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Sometimes getting a group of girls together and just chilling out means a lot more laughs and much less stress. Spa to You is a great way to get pampered and preened in the comfort of your own home with fabulous spa treatments for all the girls.
Lauren Tucker, owner and therapist tells us “Luxury manicures, pedicures, spray tanning, facials and massage are definitely the most popular options for a hen pamper party. We also offer a great Bride-To-Be package so there’s lots of choice for everyone.
Wedding Dolls readers can get a special offer if booking before the end of June where the Bride will receive either a free 30 minute facial or a spray tan when four or more hens attend a party and have a spray tan too!
See full details of all the packages at www.spatoyou.co.uk where you can also see brilliant feedback about the service.
Happy Hen Planning!
Todays inspirational style steal is from the unique team that is Bespoke Collective and was shot on location in the Mansion House at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park.
Bespoke Collective is a brand new company made up of Matt Ebbage the photographer, JoJo Pepper the beautician, makeup artist and hairstylist Jessica Hawkins and the jewellery design talents of Faye Holmes.
We really love the vintage vibe in this shoot alongside the sheer prettiness of the gorgeous lace dress.
To find out more about the Bespoke Collective team visit their website.
Other credits:
Colette Hawkins – China and table dressing
Victoria Woodbridge – Floristry
Chris Ebbage – Assistant photographer
At The Wedding Dolls we definitely feel for the Mother of the Bride (MOTB). Our dear old Mums usually bear the brunt of our planning tears and tantrums plus on top they’ve got their own fashion crisis to sort out when it comes to choosing a MOTB wedding outfit.
So what could be better than spending an evening with your Mum in the company of a fabulous personal stylist at one of the best wedding Bridal shops around, where both of you will be looked after and styled to your hearts content?
Froufrou Bridal Boutique are holding the perfect event for you both on Wednesday 17th April in conjunction with Lynne Meek of Styling Matters, a professional stylist who will be on hand to offer her help and advice on choosing a perfect wedding outfit. Also there are experts from LK Bennett, Laura Mercier and Holly’s Hats, in what promises to be a fun packed evening.
With this set of friendly and fun ladies at hand not only your mum will be looking and feeling sensational come the big day – you’ll have bagged loads of help and advice too! Set in Froufrou’s beautiful, relaxed boutique on the night you’ll also be treated to scrumptious cupcakes, sweet treats and fine bubbly as you soak up the style advice and chat to the boutique owners, Nicole and Helena.
Frou Frou Bridal Boutique
Lynne Meeks of Styling Matters
L K Bennett
Laura Mercier
Holly’s Hats
Don’t stop at your mum though, bring your friends, your Aunt or the future in-laws for what promises to be a fab night. Tickets (which are unbelievably good value at £10 per person) will go fast and spaces are limited so click here for more info now and hopefully we’ll see you there!
Emma x
On Thursday I headed down to Brighton to the launch party of the gorgeous Doily Days Wedding Magazine. The vintage inspired do was filled with fabulous music, singers and decor, but what really made the theme was the AMAZING hair and make-up.
If you’re having a vintage wedding or fancy a retro hen do, Ingrid and Lynda, the lovely ladies behind, Vintage Inspired Makeovers, are offering hair and make-up sessions finishing off with a fabulous photoshoot, that is guaranteed to get the party started old school style.
So if you and your hens want to hit the Lanes of Brighton looking like Dita Von Teese, more details are just one, not very vintage, click away!
Happy Planning!
Images by: Vintage Inspired Makeovers
Last week we were in search of the perfect smoky eye for Brides-to-be and Maidstone based make up artist, Nicola Peen, is here to give us a hand!
Nicola says “the key to successful wedding makeup is about finding the right look for you. If you don’t usually wear a lot of make-up then you won’t to go overboard on the big day, but may want to have a bit more for extra pizazz! For eye make-up that still has a natural look I choose
browns, corals, creams and
golds matched with light foundations
that aren’t too matt. I don’t
add too much shimmer either as this can give a
sweaty appearance in photographs and I stick to highlighting the brow bone and the tops of the cheek bone for a subtle yet fresh look.
“For brides that prefer a more dramatic look on their eyes I use greys rather than harsh black eye shadow. Opting for a light grey shadow on the lid and working in a darker grey eye shadow into the socket line gives you a really subtle smoky eye. My favourite eye shadow brands are MAC and Christian Dior for their highly pigmented colours in a wide range of textures and shades – fabulous for perfect blending.
“Eyeliner defines the eyes and can give a number of different effects depending on what sort of look you’re going for. Gel eyeliner in black on the top lid will give a more dramatic and defined look making the eyes appear bigger, while kohl pencil in black, grey or brown on the top lid will give a softer look.
“False lashes are now really popular and they do make the eyes look stunning. After applying mascara I add about six individual lashes dotted along the lash line or sometimes just three to the outer corner of the eye for a natural but very effective look”.
Nicola, who trained at the London College of Fashion, has over 12 years experience
of bridal make-up and is offering an exclusive discount to Wedding Dolls blog readers of 15% off when you book any package before the end of February 2013.
Thanks Nicola for all your fab advice – we’re off to try it out for ourselves!
All images courtesy of Wedding Make Up by Nicola
I’ve never quite mastered the art of applying makeup and have spent hours trying to create smoky eyes, add false eyelashes, or get flawless foundation but somehow only end up resembling a hungover 80′s rock legend. So I’m completely in awe when I see the ease and grace of makeup applied professionally. It’s a real talent and Kent based Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist, Lara Crudgington, has it in spades.
She’s worked with actors, celebrities, presenters, models, photographers, stylists and film makers all over the UK and even finds time to be the resident Makeup Artist and Beauty expert for a new online style website. Check it out!
Based in Kent, Lara is trained in Airbrushing which is perfect for that wedding day beauty must have. She also has a brilliant range of makeup tutorials and group sessions which would make the best hen night ever even better!
So if you’re anything like me and feel makeup for a special occasion is best left in expert hands then check out Lara’s website for prices and more info
Images courtesy of Lara Crudgington
If there’s one set of photos you want to be looking picture perfect in it’s definitely your wedding album. But even professionally applied make-up will need a little helping hand during your wedding day, so Ellie of The Beauty Aisle, is back with a second guest post on that very subject. Over to you Ellie!
There’s nothing worse than painstakingly applying your wedding make up to perfection, only for it to disappear half way thorough the day so I’ve put together a few tips and tricks you can use to keep your make up looking great for longer.
1. Before you do anything it’s essential that you prepare your skin properly. Start by cleansing and using a good moisturiser or primer to give the foundation a good base.
2. I often use a cream eye shadow or eye primer before applying powder eye shadow. Mac Paint Pots are great for this and come in a wide variety of shades. They’re super easy to blend, will make your eye shadow last much longer and will also intensify the colour.
3. To give yourself a Matte skin look use a powder that matches the shade of your foundation. I would recommend using a pressed powder rather than a loose one – it’s not worth the risk of dropping a pot of powder over your wedding dress!
4. Healthy and radiant skin is the most beautiful, so if you want to go for dewy skin use a face mist to help. My absolute favourite is from French brand, Caudalíe. The mist is made from grapes and will also help set your make up as well as giving you a radiant look. It’s available from Boots and most department stores. Not only is it good for the skin but I find it calms the mind too, perfect for last minute nerves! The Body Shop Vitamin E face mist is another good option.
4. When applying lipstick I always use a lip liner all over the lips first, next I’ll apply one coat of lipstick, blot it with a tissue then apply a second coat. Remember to keep the lipstick in your bag and if you have chosen a bold colour keep the pencil handy to maintain the perfect shape.
5. Blotting papers are such handy little things, perfect to pop into your handbag. They soak up any excess moisture to keep you shine free. They are widely available and you can spend as little as £1 or as much as £10 on them depending on the brand.
Your Wedding Day Make Up Shopping list
Caudalíe Eau de Beauté 30ml, £11.50
The Body Shop Vitamin E face mist, £8 for 100ml
Mac paint pots, £14 each
Thanks Ellie for another fantastic masterclass. For more hints and tips on wedding beauty check out Ellie’s previous post on getting wedding ready.
Post image by Richard Grebby, Featured image by Debs Ivelja
Today we’re so pleased to bring you the first post from our guest blogger and make up artist, Ellie from The Beauty Aisle.
Partying hard at Christmas and the cold weather can play havoc with your skin so the new year is the perfect time to start getting wedding ready. Ellie’s here with the perfect plan for the countdown to your big day. Over to you Ellie!
“Keeping up a good skincare routine is really important to make sure you have glowing skin on your wedding day, but there are a few other things to remember that will make planning your hair and make-up easier:
♥ As soon as you set the date
Start looking for inspiration. I’m not necessarily talking Monica from Friends style obsession at this point but just keep an eye-out for any inspiring hair and make up styles that you like. Pinterest is great for this!
♥ 12months to go
Start looking for a hair and/or make up artist. Professionals in this field get booked up early. The sooner you find someone whose style you like the better. Ask friends for recommendations and have a snoop in your chosen artists portfolio at the types of things they’ve done before.
♥ 6-8 weeks to go
Organise a hair and make up trial. This is an opportunity to play around and find a style that you’re happiest with. Bring along your inspirational images and don’t be afraid to express your likes/dislikes. Try out several looks to get your moneys worth and ask your make up artist about touch up’s, some will provide you with enough product for the day and some may supply you with lipstick for an additional cost.
♥ 3 weeks to go
Get your hair trimmed and coloured. I don’t usually advise going for any drastic changes, after all you still want to look like yourself on your wedding day.
♥ 3 days to go
Book yourself in for a wax and a spray tan if you fancy the bronzed look.
♥ 1 day to go
Treat yourself to a manicure and pedicure. So often I deal with flustered brides asking their bridesmaids to polish their nails for them on the day. I would recommend going for a gel polish, as this will last throughout your honeymoon too.
♥ On the day
Relax! So many brides tell me how relaxing it is to have their make up done by someone else. The rest of the day will be a whirlwind of joy, so use this time to let someone else do the work and have a quiet glass of champagne. Last but not least put together a mini make-up kit bag with the three essentials, blotting paper, lip liner and lipstick and pop it into your bridesmaids bag”.
Thanks Ellie for the fab advice and watch out for part two later this month.
If you’ve had enough of ordering Christmas presents for other people online why not make your next click the Charlotte Casadejus Vintage online shop and buy something gorgeous for yourself instead.
There are so many beautiful things to choose from whether vintage or vintage styled. Here’s a collection of some of our favourites available now from the Kent based bridal designer. As with all original vintage pieces though once there gone there gone forever!
1. Vintage inspired white feather Cape, £275
2. 1970′s Frank Usher Vintage Wedding Dress, £350
3. 1950′s tiara, £95
4. Alisa Sample Wedding Dress, £300
5. 1930′s Ivory and Bronze clutch bag, £60
6. Audrey – vintage inspired ready to wear dress, £2,200
For more on Charlotte and her wedding dress collection take a look at our previous post.
All images from Charlotte Casadejus
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