Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Every week, I get questions from brides/grooms/moms asking for advice as they plan their wedding. I thought I would start posting some of their questions and my responses (or responses from my vendor friends) as you might have recommendations or you might need the info.
"Hi Ashley, My name is BT and I live in McMinnville,TN (apprx. 80 miles SE of Nashville). I am getting married October 24, 2009 and I am looking for an airbrush makeup artist for the wedding day. I booked a lady in February and it turns out she overbooked. I found three ladies, Lisa Proctor, Lisa Johnson, & Sherita Leslie and they are all booked. I thought since you were in the wedding industry you might know someone to recommend. Thanks so much for reading this email! I look forward to hearing from you! "
Here are some makeup artist that I have heard are good or recommendations that I have received:
1) Amy Lynn Larwig - Brides at my my girls night out raved about her - not sure about airbrush but you can ask
2) "Have you tried Brooke at Wax Nashville? She did airbrush makeup for a bride in McMinnville that we had." - Facebook response from Mary Alice of A Delightful Day
3) "My friend Christin does airbrush - http://www.myspace.com/vote4christin" - Facebook response from Amy of Williamson County Weddings
4) I Do Bridal Makeup by Rockelle - I've chatted with her at several bridal shows. She does airbrush makeup and tattoo coverups!
5) Sherita - I featured Sherita's bridal makeovers on ABG a few months ago after receiving raves from other Nashville brides. Again, not sure about airbrush but she might.
6) Brides by Lisa
7) Bella Kru - Facebook response by Stephanie at Relish
8) Bridget Pilkington is great! Her number is 615-300-6026. - Twitter response from Whitney of Dove Wedding Photography
9) J. Bangs Salon in Green Hills
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Advice & Planning, Makeup, Hair, Health, Beauty
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Friday, May 1, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009 Don't forget to check out the two bridal events this weekend - Brides Against Breast Cancer and the Franklin Bridal Show. It is with much excitement that I share the keyboard with Sherita Leslie, an Ashley's A-list makeup and hair extraordinaire. Sherita is know for making Nashville brides look even more beautiful. I am honored to have her share her beauty trends for spring and summer. This girl knows her stuff and her huge list of celebrity event / clients demonstrate that she is fashion forward and keeps a pulse on what's hot. I can't wait for my "diva day" with Sherita, as she calls it! Guest Post: Sherita Leslie, a top-notch makeup and hair artist Most people during the bridal season get excited about the new trends for dresses. For me, it's all about the new beauty trends with hair and makeup. I love watching the bridal runway shows to get a glimpse of what's going to be hot for the upcoming season. Here are my top 4 picks of beauty trends to look for. Accessorize Your Hair You can never under estimate the power of accessories. Here I took a simple side ponytail (which is also going to be big this year) and made it into a really fun and elegant style. This season brides will be wearing everything from brooches, silk flowers,feathers and hair vines made with crystals or pearls.
A Fuchsia Lip I love this trend from designer Carmela Sutera she felt that a fresh face with a colorful lip was a simple way for women to look chic and pretty. I totally agree with her. Because a stronger lip complements a bride's healthy glow and looks amazing in pictures.
Purple is the New Black Here I gave Shannon a soft smokey lavender eye which is a fresh and edgy approach to a smokey eye. Sometimes blacks and browns can make your eyes appear smaller. So if opt to you use a lighter color it really opens them up. It also really looks fabulous on anyone with a darker complexion or green eyes. The key is to balance the color on your eyes with neutrals on your lips and cheeks.
Return to Retro There is big return to old Hollywood glam this year. Here we gave Jenny really beautiful coils of curls that frame her face. With her makeup we took a classic beauty approach with flawless skin and defined eyes. Instead of going with the usual retro red lip I opted for a soft coral. So she can easily take the look from day to night.
Special thanks to the models for letting me transform them into some of this season's hottest looks. And also Gray Photography for doing an amazing job taking the pictures. For more bridal beauty tips visit my blog www.makeupnashville.blogspot.com
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Makeup, Hair, Health, Beauty
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Friday, August 15, 2008
Again, The Clarksville Brides Wedding and Event Showcase was one of my favorite bridal shows. This show is one of the best produced shows in the Middle TN area. It is well organized, well attended and offers a good mix of local vendors. I really like how they treat brides - from the apple cider flutes at registration to the Q&A panel with recent brides.
This year, each bride walked away with a business card portfolio containing all of the show's vendors. How thoughtful! It's just what brides need to stay organized. I mean, who is going to carry all of the brochures, folders, postcards around as they plan? Beth of ClarksvilleBrides.com and staff thought of everything for this show that keeps getting better. If you missed it, consider attending their January show. And, as always...here are the show highlights:
Earth Origins
This was my favorite booth! Rebecca was so nice and oh-so hygienic! How would I know? Well, her booth was right next to mine and after each neck/back/hand massage, she thoroughly sanitized the ENTIRE area, including the chair, her hands and she even replaced the head cover each time with a disposable covers. There was always a bride/mom waiting for a massage and they seemed super relaxed when their service was over. Rebecca travels to your location - whether it be bridal showers, day-of or whenever. And, she is very affordable and professional. I like this girl and who doesn't need a massage? This would be a very neat treat for your bridesmaids!
Rockelle Bridal Makeup (Idobridalmakeup.net)
I have been looking for airbrush makeup everywhere! It is so Hollywood and looks glam! Rockelle did a demo of the airbrush makeup technique...I was jealous that I wasn't the guinea pig, but I was "working". Rockelle also did the makeup for the fashion show and the girls looked great. She does airbrushing (not cheap but definitely worth it) and regular makeup for weddings. She serves the Nashville and Clarksville area and doesn't charge a fee for Nashville weddings.
Yvonne Chamberlain Photography
Love Yvonne's work! Plus, she is so friendly and professional and really likes brides (some really folks don't:). Yvonne and I chatted at length with a bride all about her wedding and Yvonne had a genuine interest in what brides today seek in photography. A photography who always wants to learn is a very good skill set!
Cozette Winters Photography
Nicest ever! She came over after seeing me struggle to put up my banner. We became fast friends. I saw her work last year but after another take, I was reminded of her amazing talent.
Something Blue Bridal (somethingbluebridalshoppe.com)
A new bridal gown shop that opens in Springfield, TN on September 20, 2008. I can't wait! There are not many bridal salons with great service and Vanna, the co-owner, was full of personality! Her daughter, Abbey, is super-chic, youthful and strikes me as someone who would definitely tell you if a wedding dress is for you...or not.. Honesty is priceless.
Vegas Bridal
Cari is actually based in Indiana but ships all over the country. Her store sells couture and designer bridal gowns. She is the exclusive retailer of Tulipia Couture. She also sells designer sample bridal gowns for a fraction of the retail cost.
The Bride's Boutique
They offer premier wedding gowns. Here are a few of my favorite bridal gowns.
C&K Soul Food (chefcorey.com)
Boy was I glad that these folks started letting vendors "sample" towards the end of the show. They offered BBQ and Swedish meatballs and an amazing raspberry cobbler. I don't even like raspberries but I did like this sweet treat. Contact Corey or Kristie at 931.302.0844. It was really good!
Hodgepodge Bridal Gifts/Registry (hodgepodge-home.com)
Paige, owner
Turning Point Productions (turningpointproductions.com)
A Country Chapel and Chapel Wedding Cakes (acountrychapel.com/)
Lori is so inspirational and so talented.
Lastly, the cake dive that I featured was filmed at the show. Check it out here.
UPDATE - Joan of Joan of Art just sent me a great slideshow from the Clarksville bridal show. She's another great photographer, as you can tell by these vibrant photos. She even made me look like a cutie - see pics 12 and 13. Thanks for sharing Joan!!
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Bridal Shows & Events, Cakes & Food, Makeup, Hair, Health, Beauty , Photography
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Friday, July 4, 2008
Friday, July 4, 2008
Whether you are seeking pampering for your wedding day, bridal party or a gift for the bride-to-be, here are a few pampering spots that might be of interest.
Relache Day Spa
I have been in Spaaaah Heaven! Over the weekend, I hung out w/a gal pal at the Relache Spa at Gaylord. We arrived early, had our car's valet parked (complimentary if you're going to the spa) and headed in for some pre-pampering fun. Now, our plan was to start with a quick work-out, then proceed to the whirlpool or pool, head to lunch and then have our spa treatments. But, after walking what seemed like a mile from the Magnolia parking to the Cascade area, we decided that was work-out enough! (Note - you can park closer to the spa but there were so many people checking in that we decided to park and walk through the amazing hotel.)
We headed to the sauna and then to the pool. It didn't feel like we were in Nashville. I mean - I have stayed at Gaylord before but I'd never enjoyed the hotel's amenities. This time, I soaked them all in! I've been to lot of spas - a few in Nashville and a few in other cities - and Gaylord's Relache ranks right up there in terms of pure pampering and full luxury. Everything about it is lavish. I simply love their relaxation room - stocked with strawberries, grapes and fruity water. And, as corny as it sounds, I really love their ladies locker room. It's really like a big room with showers, lockers, steam, sauna and pretty much everything a gal needs to prepare for her tranquil day. I love everything about this spa. The only recommendation I would offer Relache is to fix their billing system. Everytime I go, my bill is wrong. They are always really nice about it but after an amazing day of relaxation, who wants to wait 15 minutes to have your bill corrected? But really, that's minor. The spa is large enough to accommodate your entire bridal party and well worth it!
A Moment's Peace
Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to visit A Moment's Peace spa in Cool Springs. While I didn't receive a service, I did get a chance to tour the spa and hear one of their lead aestheticians (Loretta Brank) discuss tips for healthy summer skin. The spa is an amazing 6200 square foot space, much larger than you'd think, and offers just about any service that you'd need - from hair care, skin care to spa services. This spa will be on my "try" list. I am not sure how it compares to Relache but I am certainly willing to give it a try. Plus, the aestician seemed very knowlegdeable and seemed to love her job, so I bet she is great at what she does. Plus, the spa was voted the #1 spa in Williamson County (by Franklinis.com and Southern Exposure magazine) so I think it's worth a visit. They just added a couple's room that offers a couple's massage area and couple's shower.
Escape
A friend of mine is a masseuse so I always want to know which spots she recommends. She worked at Relache and while no longer there she speaks highly of the spa. She also visited Escape Day Spa and loved it! What she liked most was their couple's massage area. She said that it has like a jacuzzi tub for two that is in the couple's room. I simply can't wait to check it out myself because it's hard to find a place that has "real" space for two because some places say they offer couple's massages but you end up being in separate rooms - so what's the point? Anyway - when I check out Escape and A Moment's Peace, I'll let you know. In the meantime, feel free to contact them yourself or comment on this blog by adding your Nashville spa recommendations. Happy July 4th! If you are traveling (like me), please be safe and enjoy your holiday weekend.
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Bridal Showers, Luncheons, Parties, Makeup, Hair, Health, Beauty
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Thursday, May 29, 2008
I visited Relache Resort and Spa for my birthday and I will say that it is my favorite spa in Nashville. I plan to check out others (price shopping:) but Relache is hard to beat! So, I was super excited when - a few weeks ago - Julie Wilson at Releache gave me a discount code that is a steal! If you have ever been to Relache and planned to return OR want to go, here's a sweet deal. Most locals view Relache as pricey; it is a luxury but now is the time to try it out! From now until June 30, call 615-458-3791 and mention the code BABB to receive special rates.
Custom Specials - all $99
Choose from:
Customized 50 min massage or facial
Customized manicure and pedicure (80 mins)
Specials include gratuity, valet parking and access to steam/sauna/pool/whirlpool.
Think...bridal party, pre-wedding pampering
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Makeup, Hair, Health, Beauty
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