Monday, October 13, 2008

“Hair’s” to a Wonderful Wedding Day!

It’s not a matter of “hair” today, gone tomorrow but one that will be talked about for days and even months afterward – the hairstyle you wear on your wedding day is as important as your dress or any other accessory and must be chosen and done with the care it deserves. Weddings are all about being beautiful, about showcasing your best features and looking like a dream come true as you float down the aisle bathed in your own radiance and joy. Keeping with trend, here are a few tips to prevent your wedding day from becoming a bad hair day:

“Dress” up your hair: Choose your hair style based on your wedding dress. Some designs call for the elegance of the twist while others literally beg you to let your hair down. Take into account the neckline, shoulder design and the relative formality (or lack of it) when you decide how you want to wear your hair.

“Accessorize” your tresses: It’s not enough that your dress and hair go hand in hand; you must take care to see that your veil and accessories match too. The best way to see if they all form a pretty and perfect picture is to have your hair done the way you want to as you’re trying out your wedding dress and accessories.

“Groom” and shine: Dull and listless hair is a definite no-no on your wedding day. Make sure you begin a good grooming and conditioning routine months before the big day to put that sleek shine in your locks. Rope in a salon to help you plan for the big day and get your hair in shipshape condition so that it glows and shimmers as you walk down the aisle.

“Lock” in your plans”: If you’re looking for ideas for innovative hairstyles, leaf through glossy and wedding magazines, surf the Internet, watch television shows or observe people at weddings or parties to see what you like. You could also visit your salon to see what ideas they throw up.

“Suiting” the hour: And last but not the least, make sure the style you choose suits you. Sure, it’s tempting to go with the latest trends, but it’s wiser to factor in windy outdoors, maintenance aspects and face appeal before you decide on the style for your crowning glory. You don’t want to be remembered as the bride whose hair blew all over her face or lost a pin or two as she fumbled her vows.

So now that you know how to prevent hair horror stories on your wedding day, “hair’s” to a very happy and special day.

By-line:
This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the subject of dating sites. She invites your feedback at kellykilpatrick24 at gmail dot com

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Carolyn Shepard Design Group

Carolyn Shepard Design Group - Flowers, Event decor, exquisite rental linens, candles and more for Parties, Corporate events, Weddings.

CSDG is celebrating ten years in Charlotte and has a great birthday gift for new clients!

I would like to share their press release:




It's Carolyn Shepard Design Groups 10th birthday, and we would like to thank you with a gift!

It has been a wonderful 10 years for CSDG here in Charlotte, and we are looking forward to many more! To thank you for helping us reach this milestone, we would like to offer you a $100.00 gift card to any Modern Salon and Spa location, when you book your next event totaling $1000.00 or more with CSDG! And just to sweeten the pot, refer a new client to CSDG, who also books their new event of $1000.00 or more with us, and you'll receive an ADDITIONAL $100.00 gift card! It's just our way of saying "thank you!"Just mention our 10th anniversary when you book your next event with us!



carolyn shepard design group
Call us to book your next event!
704-523-5237 or email us
click here to contact us

Offer expires on December 31, 2008. Cannot be combined with any other offers.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Belk Chapel Queens College Wedding

Mandy and Clay were married at Belk Chapel on the campus of Queens College with their reception at Roof with a view in uptown Charlotte. Mandy is a beautiful girl and was a stunning bride!









photos provided by Critsey of Indigo Photography

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Selecting Hair Jewelry & Accessories For the Big Day

Whether you are searching for the perfect hair accessory for yourself to wear on your wedding day or are looking for the perfect final touch for your maids, there are many different styles and options this wedding season to add that trendy touch.

For the bride there are so many options. Wearing a few crystal or pearl tiny hairpins placed throughout the hair style with a veil look sweet and simple. There are quality options that offer a wide variety of selections. A simple round or bicone (diamond) shape single crystal or pearl looks stunning for brides that want a simple but elegant look that coordinates with their dresses and other jewelry.

Brides may also want to opt for a dramatic and larger size hair accessory like a hair comb or tiara. A hair comb offers a multitude of options because it can be worn with almost every hairstyle. Whether you choose to wear your hair as a half up do and place the comb on the side of the head or you have a bun or chignon and place the comb directly on top or on the bottom of the bun – it looks great, adding a splash of color and sparkle. Tiaras are perfect for a very dramatic look that can be unique to each bride as there are thousands of tiara selections online and in boutiques.

Bridesmaids often wear hair accessories too. Whether you gift them these little beauties or they purchase them for themselves, it’s a nice way to add a little glam to their looks too.

Whatever hair style you choose for yourself and your bridesmaids, adding that special touch of sparkle and elegance to the hair is the perfect way to add that final touch.

BonitaJ.com offers a wide variety of bridal, bridesmaid and flower girl hair accessories including hair pins, hair combs and tiaras. They are constantly adding new products to their website for fresh and new ideas. BonitaJ.com uses Swarovski brand pearls, crystals, pendants and briolettes for all of their hair accessories and bridal and bridesmaid jewelry. Each of their designs is handmade as each order is placed so that color and size customizations are completely personal to the customers preference. BonitaJ.com strives to bring beautiful products to brides and bridesmaids to finish off their wedding look, feeling more beautiful and stunning than ever.
Here are some samples from their gorgeous collection but be sure to check out their website for more details!




Friday, September 5, 2008

Saint Peter's and Charlotte City Club

Holly and Marc were married at Saint Peter's in uptown Charlotte with their reception at the Charlotte City Club. Holly had the dilemma of not being able to decide if she should wear her hair up or down on her wedding day. She decided to wear her hair down because that is her dad's favorite! How sweet!







Photos provided by Indigo Photography

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Looking Gorgeous On Your Wedding Day!

{Looking drop dead gorgeous on her wedding day is every bride's dream, so here are some cosmetic tips that will help you look your best}




*Wear a blouse that is the same color as your wedding dress (white, ivory, pink, etc) to your makeup trial. Makeup looks different depending on the colors a person is wearing, so keep that in mind as you get your practice done before your big day.


*If you normally don't wear false eyelashes, but you want that hint of glamor for your wedding day, then be aware that they may take some getting used to after the trial. Most women have their trial and then get worried about how their eyes look because they are not used to the false lashes. You may think they are big, but they translate a lot smaller in your photos and really help bring out your eyes.


*A lot of brides tend to dry out their skin in an attempt to clear up any blemishes, but this keeps the foundation from going on smoothly and leaves you with a rough, cakey texture. Start a moisturizing regime well before your wedding day that includes a good moisturizer contact us for suggestions and be sure to drink lots of water as well. The 8 glasses a day guideline is not only healthy, but it's a miracle worker for your complexion.


*Having your makeup professionally done helps it last all day and it also helps to keep your face from washing out in photos. This is definitely an area to splurge on for your wedding.


*If you're getting married in the warmer months, consider picking up an Icy Bag to keep your makeup from melting. Icy Bags are cosmetic bags that keep the contents cool inside. Seriously, every woman should own one of these herself, bride or not.


*Have your brows waxed two days prior to your wedding day so that any redness or swelling is gone and so that the skin has a little bit of time to settle down and heal before you have your makeup done.


*Be mindful of how much alcohol and heavy foods you eat the night before - both can cause you to look a bit puffy and less than your best.


*Definitely have fun with your bridesmaids the night before your wedding - spending that time together is great for girl talk and enjoying the company of your closest friends. But skip the mud masks, facial scrubs, or any other type of slumber party DIY services. You don't want to wake up on your wedding day to find that your skin reacted in an unpleasant way!


*The best tip of all is to relax and enjoy your day!

Friday, August 29, 2008

Combining Professional Hair and Makeup with Photography

{For the photos}

Having your hair and makeup professionally done for your bridal session, engagement session and wedding day can benefit your photos by helping you look your absolute best!

When you have your makeup professionally done, you may feel your makeup is a little thick or heavy, However photography diminishes the look of makeup and you will look less made up in the pictures than when you look at yourself in the mirror.

Take the long view when you plan your appearance on your wedding day, Imagine what you will think when you look at the pictures twenty years from now. A look that's very trendy today runs some risk of looking silly in the future. Natural and real never goes out of style.

Consider the time of day and wedding setting: Night, Day, or Weddings Outdoors.
If your wedding is during the day and outside and the reception in the evening and indoors, you may want to schedule a second makeup session between the ceremony and the reception. You may need makeup that's lighter for daytime portraits, but for evening revelries you may want to go a little heavier on the eye makeup. Darker eye shadow, deeper blusher and shimmery lip color may be perfect for nighttime, but in the daylight you may need more natural eye shadow colors and a matte lipstick. Work out the details with your stylist so all your portraits come out showing you at your very best.

Choosing to do a second look for the reception is becoming more and more popular with brides. Not just changing into another wedding dress but changing your hair to a different style to really blow away the guests at the reception. Wearing your hair up for the ceremony and then down for the reception can add a fun and unexpected twist on your wedding day.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Hiring a Professional Stylist for your Wedding

{Plan ahead to get the right professional bridal hair and make-up artist}
Choosing a stylist is a little tricky and shouldn't be done at the last moment. When looking for a wedding day stylist you should consider using someone that specializes in wedding hair and makeup. When you find someone you like ask to see their portfolio, talk with them about your ideas and the styles you are planning to evoke at your wedding. Look for someone who has similar taste and who wants to support your dreams on your wedding day. Equally important is reliability: ask for references and call the stylists' old clients to ask a few questions. Did the stylist show up on time? Was he or she prepared, having brought the tools needed to get the job done? And was the bride comfortable with stating her wishes and getting what she wanted from the stylist?

{Practice, Practice, Practice}
Be sure to do a practice! This is extremely important to be sure you are getting what you want on your wedding day. The first trial usually takes longer and you can make changes without a time constraint like you would have on your portrait day or wedding day.

A practice can be a great way to avoid hair like this on your wedding day ; )

Bridal Session at Morehead Inn

Holly and Marc just got married this past weekend so now I can share some of her beautiful bridal portrait photos!
I will share a few wedding photos soon so be sure to check back.

Holly wanted an elegant portrait to display at her wedding and chose to have her session at Morhead Inn.

Morehead Inn is a beautiful estate used as a bed and breakfast. It is a lovely place for weddings, bridal luncheons and portrait sessions.

Holly had a hard time deciding if she wanted to wear her hair up or down so we did both looks for her on her portrait day. This is something I highly recommend trying if you are unsure of how you want your hair or makeup for your wedding day!

Photos provided by Critsey of Indigo
Flowers by Carolyn Shepard Design Group






Tuesday, August 19, 2008

The Place for Flowers photo shoot

I had the pleasure to work with Critsey of Indigo Photography on a commercial photo shoot for The Place for Flowers. Taylor at The Place for Flowers is an amazing designer and the flowers were just stunning! His sister, Kristin was our model and looked gorgeous showcasing the florals. She works for Bedazzled Bridal and Formal and they supplied her fantastic gown!

Besides the gorgeous flowers in her hair, the earrings and necklace were made with real flowers!














Critsey Rowe of Indigo Photography

Critsey Rowe of Indigo Photography recently got married and asked me to be her hair and makeup stylist for her wedding day. It was weird for her to be on the other side of things since she is normally the one taking the photos. She was a gorgeous bride and married an awesome guy...another well known photographer, Thomas Geist of GG-Images. Be sure to check out their wedding story in this issue of Carolina Bride!

Congrats you guys!






Sunday, August 10, 2008

The Bridal Showcase Charlotte NC












Press Release:
The Bridal Showcase

Join us at The Bridal Showcase this weekend, Sunday August 17th for North and South Carolina’s largest bridal event! Come see over one hundred wedding professionals as they showcase their products and services. The Bridal Showcase in Charlotte, NC is held twice a year at The Charlotte Convention Center and is sponsored by Belk Department Stores, Party Reflections Inc, and Carolina Bride Magazine. Don't miss the grand finale fashion show presented by MW Tux and David's Bridal.

Watch a preview! May take a moment to load but is worth the wait!

Fashion, photography, honeymoons, flowers, catering, bakers, rentals, and plenty more…there’s something for everyone.
Upcoming shows: Sunday, August 17, 2008: 12pm-5pm Sunday, January 25, 2009: 12pm-5pmBrides & Grooms, register now online, get $2 off admission, and become eligible for gifts, including a grand prize honeymoon vacation!

Be sure to stop by our booth to say hello!

To learn more visit The Bridal Showcase Website!