#BridalBeautyBreakdown—Pretty In (Hot) Pink

One of the best things about makeup is that you’re allowed to take risks. If a soft, romantic look doesn’t feel quite like you, go for a bridal beauty look that seriously wows: gold eyeliner to make your eyes glimmer and a hot pink lip that’s oh-so-kissable! Jackie Schneider, the artistic genius behind the Clean Plate Pictures photo below, breaks down step-by-step exactly how to achieve this flirty, fun look.

GET THE LOOK

PREP | Clean, soft skin is essential to a natural look. Start with a nourishing cream that will make the skin supple and ready to act as a canvas for the makeup. Try Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré, which actually has three uses: cream cleanser, moisturizer, and primer—talk about a triple threat.

FOUNDATION | Though many people gravitate toward silicone foundations for their dewy quality, water-based foundations are ideal for weddings. Silicone eventually rises to the surface of the makeup, and it doesn’t take long to go from dewy to shiny. I used Make Up For Ever HD foundation on this model, which has a semi-matte finish. It’s oil free and comes in 26 shades, making it easy to accurately match to skin tone. It works well on people with sensitive skin because it’s such a breathable, medium-coverage base. Buff it in with a rounded foundation brush and blend well with a damp sponge. Because the finish of this product is so smooth, you only need to set it with a light dusting of loose powder. 

EYES | Instead of an eye primer, try MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Soft Ochre—a matte yellow-beige, highly-pigmented but blendable cream shadow—as my base. Use the warmth and oils from your finger to blend it across the entire lid then brush over the base with a beige powder shadow. To create definition in the crease, apply a matte light brown shadow with a pencil brush in back-and-forth motions, focusing on the outer corners of each eye. Choosing the right liquid or gel liner for your wedding is essential, as the product will likely be put to the test with sweat and tears! Try LORAC Front of the Line Pro—it’s applicator is actually a synthetic-haired brush, rather than a felt tip, so it glides along the skin easily. Then trace along the edge of the black liner with Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Eldorado, a glittery gold hue to give your eyes that ‘Wow Factor.’

BROWS | For the brows, I used taupe brow powder, tapping in the product with an angled synthetic brush and then blended with both a spoolie brush and a boar bristle brow brush before setting them with a semi-translucent taupe brow gel.

CONCEALER | After the eyes are complete, clean up any fallout the has made its way beneath the eyes—blend a full coverage creamy concealer, like Keromask’s, onto your palette and add in a bit of the original foundation to make it less intense. Using a flat concealer brush, apply a bit into the hollows of the inner eye socket, pulling the product along the under-eye areas, making sure to cover any dark circles. Then tap a little product onto any blemishes with your fingers. Blend everything first with my fingers, then with a beauty sponge. To make sure everything is completely blended, go over your face one last time with a clean, small fluffy brush dipped in NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder. 

CHEEKS | So as not to compete with the bold lip and eyes, go for a subtle blush. To add just a hint of color, apply a rosy cream-to-powder blush by patting it into the apples of your cheeks. Then, blend it up towards the temples with the foundation buffer brush I’d previously used. To seal the color, swipe on a powder blush using an oval shaped brush with a pointed tip that will give you precision of placement and great blending capabilities.

LIPS | The key to creating this hot-pink lip is to start with MAC’s Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in In Anticipation and blend it with a pointed lip brush. Then, alternate between applying and blotting the Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Lipstick in Fuchsia Tourbillon. To complete the look, take a small concealer brush dipped in the original foundation, and trace the outer edges of the lips to make the pink more crisp and precise. Finally, blend the foundation outline with a fine-tipped damp sponge and voilà, bright bold lips waiting to be kissed. 

Pretty In (Hot) Pink Product Recommendations

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Pretty In (Hot) Pink Product Recommendations

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Hair and Makeup Tips: Jackie Schneider Beauty | Photography: Clean Plate Pictures

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Recreate the Prettiest Bridal Beauty Looks

Kate Middleton did her own wedding-day makeup, but unfortunately, we can’t all be as perfect as she is. So, we’re turning to the pros for bridal beauty advice. We asked eight of our Little Black Book makeup artists for their favorite beauty looks and tips to help you lovelies (or your bridal beauty team) recreate the look for your Big Day. Check out their picks (and tricks) below.

The Looks & Tips

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The Looks & Tips

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Bouquet Breakdown: Blush Pink Black Tie Bouquet

Happy weekend, loves! For this week’s Bouquet Breakdown, we chose this gorgeous blush pink bouquet from last week’s Southern Black Tie Wedding at Goodstone Inn that was the top shared bouquet of the week on our Facebook page! We got the scoop from Katie McDonough Kutil of Petal And Print on what went in to this wildly romantic and lush bouquet, so read on to find out!

SOUTHERN BLACK TIE WEDDING AT GOODSTONE INN BOUQUET

• Juliet Garden Roses
• Milky Way Roses
• Cream Peonies
• Cafe Au Lait Dahlias
• Blush Pink Astilbe
• White Veronica
• Oak Leaf Hydrangea
• White Majolica Spray Roses
• Champagne Sweetheart Roses 
• Baptisia Foliage

From Katie McDonough Kutil… This bouquet was one of my favorites! Lush, textured, romantic, and seasonal. I prefer to work in a generally loos and organic style, mixing colors, textures and scents to balance each other or contrast completely, depending on the specific needs and tastes of each Bride. I love to work with herbs and foliage almost as much as I like to work with flowers, and if you asked me this week I would tell you my favorite flower is Mock Orange.

I have loved flowers from the time I was little, and I am humbled and honored every time I get to be a part of such a personal and special event as a couple’s wedding. For this occasion, I worked with Julie at Strawberry Milk Events to execute Kristen’s vision for her flowers, and as with everything Julie does, all the details of this beautiful event were spot on.

Floral Design: Petal And Print

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Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Wedding Invitation Mailing Tips

Speaking as a someone who just sent out her wedding invitations, there is nothing more exciting (and relieving) than handing over a pile of pretty pink envelopes to your courier. Because after weeks of calligraphy cramps, pretty postage stamps and stuffing envelopes, the hard work has commenced and it’s time to celebrate. Which is why we asked Regas Studio to share their top tips on what it takes to make mailing your wedding mail a piece of cake!

5 things you didn’t know about mailing your wedding invitations

Timing is everything

Choose a “reply by” date that gives guests plenty of time to respond. This is typically three or four weeks from the date the cards are received (plan on one week for mailing time). We also recommend lightly numbering the back of each reply card in case a guest accidentally mails back the cards without a name. (This happens far more frequently than one would expect!) Keep a corresponding numbered guest list so you can solve any mystery replies.

Weigh in

Before buying your postage, take a field trip to your local post office with a complete set of your invitations in hand. A USPS representative will weigh the set and provide the amount needed for the outer envelope. Keep in mind that extra large or square shapes and extra-thick paper can add to the cost. Thick, luxurious papers can incur an extra fee called a “rigid charge,” so be sure to ask if it applies! If you have any international guests, ask what the total will be for destination. We’ve found that you may get differing weights from different representatives, so it’s best to add an additional $.40 beyond the quote you get just to be on the safe side. And don’t forget to get postage so you can pre-stamp your reply cards as well! It’s a classy courtesy (and also increases the chances of prompt replies!)

Stamp in style

Choosing stamps that coordinate with the style and color palette of your invitations is a thoughtful detail that adds cohesiveness or a peek into the couple’s personality. One of our brides was able to find stamps from her home state, the groom’s home state and a stamp that showed a common interest of theirs. USPS.com has some gorgeous new stamps at the moment, and we also like to combine new stamps with vintage ones; just be sure your postage adds up to the full amount you need!

Always hand cancel!

Hand canceling means your postage is manually validated with a stamp. If you don’t hand cancel, your invitations will be processed through machines which add not-so-pretty barcodes and are very unforgiving to the contents of your invitations! It’s such a shame to receive a beautifully calligraphed invitation or colorful envelope with scuffs, marks, or even tears. Not all postal branches technically offer this service, so turn on the charm when you’re asking! The first 50 hand cancellations are free, but after that you’ll need to pay 5 cents per envelope.

Order extras

Just in case! Plan for a few invitations to be lost in the mail or addressed incorrectly, and remember that you might have last minute guest additions. We recommend ordering at least 15 to 20 extra invitation sets.

ONGOING GIVEAWAYS…

Birchbox + SMP ‘I Definitely Do’ box
Patina
Weddington Way
Menguin
Firestarter Wedding Favors

This week’s DISCOUNTS…

Squarespace
Zola
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Grace Portraits 
Shine Wedding Invitations

For our California Brides… Discount from Marmalade Sky Films and don’t miss the Lazaro Fall 2015 collection trunk show at JLM Couture’s Flagship Salon in West Hollywood June 5-7!

For our Midwest Brides… Discount from WASIO photography

For our Mid-Atlantic Brides… Discount from Goodstone Inn & Restaurant 

For our Tri-State Brides… Discount from IM Photo Studio

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Traditionally Elegant California Garden Wedding

Once in a while, we come across a wedding so sweet that words simply won’t do it justice. And this one m’dears, we’ll it’s left us speechless. An homage to memories made in wine country, it’s an elegant affair overflowing with history and heritage. Set amongst sweeping vineyards, this European-inspired garden wedding is celebration crafted from the heart, and Larissa Cleveland has it waiting for you in the gallery!

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Colors

Seasons

Summer

Settings

Garden Venue

Styles

Elegant

From the beautiful Bride… John and I met soon after the 2008 election at a launch party of a civic engagement organization called Citizen Hope. We were friends for over a year before we started dating, and we were together through my time in the Peace Corps in Ukraine. John proposed inside the clock tower of the Ferry Building in San Francisco, in part to remind me of all the great times we shared in the city that we both love and call home.

When we started looking at venues and found Beaulieu Garden, we knew it was the perfect place for our wedding. With its manicured gardens, fountains, cherub statues, sweeping vineyards, sparkling pool, tree-lined drive, and sycamore arbor, it had just the right look and feel that we were going for – elegant, romantic, beautiful, and full of history. We also have many wonderful memories of our time together in wine country. The decision to get married at the gorgeous, European-inspired Beaulieu Garden helped guide our vision for the wedding. Since I’m a huge Francophile, and we were going to travel to Paris for our honeymoon, there were many French-inspired design and style elements that fit seamlessly with the setting. We decided on a soft palette of mainly ivory, blush, pale gray, silver, and hints of black. The invitations were letterpress with gray ink on white card stock, and included a custom design of our monogram over a picture of the iconic tree-lined drive of Beaulieu Garden, which we used on other elements throughout the wedding. The florals included blush and ivory French garden roses, café au lait dahlias, eucalyptus, and olive leaves. My dress was a drop-waist ball gown with a Chantilly lace and beaded bodice fitted to the hip that cascaded into a full French tulle skirt. I also wore diamond and pearl drop earrings that my mother wore at her wedding and that she gave me as an engagement gift. My “something borrowed” was a pearl bracelet of my mother’s that was my grandmother’s before that. I gifted my bridesmaids and myself matching bracelets inscribed with a delicate “love.”

For the ceremony, we decided to incorporate some Jewish and Irish elements to celebrate parts of our heritages. Atelier Joya created our beautiful chuppah using a wrought-iron frame, an ivory silk canopy, and ivory roses, hydrangeas, and greenery in an asymmetrical style. We incorporated other Jewish elements, including the breaking of the glass and the reading of a variation of the Seven Blessings. We had a family friend of John’s sing the Irish song, “The Banks of My Own Lovely Lee,” which was his late mother’s favorite song, with his family priest introducing the singer. Our readings also included an excerpt from the Irish book Anam Cara, as well as a favorite Shakespeare sonnet. John and I crafted our vows together, weaving traditional vows with our own ideas. My uncle officiated the wedding, and we decided to have the wedding party be mostly family to keep the wedding feeling intimate and special.

There were so many other details that made our wedding feel like ours. We decided to include some signs, including a few DIY chalkboard signs and an amazing custom antique French mirror welcome sign that ended up being one of my favorite elements. The escort card display consisted of cards set on a bed of dried lavender within mirrored trays, which echoed the sprig of lavender on top of each guest’s dinner menu. We had three different cocktail napkins made with our names and different symbols that each meant something to us – one with the Golden Gate Bridge, for our home, another of the Eiffel Tower, for our upcoming honeymoon to Paris and the inspiration for the look and feel of the wedding, and the last was a Claddagh symbol, an Irish symbol combining love, loyalty, and friendship.

After a year of intensive planning of every detail, witnessing our vision come together was breathtaking. Seeing the sparkling lights, chandeliers, votives, and gorgeous centerpieces, enjoying Paula LeDuc’s steak frites and our favorite wine, Failla Pinot Noir, and listening to the heartfelt and funny speeches, the guests’ laughter, and French jazz in the background – it was a dream. At the end of the night, after lots of dancing and chatting, the guests picked up mini bottles of Napa Valley sparkling wine, and a white 1947 Packard took John and me to the after-party. It truly was the most magical and special day of our lives, and we are so happy to have gorgeous images photographed by Larissa Cleveland to look back on to remember each moment of the day.

My advice to future brides would include choosing vendors who not only understand your vision for your day and know how to do what they do well, but also whose company you enjoy, because you’ll be spending a lot of time with them, and this will make the whole process a delightful experience. It is also important to know what matters to you going into the day, because it will fly by, and you want to make sure you’ve done everything you want to, whether it’s tasting all the food that you chose, dancing, getting the photographs you want, visiting with various friends and relatives, or otherwise. And, most importantly, and what many others advised me before our day, is to try to take a moment for just the two of you and gaze at each other, to take in all the love, joy, and beauty that surrounds you, and to make a conscious effort to be present during each and every moment, because you will want to remember them forever.

Photography: Larissa Cleveland Photography | Videography: Thomas Hughes Films | Coordination: JBD Events | Floral Design: Atelier Joya | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Cake: Sweet On Cake | Stationery: A Day In May Design | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Amsale | Catering: Paula LeDuc Fine Catering | Lighting: Got Light? | Groom's Attire: Hugo Boss | Ceremony Music: An Elegant Touch Of Strings | Venue: Beaulieu Gardens | Dance Lessons: The Dance Loft | Flower Girls Dresses: Joan Calabrese | Linens: La Tavola | Makeup And Hair: Meaganne McCandess | Mirror: Bee Curious Designs | Rentals: Classic Party Rentals | Vintage Car: Classic Convertible Wine Tours

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Oak Tree California Engagement Session

Never have I EVER seen a bride-to-be rock a dress quite as gorgeous as this ivory all-lace number. It’s the perfect attire for this love session among the oak trees, and the talented Mariel Hannah captured each smile, kiss and sweet moment in between. More in the gallery!

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From Mariel Hannah…A romantic and airy engagement amidst a grove of oak trees. The air filtered through this lovely valley as Emily’s custom lace dress glimmered in the California sunshine. I’m thrilled to submit this lovely engagement. Emily and Curt are set to marry this July in Avila Beach, where organic and simplicity are the main vision for their wedding.

Photography: Mariel Hannah | Venue: Central Valley

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