How to get pearly whites

I have long struggled with the whiteness of my teeth...primarily stemming from medicines I took as a baby/child. Despite this, I have not used many whitening methods...and now that the wedding day is looming on the horizon (meaning becoming photo-ready is a must!), I want to get pro-active and try something to get the results I am looing for. Note: not looking for insanely bleached (and fake) looking teeth, just hoping to remove surface stains and have an overall whiter smile.

My first step on this journey was to try a new toothpaste I came across at the store...Crest 3D White. I've only used it since Sunday night, so no noticeable change, but I like the consistency of it. And if used in conjunction with strips, it could provide a nice boost.

I plan to try the new Crest 3D White Professional Effects whitening strips this summer...having never used whitening strips before, I am not sure what to expect! Do they work? $55 sounds a lot more reasonable to me than $500 that my dentist wanted to charge me for a professional whitening.

What whitening methods have you tried before? What works and what doesn't?