Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Some brides tend to not make hair and makeup a huge priority in the wedding planning process - I know I didn't. But boy am I glad I squeezed out the extra money to get my makeup done by someone other than myself because it was well worth it. Your face is going to be photographed from all angles, all day long both from a distance and close up. While it's not a huge expense, professional makeup can be a neglected detail and I encourage you to really do your research and find a great makeup artist.
My interview today with Amy Lynn Larwig will help you jumpstart your search for a bridal makeup artist. I've seen girls who have had their makeup done by Amy, brides of all skin tones and hair color and they all have, without fail, looked spectacular. Let's get to know her a little better, and be sure to check out her portfolio video at the end of the post!
Nashville Wedding Resource Spotlight: Amy Lynn Larwig
Pictured: The famous Amy Lynn; Photo by Kristyn Hogan, lifestyle photographer
Picture courtesy of Daniel Meigs Photography (DanielMeigs.com)
Number of years as makeup artist: 8.5 years
How did you get started in weddings? By accident. I didn’t want to do weddings originally. But I got asked by some photographer friends of mine, so I tried it out and kinda fell in love.
Picture courtesy of Gregory Byerline (GregoryByerline.com)
What do you like most about weddings? Everyone is happy! It’s a fun occasion and I’m around during the girly time, so the mood tends to be light.
What’s your favorite wedding picture and why?
The first part of my promo video showcases a bridal shoot I did with Chris & Adrienne Scott. I loved this shoot. The bride has such a presence. She let me have free range to do what I wanted, so I pulled her hair back to keep it simple and easy to maintain. And added some silver shimmer to her lids to really light up those blue eyes. A soft pink lip and cheek kept the look romantic and fresh.
Picture courtesy of Chris & Adrienne Scott (ChrisandAdrienneScott.com)
What is your service philosophy? I create clean, modern looks that fit you. Each face I work on is personalized and made to fit your unique style.
What are your strengths compared to others in your category? What sets me apart from other vendors, is the attention to detail. Before a brush even touches your face, a ton of questions about your skin, makeup routine, and wedding have to be answered. All these elements are pulled together to customize a look. Each high end product used has been tested personally by me and is applied with the utmost precision. Once the look is complete and you feel great in it, it’s all written down on a face chart and pictures are taken to ensure continuity on wedding day. There are other details included to make sure the beauty portion of your day is an experience, not just a task.
Picture courtesy of Evan Baines Photography (EvanBaines.com)
Who are your 5 favorite Nashville wedding vendors?
Chris & Adrienne Scott (ChrisandAdrienneScott.com) - This couple not only creates images that will melt you, but they are an absolute joy to be around. They make the experience such fun and really pull YOU out.
StudioWed - Technically, not a vendor, but a tremendous resource for brides and a great place to meet and talk about your wedding.
Chef’s Market - By far, the most amazing catering in Nashville. Beautiful food, and everything is delicious. They really take the time to build the perfect meal for your event and tastes.
The Bride Room (thebrideroom.com) - These women make each bride feel as if her day is the most important one ever. They get to know their brides individually and are so super sweet.
CJs Off The Square - A beautiful venue that makes planning your wedding a complete breeze. Amy and CJ are great listeners that take into account every detail of your dream day. They are super organized and definitely know how to get things done.
Picture courtesy of Zach Goodyear Photography (ZachGoodyearPhotography.com)
What do you read/watch regularly to stay on top of wedding/event trends? I read the local wedding blogs. I also keep up with fashion magazines to see the upcoming trends. Zink is probably my favorite mag for fashion/ makeup.
Is there a wedding trend that you love? Casual, fresh looks. Loose tousled hair and clean, young makeup. Lots of pinks on the cheeks, bright eyes, and soft lips.
Photo Courtesy of Evoke Photography
Which wedding trend are you tired of seeing? The vintage thing. Red lips are pretty, but they tend to be hard to maintain. Especially during, “You may kiss the bride”.
Is there a trend that you are glad is gone? In the words of a hairstylist friend of mine, “Deep fried updo’s” Crunchy curls pinned up prom style.
Pictures courtesy of Google.com
Which trend are you sad to see leave the scene? A lot of brides are letting go of false lashes, which breaks my heart. I think even the most natural pair just give such an “umph!” and everyone looks good in them.
Photo courtesy of Jonathon Campbell Photoraphy
What are your favorite wedding websites? I'm really jamming on custom made hair pieces. They are a fun way to add some pizzaz to your wedding ensemble. Anything by Jessica Frame (HeadlineofFluffandFringe.com)
Custom headpieces by Jessica Frame. Pictures courtesy of Chris & Adrienne Scott
Etsy has some great stuff too, such as Bridal Couture - etsy.com/shop/bridalcouture or Tallulah Opal (etsy.com/shop/TallulahOpal)
What advice would you give to brides on the wedding planning process in general? “It’s just not that serious." This tends to be my advice for life in general. Some brides spend all their time fretting over the perfect shade of green, or the precise amount of flowers in their bouquet, or the height of their bridesmaid’s shoes. They lose sight of the reason for this celebration in the first place…. You are getting married! When you find wedding planning becoming overwhelming, keep in mind that the number one priority is starting your marriage together.
What is the biggest misconception about your industry? “I can do my own makeup.” This is HORRIBLE! You might do a great job on your makeup for work and hanging out with friends. But makeup for camera is a whole other beast. It takes special products and techniques to look good in professional pictures. It makes a world of difference in the end result of those images.
Amy Lynn Larwig, Makeup Artist. from Mark Brown on Vimeo.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Health & Beauty , Wedding Resources0 comments »
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Remember when you were little and you tried to make your own flip book of a stick figure walking or a plane flying? Ok maybe that's just me but I've always loved the concept of flipbooks. That's how cartoons were back in the day and I thought it was just the coolest thing!
When Ashley and I saw the Fantastic Flipbooks (FantasticFlipbooks.com) booth at the bridal show I (confession) squealed a little because it just took me back! What a retro adaptation of an old school innovation! It was high-tech back then and now that it's 2010 Fantastic Flipbooks has managed to take it to a whole new level.
Fantastic Flipbooks will transform a 10' X 10' space and electricity into a great activity that will keep your wedding or party guests happy. This is sure to put a smile on anyone's face and it's so easy to do. Plus, the cute books are a great momento that will serve as a party favor that will not get trashed! Ashley and her niece enjoy flipping through the books of complete strangers (because they are so much fun to just see) so imagine how much fun one featuring you and your bff would be!
They describe the process like this: "We start by taking sixty super-fast pictures of people being fabulous in our booth. They can dress up, perform a skit using our props, be silly or sweet or just flat out crazy. Then in less than two minutes, we print and assemble a cool take-home video (no batteries required) in a paper flipbook. You can even add a message or graphics on a custom cover."
The books can also be customized - They will "work with one of our designers to create a custom cover that matches the theme of your event. Include logos, names, dates or pictures - just about anything you want! We can also have a personalized message scroll across the bottom of the pages like a news ticker."
If you're interested in having them at your wedding, definitely give them a call or email them at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Definitely visit FantasticFlipbooks.com to watch a demo video, and to find out more details on how it works and what your options are! This really would make an awesome favor that you and your guests can take home and enjoy for a long time.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Details, Design & Florals, Guests, Gifts & Favors0 comments »
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Let's breathe a huge sigh of relief as we welcome in the days of fall. It's not here yet, by any stretch but if you close your eyes you can almost ALMOST feel it. With the kids off to school and the cooler evenings come the gorgeous colors of nature - rich yellows, reds and oranges. We're excited about the upcoming season change and if you are having a fall 2010 or 2011 wedding, we know you are too!
What are you planning for your fall wedding? We'd love to know why you chose autumn and what you're planning. Just leave a comment below and share all the details.
Need a bit of inspiration? Designs in Paper's blog on Fall Color Trends got us thinking about the vibrant, beautiful color themes of a fall wedding. We took their trend chart and pulled a few fall favorites from our Nashville Wedding Inspiration Gallery. Some may fit the vision for your wedding day!
Oranges, peaches, corals
There's something quintessentially fall about reds and oranges. Maybe it's the squash and pumpkins we're getting ready to carve or the color of the mountains as the tree leaves change their colors setting the hills ablaze. The deep hues give weddings a beautiful tone, a more relaxed feel that warm and inviting.
Ravishing reds
Fiery, passionate - red will always be a color or romance. Roses, sexy red lipsticks, red shoes peeking out from under the white dress ... a classic wedding color.
Perfect purple
Purple is a delicious pop of color without being too in-your-face. It's grown up, it's chic and it it's hot for fall. Goes great with browns and greys, it's also a great complement color to the other basic fall colors of oranges, reds and yellows.
Are you planning a fall Nashville wedding? We'd love to see what fun things you are doing with your color palette!
Still need ideas? Visit our Inspiration Gallery.
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Posted by Tabitha |
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Friday, August 27, 2010
I had the pleasure of meeting Erin Lee of The Collection a while back and thought "she must be SUCH fun as a photographer." Brief background on Erin, she used to play drums in a band (I heart drummers), and she also photographed musicians when she lived in Chicago! In my humble opinion, I think it takes a really talented eye and skill to take pictures of musicians in action and her talent shines through in her wedding photography - her ability to capture the little details and really get a feel for the joyfulness of the day. I could go on but rather than read my thousand words, wouldn't you rather look at Erin's pictures?
Since The Collection is one of newest preferred photographers, we thought we'd share one of their weddings, to give you a taste of their wedding style and skill. Happy Friday everybody!
Featured Blog From The Collection: Michelle & Ray's Cedarwood Wedding
Michelle and Ray’s wedding was one of the most intimate, most enjoyable weddings that I have had the pleasure of photographing in Nashville, and I say this in spite of the fact that Michelle became trapped in traffic and was two and a half hours late. Thanks to efficiency of Historic Cedarwood and the amazing attitudes of Michelle Ray, we were able to get all of their wedding photographs done in considerably less time than normal.
As you can see, Michelle and Ray are two of the most fun people that you’ll ever met and I cannot express how thoroughly I enjoy them.
One of the bridesmaids made these adorable place cards.
Michelle and Ray like so many others in Nashville are here for school. Ray is currently enrolled in school and planning on teaching at West Point. Impressive? I don’t think that anyone at the wedding actually lived in Nashville and because of this, it felt like one big reunion.
Another beautifully done wedding by Historic Cedarwood.
Michelle and Ray, you are wonderful and I can’t wait to photograph your after session!
-Erin Lee
These were such awesome pictures. Cedarwood is a gorgeous location and this looked like such a fun wedding! All the pictures were by Erin Lee of The Collection. Please do check out more of her work as well as more great photography by Krystal and Erin on The Collection's Blog.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Real Nashville Weddings2 comments »
Thursday, August 26, 2010
We usually feature real weddings after the couple's big day. But how are those days created? What goes on behind the scene? How can you take all of those magazine pictures you've torn out and turn them into a wedding design? And, how exactly does a wedding planner take your concept and help you execute?
With the help of Stephanie of You're Invited, we will take you behind the scenes of an upcoming Nashville wedding. As Stephanie shares this engaged couple's wedding details, we hope their wedding planning process will help you develop your own plan or help you understand how an effective wedding planner adds value.
When an engaged couple comes to you, how do you approach finding their wedding vision?
When I start the planning process with a bride, I ask lots of questions to get to know them (this helps me help discover their vision). Questions such as - what colors do you love, what are your favorite things to do, what are the 3 most important aspects of your wedding, what type of experience do you want to create for your guests?
I will also ask the couple to bring in pictures they like, whether they are wedding photos they like, or even just magazine photos. It's amazing what an interior decorating magazine can do to help me understand and create a bride's vision for her wedding. I never want a bride to feel overwhelmed as we start the planning process. Their vision can evolve over the course of the planning process, and doesn't have to be created on day one.
I'm sure you are working with many great couples, helping them plan their wedding. Tell us about one of your engaged Nashville couples. What is the engaged couple's personality?
The bride and groom are extremely professional, family-oriented and fabulous to work with. This will be the second marriage for both, so they wanted to keep this wedding "simply elegant." Also, a lot of traditions that 1st time brides want to use, we won't be doing with this wedding (large wedding party, father walking her down the aisle, garter/bouquet, etc).
What is the vision for their wedding?
The bride and groom both want their families and friends to really enjoy this evening together. They want fabulous food, beautiful flowers and a really fun party.
Have they selected wedding colors/their theme?
Yes, we've actually changed the colors throughout the planning process. When she and I originally met, we knew she was going to have a fall wedding, so those were the colors we chose (bronzes and golds, oranges, eggplant purple, and pops of green). As the wedding planning process has evolved, so have my bride's color choices. We are now utilizing more of the rich eggplant in the main color scheme, instead of as an accent color.
What is the inspiration for their wedding?
Fall and her love of those particular colors
Engaged couple's wedding Picture source: You're Invited.
Which vendors/venues have they hired to date and why were they hired specifically to execute on their vision?
Noah Liff is the ceremony and reception location site. It is a fabulous new Nashville venue and the Opera Studio is a blank canvas to create an amazing event. Jessica, the facilities manager there, is so great to work with on projects/events.
Left: Ragsdale Lobby. Right: Opera Suite (Photo courtesy of NashvilleOpera.org)
Nashville Event Lighting - I knew I would need Blake and his team to work their magic on this space. We have the ceremony, reception and then a lounge area to create, and I know lighting will be one of the key elements to help accomplish this.
Blue Nova Designs - The bride and I immediately knew that we wanted to drape the walls and the ceiling to soften the look. The team at Blue Nova has been great during the design process offering us multiple options from which to choose.
Jay from Maple's Wedding Cakes - who doesn't love Jay's yummy cake and fabulous design work!
Terry from The English Garden - my bride described her vision to Terry in regards to flowers, and they immediately connected. Terry has an amazing eye for color and design, and will make my bride's vision come to life in his floral design work.
Jonathon Campbell Photography - We love their work and ability to capture even the smallest details. After my bride met with them, she knew Jonathon and Sharon were a great fit for what she wanted in a photography team. She loves the fact that they are a husband/wife team and she loves their portfolio!
Sargeant's Catering - they have a long-standing reputation in Nashville for delicious food and great service. After our tasting with them, we were blown away at how fabulous the food is going to be for this bride and groom and their guests.
Valet One - for valet parking. Becky is so great to work with and very accomodating.
Music City Tents and Events - for rentals-very professional to work with both before, during and after an event.
Tabitha: Fall colors really are elegant. I especially love the way the multi-colored ribbons are tied to the back of the fruitwood chiavari chair in the bottom right corner. Picture source: You're Invited.
What is their splurge item?
Food!!
How are they choosing to maximize their wedding budget?
They are not having a large wedding party; instead the bride has a Matron of Honor and that's the only one who will stand in the front with them.
What excites you most about this wedding?
I am excited about several things - the amazing transformation that will happen to the Opera Studio at the Noah Liff; from lighting to draping to the table arrangements, it is going to be unrecognizeable from its current look. I'm also excited about the "flip" of the Ragsdale Lobby from the ceremony site to the "after party lounge" after guests finish their seated dinner. Third, I'm excited about the interactive dessert concept we're doing for this wedding. It's going to change guest's experience at wedding receptions.
Any words of advice to couples beginning their wedding planning on finding their inspiration?
Look at magazines, surf websites and blogs, and ask your friends what kind of wedding they envision you having. All of those things will help inspire you to create the wedding of your dreams!
For more of Stephanie's work, check out You're Invited's website or their wedding planning blog for more ideas and resources for your dream Nashville wedding!
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Inspiration & Trends, Wedding Planners & Coordinators0 comments »
