3/2017 Think of your fiercest friend. Then, multiply her by 10. That's Kim. One minute, she may look like a beauty queen, then the next she's returning serves like Serena on the tennis court. As the oldest child in a family of 5 children, she is a natural leader. Kim's love for her now husband, R.K, can only be dwarfed by her passion for Lululemon. When she asked me to do her hair for her wedding, I excitedly accepted and attempted to squash my nerves, thinking about her long, silky, HEAVY, Filipina hair. As the date neared, I prayed that she might get her hair thinned but I can't lie, I was and continue to be so jealous of her beautiful locks! We worked together on several ideas for her hair and did a trial run. I worked out how many bobby pins would be necessary to keep it together and found some industrial hold hairspray that would keep those curls curly until the last dance. In addition to Kim's hair, I was asked to work on some bridesmaids as well. I had the opportunity to tame some wild manes that day! I added some fresh curls and braids to create some well-polished looks. Let me back up real quick here and tell you another thing about Kim. She's not only intelligent and athletic but ALSO a makeup guru. So, on her big day, she did her own make up while I took care of her hair. SO. NUTS. I mean, COME ON. LOOK AT HER. As she contoured and blended, I was pinning and curling. When I finished, I looked at her face. It was stressed. She affirmed her happiness with the style and returned to her mirror, silently assessing her own progress. I bowed out, hoping she really was okay with her hair, and helped a few other girls finish up. Heres another fun fact about Kim: She picked out a wedding dress and the switched it right before her wedding. As a past bride myself, it sounds INSANE but if you knew Kim, you would know that it makes total sense. She had a feeling about that first dress. Its that feeling when you're picking out an outfit and something just feels "off". This second dress was PERFECT and a complete and total surprise to her bridal party! When her makeup was finished, She looked at herself in the mirror and relief washed across her gorgeous face. Her worries about how her makeup would turn out trumped any worries about her hair. Kim was thrilled with her wedding look and I felt honored to be a part of it. The rest of the day went off without a hitch! (Except for a small veil emergency which resulted in me sprinting through a parking lot in high heels and up a flight of stairs right before this bride walked down the aisle.) When those double doors opened and the music began, R.K. watched Kim with shining eyes. "Beautiful" really doesn't seem to capture the intimacy of the moment but it will have to do. This job never gets old! Thanks to Kim and R.K. for sharing their day with me! :) Photo credits to Filgraphix. Check him out at https://www.filgraphix.com/
0 Comments
11/2018 Some people are just good for the soul. They ground you. They slow you down and point out the roses to you, ripe for smelling. Abby is one of those people. She laughs easily and loves hard. She makes a great audience but is just as entertaining. When she asked me to contribute to her wedding by doing her hair and makeup, I was humbled and MEGA excited. For the record, at the time of her request I had been settled in Miami, Florida. I was nursing my tan and shopping for flip flops. "Sure!", I said. "I would be honored to be a part of your big day!". Then, she dropped the bombshell. Her wedding was set to be in VERMONT! My online shopping search quickly switched to boots. Abby's wedding took place at a beautiful and rustic barn. I laced up my new boots and put myself on a plane, unsure of what to expect. I arrived early to help set up and see the rural town. Turns out, I was in for a gorgeous fall backdrop and cider donuts. I guess the east coast, isn't all that bad! Abby had arranged for an outdoor ceremony near a forest. The reception followed in a tavern nearby. What I thought would be just another event was a weekend full of new friends and renewal. On the morning of, we woke up early and chugged all the coffee we could. I tried to rub the sleep out of my eyes as I got started on her hair. While surrounded by her family and friends, we prayed for the rain to hold off until after the ceremony as Abby confidently informed us there was no Plan B. Even among such unpredictability, Abby was in amazing spirits. I worked on a fishtail braid that would wrap around to the back of her updo. I curled the back and began pinning up her hair, hoping she would stay dry! Earlier in the weekend, her dad pulled me aside. He asked me to promise that Abby would still look like Abby once I was finished putting together her look. He wanted to make sure his youngest daughter's natural beauty wasn't covered up with mounds of makeup. I promised him and made this my goal, but it wasn't too difficult when someone shines as bright as Abby. We stuck with gold tones and a natural lip along with some falsies to make her eyes pop! Morning turned to afternoon, Abby was finished and I moved on to her gorgeous and hilarious Maid of Honor, Alex. We decided on a simple curled updo for her long dark hair. Soon, it was time to put on some ponchos and grab a seat outside. In a mad stroke of luck, the rain held off for the 30 minutes necessary for a wedding ceremony! Abby was radiant among the clouds as she walked though the grass to meet her husband-to-be, Andrew. What followed was an evening of crazy dancing and scream-singing early 2000's jams as we celebrated two becoming one. I left Vermont thankful for water-resistant boots, fast friendships and old ones. Thanks to Abby and Andrew for thinking of me for your special day! Photo credits to Kristen Catoe Photography, LLC. Check her out at www.kristencatoephotography.com!
12/2014 Let me tell you about Tiffany. She's kind, like sit up with you all night while you cry over a ten page term paper due the next day kind. She's sassy and smart. Tiffany takes care of her flock and when I met her, she took me in. After her man, Matt, popped the big question Tiffany planned her big day to take place in December, in Indiana. (In case you're not from the midwest, it's COLD in December.) Fun fact about me: I loathe winter. If I was an animal, I would be an iguana. And do you know where iguanas live? THE DESERT! Or anywhere warm, really. The point is, I hate being cold. That being said, I do appreciate a seasonal wardrobe. Sometimes, you just can't win. Amidst her wedding planning, Tiffany blessed me with two requests. The first: if I would be a bridesmaid. The second: if I would DO. HER. HAIR. I screamed, "YASS" to both questions and preparation began. Tiffany's wedding took place at her home church and as my iguana-like self trudged through the snow, I couldn't help but feel warm thinking about the day ahead. There's something about a group of females gathered together to lift up one of their own that just gets me. I sat Tiffany down in a chair and we got started curling her hair. She has thick brunette locks and the process took place over shared laughs and happy tears. We went with a half up look with lots of volume and single braids to hide the bobby pins in the back. She looked beautiful. The bridesmaids cycled through my chair as I applied bobby pins and curls. We stepped into our red dresses and gasped as Tiffany stepped into her gorgeous white one. The ceremony commenced and I watched my friend marry the love of her life, looking pretty great (if I do say so myself.) P.S. In case you were wondering how my iguana-self survived this winter wedding... the answer is barely :) Cheers to Tiffany and Matt! Photo credits to Elese Coutura Photography. Check her out at www.eleseketurah.com
|