Getting married is one of the biggest life events you’ll ever prepare for and becoming a bride is an incredibly unique journey for every woman. Your planning list seems endless and making sure that everything is done and perfect for your big day is often daunting and stressful.
How you look on the day is also paramount. All eyes are on you so it’s important that you choose what’s right for you and what makes you feel beautiful so that you have peace of mind as you walk down the aisle.
The Consultation and Trial
Your hair and makeup consultation and trial should ideally take place 6-8 weeks prior to the wedding. During this consultation, our stylist will ask you a series of questions to gain an understanding of the styles you like. Bring photos as we don’t always speak the same language! We will advise you about what will work best to accentuate your features and compliment your dress. Your role is to have an open and honest relationship with us and to tell us what you think!
Just like you would bring your shoes and the proper undergarments to a dress fitting, you need to bring all the proper goods to your hair and makeup trial. Bring your veil, headpiece, flowers or barrettes to your appointment so you can see what they will look like with your hairstyle. Come with your hair prepped as you would have it the day of your wedding: preferably unwashed with little to no product as possible. Same for your face. Show up with a fresh face (moisturizer is okay). We can provide makeup wipes if you are coming from work and applied makeup in the morning. As with the hair, your stylist will ask questions regarding colors you normally wear and how you want to look on your wedding day. Provide input and let us know if you don’t like something. We can change it.
Depending on the hair style, we may recommend hair extensions to provide extra volume – even if you are entertaining an up-do. We offer both rental and purchase options so that you can choose what works best with your budget.
What Does “Trial” Mean
It is important to note that a trial is just that – a time to see what you like and what you don’t like, what works and what doesn’t. We will take notes and photos so that we can review them on your wedding day and use the same colors we used at your trial. That being said, you may decide, upon getting home, that the red is a little too bright, or that you really do want the winged eyeliner your maid of honor decided is too dramatic. It’s ok. We are happy to make those adjustments to ensure you are the best version of you on this day!
On-the-day Preparations
We provide a tentative timeline with each and every invoice we send you. This provides a snapshot of the timeframe it will take on your wedding day to style those you’ve contracted us to pamper. We create this as soon as you secure your date so that we can catch any issues (i.e. you can’t get into the venue as early as we need to start) and adjust accordingly. The timeline is finalized 30 days before the wedding allowing you time to communicate it to your bridesmaids and anyone else receiving services. Making sure that everyone is ready to hop in the chair when assigned will ensure the day flows smoothly and keep us on track!
Remember
Wedding planning can become super stressful, especially as your day gets closer. Your wedding hair trial and wedding makeup trial is important, so kick back, relax, and be pampered! Go in with a positive attitude, bring a pal or your mom if you want to, and let yourself have a good time while you get beautified. Trust your inspiration and your stylist and you’ll leave nothing but happy!
In this issue of Alan & Adrian Get Married, we are getting the low down on wedding attire and hair and makeup services for the wedding day. How did two grooms navigate the overwhelming world of fashion? Read on!
Photo Credit: Mi Amore Photography
Shopping for Wedding Attire
Q: What was the first thing that came to your mind when you started thinking about attire?
A: Thank God we don’t have to go through the dress buying process that traditional brides do! We simply needed to find a suit that complimented our wedding colors and that was not difficult at all!
Q: Where did you buy/ rent your suits?
A: We decided to rent all our men’s suits from Celebrity Tuxes & Tails. We saw them at one of Aldea’s open houses and they offered a variety of options and affordable pricing. The rental packages even include shoes, which is an additional cost at many of their competitors.
Q: Can you tell us any details about the suits you selected or is that a secret until the wedding?
A: I decided on a navy suit and Adrian decided on dark grey; both suits will be accented with peach ties. Our groomsmen will be wearing a lighter grey suit accented with a black tie with the exception of my best man, Andrew, who will also be wearing a dark grey vest. For a fun twist, we added Star Wars socks – my groomsmen will be the rebel alliance and Adrian’s will be the empire!
Shopping for Attendant Dresses and Jewelry
Q: What did you find to be some of the biggest challenges when selecting groomsmaid dresses?
A: Understanding the terminology alone for dress styles, necklines and fabric was daunting in itself! Thankfully the girls were able to help make the decision easy. We wanted to let them select certain design elements of their dress (like the neckline) while setting certain parameters for continuity. Ultimately, we decided that they will wear a navy, A-line style, knee length dress with silver/grey heels and each girl can select her own dress as long as it fits that criteria.
Q: Are the girls wearing the same jewelry or can they express their personal style with accessories?
A: My girls will wear the navy earrings that were part of their “will you be my groomsmaid” gift (see earlier post) and Aidan’s girls will wear Star Wars themed earrings!
Q: Do you have any junior groomsmaids or flower girls?
A: We have two jr. groomsmaids and flower girl and we wanted them to feel beautiful in their dresses. Rather than going with the typical tulle style dress, we chose a navy foral lace dress.
Hair and Makeup
Q: What was the most challenging part of choosing everyone’s attire?
A: {Alan laughing} Hands down hair and makeup! We are two guys! Trying to plan a wedding is tricky enough – I mean, we haven’t been dreaming about it since we were five – but let’s face it, our knowledge on hair and makeup is really limited. That’s when Aldea stepped in and recommended Babydoll Weddings. We met them at an open house and the stylists were great about answering our questions about complexions, skin tones, hair types, etc.
Q: What were Babydoll Wedding’s main selling points that led you to book them?
A: One main factor is that they travel to the venue (or other location) where your party is getting ready. That takes away so much stress in figuring out how to get everyone to and from the Salon while budgeting the right amount of time. The package pricing is also very competitive and since we are gifting this service to our attendants, price and value was a huge factor.
Q: Do you have one uniform look for the girls or are they selecting their own color palette and style?
A: We are going with a natural look emphasizing the eyes not the lips. Hair will be in a modified up-do, at the base of the skull, with wispy, romantic curls. A few of our girls have shorter hair which will be styled with big curls.
Our girls suggested a trial so we booked one for four of the girls to make sure that our vision looks good on each girl.
Booking a Trial
Q: How was the trial?
A: It was beyond successful! We arrived at the Salon and were surprised with glasses of champagne for everyone. We shared our vision with the stylists the best we could – we are guys, after all – and showed a couple of pictures and they started styling. The entire process didn’t take as long as we expected. Each stylist was so knowledgeable and they even offered styling tips to each girl. By the end of the trial, each girl was sporting the look we envisioned!
Q: Was there anything about the trial that stood out?
A: The stylists took photos of their finished work and also wrote various notes that they can refer back to on our wedding day. That was hugely comforting knowing that they will have photos and notes to remember what they did at the trial. I can only imagine how many brides and weddings they work with!
Q: Babydoll Weddings offers services for men – specifically a face prep and hair services. Are you and Adrian getting any pampering done the day of?
A: We are! We are getting the face treatment which includes a no-shine service to ensure that we are matte and smooth for photos.
Words of Wisdom
Q: Do you have any advice you can offer our Babydoll Bride Tribe?
A: Include your attendants in your decision process regarding attire. They feel vested in knowing that they will be comfortable and look amazing. Take advantage of the hair and makeup trial. Babydoll Weddings has been nothing but exceptional to work with and they offer an array of services. They take care of scheduling the staff and creating your hair and makeup timeline so you don’t need to stress. Call them and thank us later!
introducing Marjorie and Giovanni – Read about their love story!
The Details:
What is your name and your groom’s name? Marjorie and Giovanni
What was your wedding date?February 24, 2017
How did you and your groom meet? We met in the first grade and have been friends ever since.
The Proposal
We are dying to know, how did he propose?! He took me back to our elementary school playground and proposed there.
What were your wedding colors and why did you choose them? We chose pink and navy blue. I love pink but Giovanni didn’t want a pink wedding so I added navy blue to contrast.
The Dress
Where did you find your dress? Would you say that finding your dress was relatively easy or difficult? I found my dress at Azteca Bridal in Phoenix Arizona. It was easy for me if I didn’t like it, it would go back but if I loved it i would try it on again and again.
The Location
Where did your ceremony and reception take place? Was there any special meaning behind the choice of the venue(s)?The ceremony and reception took place at DoubleTree Hotel and Suites in Phoenix Arizona.
What kind of flowers did you have in your bouquet and at the ceremony/reception? I love roses and chose to carry a bouquet of pink roses.
The Cake
What was the flavor of your wedding cake? Our wedding cake was chocolate and vanilla!
What details from your wedding that made it unique to you? Our grandparents passed away and we both wished they were there with us soI pinned a picture of my grandma to my bouquet and I pinned a picture of Giovanny’s grandpa to his boutonnière. It was nice to hold their memories close on this special day.
Did you provide favors to your guests? If so, what were they? All our guest received bride and groom candy boxes. Our families received personalized bride and groom candy bags.
Other than marrying your husband, what was one of your favorite moments from your wedding day?My favorite moment was listening to the toasts. It was great to hear how everyone felt about our union as a family and their best wishes for us.
The Honeymoon
Did you take a honeymoon? If so, where did you go? We enjoyed some much needed beach time in California!
What is one piece of wisdom you learned from your planning experience that you would like to share with future brides?Not everything has to be perfect. Things happen that you can’t control but if you don’t sweat the small stuff you will enjoy the major things on your day like most important marrying the love of your life.
This Real Bride Series edition introduces Dallan and Travis. Read about their amazing proposal!
Dallan’s Love Story:
What is your name and your groom’s name? Dallan and Travis
What was your wedding date?Saturday, March 18, 2017
How did you and your groom meet? Travis and I met through online dating, but from the moment we started talking we clicked and got along very well. We are both major star wars fans.
The Proposal
We are dying to know, how did he propose?! He took me on a secret get away to this beautiful resort in New Mexico called Inn of the Mountain Gods and we water out on the lake on a row boat. Right as our time was up at sunset he said he had something he wanted to give me. He got down on one knee, which made the row boat move like crazy and had me scared, told me he loved me and wanted me to spend the rest of my life with him and if I would Marry him. I started crying the moment he got on his knee and when he pulled out the ring box I lost it. I was crying so hard but it was so beautiful and during my favorite time (sunset) which made it unforgettable.
What were your wedding colors and why did you choose them? Our wedding colors were Coral, Royal Blue, and Gold. Coral is on of my favorite colors. Travis is from Kansas and he has made he a Kansas City Royals fan and on of there colors is Royal blue, so it was a color to remind him of home. Gold was suppose to be a accent color but we ended up loving how everything looked in gold and we both just really like that color.
The Dress
Where did you find your dress? Would you say that finding your dress was relatively easy or difficult? I bought my dress at Barb’s Bridal Boutique. I had already been looking for dressed online and at David’s Bridal. David’s bridal had beautiful dresses. I went with my mom and sister in law and wedding planner/ bridesmaid but the dresses my mom liked were out of my price range and after trying on dress after dress I was exhausted and broken because I didn’t feel like a bride in any of them. We ended up leaving with a promise to come look later.
I decided to go dress shopping with another fellow bride who is getting married in November 2017 and, along with my bridesmaid, we went to several different shops but I couldn’t find anything I liked until we arrived at Barb’s. The moment I walked in I felt a different atmosphere. Nobody was trying to pressure you into buying a dress and you got to look through the racks at all the dresses and I ended up finding three dressed I liked. I knew I found my dress the moment I put it on. I remember walking out showing my friend and telling her I don’t ever want to get out of this dress. It was a journey but I am so happy with the experience.
The Location
Where did your ceremony and reception take place? Was there any special meaning behind the choice of the venue(s)?We had a small out door rustic wedding at my parents house in Queen Creek. My parents offered theIr home to us because they wanted their only daughter to be married in their home and have great memories to last a lifetime.
What kind of flowers did you have in your bouquet and at the ceremony/reception? I ordered my bouquet off Eco Flowers. I love the idea of flowers made of recycled materials but it was a hassle getting the bouquet on time. The bridesmaid’s carried pink and red carnations wrapped in twine with baby’s breath.
The Cake
What was the flavor of your wedding cake? Our wedding cake was chocolate and vanilla with dinosaur cake toppers!
What details from your wedding that made it unique to you? We had Dinosaur cake toppers which you don’t see very often.We also didn’t have the traditional wedding march. I ended up walking down to the Imperial March (yes, Star Wars!). Our ringholders were bride and groom figures made from Legos.
Did you provide favors to your guests? If so, what were they? All our guest received bride and groom candy boxes. Our families received personalized bride and groom candy bags.
Other than marrying your husband, what was one of your favorite moments from your wedding day?The most memorable thing would have to be when Travis walked out on the dancing floor on his own and dancing the jitter bug with me. He doesn’t like dancing but he did it for me.
The Honeymoon
Did you take a honeymoon? If so, where did you go? We have not taken a honeymoon yet as we are saving some money to go on a Caribbean Cruise.
What is one piece of wisdom you learned from your planning experience that you would like to share with future brides?Do not stress out over everything. Everyone around you is helping you; accept as much help as possible. You will enjoy it more. Also make sure to take a moment at your wedding and stop and look around.
June is bridal show month in Phoenix and we always see an increase in calls from brides asking when they should book hair and makeup services for their wedding day. A licensed, experienced makeup artist is worth his/her weight in gold because he/she will be able to help you identify styles/looks that will compliment your dress while still allowing you to look like you. This being said, highly sought after artists book quickly. With that in mind, you should book your hair/makeup artist no less than six months before your wedding as noted in the WeddingWire vendor wedding checklist below.
Finding the Right Hair and Makeup Artist
Referrals are gold. Ask your family, friends, wedding planner, venue or anyone else who’s opinion you value. Wedding blogs, bridal magazines and social media outlets can also provide insight into who you may want to call.
Things to Consider
A good hair and makeup artist should be able to identify your skin tone, suggest the most appropriate colors for your complexion, and recommend hairstyles based on the shape of your face, the style of your dress, your accessories and your personality. You need to be prepared to show photos of the hair and makeup looks you like to provide a foundation with which to start.
Booking a Trial
Schedule your makeup trial 30-60 days before your wedding date. Trials are typically held in the artist’s studio or salon and offers you and the stylist the opportunity to create your hair and makeup look and make changes, before your wedding day. Unlike dress shopping, which typically involves your bride tribe, your trial is not a spectator sport so it is best to minimize the number of bridesmaids that want to join you. Salon space tends to be limited and too many bodies (and opinions) may prove distracting for the stylist.
This is your time to bond with your stylist, to provide feedback, to ask questions or seek advice and to be comfortable with the finished look. Your stylist will take notes (and hopefully photos) to document the finished product to eliminate any confusion on the big day!
The Wedding Day
Ideally you will want stylists/artists that will travel to you. Some may charge a travel fee depending on your location but this shouldn’t deter you from booking an established experienced artist. The hustle and bustle of a hair salon may not allow you to feel as pampered as you need to feel on your wedding day. Be sure to ask, before booking, if your styling team will travel to you.
This Real Bride Series edition introduces Kelley and Neil. Read about their amazing proposal!
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Kelley’s Love Story:
What is your name and your groom’s name? Kelley & Neil
What was your wedding date?Thursday, December 29, 2016
How did you and your groom meet?We met while working at the Wisconsin Early Autism Project in Madison, WI. The first time we worked together we both noticed each other. It actually took one of our client’s moms to convince Neil that I was, in fact, interested in him.
We are dying to know, how did he propose?! Funny you should ask, because I wrote a whole prose piece about the proposal the day after it happened:
He gasped, audibly.
“Wow!” he breathed, “Just… Wow!”
Neil was totally captivated by the Grand Canyon. I couldn’t help but smile at my gangly rock hound as we continued further into the park. I parked the car near the geology museum, filled my purse with two bottles of water and a sandwich, and then we both got out and began walking.
Neil’s gasps and murmurs continued along the walk towards the park center. I couldn’t help myself and began ooing and aahing along with him: it was such an incredible sight!
Along the walk, some conversations were struck up with other canyon visitors. Meeting Sam, the bassist of the metal band Barrier, was probably the most eventful: we encountered him, barefoot and bare-chested, meditating on the ledge of the canyon. Neil joined him and, when he finished, almost fell into the canyon while performing a sun salutation in his boots (“Jesus Christ, sweetie!”). After that scare, we chatted with Sam for a bit, learning his name, profession, and that he was from Chicago. His band was on tour and heading to California for a show that night. In a second run-in with Sam, he looked at us with his warm, kind eyes, and said, “I don’t’ know if I’ll ever see you again, but I want you to know that I love you guys.”
“We love you too!” we told him, practically in unison. Looking back, I get the feeling that he knew what Neil was about to do…
During our walk, I commented, “Wouldn’t it be awesome to do engagement photos out here? We should do that at Christmas! Assuming you’ve proposed to me by then, of course.”
I literally had no idea what was about to happen.
Eventually on our hike, we turned around and made our way back to the museum and the car. We went into the museum and, after a brief exploration, went over to the gift shop corner and made some purchases. Upon putting them in the car, I said, “You know what? I’m tired, and a little hungry. Why don’t we go get some food?”
“Well… Will we come back? Because I’d like to come back if we leave now…” Eventually, Neil convinced me to get back out of the car and come marvel at the canyon together one last time (“The sun has gone down a little, so it looks different now!”).
We plunked down on a ledge and gawked at the view. A little down the way, a couple was struggling to fit themselves and the canyon into a photo on their phone, so Neil offered a trade: we take their picture if they take ours. Immediately after our photo was done, I sat back down on the ledge, and gazed out at the gorgeous natural wonder, contemplating life, love, and nature.
“Hey Kelley,” I hear behind me.
Upon turning around, I saw Neil on one knee, holding a ring box with a gorgeous band of diamonds in it.
“I… Wh… Is this…? I— Yes!” I said.
He hadn’t even said the words yet, but I didn’t care; I knew what they were, and I already knew my answer.
Everyone around us gasped and smiled and clapped. A whispered “congratulations!” with a huge smile came from one woman who walked by us.
Later, in the car, I teased him for not actually asking “the question.” “You didn’t even give me a chance to!” he countered. But then, he took my hands, looked me in the eyes, and asked me, “Kelley Noel Rolak, will you marry me?” “Yes, Robert Neil Thomas Graupner,” I smiled, “Yes I will.”
What were your wedding colors and why did you choose them? Our colors were variations of primary colors (red, yellow, and blue). The meaning was twofold. First, the three primary colors are prominent in the Autism awareness symbol. Second, Neil has Scottish heritage and, while we eventually nixed the idea of the groomsmen wearing kilts for the wedding, we wanted to pay homage to the Dalrymple family tartan (Neil’s grandmother’s maiden name).
The Dress
Where did you find your dress? Would you say that finding your dress was relatively easy or difficult? I found my dress at Vera’s House of Bridals in Madison, WI. I knew I wanted a tea-length gown, and while at this expo, I saw a woman dressed in basically the perfect gown. When I saw her I froze, with my jaw hanging open. The woman wearing the dress saw me and laughed. She then came over to me and said hello. Of course, I was so excited, I was barely able to stammer out, “Dress! Where! Perfect!” She then let me know that she was a consultant at Vera’s and that all I had to do was call them to make an appointment.
Who Went:
The appointment itself was so much fun. I brought my mom, my sister, and future mother-in-law to come help me decide what dress to choose. The first dress I tried on was, of course, the dress I fell in love with at the expo. It was wonderful! There were quite a few options, and I didn’t want to miss something if it could be even more perfect. I’m glad I made that choice, because the dress I ended up choosing was the fourth dress that I tried on!
The Description:
The dress itself was a relatively plain strapless tea-length gown. But the feel of it made me do the same “I love this floofy dress” happy spinning that I did in the first dress. But something was missing, so we tried adding a belt, which added some much needed bling. My FMIL suggested a jacket. I think we were both thinking of a bolero, but what they brought out was so much better: a lace 3/4 sleeve, portrait neckline jacket that buttoned in the back. In all of the wedding dress TV shows, it seems like every bride cries when they find “their dress.” Well, that was the moment I burst into tears.
So a relatively easy experience, but still storied.
Where did your ceremony and reception take place? Was there any special meaning behind the choice of the venue(s)?Our ceremony and reception took place at Superstition Manor in Mesa, AZ. While we both live and work in Wisconsin, my parents both have family in Arizona. I have even spent every Christmas that I can remember (except one) in Mesa. And the idea of having a winter wedding somewhere where it wasn’t ACTUALLY winter (sorry, Arizonians, but you don’t know what cold is) was also definitely a large factor in picking Arizona. Superstition Manor closes at 9pm on weeknights. We knew the party would last later than 9 pm, so we rented a party bus to take us out to Scottsdale for an after-party pub crawl!
What kind of flowers did you have in your bouquet and at the ceremony/reception? I had wildflowers that fit the color theme in the bouquet, including some dahlias. Neil was actually the one to take care of the floral arrangements, as I was busy with graduate school. I could not make it to the tasting at Superstition, so Neil, his mother, and my father went in my place. Neil picked the menu, scouted photographers, and settled all of the floral details. Knowing that I am a Star Wars nerd, he made sure that the florist included a light saber hilt in the handle of the bouquet. Brenda even made sure that the noise mechanism worked, which made the bouquet exponentially more fun! So I think Neil did a pretty great job with the things he helped with.
The Cake
What was the flavor of your wedding cake? We had a vanilla cutting cake, with mini cheesecakes and mini red velvet cupcakes as the dessert.
What details from your wedding that made it unique to you? Neil’s uncle officiated our wedding, and gave us each a mate from a pair of Christmas socks as a metaphor for the cooperation we would need to develop in order to make our marriage work.
First Dance:
For our first dance, we used a piece of music called “Waltz for Zizi,” from the anime show “Cowboy Bebop.” The father-daughter dance was to “Not While I’m Around,” covered by Jamie Cullum. I had had my heart set on using Jamie Cullum’s version of the song for years before I realized that it was a cover of a song from “Sweeny Todd,” but I decided I didn’t care.
Special Meanings:
We signed our marriage certificate with a Darth Vader pen.
Neil has a 125-year-old railroad pocket watch that he carried with him. My father gave it to him for Christmas. It had belonged to his great grandfather while he was working as a doctor for the railroad as it was expanding to Santa Fe, New Mexico.
I occasionally play with an old time band in Madison called the No Name Stringband. I had hoped they would be able to play for the wedding but their schedules did not allow for it. As a gift to me, the band recorded a new version of their original piece, “You Look Alright, Still,” for me to use in their absence.
Did you provide favors to your guests? If so, what were they? We had small cactus tea lights in red glass tea candle holders. We also made coloring books and had sets of crayons for everyone in case they were waiting during pictures.
Other than marrying your husband, what was one of your favorite moments from your wedding day?The photo booth at the wedding was so much fun! We also had rented a party bus to use after the wedding!
The Honeymoon
Did you take a honeymoon? If so, where did you go? We took our honeymoon 3 months after the wedding. We went on a Disney Cruise through the western Caribbean: Cozumel, Mexico; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Falmouth, Jamaica, and Disney’s Castaway Cay. The cruise even had a Star Wars day at sea!
What is one piece of wisdom you learned from your planning experience that you would like to share with future brides?Delegation is important! If you are busy, allow someone you trust to take the reigns. You may even end up with the best bouquet ever!
Who were some of the other vendors that were a part of your dream team? Lasting Impressions Weddings – Brenda (floral) Royal Escape Productions – Joshua (photography) – When we first met our photographer to set up a contract, the three of us ended up chatting for an hour before we finally got down to business. Joshua from Royal Escape Productions is easy to get to know which made having him and his team at the wedding even more fun. It truly felt like they were friends who just happened to be taking our pictures. Superstition Manor – Brittany (venue) Save this Dance – Tyler (DJ)
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