Wedding Destressers

Yes I haven't posted in nearly 2 months and no I am not proud of it.
My days and nights have been spent preparing for the wedding....which is now in less than a month!
Throughout this whole engagement, I have had  a lot of fun planning and organizing, shopping and getting pampered, but I have also been a big ball of stress. No matter how well you plan for something, you can never really be at ease because anything can go wrong and all your hardwork and efforts gone down the drain. I will try not to be a pesimmist here, but when it is your day, you get pretty nervous!

Over the past few months I have been preparing my body, hair and skin for the big day! Below are my personal tips for making sure you are photo ready for your big day!

1) Skin Analysis
You want your skin to be glowing and radiant in your pictures, and makeup can help with that, but I highly reccommend getting your skin assessed at a skin clinic or by a dermatologist. If you are like me, I had very bad acne bumps under my skin that would not go away. I was tired of trying different cleansers so I finally decided to make the trip to a professional and have my face assessed and treated. With a series of chemical peels, my face has shed off the dead layers of skin and have allowed my congested skin to brethe again.

2) Laser Hair Removal
Since being engaged, I started getting laser hair removal for my underarms. Since it takes about 10 months (1 session a month), I decided to get started early and be ready to rock in my strapless dress.
I can not tell you how amazing it is NOT to have to shave every day. Razor burn and bumps no more! Hello smooth and hairless armpits. I highly reccommend this service for anyone...not just brides. Definately worth the investment.

3) Hair Colouring
If you are like me and change your hair colour as often as your socks, you may have some trouble selecting your hair colour for your wedding day. Throughout my 10 month engagement, I have been a red head, a brunette, a dirty blonde, and a platinum blonde. If you want to be a blonde for your wedding, and you are naturally dark, I reccommend starting to go lighter at least 3 months before the big day. It takes time to lighten and depending how light you want to be, it could take months. If you are looking for long luscious locks for your day, I also reccommend clip in hair extensions that can add not only length but lots of volume which always looks luscious and amzing.

4) Massages
Has anyone ever told you planning a wedding is stressful? Full body massages from a registered massage therapist are great for tension and stress relief. Going for a massage once a month has helped me destress and relax.

5) Exercise

Want to look fit and fab in your dress? Of course working out is the only way to do that. And eating properly! |And bonus: exercise also helps to reduce that stress. It can be tough to stick to a routine, but I find even if I don't feel like doing a full blown workout, I try and do a small one...even if it's only 5-10 minutes in my bedroom. And no need for fancy equipment either...I have found tons of YouTube videos of amazing home workouts.
This is one of my faves. Perfect for anyone wearing a strapless dress to the wedding!

And those are just my pre-wedding tips!! Again, these are my own personal experiences and reccommendations.
What are some of your routines/tips?

Serendipity Salon - Review

This past weekend Eric and I got our engagement photos done in downtown Barrie. I had set up the shoot over a month ago, so I was really excited to have them done. We went for a winter photo theme, as we want to use the shots for our Save The Dates. We used Melyssa G Photography and couldn’t be happier with her. Her photos are amazing and she is a very sweet and fun girl. She had great ideas and made us both feel really comfortable. For the shoot I bought a giant pink balloon from Michael’s and some fun signs that I found on Etsy. Just to be different!

Since we all know the camera picks up absolutely every detail, for the shoot I decided I needed to have my hair and makeup professionally done. It took me a while to decide where I wanted to have my services done. There are only a few hair salons in Bradford, and I have only been to one before but it was ridiculously overpriced.

So last week while I was getting my laser hair removal treatment done at the Serendipity  Beauty salon in downtown Bradford, I asked my esthetician, Shannon, if they offered makeup and hair services. I wasn’t sure because I had only ever been to Serendipity for laser hair removal treatments. (Which are amazing and the prices are very fair). Shannon said they just hired a new girl, Chazz, who could probably do my hair and makeup for me on the day of the shoot. I like this salon, so I agreed to book with Chazz.

When I arrived for my appointment on Saturday morning, I was greeted by Chazz, who consulted with me on what I wanted to have done for both hair and makeup. She was very friendly, outgoing and made me feel really relaxed. We decided to go for a natural look for the makeup and add some volume and shape for my hair. The whole appointment took a few hours, but it felt like I was only there for 10 minutes. Chazz was so much fun, dancing around to 80’s pop tunes on her Ipod, and telling me fun stories from her career as a hair and makeup artist. It felt like I was just kicking back at a girlfriend’s house, sharing some laughs and doing hair and makeup.

Chazz used a nice copper shadow on my eyes. I rarely use copper because I always just go for a dark brown shadow, but the copper really made my eyes pop. She also used some light powder around my eyes  to give me a bit of a glow.
My hair was really fun and full of volume. I felt like a Barbie doll when I was all done.

I was really impressed with the service at Serendipity. It was a fun experience, and I just loved being made up by Chazz. All the photos from the session are not fully ready yet, but I will post some so you can see the work when I am done.

Both Chazz and Shannon are sweet girls and I am glad I found a good place to go to in Bradford. If you are ever in my neck of the woods, check them out!! J

Here Comes The Bride...

For those of you who haven’t heard yet…I am engaged!! Over the holidays, my boyfriend Eric finally got down on one knee and popped the question. I am beyond excited because this has been something I have been waiting a long time for. We have been together for 7 years so I was starting to get a little anxious!

 Like every little girl, I always dreamed of my wedding day with my perfect prince. I am your typical girly-girl so my wedding will be very princess like with lots of frills and sparkle.

Now that I have started planning and figuring out what I want and don’t want, I am realizing just how expensive weddings are these days and I am having a hard time prioritizing what is most important to me.

I want a Fall wedding so right now my main concern in finding a hall for October. Normally weddings are planned at least a year in advance, but I always wanted a fall wedding and I don’t want to wait almost 2 years to get married.

Wedding planning can be very fun, but also stressful. I have already looked into some halls and tried on some dresses, but that is nothing compared to what I still need to do. Thankfully, I have an amazing bridal party comprised of my sister, best friend and cousins as well as a devoted entourage of family members willing to help out. (Wedding planners need not apply!)

My Pinterest boards have been quite active these days with Save the Date ideas, bridesmaid dresses, wedding gowns and party favours. Planning and organizing is kind of my “thing” so I have obviously been all over that this past week and half.  While I am still finalizing my venue, I have already booked a photographer and started wedding dress shopping.

I have booked my engagement photos for Saturday February 2^nd. We decided to go with a nice couple named Paul and Melanie from Barrie, Ontario. They own Darlington Studios and do such beautiful pictures. I can’t wait for our session. It is going to be a winter themed shoot so they will make for perfect Save the Date cards. I want to have my hair and makeup done for this, but don’t feel like spending an arm and a leg for it. Since engagement photos are supposed to look more natural, I am not looking for an over-the –top look, so I booked an appointment at a beauty school in Barrie called Pro Image Hair Academy. They are giving me a great price for hair and makeup, so I am excited for my appointment.

I have already been looking into getting fusion hair extensions as well. I have always been a fan of hair extensions, but have only ever used clip-ins. I want to try using fusion so that they have more of a natural look. The idea behind fusion is that they are bonded directly to your roots. They are more expensive, but I found a lady on Kijiji who comes to your house to put them in. I am trying to get this done as soon as possible because it is such a great deal and I am eager to see what it will look like. Once I get them in, I will do a review and you can see for yourself how they look.  In the meantime, you can check out her work on her website here.

It’s only been over a week and I feel like I am off to a great start with my planning! In addition to my regular reviews and posts, I will be sure to be updating frequently on any wedding hair, makeup and shopping tips as I embark on this beautiful bridal journey.

Looking forward to a fun filled year J

I Do's and Don'ts - Wedding and Event Etiquette

It’s wedding season and I thought it would be appropriate to post my thoughts about wedding and event culture.

I have been to quite a few soires in my time, and I am also a wedding show junkie so I like to think I have a good idea on standard event etiquette.

I have read a lot of books on etiquette as well including:

• The Fabulous Girl's Guide to Decorum - Kim Izzo
• How To Be A Hepburn in A Hilton World - Jordan Christy
• The Everything Wedding Etiquette Book - Emily Ehrenstein and Lara Morin

As always, these are my personal opinions :) I would be happy to hear some of your thoughts and ideas on how to throw the perfect party :)

1.       Do not edit your bridal registry/baby registry once it has been submitted. Do your research and get it right the first time. Really think about the items before putting them on your list, don’t just add them on because the store is closing in 5 minutes, or because you think “It’s Free”. Be thoughtful!

2.       Do not host a hundred events for your special day. You are getting married, great! We can celebrate this with one event prior to the wedding. Hosting multiple events like an engagement party, a stag and doe, a bridal shower, a luncheon and bachelor/bachelorette party is annoying and expensive. Do not put your guests under this financial and annoying stress.

3.       Do not expect your guests to cover the cost of your wedding. If you can’t afford a lavish wedding, don’t expect your guests to cover the tab. Not everyone is financially able to give what you are expecting.

4.       Do make your guests feel welcome. Sometimes I feel like a background character or filler of a room at such occasions. Make an effort to talk to ALL your guests and thank them for coming.

5.       Do not serve your guests beverages in plastic or paper cups. Unless you are at someone’s house, do not serve your guests drinks in plastic/paper cups. Let’s keep it classy people.

6.     Do send thank you cards. Make a note of the gift in the card. E.g “Thank you for your generous gift; we have put this money towards a baby carriage”.

7.       Do provide some sort of entertainment for the guests. A band, games, circus performers, caricature artists -some sort of novelty to keep your guests laughing.

8.       Do not bore your guests with overdone speeches and slideshows. Keep it short and sweet for more of an effect.

9.     Do be original. Any special event you host is like a blank canvas. Create an event that stands out from all the rest. This is probably the hardest task for any event, but if you think outside the box, you can create some lasting memories for you and your guests.

10.   Do Balloons. Just ‘cause they are so fun and so pretty J