Congratulations to this beautiful couple of mine! Passing along a little Blog post from Rivercrest Golf Club that highlighted Jen and Josh and their big day. I loved being a part of their day!
Jen & Josh – Rivercrest Wedding of the Month
Author: Nicole
Wedding Day Hairstyle Tips
One of the goals that I set for myself when I launched this new blog was to try to bring interesting and useful information to those that may be stopping by to visit and read. My inspiration for blog posts comes in the funniest ways! Today’s post was created after a visit to the woman that keeps me looking my best… my hairstylist, Judith! Judith is the owner and lead stylist of Amenities Salon located in Doylestown, PA. I love her and trust her with my grays (that you will hopefully NEVER see!) and she has also quickly become a go-to person for me when it comes to choosing the most flattering colors and hairstyles for me…and this also extends our conversations into the world of weddings.
To backtrack a bit, I love, Love, LOVE talking with my brides (and future brides!) about the details of their wedding day… and also the dress, the theme of the wedding, colors, etc. Obviously our first conversations are more focused around booking photography services and talking through the ceremony and reception site details, but as the wedding draws closer, we are working towards creating a vision together about what feelings each bride wants to express and show family/guests/the world in their images from the big day. “THE” dress has chosen the bride the moment the tears flowed (we’ve all been there during our dress shopping days, or when we were there helping our BFF’s, right?!)
What happens later on down the timeline is the trial run for hair and makeup. Many times it is only a few weeks before the wedding when this takes place. It is absolutely a huge stress point, and sometimes sneaks up on a girl! I get it! Been there… done that!
So fast forwarding back to the purpose of this post… what can I do to help ease some of this stress for you? I asked an expert to share her best advice with me on how to make sure you look your absolute best on your wedding day, and what to think twice about before getting your heart set on a style. Ready to dive in? Okay… here we go!
I am going to call this section “Judith Says”, because she did, and because it’s making me giggle ;). Here are things to think about while getting sucked into the Pinterest rabbit hole, and start pinning everything and then some:
- Will this hairstyle be flattering on me?
- Judith says that you should ALWAYS aim for a hairstyle that shapes your face well. For 99% of us, the goal is to create the illusion of an oval shaped face.
- Judith also says to look at how you typically wear your hair. If you typically wear bangs, then you may want to think twice about having all of the hair pulled back away from your face, and things like that.
- Should I just do my own hair instead?
- Judith says the answer is no. Just no. 1) You deserve to be pampered. 2) You want your hair to have staying power all day. 3) You will be thankful that you had it professionally styled when you see your pictures.
- What are the popular styles this year?
- Judith says she is seeing a lot of nods to old Hollywood glam by ways of intricate Chignons and very loose flowing waves, and even Gibson Girl inspired looks. If you love these styles but have shorter or hair that may be on the finer side, consider clip-in extensions to bring that vision to life.
- Also trending are accessories such as flower/beaded headbands, butterfly clips (4” and larger), bows, flowers, and bird cage veils.
I know most of us are pretty Google savvy, but if you would like to reach out to Judith from Judith Michael Amenities Salon & Color Studio for additional advice, or to set up your hair and makeup trial with her, please give her a call. The link to her website is listed below. And if there is anything I can help you with, you know I’m here too! =)
Hope to see you soon, and enjoy every minute of your planning!
Nicole
The Most Important Ways To Choose Your Wedding Photographer
The Most Important Ways to Choose Your Wedding Photographer
Did you know that one of the first questions a wedding photographer is asked is “how much are your wedding packages?” One of the first (and sometimes the only!) questions asked via email is “will you please send me your price list”?
Don’t get me wrong… I understand. Many of us have a wedding budget, and really need to plan out the wedding day well in order to avoid bankruptcy (haha!) However, if you are looking for a recipe for success when it comes to wedding photography, there is something that is equally important and is many times overlooked. That something is ensuring you connect with your photographer!
Take the time to ensure you connect with your photographer on a personal level! And I mean almost from the very first moment you meet/speak/type. You will be spending one of the most important days of your life with this person hot on your tail, so it should be something awesome vs. something that you loathe, right?!
I’m already assuming that you have a keen eye, and that you have earmarked a few photographers whose images appeal to you and inspire you. You like what you see (e.g. candid, formal, color tones, composition), you’ve thoroughly researched websites, and have exhausted your friend’s lists of recommendations. You’re a smart cookie… so you’ve done the legwork, and you’re ready for next steps. Here’s what I recommend:
- Call the photographer! In this day and age, most couples are super busy working their 9-5 jobs… and have such limited extra time, so they are pretty selective about how they spend their downtime. Scheduling a quick call is sometimes a great first step before committing to an hour of coffee time (after driving through rush hour, or taking up a Saturday/Sunday morning.) You should be able to get a great feel for their personality and professionalism pretty quickly, even over the phone. If you like what you’re hearing, then take the next step to meet for coffee, or if you are out of town… try a Facetime or Skype meeting.
- If you are on Pinterest, see if the photographer is as well! Are there things that they are pinning that connect the two of you, or speak to you on a personal level? Being a foodie, cat lover, gym rat, snow globe collector? (Well, you get the idea!)
- See if the photographer has a Blog, and read their post entries. Do you like how they think, speak, and write about their couples? Are you connecting with the stories being told along with the images you see?
Taking the time to do these things should really help you get a feel for who this photographer is at the core, and if they are someone you would really enjoy having next to you for close to 12 hours on your wedding day! At least have this piece of the photographer puzzle settled in your gut/heart/head before you start asking the other important questions…. You know, the ones about pricing, camera gear, or if this person will show up in ripped jeans, tshirt and a big red clown nose on your wedding day (heehee!)
At the end of the day, the easier it is for you both to connect with and feel comfortable with your photographer, the better your engagement and wedding images will turn out! And who knows… maybe you will have an ongoing friendship that continues through newborn babies, sweet 16’s, and family reunions as well! That is what makes all of it worth it for this photographer. I wouldn’t trade the relationships I have with my couples and newfound friends for anything in the world, and that is my wish for you as well. =)
I would love your thoughts and feedback! Would you add anything to this list?
XO, Nic
Wedding Trend for 2016 – Guesterly
Hi there!
As I’m sitting here on this gorgeous 70 degree Sunday morning in December (what?!) with a tea in hand, I’m reading up on the new wedding trends for 2016. There is a lot of information available out there, but one item I came across really stood out to me. It is known as a wedding yearbook called Guesterly.
Depending on how much of a personal feel you would like to add to your wedding, and how much time you would have to dedicate to it… it seems like a fun way to bring your guests together before they’re all sitting next to each other for dinner! I’ll add the link below, but from what I’m reading, it pulls some information from Facebook and adds it to your Guesterly book (which you edit and add to as well) and then it’s designed and printed for you to send to your guests before your wedding. Putting myself in the guests shoes, I think it would be something super fun to receive ahead of time! It seems like a pretty unique way to give your guests a head start on chit-chat topics around the table =)
http://apracticalwedding.com/2014/05/guesterly-alternative-guestbook-wedding-program/
What are your thoughts on it…Like? Love? Think it’s weird? I’d love to hear!
Nic
