Beauty Crush: Heidi Klum's "Revamp Your Bun"

We are big fans of Heidi Klum and she has some of the best beauty advice around! Check out this great how-to video (click here). We especially like the tips on how to avoid a sagging bun and making your messy hair look effortless! Enjoy!

Inspiration: Why Wedding Accessories Matter?

Why Wedding Accessories Matter?

Today we have a special guest post from Natalie with Simply Bridal. Cheers to finding the right accessories! 

You have your wedding dress picked out, but what about the details?  The right accessories can shape the whole look and feel of your dress and your wedding.  They can evoke a theme or mood, incorporate a special color, or turn a simple dress into something amazing. After all, who would Cinderella be without her glass slipper? Accessories – especially wedding accessories – matter!

Let’s start with shoes! This is often a topic of debate among brides.  Some women swear by wearing heels, while others insist on wearing flats.  Flats are a great option as far as comfort is concerned, but only really work with floor-length gowns or vintage flair.  Heels, while sometimes uncomfortable, do add shape to the legs and hips while adding height, which creates a slimming effect.  Keeping a pair of flats on-hand for the reception is a good idea for any bride.  Those who are looking for a fun pop of color can choose heels with colored soles, which is a huge trend for 2012.  Brightly colored pumps are also very big this year.  If there is a theme to your wedding, your shoes can help tie in the theme.  For example, if you are having a rustic or western-inspired wedding, cowboy boots are an adorable option.  For destination weddings, going barefoot is a fun and comfortable way to go. 

Photo from Etsy.com

Your hands will be photographed many times, so your jewelry, nails, and bouquet are going to be photographed as well.  Your florist can help you choose the best flowers for your bouquet, but a bouquet is not the only option.  Some brides opt to carry rose balls, feathers, or even vintage books bound with ribbon.  Let your imagination be your guide!  Your manicure and pedicure, or lack thereof, will also show up in many photos.  While a French manicure is the classic wedding day look, bold nails have been showing up at weddings this year.  

Photo from Glamour.com

Brightly colored nails are a great way to tie in your wedding colors while drawing attention to your wedding ring.  Doing a twist on a French manicure, such as peach polish with a dusting of gold glitter at the tips, is a great way to do something different, yet classy with your nails.  Gloves are another way to compliment your dress, especially if it is a vintage style gown, although they are often only worn until rings are exchanged.  The gloves can be removed and handed to the maid-of-honor during the ceremony, or a slit can be cut in the left glove to allow the ring finger to be exposed.  Even when cutting a slit in the glove, it is generally considered to be a bit of a faux pas to eat with gloves on, so keep that in mind during the reception. 

Photo from Simply Bridal

Headbands, flower or feather hair clips, and embellished hair pins are all great alternatives to veils, but can also be worn with the right veil to create a stunning look.  Combined with well-chosen jewelry and accessories, you are sure to be ready for your close-up on the big day.  

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SimplyBridal.com is an online retailer of quality wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses, and wedding accessories. We offer our bridesmaid gowns in twenty-eight colors, and in addition to providing a great customer experience, we also strive to create valuable bridal resources.

Dream Team: Happy Halloween!

Inspiration: Hurricane Sandy

We sure hope that our friends, family, brides and blog readers are safe after HAIR-ricane Sandy invaded the East Coast. If we could have used our bobby pins and hairspray to keep her confined, we sure would have! With mother nature as our inspiration, we got to thinking about how often rain impacts our weddings and what tools our brides can use to make their photos pop!

Loving this image (from Flickr) because it reminds me of the similar shape we kept seeing over and over on the news!

 Monster Sandy coming through. Photo via Google.com.

Images found on Pinterest.

Real Wedding: Katie

Serena and Julia were so wonderful to work with.  Not only did the hair and makeup look great (and last ALL night), they were such a calming presence to have in the room while we were getting ready before the ceremony- which was really helpful for me!  We loved working with them!  ~ Katie

Special thank you to Balance Photography for the gorgeous photos!

Real Wedding: Liz, Lindsey and Nileena

This group was wonderful to work with. From day one all of my emails and questions were answered right away. The prices are equal to all area wedding beauty services. The women who came to do our hair and makeup were patient, friendly and had a way of making the day even more perfect. I highly recommend this vendor. The trial process was also very easy.  ~ Liz

Thank you for spending part of the day with us! We had a great time with you and Lindsay and I was so happy with how efficient you both were - we even had a little extra time to relax before we had to leave for my venue (which I really needed!) :)

 Lindsey

Photos by  Kate Pelura of Brian Ray Studios

 

Erica & Lindsay were absolutely perfect and I couldn't have asked for better hair/make-up artists. They were on-time, totally flexible when it came to the wants of each of my bridesmaids, and really made me feel absolutely gorgeous when they were done! I will definitely be telling everyone I know about Up Dos For I Dos, and especially recommending Erica & Lindsay for their great work! You guys rock!! Nileena 

 

Real Wedding: Amanda

We love destination weddings! Even if that means across the bridge to the smallest state of Delaware. We thoroughly enjoyed spending a warm spring day close to the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk with Amanda and Cooper! Stunning flowers by Intrigue Design and Decor. Beat 2 Beat DJs provided the perfect ambiance with their up-lighting. Enjoy!