Bridal Makeup - YOU On Your Best Day!

About a mth ago I received a VERY last minute call from a bride about doing her Hair & Makeup for a wedding...when I say last minute I mean LAST MINUTE - called Saturday, wedding Monday! She lived in Montreal but was getting married in Toronto and b/c of some family circumstances her and her fiance had moved the wedding date up a couple of mths.  It was the holiday Monday but I wasn't doing anything special so I of course agreed to the job.

I'm so happy I did b/c the bride Ninat was literally one of the most kind, soft spoken and gentle brides I have EVER met!  Also one of the most naturally gorgeous!  Seriously, I get a little nervous if I haven't had a chance to do a trial on a bride before the wedding but Ninat was so naturally beautiful I literally almost asked her to wash off her makeup when she came in the door b/c I don't think I've EVER seen anyone look so good w/out ANY makeup - I'm VERY JEALOUS lol!

She also had the most gorgeous curly hair and the perfect length!  Not too long as to weight the curls down but just long enough that I could do the most elegant and beautiful side updo that went fabulously w/ her amazing fascinator!

Last week she sent me a couple of pictures from the wedding and I'm thrilled she did b/c literally not only does she look STUNNING but the photographer - Jovan Matic just did an amazing job in capturing her beauty...the pics literally look like they were made for a wedding magazine IMO.  I LOVE them SO MUCH I actually switched the main image on my wedding website homepage...that's HUGE!  I think the pic just works wonderfully w/ the colour scheme of my site and also is a perfect example of the work I try to do as a bridal artist - clean, beautiful and true to the bride and her personality.  I've said it before and I'll say it again my whole philosophy for Bridal Makeup/Hair is - I want you to look like YOU on YOUR BEST DAY!  I don't want to transform a bride into someone she isn't.  It would be awful to me if ppl said to her "Wow, I didn't even recognize you!?!".  I want ppl to think she looks effortlessly beautiful and like I've just enhanced her natural beauty and I feel these new pics of Ninat are a PERFECT example of that!  I hope you do too!

A Very Special Wedding!

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of doing Makeup & Hair for a very special wedding.  All of my weddings are special of course but this one was just a bit different.  It was the wedding day of literally one of my oldest and closest friends Svetlana.

She is the first of my close friends to get married (although I expect the ball to start rolling very soon w/ other weddings).  She is also pretty much the only close friend that I have known since I was a teenager.  We met in grade 9 when we were both 14 so yes we go WAY  BACK!  We were best friends and pretty much inseparable in grade 10 and had a falling out in grade 11 and like stupid young girls we were both too stubborn to make amends w/ the other and therefore didn't see each other for years...which now I think is so sad that we lost that many years...seriously ppl stubbornness is such a waste when in comes to friendships and you'll regret it years later.

We got back into contact probably around 6-7 years ago when Svetlana moved up to Toronto for work and it's amazing how quickly we were able to pick up where we left off all those years ago.  As someone who has moved around A LOT in her life and had a lot of ppl come and go it's really nice to have someone around that knew you "back then".  That you can reminisce about your crazy high school crushes and antics with and still remembers you during a simpler time before life got so "complicated" lol.

So this wedding was a little bittersweet to me...of course I was happy for my friend who was marrying the man she loved (and boy does their "courtship" have it's own story lol) but I was sad b/c it also meant I was "losing" a friend again.  Svetlana has moved back to our hometown Windsor, ON b/c that's where her now husband lives (they were doing a long distance thing) and housing and living costs are just much more affordable...plus a lot of other reasons.  So of course her and I will remain friends but it's just a little sad b/c I can't just call her to go for our Sunday walks to get a coffee and just talk about things and we can't meet up for dinner on a Tues b/c we both don't have plans...and stuff like that.

But anyway, on to the happy stuff the wedding!  It was a beautiful but HOT day and Svetlana and Jeff wanted something simple but still reflected them as a couple and I think they did a great job at that.  They did this whole "movie" theme and I have to admit I haven't seen a groom so influential in the decision making process of the wedding...if he's half as attentive as a husband Svetlana will be set lol!  They had a little red carpet and backdrop like at the movie premieres for taking pictures in front of, the dinner menu was printed on a film strip, popcorn machine to collect the cards, their engagement picture was blown up on to a movie poster...just lots of really unique details that showed the couple's (or more Jeff's actually) personality lol!  Another detail I absolutely LOVED was the fact that the day before the wedding Jeff went to his Nonna's house and made Italian Butter Cakes.  One for each table (8 in total) and they were cut and served to us for dessert instead of the typical wedding cake.  I thought this was a really lovely idea and was just another really thoughtful detail.

Svetlana wanted to keep her hair very simple w/ just soft curls and a few delicate pieces pinned out of her face.  I also incorporated the hair extensions I had made her for her b-day the previous year just for fullness and volume.  For makeup we went w/ a really pretty smokey purple eye and a soft pink lip and cheek.  I also did her MOH Maya and her mom's Hair & Makeup.  Overall it was a really relaxed morning and just a fun day!

Here's some pics of the beautiful day and the beautiful bride!  I was really impressed w/ the photographer Toan Lam for not only doing an amazing job on the wedding pictures but for taking amazing engagement photos too!  Seriously, if you're getting married in Windsor, ON you should check this guy out!

Doing some Final Touches on the Bride 

Svetlana & Her Mom...They look So Good!

What a Good Looking Couple!

Here's just a couple of photos I took at the wedding

Me Before the Ceremony...If I do say so myself...I'm Looking Good ;)

On the "Red Carpet" w/ Svetlana & Jen (work friend & fellow Windsorite).  Love standing next to these two b/c they always make me feel so tall lol!

 Engagement Poster...Too Cute...This Whole Shoot was Pretty Awesome!

They even gave me a credit ;)

 They had a firework display - very cool!

Prom Season!...Boy Have The Times Changed!

So not only is wedding season on full swing but it's also prom season too!  I will admit I don't get the chance to do too many prom appts but I usually do a few every year and I always think it's a lot of fun.  I mean it really is one of the only times besides a girl's wedding day that she can/does go all out getting dressed up and doing the Hair/Makeup thing!

Last Fri. I had the pleasure of doing Hair & Makeup for a beautiful girl named Chantel.  She already sent me a few snap shots and can I just say WOW!  I'm a lot older and I don't know if I ever have/will look as sexy as this girl did at her prom lol!  I don't even own or have ever owned a dress that "hot"!

Prom dresses sure have changed A LOT since I went to prom...literally 13 yrs ago...ugghh I feel old lol!  I actually still have my prom dress at my Nana's house.  I LOVED it so much back then.  I actually saw it in Seventeen Magazine and went to Michigan to get it (when you're from Windsor you do a lot of stateside shopping).  For a very brief time circa 1999 the sort of Cinderella prom dresses came back in style...very hard to believe when you see the tight, low cut, body hugging floor length gowns of today's prom girls!  Mine was so cool (for the time) - it was strapless and the top was like a bustier style and it was a dark denim like material w/ a slight silver sparkle (I know this sounds awful but it wasn't THAT bad I swear lol).  The bottom was dark blue crinoline over a silver floor length skirt...overall it was pretty poofy lol.  Btw when I describe it it really does sound awful but I swear it wasn't...or at least it wasn't for the time lol!  But I'll be completely honest overall I think the highlight of my prom was literally my dress..other than that it was pretty forgettable...in fact I went w/ friends and ended up back home at a pretty reasonable hour...it was lame :(

Anyway, back to Chantel and her "Prom Look".  This girl has some hair...but she wanted even more hair!  I put in her extensions and curled her entire head w/ a big barrel curling iron to give her that gorgeous and sexy voluminous loose wave look that all the girls love!  I'm sure all of her friends must have been envious!  For the makeup I airbrushed her b/c she was a little worried about her skin and acne but I'll be honest it really wasn't that bad (I've seen way worse on brides and bridesmaids) and the biggest thing here was actually just airbrushing her face darker to match her body since she did a airbrush tan on her body the day before.  She loved how light and natural the airbrush makeup felt.  I did a beautiful bronzy/brown smokey eye w/ black liner and a false lash, some peach/bronze cheeks and a neutral/peach lip - it all looked so good w/ her white dress.  I wanted to make her look glowing and done up w/out being overdone.

So beautiful!

Look at that Hair...and that Back!

CountDown Events #FF Interview

I was recently contacted by the very cool blog CountDown Events to do a little interview about me for their weekly #FF Feature.  I have no idea how they found out about me but I was so flattered they would be interested enough to want to do a feature on me in the first place lol!  It's a really cool little concept where they interview artists and fashion ppl and then do little write ups about them w/ their answers and some pics of their work or them out at events...not really sure my answers are "cool" enough for something like that lol.  Literally, I usually try not to edit myself and just write the first thing that comes to my mind...I do it for this blog to btw ;)

I know it sounds weird or like I'm being overly humble or something but seriously anytime anyone wants to do a feature on me, includes me in their blog list or just emails me to say how much they love my work and that I'm an inspiration it makes me feel all warm & fuzzy inside lol.

Anyway, if you want to read the interview go here and check it out.  While you're there check out the rest of the blog b/c there's some really cool stuff and ppl in it!

Engagement Shoot With A Gothic Twist!

I'm personally a big fan of engagement shoots for couples for a number of reasons.

1. If you or your fiance aren't comfortable in front of the camera it's a great practice shoot that can help get you comfortable in front of the camera.  It's like a test run...you'll learn you angles, get comfortable and figure out what works best for you so you can get the best pics possible on your wedding day!

2. It allows you and your photographer to start to develop a relationship.  Pictures always come out better when you're comfortable w/ your photographer and the engagement shoot is a great way to get comfortable w/ them and for them to get to know you and how to coach or communicate w/ you.

3. It's just a really fun way to create some memories w/ your fiance that you can cherish forever.  And you as a couple can really put your own personality into it and come up some really cute or cool ideas that showcase what makes you so unique as a couple.

I recently did the makeup & hair for an engagement shoot for one of my upcoming brides Mariam and let me just say it was probably one of the more unique or cool engagement shoots I've been a part of!  Mariam and her fiance both have a love for vampires (think Anne Rice not Twilight) and gothic times so they figured why not do an engagement shoot w/ those themes in mind!  Mariam planned the whole thing down to renting costumes and finding the perfect cemetery to shoot their pics in...yes that's right they did their engagement shoot in a cemetery - told you it was unique!

The pics were shot by one of my fav. wedding photography studios - Mango Studios (Nancy at Mango to be exact)...as you know if you read this blog I've worked w/ them on a number of weddings and their pics NEVER disappoint!  This shoot also gave me a great opportunity to work w/ Mariam and get a little creative as I did a very smokey eye and some intense lips...looked so good for the shoot!  Can't wait to work w/ her on here wedding b/c I know it's going to be fun!

So check out some of the pics...I think they are very cool!

These guys are such naturals I have no doubt their wedding pictures are going to rock!