Mrs. Macarons, TampaAge and Occupation: 26, Graphic DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 34, Renaissance ManEngagement Date: September 12, 2009Wedding Date: September 2011Venue: Lange FarmAbout Me: I'm creative at heart and a graphic designer with an unhealthy obsession with type. I love roller coasters, spicy foods, and a good glass of Crianza. We’re planning a soft and lovely vintage-meets-modern wedding in a state that’s known for its beaches, glitz and glam. I have a ton of DIY projects and lots of little details I’m dying to share and can't wait to celebrate with our closest friends and family.
I went into my first makeup trial with what I thought was pretty clear inspiration. Neutral eyes that popped, rosy cheeks, and some color on the lips. Day to day I keep my makeup pretty simple.
Mrs. Snow Cone, Pittsburgh/Johnstown, PAAge and Occupation: 23, Public Health Graduate StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, EngineerEngagement Date: April 9, 2010Wedding Date: August 2011Venue: OMOS Church ceremony/Sunnehanna Country Club receptionAbout Me: I’m one of the lucky ones---I met my future husband at the ripe old age of 13, started dating him as a mature woman of 15, and have been enjoying the ride ever since. Here we are, 8 years later, living in Pittsburgh, planning a "homestination" wedding in the place our school romance began---Johnstown, PA. I thrive on talking a mile a minute, eating my weight in chocolate, and internet shopping. I love a lengthy to-do list almost as much as I love a healthy amount of chaos in my life. Mr. Snow Cone and I watch countless episodes of Friends and The West Wing on repeat, root for rival college sports teams, and make each other laugh each and every day. We’re putting together a small-town wedding with a big personality and a classically modern (or modernly classic?) look for 250 of our closest family and friends. It’s been 8+ years in the making, and sometimes I still can’t believe I’m finally getting to marry my high school sweetheart!
Hive, I’m just beside myself. I decided to finally take the plunge and schedule a bridal-makeup consultation with Julie Marckisotto of Pittsburgh Makeup. (You can also see her work with the lovely Mrs. Octopus!) I wasn’t sure what to expect since I was receiving a “bridal-makeup lesson” from Julie, as opposed to her wedding-day services. Within about 20 seconds, she calmed all of my anxieties and uncertainties. Here’s an abbreviated list of why this consultation was a great, great decision.
Examples - As soon as I got to her studio, Julie sat me down and had me look through a wedding-makeup look book. She asked me to point out photos with aspects I liked/didn’t like. She never poo-pooed any of my ideas or feedback, and she was super eager to make my selected look work for me.
Education - She then took that inspiration photo and recreated the look on me, using shades that she thought would work their magic on my Swedish skin. She explained what she was doing and why she was doing it, and gave quick tips to ensure that my own attempts at the look would be as successful as possible.
Incorporation - Julie requested that I bring my own daily makeup kit so she could get a handle on what I use and which of my products could actually be utilized on W-Day. This was the biggest surprise to me—I was really expecting her to say that I just had to buy all new everything from some relatively expensive and high-quality brand that she’s affiliated with. Thankfully, she pointed out which of my products would work, which I should consider replacing, and where I could find good deals on her recommended new products. Fabulous.
Mrs. Biscuit, Morgantown, WVAge and Occupation: 24, Dental StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Chemist at a pharmaceutical companyEngagement Date: April 2010Wedding Date: July 2011Venue: Catholic Church, Lakeview Golf Resort and SpaAbout Me: I'm an engineer who decided to trek back to my hometown three years ago to become skilled in the arts of drilling and filling. I'm engaged to a pretty awesome guy who tests your assorted benzodiazepines by day and home brews by night. Together we have two fur children, Tsali and Tobias N. Fünkat. I'm a lazy perfectionist and eternal sorority girl who enjoys running, crafting, string cheese, good beer, and bad reality TV. We are planning a Big Fat Italian/Sicilian/Polish wedding filled with DIY details and are expecting 300 +/- 50 guests. Our whimsical summer affair is themed "Alice attends the Mad Hatter Vintage Garden Tea Party in a Ballroom. She Thinks That The Venue is Odd for a Vintage Garden Party, but is Tripping on LSD, so She Doesn't Really Care." Yes, I am the Dickens of themes.
I have been vacillating over whether I should DIY my makeup or get a pro to do it for a while. Our wedding is at one in the afternoon (thank you Catholic scheduling!) and my hair dresser doesn’t do makeup. Just when I was about 99% ready to do my own makeup (and possibly have shiny face or no eyelash syndrome) one of my bridesmaids said she found someone in town who did airbrush makeup for $50. I looked up this salon and found out it was about 1.5 driving minutes away from my hairdresser. Serendipity, my friends.
I scheduled my trial for yesterday morning, and was incredibly excited for what was to come. People hype up airbrush makeup so much, that I was sure I was going to look amazing. I half expected to walk out looking like Jessica Alba.
Of course, when you set the bar that high, there’s going to be some disappointment because I’m no Jessica Alba.
Don’t get me wrong, I am extremely happy with my complexion and blush. I asked for a smoky eye though, and I probably should have specified a brown smoky eye because it turned out a little dark. So dark that when Mr. Biscuit came home he likened me to Elvira.
Mrs. Cinnamon Bun, Calgary, AlbertaAge and Occupation: 26, Stage ManagerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Theatre TechnicianEngagement Date: June 22, 2010Wedding Date: June 2011Venue: Calgary Opera CentreAbout Me: I'm a life-long crafter and bookworm living in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. Some of my loves include Lord of the Rings, Sherlock Holmes, knitting, opera, musicals, Etsy, baking, and of course, Mr. Cinnamon Buns. We're keeping our wedding close to home---the venue isn't very far from our house, and we live within walking distance of 6 bridal salons. I'm using the wedding as an excuse to try out every craft project I possibly can, with the endless help and support of my fiance.
Mrs. Crepe, Queens, NY/Nashville, TNAge and Occupation: 28, Jewelry DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Animation DirectorEngagement Date: September 28, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: A church in downtown NashvilleAbout Me: I'm a native New Yorker who has always been a DIY kind of girl and loves tackling creative projects while getting the most out of a dollar. I'm marrying my college sweetheart and we love frequenting antique stores, exploring together, and playing with kittens. We're planning a fun, "us" wedding in his hometown---with as many handmade touches as we can pack into a day!
The awesome friend that will be doing all the hairstyles for the bridal party (she’s a rock star!) offered to also help me with makeup, but like the new Duchess of Cambridge, I opted to try my hand at doing my own face the day of. With the exception of false eyelashes, of course. Y’all know I can’t do that for the life of me.
Ms. Sloth, PhiladelphiaAge and Occupation: 35, Account Manager and Fashion BloggerFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Design AdminEngagement Date: December 25, 2009Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Bartram's GardenAbout Me: I'm an internet junkie and music snob with a good eye for a bargain. I couldn't live without thrift store shopping, cheeseburgers, sushi, Coke Zero, websites devoted to silly photos of baby animals, Photoshop, and Mr. Sloth. Speaking of which, he and I are a pair of goofball homebody nerds who love our beagle (the most ridiculously adorable dog EVER) to an embarrassing degree. We're planning a low-key and intimate yet festive and quirky outdoor wedding with DIY details and deeply personal touches, and it's all taking place in the city where we fell in love and call home: Philadelphia.
My DIY trial looked better, and I liked having an alternative to fall back on, but I didn’t think it was dramatic enough, and I decided that I’d rather leave my face to the professionals.
Luckily for me, Bridesmaid K works with a woman who does professional makeup as a side business. She came to my home a few weeks ago (when I was sick as a dog) and worked her magic. Or at least her semi-magic. She said that, for my wedding day, she’d go full-on with primers, but she didn’t do that for the trial. She also said that she usually does just one eye at first, and only does the second one if the bride requests changes. And this was fine with me, because all I wanted to do was go take a nap on the couch.
I told her I wanted to look fresh, but dramatic, but not too dramatic for a garden wedding in late afternoon. Whatever the eff that means. But she managed to nail it!
Ms. Gazelle, Calgary/VancouverAge and Occupation: 32, EngineerFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, Technology AnalystEngagement Date: September 3, 2010Wedding Date: July 2011Venue: Brock House Restaurant, VancouverAbout Me: I am a marathon runner, cyclist, Ironman triathlete and beautiful shoe fiend who also loves kicking back and watching Glee. I grew up a bit of a nomad as I traveled around the world with my family, living everywhere from Australia to England to South America and Indonesia. I finally settled in Calgary a few years ago and met Mr. Gazelle who loves me even though we cheer for different hockey teams. We are planning a bit of a destination wedding in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia and we can’t wait to share the day with our close family and friends.
In the beginning of our engagement, I decided that I might attempt to do my own makeup on our wedding day.
This is a pretty funny notion if you know me, considering that I very rarely wear makeup. And I’m going to attempt to do it myself on what will likely be the most photographed day of my life? Perhaps not the brightest idea. I had Googled a few makeup artists in Vancouver but I wasn’t in love with their portfolios, so I figured I’d just do it myself. I really want to look natural, to look just like me! But maybe with some false eyelashes?
Thank goodness for my photographer who asked if I needed a makeup recommendation. She really has been a great resource for advice and recommendations. She suggested ML Makeup Artistry. I pored over her portfolio, and everyone looks so naturally beautiful. Plus, not only is she good, but apparently she is wonderful to be around. Luckily she was free on our wedding day, so I booked her right away. She’ll come to the house to do my makeup, along with my MOH and BM as well. I imagine our photographer will come by just as I’m getting my makeup done.
This will allow for amazing pictures like this… Read more…
Mrs. Lox, BaltimoreAge and Occupation: 33, Government WorkerFiance's Age and Occupation: 35. IT ConsultantEngagement Date: May 8, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Vandiver InnAbout Me: I’m an East Coast gal born and bred and a suburban brat turned city rat for the last year. Now Mr. Lox and I enjoy walking all kinds of places, having the coolest things around in our backyard, and especially our garage parking. I love gadgets, toys, Ben & Jerry’s Chubby Hubby ice cream, monkeys, and our insane cats. I’m a blonde by birth and a redhead by choice. I’m that girl in the cubicle farm with all the cool toys and the file cabinet covered in magnetic poetry. I still use smiley faces in my emails, whether people like it or not. This is not the first rodeo for Mr. Lox nor me. And together, we are planning an intimate afternoon wedding on a budget we can afford by ourselves.
So the other trial I had this weekend was my makeup trial. I know…busy busy!
Unlike my hair trial, I didn’t go in armed with inspiration pictures. I did show her pictures of my dress and give her a general idea of what I was looking for. Basically, I want to look polished and have my skin look fantastic. I’d like a sort of natural look but with some oomph to the eyes. And of course, I had to go in bare-faced.
Here’s the deal. I know you all love a confident woman. And I’m totally cool with who I am. But who I am is a chick who doesn’t leave the house without a little bit of makeup at the very least. So what I’m showing you here is a testament to my love for you all. And visual proof of why I wear makeup even to the grocery store. Read more…
Mrs. Snow Cone, Pittsburgh/Johnstown, PAAge and Occupation: 23, Public Health Graduate StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, EngineerEngagement Date: April 9, 2010Wedding Date: August 2011Venue: OMOS Church ceremony/Sunnehanna Country Club receptionAbout Me: I’m one of the lucky ones---I met my future husband at the ripe old age of 13, started dating him as a mature woman of 15, and have been enjoying the ride ever since. Here we are, 8 years later, living in Pittsburgh, planning a "homestination" wedding in the place our school romance began---Johnstown, PA. I thrive on talking a mile a minute, eating my weight in chocolate, and internet shopping. I love a lengthy to-do list almost as much as I love a healthy amount of chaos in my life. Mr. Snow Cone and I watch countless episodes of Friends and The West Wing on repeat, root for rival college sports teams, and make each other laugh each and every day. We’re putting together a small-town wedding with a big personality and a classically modern (or modernly classic?) look for 250 of our closest family and friends. It’s been 8+ years in the making, and sometimes I still can’t believe I’m finally getting to marry my high school sweetheart!
Mrs. Tartlet, Rochester, MIAge and Occupation: Age & Occupation: 27, Post-Doctoral Research FellowFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Medical StudentEngagement Date: May 2, 2009Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: The Royal Park HotelAbout Me: I'm an exuberant gal from the Midwest with a penchant for Neuroscience and anything sparkly. I'm not afraid to poke fun at myself, and I'm a believer that given the right pair of shoes, a girl can conquer the world. While an interest in the sciences threw Mr. Tartlet and me together (again, and again, until it finally stuck), we share a love for many things---food, video games, car dancing, food, bad puns, travel, did I mention food?---that ultimately led us to where we are now, less than five months from becoming Mr. and Mrs. We're planning a laid-back, romantic, garden-inspired affair with organic and quirky touches that reflect our love for the unexpected!
After many a past hair calamity, I made darn sure to schedule a trial prior to our wedding day. I deliberated between a handful of styles, and thanks to the input my besties and the Hive settled on the soft, loose updo. The half-up-half-down was an equally strong contender until I was reminded on a brief, glorious 70 degree day here that my back sweats excessively when I get warm. Hair plastered to my neck and back = no bueno. My appointment at Posh Studio ended up being a double-whammy with my makeup trial scheduled the same evening. I wanted a fresh and natural look with just a hint of color:
I also coveted a shimmery, sun-kissed glow that the oh-so-lovely Rachel Bilson pulls off to perfection: Read more…
Mrs. Zebra, Providence, RIAge and Occupation: 24 Marketing/Costume DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26 Management/Firefighter Engagement Date: December 12, 2008Wedding Date: March 2011Venue: The Providence BiltmoreAbout Me: I'm a small town New England girl with an affinity for procrastination, crossing the proverbial line, and putting her foot in her mouth. I'm a lover of history, all seasons, sewing and Incubus. I design costumes on the side for my old high school's theatre department, which is where I met my sexy man. Our motto for our Big Fat Lebanese/Portuguese/Irish near-300 person wedding is "the more the merrier"! We are marrying in a Catholic ceremony and are hammering out the details of our Victorian-inspired reception.
This is a trial! A hair and makeup trial! Oh yeah…you’re excited. I know I am. P.S. I’m going to be using an obscene amount of exclamation points for…oh the rest of my time here (!!!!!!!!!) I apologize.
For over 10 years I’ve been going to Sandune at Allure Salon for my hair. She’s never done me wrong. She’s like my second mother. Oh wait, she is my second mother. My hairstylist is my MOH, Britt’s, mother—and she knows me pretty well. She never does me wrong. As you are about to see…
Bleck! I’m not one of those women who can gracefully post a picture of herself without makeup. I’m going to turn my head and never think about this again. You should too.
Mrs. Lioness, AtlantaAge and Occupation: 25, Physical TherapistFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, AttorneyEngagement Date: August 29, 2009Wedding Date: April 2011Venue: Anthony’s Fine DiningAbout Me: I’m a Southern girl with New England roots. I say "wicked" and "y’all" in the same sentence and I like to drink sweet tea with my lobster. Mr. Lion and I are both former Floridians now living in Atlanta, which fortunately is still SEC country...Go Gators! We both love baseball, coffee, traveling, cooking, and playing Words with Friends with each other on our iPhones all day long. I’m very passionate about the things and the people I love, and I tend to plan things with all of my heart...our wedding, of course, is no different! Oh, and also Mr. Lion is a first generation American of Cuban descent. I may look more like Lucy than Ricky, but I’m doing my best to incorporate some Latin elements into our vintage-garden-Southern wedding!
Pale skin. Freckles. Green eyes. Red hair. It’s a tougher palette than it looks, I must say. It’s very easy to find clashing colors, sometimes too late. Additionally, fair skin takes to color much more drastically than other skin tones. This can be a good thing, but it can also lead to something overly dramatic. I wanted to use a picture of a clown with a red wig to illustrate this point, but when I Google image searched for “clown,” a lot of scary stuff popped up. I don’t want to subject y’all to that!
Instead, I’ll use this photo of Nancy from “30 Rock,” whose dream was to “open a store for red headed girls to buy cosmetics…from someone who understands.”
Mrs. Zebra, Providence, RIAge and Occupation: 24 Marketing/Costume DesignerFiance's Age and Occupation: 26 Management/Firefighter Engagement Date: December 12, 2008Wedding Date: March 2011Venue: The Providence BiltmoreAbout Me: I'm a small town New England girl with an affinity for procrastination, crossing the proverbial line, and putting her foot in her mouth. I'm a lover of history, all seasons, sewing and Incubus. I design costumes on the side for my old high school's theatre department, which is where I met my sexy man. Our motto for our Big Fat Lebanese/Portuguese/Irish near-300 person wedding is "the more the merrier"! We are marrying in a Catholic ceremony and are hammering out the details of our Victorian-inspired reception.
I was only able to tune into the Oscars for a moment or two before running out the door to deal with a little situation with the flower girl dresses. However, I had enough time to catch a peek at Kelly Osbourne’s fabulous makeup. Oh Em Gee. She looked stunning. I thought I had my hair and makeup all nailed down months ago. Now, with a little less than a week before my hair trial, my steel reserve has begun to wither. Ahhhhh such is life.
Mrs. Ostrich, San Francisco/HawaiiAge and Occupation: 30, Fashion Buyer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 38, CopywriterEngagement Date: October 4, 2009Wedding Date: April 2011Venue: Sweet ceremony by the sea and sunset celebration on the North Shore of HawaiiAbout Me: Born in the city of angels and residing in the city by the bay, I’m a fearless fashion buyer by day, a passionate blog author by night and a dreamy bride-to-be in between. I thank my lucky stars to live in such a stunning city that gives me gifts like organic honey lavender ice cream, movie nights in the park, tucked away beaches, legendary record stores, '80s dance parties, awesome sports teams, stellar flea markets, and vintage bookshops. Oh, and I love to dance! We always find every excuse to escape to the beach, and decided a little seaside wedding in Hawaii is our idea of bliss. Full of our favorite people, music, food and sparkly lights, this is one sunset celebration we will always remember.
In honor of this weekend’s Oscar extravaganza, I met up with friendor and makeup artist extraordinaire, Tina, for the long awaited makeup trial…and red carpet swooning.
My dream makeup look, striking the perfect balance of drama (the eyes) and natural beauty. And that light coral lip is sooooo pretty. I shared what specifically I loved about this look to Tina and also told her what I wanted to avoid (not heavy, no super dark eyes) so she knew my boundaries. The more specific you can be with your makeup artist about what look you want (natural or glam, colors, areas to highlight—photos are SO helpful!) and don’t want, the better chance you have of getting the look you’ve been dreaming of.
Mr. O also chimed in about his thoughts on makeup: Read more…
Mrs. Lox, BaltimoreAge and Occupation: 33, Government WorkerFiance's Age and Occupation: 35. IT ConsultantEngagement Date: May 8, 2010Wedding Date: May 2011Venue: Vandiver InnAbout Me: I’m an East Coast gal born and bred and a suburban brat turned city rat for the last year. Now Mr. Lox and I enjoy walking all kinds of places, having the coolest things around in our backyard, and especially our garage parking. I love gadgets, toys, Ben & Jerry’s Chubby Hubby ice cream, monkeys, and our insane cats. I’m a blonde by birth and a redhead by choice. I’m that girl in the cubicle farm with all the cool toys and the file cabinet covered in magnetic poetry. I still use smiley faces in my emails, whether people like it or not. This is not the first rodeo for Mr. Lox nor me. And together, we are planning an intimate afternoon wedding on a budget we can afford by ourselves.
So here’s the thing. Not so very long ago, I was super excited at the prospect of helping someone start a business as well as getting a less expensive service on my wedding day. And the truth is, I’d kind of decided to go for it before I hit publish on that post. So I did (go for it, that is).
And I’m not saying that it necessarily was a bad idea. It just turns out that this particular vendor and I didn’t work out. And so I’d like to point out something important to all of you.
Please please please (I cannot possibly say please enough here) do not hire a vendor without a contract. Lucky for me, I learned my lesson a long time ago. (Remember my venue? Right.) But this girl was just starting her business and didn’t understand yet the importance a contract truly has. And that’s fine. But I’m still not hiring a vendor without a contract. Period. Read more…
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
