About Lea Michele’s Sophia Loren-Inspired Bridal Beauty Look
Lea Michele wed Zandy Reich in a romantic ceremony in Northern California on Saturday night, and when it came to her bridal beauty look, she turned to no other than her BFF glam squad for her big day.
She had her longtime hairstylist Sarah Potempa and makeup artist Meredith Baraf on-hand to perfect her wedding day look.
“Those two girls I met for the first time in 2005, so we’ve been friends and working together for so many years And they’re my dearest friends,” Michele tells PEOPLE exclusively about her beauty besties. “I mean, Sarah is one of my best friends in the world. We go on trips together, we spend time with our families together, so I’m beyond fortunate that I have a working relationship with them, as well as a professional.”
As for her look, Michele says she had a very clear idea about what she wanted.
“I have a vision for my hair and makeup. Like, I want that to be pretty simple,” Michele says. “I don’t want to look back, and feel like, ‘I did a high pony because that was cool!’ Which is great, but you know, I want it to be something that’s gonna be classic, that I can look back on forever and feel like I made the right decision.”
She walked down the aisle with a classic chignon hairstyle, glowing skin and a defined eye that was “Sophia Loren post-vacation-inspired” Baraf says.
“Our inspiration to bring out Lea’s inner beauty was derived from the glow and confidence of an iconic Italian actress like Sophia Loren,” Baraf tells PEOPLE. “The smooth clean lines of the hair drew attention to the sparkle in her eyes. We focused on bringing out her inner glow and accentuating her features to enhance her natural beauty.”
“The whole weekend’s glam was about Lea glowing, looking like herself, about being in the moment and focusing on the love in the room.”
Watch the full episode of People Weddings: Lea Michele and Zandy Reich, streaming now on PeopleTV.com, or download the PeopleTV app on your favorite device.
Potempa mimicked that same sentiment saying that Michele’s bun “felt timeless, classic, and beautiful.”
“The center part and the simple lines of the low bun accentuated her stunning eyes and inner glow by opening up the face,” she says. “The veil gently laid perfectly over the bun to feel effortless and flow nicely while she walked down the aisle.”
Potempa relied on her trust Beachwaver Pro 1.25 to curl the hair before styling it in the bun, to get it reception-ready when Michele switched to a bouncy ponytail. She lifted her roots with Beachwaver Co. Second Chance Dry Shampoo for volume and secured it with Biolage’s Styling Complete Control Fast Drying Hair Spray which helps smooth any flyaways.
For Baraf, she relied on Skyn Iceland's Hydro Cool Firming Eye and Face Gels, a ReFa face roller,
Skyn Iceland’s Brightening Eye Serum
and
Nigella Therapy’s Nigenol 100% Natural Black Seed Oil
to help create dewy skin. For the eyes, she used Surratt's Shamoise eye shadow, Surratt auto-graphique black liner,
L'Oreal voluminous butterfly waterproof mascara
and
.
Baraf and Potempa were just the people Michele wanted around her before she said “I do.”
“Getting ready I just want it to be me, them, and my mom, getting ready together,” she shares.
RELATED: Lea Michele Changed into a Flirty Mini for Her Wedding Reception – See the Lacy Second Look!
Her wedding gown had the same aesthetic as her bridal beauty – a classic, timeless look. She chose a Monique Lhuillier strapless gown with structural sweetheart neckline, corset-style bodice and full ball skirt.
“My dress is very classic, which was very important to me,” she shared. “It’s important to [Zandy and me] that we look back on our photos, and that they’re classic. I wanted to stay away from a lot of current trends.”
She turned to the same designer for her reception dress, but this time went with something sexier in a long-sleeve lace mini dress.
“For the dancing dress after the reception, Monique Lhuillier made this amazing dress for me,” Michele told PEOPLE. “From her new collection she has this very sexy, black mini dress with long sleeves, and she [made] it special for me, in white.”
She danced the night away alongside many of her costars including Glee’s Darren Criss and Becca Tobin, and Scream Queens‘ Emma Roberts, who attended the wedding.
Glee creator Ryan Murphy officiated the ceremony that included laughter and tears, when the couple exchanged personal vows.
“It [was] a moment to say how fortunate I am that this amazing man is choosing to spend the rest of his life with me,” said Michele.
–Reporting by Elizabeth Leonard
