Real Bride: Wedding hair and make up for Suzanne at The Orangery

Full name: Suzanne Bates-Glover (now Bushell!)
Wedding Date: 29/07/18
Venue: The Orangery
Photographer: Funky Pixel

My wedding style was….

Bright, bold and quirky. We steered away from the popular pastel wedding colours and went for what we love instead bright purple and teal. We added touches Lego (without making it too “Children’s Party”)

My wedding hair was….. beautiful!

Katie did such a wonderful job of making it very me and making sure it held all day.

My wedding make up was…. Stunning!

I’ve honestly never felt so good about the way I looked before or since. It had a “Hollywood glamour” feel to it and stayed out absolutely all day.

The thing I love most about my wedding day was….

The people. We had such a fun time with our family and friends and the dance floor was packed the entire night to the very end.

My venue was perfect because…..

It looked absolutely beautiful, it was exclusive for just our wedding and catered well for our day both inside and outside. The planners were amazing at keeping everything on track, keeping us calm and making last-minute alterations when things didn’t go to the original plan.

My favourite photo was….

Oooh hard to choose, but from these:

I chose Katie because …..

she had a great reputation, I had seen her work on Facebook and followed her for a while. I was so glad that I did because she did an amazing job with the hair and make up for all of us and it stayed out all day. On the day she arrived at the venue before we did, was set up and ready to go. She was professional, friendly and did a fantastic job. She even took some fab photos on her phone that are among some of my favourite of the day!

If I could give other brides one piece of advice it would be….

Don’t worry about things that are not in your control. Not everything went to plan on our day, it poured with rain all day in the middle of a heatwave and was the ONLY day the whole month that it rained all day. It meant that some things we had planned had to be scrapped; our outdoor ceremony, our white bouncy castle and our evening outdoor BBQ. But despite that we had a beautiful and emotional ceremony, everybody still had fun and everybody ate. We still had a fantastic day.

All Blog Posts

Real Bride: Wedding hair and make up for Elouise at The Gardens, Yalding

The Gardens at Yalding is a great choice for couples wanting an outdoor space with the wow factor. Full of colour and nature, even with the possibility of a teepee, it’s easy to see why this venue is becoming a really popular choice with couples looking for a relaxed day that they can make their own. As well as being a truly stunning setting for your big day it’s also totally customisable to meet with your personal needs, allowing you to create the exact ‘vibe’ that you want for your wedding.

Back in September of 2018 I visited The Gardens to provide wedding make up and hair for Elouise. Now it’s no secret that I LOVE styling red hair so this romantic twisted updo was the perfect match for me! Elouise was so unique in her personal style and I loved being given the opportunity to create her very own unique wedding look for her. From the bold eye make up to the individual way in which she wore her hair accessories, I had no doubt that Elouise likes to do things a little differently so I wasn’t surprised when these images dropped into my inbox and I couldn’t help but giggle!

I defy anyone to be able to look at Elouise’s pictures and not smile! Not only was this possibly one of the most colourful and beautifully decorated weddings I have ever seen, but her groom was possibly one of THE coolest guys on the planet! I mean, how many people do you know who marry a power ranger!?

Full name: Eloise Wickens
Wedding Date: 10th September 2018
Venue: The Gardens
Photographer: GayleJames

My wedding style was….

Full of colour and relaxed

My wedding hair was…..

Romantic, curly updo with a bit of Sparkle!

My wedding make up was….

Fresh and natural

The thing I love most about mew wedding day was….

Having all our loved ones together – Everyone laughed and smiled all day!

My venue was perfect because…..

It was a combination of our personalities – fun, colourful, untraditional, romantic and unexpected

My favourite photo was….

I have 2… One of Aaron and I at the table after signing the register, we both have huge smiles and me with my power ranger! 😂

I chose Katie because …..

One of my friends (Fiona Line) recommended Katie, plus Katie’s work sells itself! Her work is beautiful ❤️

If I could give other brides one piece of advice it would be….

Don’t worry about the minute details, have the day that YOU and your hubby/wife want, and remember to breathe and take it all in!

Thank you so much Elouise for sharing your fabulous ay with me, and thank you for sending me the power ranger pictures – it’s quite possibly one of my favourite wedding photos ever!

All Blog Posts

3 things to consider when wearing your wedding hair up

Deciding on your wedding hair style is a really important factor when it comes to your big day. You need to be sure that you feel happy , comfortable and confident with your choice so I’ve put together this blog with a few things that you might not yet have considered when it comes to deciding to wear your wedding hair up.

1. Weather

If you know that your hair goes all ‘Monica’ in the humidity then it’s sometimes a good idea to wear it up. By having a bit of extra control then you can rest assured that your hair won’t become unruly whatever the weather! If its wet, the damp air can make hanging curls look limp and lifeless, and if it’s hot then hair stuck to a sweaty forehead doesn’t make for a pretty picture!

2. Movement

A secure upstyle won’t go anywhere – despite you throwing your best shapes on the dance floor by the time the evening reception comes around! I always like to remind my brides that a wedding hair upstyle will look the same at 12pm as it does at 12am! Unlike a hair ‘down’ style which will be affected by several factors throughout your day ( including gravity, weather, constant touching, dancing…the list goes on! ) deciding to wear your hair up means that you can rest assured it’s not going anywhere!

3. Does it suit you?

Just because you think wearing your hair up is what a bride ‘should’ do, isn’t a reason to actually do it. If you always wear it down and feel comfortable then you don’t need to do something totally out of ordinary in order to look more ‘bridal’. If you hate your ears then a high slick up do is never going to make you happy. If you love your side fringe then scraping it back will just make you feel a bit exposed….

Most of all its important to remember that a professional stylist will be able to make your hair look amazing – however you want to wear it. Be honest with your stylist and be sure to make the most of your preview session. Have a few ideas to try, take photos and don’t be afraid to ask for advice. Sometimes even the smallest change can make a big difference. But its not just all about how it looks… more importantly, you need to make sure that you feel amazing too. It really is true when I say that if you feel good, you look good – Confidence is key!

If you’re after some hair up inspiration then head over to my galleries page. You can also keep updated with my latest work by following me on facebook or instagram, and if you need some help or guidance then be sure to send me a message and I’ll be happy to talk hair with you!

All Blog Posts

Real Bride: Wedding hair and make up for Kate at All Saints Church, West Dulwich

I’ve known Kate a long time, infact we used to get the same bus to school together from the age of 12 so it was really exciting to be asked to help her get ready for her wedding day! I love to hear all of the stories about how my brides and grooms met and Kate found the man of her dreams thousands of miles away in Australia….

Cameron and I met in a pub in rural South Australia in 2011. I was travelling there and he had a trip to London booked, we kept in touch, did LOTS of backwards and forwards between our homes and in 2014 I emigrated to Australia. We were engaged two years later.

Full name: Katie England (Curling)
Wedding Date: 15th July 2017
Venue: All Saints Church and Dulwich College, West Dulwich
Photographer: Graham Scott

My wedding style was….

laid back with some fancy elements.

My wedding hair was…..

A relaxed up-do, mainly to show the back of the dress! I’m not really a fan of having my hair up but at the same time, it’s very fine so I didn’t want something down going limp!! It honestly looked beautiful, very very secure but didn’t look caked in product at all! I felt so confident and had so many compliments!

My wedding make up was….

The best version of me! A slightly smokey eye and a little colour on the lip. It was so light to wear but stayed and I felt so beautiful!

My dress was…

“Nashville” by Jenny Peckham. It was divine! I was quite open to trying lots of styles but this ended up being the first and only place I visited, and the second dress I tried! I knew it was the one and the girls there were so helpful both on the trial day and communicating with me from Australia.

My shoes…

“Chiara” by Sophia Webster, I loved them! Wore them the whole day, the next day for the recovery and then our party back here!

The thing I love most about my wedding day was….

Seeing our worlds colliding, 30 of our friends and Cameron’s family travelled to London for the day, some had never left the country before! Having them all in one place and interacting like they’d known each other for years was so special. Obviously marrying Cameron was good too!

My venue was perfect because…..

Its’ a stunning church and it’s also where my parents and sister were married, so we have a long family connection.

My favourite photo was….

Can I choose two?! Firstly, just the ones of us making our vows, crying and laughing all at the same time!
The second would be one of our friend in the church, holding his phone up as he was streaming it back to our friends in Australia who couldn’t make it and were having a ‘Wedding Dinner Party’!

I chose Katie because, having known her from school and following her progress on Facebook and Instagram, I knew I wanted someone who I could trust and be able to easily communicate with from the other side of the world. She made everything in those early stages very easy and was the obvious choice. The trial, the day, nothing was stressful…I just had total faith in her abilities and it was all so fun!

If I could give other brides one piece of advice it would be…. Things work out! And anything that doesn’t, you won’t notice or will laugh about! Anyone there to judge your day, shouldn’t be there!

These beautiful pictures are from the lovely Graham Scott Photography ( thanks graham! ) and thank you so much Kate for sharing your wonderful day!

All Blog Posts

NHS Win your wedding

So with everyone still in lockdown due to COVID – 19 a lot of small wedding businesses like myself, have found themselves unable to be a part of what they love the best about their job – the actual wedding day itself!

As a Kent wedding hair and make up artist my job is to join the bride for the duration of her wedding morning and get her ready for walking down the aisle and the most amazing day that follows. With weddings unable to take place, a lot of my brides have opted to move their dates meaning that some are having to wait another year – maybe even two , to make their dream day a reality.

A wedding day isn’t just the chance to get ‘married’. It’s the chance to really celebrate your love, it’s a day where families come together and it’s the opportunity for your nearest and dearest to enjoy a massive milestone in your life alongside you. We wanted to give the chance for someone really special to have all of that, and who more special and more deserving at this current time than a member of the NHS.

OUR WAY TO THANK THE NHS

We all know that at the moment the real superheros are our NHS, the ones who are working hard to ensure that people are supported through illness at this time. They are the ones having to go off to work, leaving their families at home, unable to see friends, and with the added concern on top of all that, that they might just be risking their own life to help patients cope with theirs. Every single one of them deserves recognition for the fantastic service the NHS are showing to us all at the moment. So many people are doing whatever they can to show their appreciation, and we wanted to be able to do something too.

A FREE WEDDING

And that’s why a group of Kent Wedding suppliers, myself included, have decided that we want to give something back. We have come together to offer one lucky couple a completely free wedding day. And what a day it’s shaping up to be! With over 45 suppliers donating their services, products and time in order to be able to gift the most wonderful wedding day worth in excess of £31,000!

Applications will open shortly and to apply, one member of the couple need to be working for the NHS ( Kent Trust ).

THERE IS NO CATCH

Seriously, when I say free wedding day I really do mean 100% FREE wedding day. All of the Kent suppliers participating are offering their part in the day at no cost. Our way of showing our appreciation and giving back to the NHS teams in Kent who have given so much for us.

HOW TO APPLY

As soon as applications are open then full instruction on how to apply will be posted. In the mean time you can head over to the website www.nhswedding.co.uk and take a look at just some of the amazing offering from a variety of Kent wedding suppliers. We’ve got everything covered – from hair to canapés, from music to magic … and more!

THE KENT WEDDING SUPLLIERS

Co-ordinated by Lou Finn from Bake to the future ( check out her cakes! ) 40+ of Kent’s finest wedding suppliers are on board, donating their services, products and time at no cost. You can see a full list over on the website and I’ve included just a few to get you excited below…

Bake to the future: www.baketothefuture.net

Valley view alpaca farm : www.weddingsinkent.uk

Ice cream: www.vintageicecream.co.uk

Videographer: www.BenBryantfilmandphotography.co.uk

Wedding Planner: www.amanda-jane.co.uk

Photobooth: www.20-20sounds.com

Suits: www.couchman-bespoke.com

Wedding celebrant: www.celebrant-uk.co.uk

Wedding day Photography: www.florenceberry.com

And that’s not even all! Check out the full listing on the website www.nhswedding.co.uk to see them all We’ve got Magic, Makeup, Gliiter bar, Favour boxes, Cake toppers, Engagament shoots, Rock the front photo sessions, , Invites, Children’s Teepees, Flowers, a Toastmaster – even hen and stag do’s!

It’s shaping up to be quite a day! And certainly one I’m very proud to be a part of. Make sure you tell everyone you know who’s currently working hard for the NHS and help us share a little bit of love for our NHS heros!

All Blog Posts

Real Bride: Wedding hair and make up for Jenny at The Old Kent Barn, Kent

Bride: Jenny
Venue: The Old Kent Barn, Kent
Photographer: David Fenwick

As a preferred supplier at The Old Kent Barn, I’m lucky enough to visit regularly in order to get brides ready for their big day. The dressing room is a large private area that the bridal party have to themselves for the duration of the morning and it’s the perfect space to spend your last few hours as a ‘Miss’ . When I met Jenny I just knew that her wedding morning was going to be great fun. She was bubbly, friendly and just so excited! It was a real pleasure to be part of such a memorable morning with her bridal crew and definitely one of those days that certainly doesn’t feel anything like work!

As you can see from the pictures, Jenny wasn’t one to take herself too seriously….! I love that her laughing and genuine delight is totally visible within her images and whenever I look at these photos I can still hear Jenny’s infectious giggle!

Jenny’s make up was bridal glam. We added lashes for a more dramatic eye effect and gave her full coverage, flawless skin using airbrush make up. The pink tones we added to her cheeks and lip gave a fresh looking, typically ‘bridal’ glow and liquid highlighter made sure that her skin subtly highlighted yet illuminated.

Jenny went for a high bun, twisted up do. I created this look using a series of ponytails to secure the style and curling the hair in various directions. I then placed the curls across the crown section and added a tiara to finish. When choosing an up do for your wedding hair, the correct balance is a really important aspect. You want the style to be the right shape so that the style remains flattering no matter what angle you are photographed from. I kept the hair full of volume to ensure that the style didn’t appear harsh or tight, using a wax spray to add shine and secure the folds as I went along.
For Jenny this style perfectly suited her face shape and frame, and her long side parted fringe sweeping around her face gave us an extra bit of softness to the finished look too.

Thank you to David Fenwick for these lovely images of such a happy bride and a big thank you to Jenny for choosing me as a part of her wedding morning

All Blog Posts