A Fresh Take on Bridal Hairstyles

I have to admit, I'm a bit obsessed with the television show, "The Social." Recently they brought in hair stylist Matthew Collins to showcase some new versions of classic bridal hair.


Source: The Social

I love how the hairstyles Matthew demonstrates on the show are usually fresh, creative, and actually easy to do yourself. Check out the website to get the "how-to" for these gorgeous do's!

DIY Updo: Sophisticated Chignon With a Modern Twist

We are loving this season's vintage wedding trend, combined with DIY projects. But for those who wouldn't classify themselves as crafty brides (it's OK, just put the scissors and hot glue gun away) we have another idea on how you can save some money on your wedding day. DIY hairdo's! If you don't believe us, look at this easy Side Chignon tutorial by our favourite DIY wedding maven, Ms. Martha Stewart.

Read the instructions on how to get this look here.

5 Questions You MUST Ask Your Makeup Artist

Of all the vendor's to book when planning a wedding, often makeup artists seem to be lower on the priority list. We've heard it all before: you've seen their work on friends, scoped out their website and had them email you portfolio pictures. You like their style, time to book on the spot right?

WRONG.

Besides picking an artist who you're comfortable with, we always recommend choosing someone who is professional and can be sure to provide a high quality of service to you and your maids. So, before you sign on the dotted line, consider these 5 questions to ask your potential makeup artist to see how they measure up.

1. What is involved with the booking? Do I need to sign a contract and leave a deposit?
2. If you can't make it on my wedding day, who will do my makeup in your absence?
3. What kind of makeup do you use and how will it hold up for the duration of the day?
4. What size wedding party can you accommodate and how long will it take to do all of our makeup?
5. Can you duplicate a look from a magazine spread?

{Photo Credit: Perfect Wedding Photo}

Vendor Spotlight: Frilly Bits

Be Memorable, Be Gorgeous, Be "Frilly"

Who: Mother and daughter duo Kalee McTaggart and Wendy Widdicombe of Frilly Bits, located in Grimsby, Ontario.

How It All Started

How did you get involved in designing hair accessories for weddings and other special occasions?
My [Kalee’s] husband is from the UK and hair accessories are huge over there. I would always bring them back from our UK trips and would wear them to special occasions (weddings and other social functions) and would get tons of compliments on them. When a friend of mine was getting married a few years ago, she asked to borrow one of my hair accessories because she didn’t want to pay the exorbitant amount at a bridal shop. I decided to do one better, I made her her own, custom piece. On the day of the wedding the salon where we got our hair done asked me for my business card so that they could promote my business. It was then that I realized I was on to something exciting and thus our business was born.

What inspired you to start your own business?
We have always wanted to work in the wedding industry. When we eventually came up with the idea of creating custom hair pieces, we knew we had to start our own business.

How did you come up with the name for your company?
A close friend’s mom, who is also English, commented on one of my hairpieces one day. She said “What a lovely little frilly bit.” We loved her way of describing it so much we decided to name our company Frilly Bits.

How long have you been in business and how many years of experience do you hold personally?
We just recently passed our one year anniversary but we have gained quite the momentum and following. We have created custom hairpieces for over 90 brides and clients, and we have even been worn, on air, by Dina Pugliese,  Co-Host of Breakfast Television (BT). In addition, we have been asked by BT’s segment producer, April Kalloo to create a hairpiece for her upcoming wedding. We’re thrilled!

Ok ladies, why the wedding industry?
I have always wanted to work in the wedding industry. After planning my own wedding I realized what a fun, exciting and rewarding industry it is. Wendy and I have always been extremely creative so we knew it had to be something that would utilize our creative abilities.

Since we're talking fashion and accesories, how would you describe your style?
Our style is the perfect combination of classic, vintage and modern. One of our gorgeous brides said this about our style, “Frilly Bits' style combines the best of both classic glamour and contemporary flair. They build upon the decorative and ornate style coming out of the early to mid 20th century and combine it with a contemporary sensibility. Together this makes all the pieces seem both unique, and slightly vintage but also completely part of current fashions.”

How long does it take you to make a customized hairpiece?
It depends on what our client is looking for. If we have all the supplies in stock, we can generally have the piece complete within one week from the original consultation. If we need to custom order or dye certain supplies, then the time frame will be extended according to shopping or processing times.

How soon should a bride place an order with Frilly Bits?
Generally we like to recommend the bride order a piece from us as soon as she knows what she wants to do with her hair/veil/hairpiece. That way we have enough time from consultation, to design, to creation, to make sure it’s what the bride wants.

We certainly know why we love Frilly Bits, but what do you think makes your product so unique?
Frilly Bits is unique because we are able to take a bride’s vision and personality and translate it into a show stopping, custom piece that celebrates her personal style. We don’t stop at hairpieces though. We can create everything from boutonniere alternatives, flower girl and bridesmaid hairpieces, corsage alternatives, cake toppers, clutches with frilly bits on them, custom sashes with flowers, shoe clips, rings, ANYTHING that helps the bride create a cohesive vision for her big day.

Time for Girl Talk

What trends have you noticed come and gone over the years?
Many trends have come and gone over the years but we are seeing that vintage is one that seems to be staying. Our pieces have a vintage flair to them to begin with, but we can take that a step further by adding vintage jewellery into the piece or we can take a bride’s family heirloom (like a Grandmother’s brooch, for instance) and incorporate it into the piece for their something old. A few other trends that seem to have staying power are peacock themed weddings, bride’s incorporating black into their ensembles and bride’s adding custom items to further embellish their look from hairpieces to adding a sash to their otherwise
simple gown.

What trends have you loved, hated, missed and/or are glad have come back?
There aren’t really any trends that we hate. We are thrilled that the vintage trend seems to have real staying power, it’s such a fun and gorgeous theme!

Having Fun and Getting Personal:

What do you do when you’re not designing or creating accessories?
We both love to travel, love shopping, cooking, reading, writing and getting together with good friends

What is your favourite piece from your current collection?
Kalee: My favorite piece right now would have to be Robin Custom and Catherine Custom. They both have a vintage feel and are very feathery and ethereal looking.

Wendy: I love our custom sashes, they are such a gorgeous way to jazz up a simple wedding gown or a bridesmaid dress.

If you were stranded on a deserted Island, what is one item you couldn’t live without?
Aside from food? I think we would both say music. We’re both huge music people!

Are you Tim Hortons or Starbucks kind of gals?
Starbuck’s, without a doubt!

Final Thoughts

What is new for Spring/Summer 2011 for Frilly Bits?
This Spring/Summer we are doing a lot of bright colours in dupioni silk and crepe satin. We have also been creating a lot of grey pieces, a colour that seems to be very popular these days.

If you can give a couple only one piece of advice before their wedding day,what would it be?
Our advice would be to enjoy the planning process. It is such an incredibly fun time in your life, you are planning a day that celebrates the love and special commitment you are making with your best friend. Nothing could be better! :)

How can readers connect with you?

• Website: http://www.frillybits.ca/
• Phone: (905) 902-6315
• Email: fillybits@gmail.com
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/frilly_bits or @frilly_bits
• Facebook group, click here

*Images provided by Frilly Bits

Q & A: Budget Bridal Beauty Tips

Q: I can't afford facials or other pricey spa treatments. What can I do at home to ensure my complexion stays clear on my wedding day?

A: For any big, special event (especially weddings) we always recommend the following beauty regime dos and don'ts. Trust us on these tips, they're simple, timeless tricks that even our mother's and grandmother's swear by.

Image Source: Glamour.com

• Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day to keep your skin hydrated.
• Never sleep with your makeup on (it can cause major breakouts).
• Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize (and if you can, use a moisturizer with SPF for added protection against the sun's harmful rays).
• Don't consume alcohol or salt the night before your big event, all of that water retention will make you look puffy and swollen (not to mention it will be that much harder to fit into your outfit/dress).
• Don't be tempted to try any new beauty products the week of your event in case your skin has an allergic reaction to one of the ingredients. This goes for cosmetics, face wash, tanning, even hair dye or other hair products. Keep it simple and use brands you know well and trust.

And our number one tip to remember: Don't forget to smile, everyone always looks radiant when they smile.

For more beauty tips, check out Glamour Magazine's Top 20 Beauty Dos & Don’ts (in Two Words or Less).