Kelly’s wedding theme was one for the books! Relationships. Every detail revolved around relationships that were important to each of them. Their wedding day honored past loved ones, experiences they shared together, family traditions, as well as their fur baby, Luna. Even their wedding colors stemmed from the love they share for red wine!

Kelly envisioned her look to be “classy, elegant and romantic, but not TOO serious.” Between her gorgeous mansion venue and her elegant lace gown, we knew we needed a look for Kelly that was classic, but still young and fresh. 

“I will be the first one to tell you that I don’t really know anything about hair or makeup. When I was filling out my initial questionnaire before my trial, my answer to the question ‘describe your normal beauty routine’ was something like ‘Uh, mascara and Chapstick?’ So I was nervous that no matter what my stylists did, I was going to feel like 1) they were speaking a foreign language and 2) I was drowning in makeup and looked totally fake. Neither of those things could be further from the reality, though. 

On the day of my trial here’s what went down: First, Erika greeted me at the door and brought me up to the studio space, which is clean and bright. Then we talked about my vision, details about the wedding, and reviewed some of the answers I had provided in my pre-trial questionnaire. Basically all I knew when I arrived for my trial is that I wanted a low up-do. Otherwise, I was totally open to suggestions and advice (I’m not the expert, after all). Erika showed me her vision board (see further explanation below) and pointed out one style in particular that she thought would be a good fit. She said that she had just watched a tutorial on how to do that style and thought that it would go really well with my ideal wedding aesthetic and dress. We discussed a few small details that I wanted to change from the model in the picture and then she went to work! I had long, thick hair at the time so the curling process took a while, but I never felt awkward or like the conversation was strained. Erika is definitely a natural conversationalist! She was also clearly very proud of her own work, always vocalizing when a curl fell just the right way. I loved that about her, because it made me get so excited to see the finished product.

About halfway through my hair trial, Tara, the makeup artist, arrived at the studio and started setting up. The timing was great because she was ready for me as soon as my hair was finished. We went through the same process of discussing my vision for my makeup (I had basically no idea but knew that I wanted neutral colors and not to look too “done up”). Tara very gently guided me in the right direction, steering me away from a winged eyeliner and towards softer lines. It was my first time ever having false lashes applied, and I was a little apprehensive that they were going to feel bulky or weird, but Tara talked me through the application process and was such a champ at putting them on that I felt silly for ever having worried about it.  

The big reveal once both my hair and makeup were done was amazing. I definitely felt like I still looked like myself, but 100 times better. And both Erika and Tara were so affirming and made me feel so beautiful!

The last few minutes of the trial were for taking pictures. I felt like I was probably the most awkward “model” of all time, but Erika talked me through exactly where and how she wanted me to move my head, when to look at the camera, when to look away, when to smile, etc. She captured the look from all angles, which is great for a couple of reasons: 1) it’s perfectly documented so that it can be recreated on wedding day; and 2) you have pictures to look at when you are having a bad hair day and need a pick-me-up. Erika was super-efficient, sending me the photos via email by the next day.”

Her kind words melted our hearts!! Check out Kelly’s Vision Board and Post trial photos below.

We decided that a textured French twist would be the perfect combination of classic and fun. The French twist is classic and the texture would give it a fun, relaxed feel. Her makeup also portrayed the same fresh feel. Her features were highlighted in a natural way, but enough glam to make her shine!

Kelly’s wedding morning was so much fun! We all had great conversation while listening to 90’s hits. Did I mention we were jamming to Spice Girls?! The girls were a blast and made our job very easy by being very open to hair and makeup suggestions. We made sure makeup tones and hair textures remained cohesive while highlighting each of the lady’s features.

We asked Kelly to share her experience with us and were thrilled by her reply!

“Oh my goodness, it was the best! I have been in several weddings, and heard about a million more, and Lady Luxe made mine the most seamless of them all. We had our hair and makeup done at our hotel before leaving for the venue. In addition to hair and makeup for me, both the mother-of-the-bride and mother-of-the-groom had their makeup done, and of my 6 bridesmaids, all 6 got their hair done and 3 got makeup. 

Erika and Tara were both SUPER punctual. Erika was also spot-on with estimating what time she and Tara would need to start working in order to get us done by the time the limo showed up to take us to the venue; they were doing touch-ups JUST as we got the call to come downstairs to leave. These two things combined made for the most stress-free getting ready experience we could have imagined.

They are also just cool, fun-loving girls that we enjoyed spending time with. We spent the whole morning blasting the Spice Girls and boy bands and making bad jokes, so if that’s your style, you’ve found your stylists!”

Needless to say Kelly and her wedding party were a blast and we were so thrilled to be part of a wedding in which friends and family mean so much. Kelly’s wedding was a reminder that weddings aren’t about the small details. Weddings are about the union of two people who love one another and having their closest loved ones by their side to celebrate. 

VENDOR CREDITS:

Photographer: Zev Fisher

Venue: The Mansion at Turner Hill

Caterer: Vinwood Catering

Florist: Les Fleurs

Cake: Jenny’s Wedding Cakes

Stationary: Minted

Lighting: C-Zone Entertainment

Music (DJ and live duo for ceremony): C-Zone Entertainment

Transportation: Webb Transportation

Menswear: Generation Tux

Bridesmaids’ dresses: Bill Levkoff

“The aesthetic of my wedding is natural yet romantic. We will have florals composed sage, eucalyptus and various natural greens. My bridesmaids will wear a complimentary sage green. Candles and flower petals will surround the tables.”

I absolutely love hearing each bride’s vision for their wedding! I thrive on learning all of the details in lieu of creating the perfect bridal look. I would describe this “perfect look” as one that highlights the bride’s best features while remaining true to who she is and what she envisions.

Morgan’s questionnaire:

It’s not every day I have the honor of glamming a fellow hairstylist for her wedding. No pressure, right?! Beauty professionals tend to have a clear vision and an eye for detail. Admittedly, I was a bit nervous to meet Morgan! However my fears were quickly put to rest when I met her. Morgan has such a calming presence and I immediately felt she trusted me as well as the process.

Morgan, being a hairstylist herself, had a clear vision that her hair would be down on her wedding day. This is one of my favorite details of our story together! I convinced her to do a textured upstyle that would really highlight her features, dress and wedding theme. As far as makeup, she wanted full glam with an emphasis on her eyes and skin! This process was extra fun because I had the honor of doing both hair and makeup. Check out Morgan’s vision board and final look below!

“My trial was incredible. I went into it scared of updos, and worried that I couldn’t accurately describe what I wanted. Not only did she give me the most perfect updo, but Erika knocked it out of the park, and gave me exactly what I had hoped and dreamed for!”

Morgan’s sexy, textured, tousled updo coincided perfectly with her rustic theme. We accented her eyes with deep, earthy tones and gave her the glowing, radiant skin she was after. This look gave just the right amount of boho, moody, rustic drama she was after.

“My hair and makeup were absolutely perfect. It was such a windy day, and we were taking photos outside for about an hour. My hair looked exactly how it did when Erika first did it earlier that day! My makeup stayed on all night long! I didn’t want to wash it off!”

Thank you, Morgan, for trusting me and the Lady Luxe process! It was an honor to work with you and your closest friends!

 

Vendor Credits:

Venue: Five Bridge Inn

Photographer: Hallie Jade

Planner: Soirees by Sonya

Florist Flowers & More Design Studio

Cake: Wright’s Dairy Farm

Music: Kenneth Ferreria

Dress: Spark Bridal, Eddy K

Shoes: David’s Bridal

Hair products are completely subjective. However, there are many fabulous products that you may or may not know about! There are products that you will want to consider using before, during, and after your updo.

Prepping your hair properly with suitable products is key. Whether you have crazy thick curls or fine flyaway hair, you will want to make sure you have the proper foundation. One of my favorite products to use before blow-drying is Bumble and Bumble’s styling cream. This product is great for all hair types and aids in creating volume, hold, and definition. I recommend that my clients arrive with clean hair prepped with this styling cream.

I also enjoy using Oribe’s “Dry Texturizing Spray” while prepping the hair. This product is designed to absorb all oils in the hair with its patented polymers. This dryer texturizer allows for pliability and hold. I recommend using this product for hairstyles worn down as well.

After curling or straightening the hair for the updo, I like to use a smoothing product to seal the ends for smoothness and shine. I enjoy using “Defrizz” by Bumble and Bumble. It serves as a barrier to the humidity and seals up any sort of frizz or flyaway hairs. Simply apply a drop of this product onto to the palms of your hands, rub together, and apply to the hair, starting at the ends.

Once I have created my desired texture, I like to use Sebastian “Shaper plus” for hold. This gives a very strong hold without having to deal with a sticky texture. I also use this spray once my look is complete. The hair maintains its soft appeal while truly holding in place.

To seal the deal I enjoy using a shine spray to finish my look. It enhances the texture and makes the hair healthy and dimensional. For the perfect amount of shine, I choose Bumble and Bumble’s shine spray. A gentle mist of this product after updo completetion will serve as icing on the cake.

There are so many fantastic products on the market that it makes it overwhelming to decide which products are most suitable to you. I enjoy these particular products because they work with every texture and give long lasting, reliable results. These products are all equally suitable for when you are wearing your hair down with texture. Save yourself some time and try out these products before your next big night out!