Without My Dad.

I must have tried to write this post at least 10 times in the last few years . Something always stops me . Maybe because I’m not sure who I’m writing it for.  I wanted to talk about how it felt for me getting married without my dad there. I meet so many brides with so many different backgrounds and I figure maybe someone somewhere might find some comfort in me sharing in my story. Maybe it just helps me to write it all down and I’m ok with that too. 

My dad died 7 years ago . I still find it hard to say that out loud. People have more sympathy the first year, they ask how you are, they tell you times a healer . They repeat all the cliches that people who have never lost a parent say to you or sometimes even worse are the people that have gone through it that want to tell you they know exactly how you feel. That’s what I don’t want this to sound like someone that knows it all. I never ever wanted to be in this weird club but turns out I am .

I was two weeks away from my 21st birthday when my dad passed away . It had been an awful painful end to the most wonderful person I have ever known.  People told me I coped well I have no idea really I don’t remember a lot your mind has such a clever way of coping with pain.   I was and still am so angry that’s probably the most overwhelming emotion that is hard to explain to people.

Sadness people understand. Anger is harder and more complex.

I was angry he was gone . I was angry we couldn’t do more to help him.  I was angry that he had to have such a slow end to his life . I was angry at people that just got to die and not suffer . I was so angry he didn’t get to know me as an adult. I still am angry. Time doesn’t heal much at all it just numbs things a little bit things seem fuzzier . I find it harder to remember the initial pain but I also find it harder to remember the happy things.

I feel lucky my dad and my now husband, Mike, had already met before dad died. I think dad liked him a lot . I’m glad that he can remember him that helps and not everyone has that.

I had never even considered marriage before dad died but soon I became overwhelmed by the idea that nobody had long left. The fear that everyone is going to leave you never goes away . I wanted to make sure the world knew exactly who was important in my life. I find I constantly have to do as much as I possibly can with all of my hours in the day . That’s probably the reason we got married just 8 months after getting engaged .

It was 3 years after dads passing when we got engaged. We decided on a super small wedding as close to where dads ashes had been scattered as possible . Mike was always skeptical about marriage his parents are divorced but he understood my sense of needing to make it official. We only wanted the people we loved the most there. We faced the same pressure from family that a lot of people do to invite the relations that we only saw twice a year but our rule was if we haven’t spoken to them in the last two weeks then they didn’t make the guest list .

I still hadn’t thought through the idea of dad not being there for the wedding all that much until we had to give our notice. They wanted dads name and details . I hope this will be something that changes in my lifetime it’s such an archaic process but then I guess so is marriage in a lot of ways. Some days it just feels like everyone wants to see you hurt as much as possible . The same again on the wedding morning the registrar wanted to know his name and his profession. I hated myself for putting myself in this position where I had to say it all out loud . My mom walked me down the aisle, strangely this didn’t make me sad at all at the time I was so proud my mom is an incredible woman. The speeches were probably when it hit me the most . I wish we hadn’t had speeches at all with hindsight the whole thing was shambolic and awkward . My dad was a drama teacher he would’ve given the best speech you’ve ever seen instead my husband read his off his phone and the best man delivered a short speech . Was that it I sat and thought . The anger was there again , much to my friends dismay I stood up and started rambling. I have no idea what I said at all it probably made no sense to anyone . I was so angry with myself for putting myself through it all . I didn’t want to be thinking or feeling sad . I hadn’t wanted him to be mentioned as it would’ve tinged everything with sadness I wanted it to be about me and mike and our love but I then felt so guilty like people might’ve thought I had forgotten him.

In my job now I’ve met lots of brides for so many reasons that don’t have their parents there on the day. Sometimes I cry when the bride sees her dad . I generally try to stare at one point and detach a little bit from the moment . Sometimes it’s a choice for people not to have their mom or dad there and I think that’s ok too, nobody should ever feel like they should include someone that hasn’t been part of their life. It’s all crazy none of it really makes sense if you stop and think about it too much. Occasions like weddings amplify emotions and scramble everything . I’ve come to the conclusion that you have to do what feels right at the time and not overthink things . Grief is weird and you change every day somethings that should be hard aren’t and vice versa . I might not have cried when my mom walked with me down the aisle not my dad but I cried for two hours when he wasn’t there to help fix our toilet last week. I try to never give advice at all in life I certainly haven’t worked it all out but I think sharing our own experiences can help. Just smile and be kind always .

Trials…

One for all my Bride to Be’s (& also take note bridesmaids)

I get the pleasure of meeting lots of my 2019 Brides this week for their trials and it got me thinking it’s the one thing I get asked most about. Which is totally understandable it’s unlikely you have ever done this whole wedding planning before and even if you have it’s always good to have some handy pointers to refer back to .

-Arranging your Trial.

The whole when question is always a big one I get a lot of people super keen  to see me for a trial which is great but often not practical.

There’s certainly no point in a trial before you have your dress for instance however if you have a lot of questions or want some advice we can always meet for a consultation to discuss the best way to go with your hair so it fits with your lifestyle and with your vision for the day .

 I like to see Brides usually 2-3 months before the big day for the trial session this means the hair is a similar length and colour to how it will be on the day which will help us visualise the look. 

It then maybe the case that I advise the need for hair extensions or that we aren’t happy with the overall look so think another trial would be necessary by not leaving it too close to the wedding it allows us time to arrange all these things. If you think you may need extensions it’s often good to meet me for a consultation before the trial date so we can have this in place saving the cost / need for another trial .

It’s best to give me 6-8 weeks notice so we can schedule a slot that will work for you.

-What does the trial involve ?

I allow a 2 hour time slot for a bridal trial . During this time we can try usually 2 styles but depending on how varied the looks are maybe more . We will also finalize all the logistics and timings for the day and I will create a schedule that works around you .

– What should I have with me ?!

Firstly lots of pictures ( Pinterest boards etc) even if the styles aren’t 100% what you want the little elements can give me a feel for your vibe . This is so crucial to me understanding your vision. If you have any accessories / veil have those too. If you’re still unsure on these elements I have a veil and a few accessories you can try but having your own will mean you start to get a real feel for the look ( oh and if in doubt always have a veil you won’t regret it )

– Should I wash my hair on the day of the trial !?

For most hair ups I recommend washing hair the night before . So this is usually my reccomendation. If you’re coming to my studio I am able to wash it for you anyway . I always say have a think about when you feel your hair is at its best for me I’m a clean hair girl so insisted on a blow dry on my wedding morning but I know if I were to have worn my hair up it would’ve been too fly away when freshly washed . Either way don’t over think it if it’s not perfect for the trial we can make sure it is for the day .

-Can my bridesmaids have a trial ?

Absolutely , I do however often like to do this in a separate sitting when possible.My focus and priority is always the bride and sometimes with lots of bridesmaids around it can feel a bit overwhelming and lots of opinions can get confusing . Think very carefully who you are happy to show your wedding day look . Some brides share everything others prefer to keep it all a surprise.

-Other Handy Hints

I found it super helpful to see my total look on the day of my trial so I arranged for my make up and dress fitting on the same day. This can often take a lot of co- ordination but I feel it’s worth it to ensure you feel confident. Nobody ever feels their best with their hair done but no make up and sat in your PJ’s .

Show me your Dress. You don’t have to but seeing as much information about your wedding gives me a true sense of what you want and if you have no idea what you want I can be guided by your other style choices I.e dress and venue

 

Lastly don’t stress I try to make all trial sessions fun and laidback and a chance for us to get to know each other and feel comfortable and confident about what we will create on the big day . So always ask me a million questions and give me feedback and we create the best version of you.

I hope this has given you some help and always I would love to hear your feedback .

Amelia XX

Energy.

Photo by Designecologist on Pexels.com

Something people always ask me is “Isn’t it a lot of pressure doing someone’s hair for their wedding!?”

I always say the key is in the preparation and communication with my Brides . My aim is to make them feel like everything is sorted before the big day so they can sit back and relax , confident that I have it under control.

Thats all true but there is so much else that I never usually say out loud.

Yesterday I was part of a wedding prep it wasn’t until last night ( when I fell asleep on the sofa ) that I realised just how much energy I put into each wedding.

The night before any wedding I am religious about not going to bed too late & never drinking alcohol. I read through my schedule and look over trial photos. I pack & check my kit bag. I also check where I’m going on google maps about 3 times, even though I’ve usually been to most venues before. Oh and of course the alarms go on. I guess it’s about everything I can being within my control. Even with all of this I still feel a weird buzz of energy creep in this is usually the same time my husband starts getting annoyed at the fact I can’t sit still.

If you’ve been part of any wedding morning you will understand the peaks of activity and that the last hour before the ceremony just flys by . I find when I’m creating and doing my “job” I’m so transfixed that remembering to run to my schedule can be tricky . The overwhelming pride I feel when I sit back and see a bride ready to walk down the aisle is incredible. It gives me such a high.

Maybe it’s that euphoric feeling that means I always have a headache after a wedding . Maybe it’s the hairspray. Maybe it’s the concentration. My best friends tell me I just need to start drinking caffeine. Either way this heady top of the world feeling is usually closely followed by exhaustion.

I feel so grateful to be able to do a job that allows such creativity and passion. So yes I guess I feel the pressure but it’s so worth every moment.

I’m interested to know whether you have a job that gives you the same buzz!? Leave me some comments.

Loves

Amelia xxx

Back to it …

Photo by Secret Garden on Pexels.com

Its been a while… I couldn’t believe the last post I wrote was 2 years ago whilst my friend was in labour with her first baby now she is weeks away from her second little one arriving . Life sure moves fast.

Since my last post I’ve helped over 50 brides get ready for their big day . I’ve learnt so much and I thought it was about time I started sharing it. Maybe more for my own benefit as much as anyone’s. My parents always expected I would become a journalist, I would spend hours writing as a kid. So I guess this is my way way of still doing that and reporting back on life and hopefully some of my stories will help you along if you’re planning your big day or even just provide some light entertainment ( trust me I’ve had some pretty crazy moments in the last few years )

Anyways , here I am , back to it . I’m not going to make a structure or put time pressure on myself. I think if I enjoy what I’m writing then you will enjoy reading with me however I would love to know any ideas of things you’d like to hear me talk about.

Amelia xxx

 

 

Anticipation.

March always marks the start of spring. There’s so much anticipation for what lies ahead. We start to notice a little more daylight and the signs of life in the snowdrops and daffodils showing their blooms. It really feels like the start of something so I can’t think of a more perfect time to plan your wedding and the start of your married life together.

Yesterday , March 4th , I had the honour of creating hair for Emma’s big day along with her 4 bridesmaids , mom and little flower girl.

I had met Emma what seemed like a lifetime ago for her trials but was only just before Christmas . We agreed a 7am start time to ensure everyone was ready just before 12pm.

It was a real pleasure to work with Emma and her family and friends. I started by blowdrying  her moms hair and she seemed overjoyed with it which instantly set a positive mood for the day. I love to see how the energy builds with a wedding party it usually starts calm and serene and then by the time it comes to putting bridesmaid dresses on there is an air of nervous anticipation and organised chaos.

The hair styles I created for the bridesmaids were elegant in their simplicity, a chunky braid adorned with pearls descending into a curled Bob. Their dresses were navy with pearl accessories this created a gorgeous understated theme throughout Emma’s wedding everything from the cake to the tables was to have navy with pearl.

With this theme in mind the Brides hairstyle required a relaxed yet sophisticated style. We deliberated over whether adding a hair comb would be too over the top but I think as a Bride you sometimes need a little bit more than you would usually consider to give that extra wow factor.

For me the hair comb set the style off beautifully. I cannot wait to see pictures of the Big Day . I stayed right until the last moments to add Emma’s veil it’s always that moment that takes my breath away when I see a bride in her her dress and veil the satisfaction of knowing you’ve played a part in creating that image is overwhelming.

I think I realised when I drove home yesterday that my work isn’t really a job by definition of course I provide a service and in return people pay me for it. Yet for me it  is so much more, I’ve had 4 weeks without any wedding hair to do in which time I’ve moved house. I’ve found it an extremely difficult and stressful time and whilst I have still been attending to my everyday clients hair I realise now that I have craved being part of someone’s wedding morning. The nervous excitiment, the smell of my favourite hairspray, the laughter all allow me to be fully immersed in a creative process like no other. I struggle to understand how it would be to not have the overwhelming desire to create and feel so lucky that my “job” allows an outlet for this.

Counting down the days until the next wedding morning but for now I’m back to driving my husband mad with more colour schemes and ideas for our house ….

Amelia

xxx

 

 

 

 

 

Keep Calm and Get Married

Last night I saw most of the hours on the clock my best friend was in labour with her first baby plus I’m due to move house in 4 days. It’s not worry that keeps me awake it’s more a nervous excitement the last time I remember feeling like this was a few weeks before my wedding I woke up at 2am  boiling hot , went to the bathroom splashed my face with water then sat on the edge of the bath and proceeded to bulk order 10 bags of driftwood to create my centrepieces ( I hasten to add all 10 bags were still in the shed when came to clear out for the move ) it’s like a mania that sets in, a need to make sure every second of the day has been thought through that nobody can call your day anything other than perfect. The truth is things won’t always go to plan & I’m not just talking about the weather ….

My wedding was organised chaos from start to finish. 6 weeks before the big day we were forced to change our entire venue. Not an easy task when you’re living 200miles away. The original venue had been under going restoration work which they let me know 10 weeks before the wedding would mean we would be left with just one toilet for all 50 guests amongst other unfinished work. I was in emotional overdrive. I decided as we had already given notice we would just have to have the ceremony there and then hope and pray we could find an alternative venue for our reception. The George at Yarmouth was somewhere we had originally wanted as a venue but they didnt host ceremonies  so we had discounted it as an option. I emailed in desperation to see if they could seat 50 people for dinner. They were so kind and helpful we went down to visit and found out they now hosted ceremonies, my now husband was adamant we were going to get married there. Not an easy task when it’s booked for a busy bank holiday weekend but we managed somehow to get them to let us host our whole wedding there. So with everything booked and a few more thousand spent than we originally planned our panic was averted and my nerves were calmed by the wonderful staff at The George ( pictured below)

We live in Stafford so roughly 200 miles and a ferry ride away from the island but we have so much emotional connection to make the trip as my dads ashes were scattered there. Packing up all my centrepieces and trying to cram everything you need for a wedding into the car seemed crazy but we did it. We were to make it into a Roadtrip pretty much most of the wedding party were on the same ferry as us and although people were coming from all over we had a rough plan to meet at Cherwell valley services around 9am. I was still at the stage where I was eating my feelings people kept telling me I would get too nervous to eat but I bought so much food from waitrose and my bridesmaid had baked cupcakes with my face on. We left the services with about an hour and a half to do the next 75 miles.  My husband usually would race on ahead when we hit the motorway but the car completely lost power . He looked at me and said super calm ” just so you know I can’t accelerate ” I wanted to cry my phone started buzzing, our friends on the what’s app group wondered what was going on we had lost them all trailing behind. We agreed we would have to pull in apparently something to do with the engine system . I was in panic my car full of bridesmaids and my father in law pulled in too . They decided to turn the car off for 5 mins I anxiously paced the layby I was told the car might not restart … It did and before we knew it we were underway again. I couldn’t even speak I was terrified the car would give up again we spent the next hour in silence we had lost so much time we got to the ferry with minutes to spare…

We all made it onto the ferry the relief was overwhelming as we popped the champagne on a very windy top deck the wedding weekend was under way. We dropped everything off at The George on arrival and I began to relax . Wedding day soon rolled around everything ran smoothly apart from my niece and nephew having awful coughs. We had spent the night worrying about their breathing but my nephew bright as anything woke up to tell me ” today is your wedding party I’m so excited “. It was all wonderful until I got a dreaded text from one of my friends about an hour before the wedding . “Taxi is late have you got the number” , then came one from my future mother in law “can’t get hold of taxi driver!!!!” She was staying in a very awkward to find cottage causing the driver to run late he had gone on to pick up the next load of the wedding party and he called me to say he was on his way back to them by which time she was beside herself and had called me to say she was going to drive to the venue. I tried to call the taxi driver to tell him not to go back for him but he didn’t have signal , I couldn’t cope. I had every pick up planned to the minute how could this happen!?! My bridesmaid took the phone from me and tried to sort everything .

Before I knew it the registra was there wanting to interview me pre ceremony, a horrendous experience for future reference of anybody who has lost their Dad you have to state his name , occupation & birthday . I was a wreck as if I could forget he wasn’t there my best friend and mom stood by my side but I knew I was ruining my make up. I wanted to go and sit on the bathroom floor cry and tell everyone to go home but I didn’t .

I made it down the aisle , we said our vows , we drank the champagne, ate the wonderful food ( apologised again to the mother in law for the taxi mishap) and enjoyed every minute because nothing else seemed to matter now we were married …

Due to the nature of my job I’ve been part of countless wedding days which is incredible. I’ve yet to find one that hasn’t come with its own unique incidents. I’ve seen all the classic stories that nightmares are made of like the bride whose fiancé had broken his leg on the stag do , the one who had snow on the wedding day so the wedding cars cancelled and half the guests with them. There’s the slightly more obscure stories, I had a bride who left her bouquet on the side and I was chasing after her. The bride whose best man forgot her name in the speech. The groom who forgot his tie. I’ve learnt to always now carry a needle and thread with me the amount of times I’ve seen buttons or fastenings fail on brides or bridesmaids dresses is unreal..  Then there’s the things you don’t consider like one of my brides that had horrendous norovirus on her wedding day, weirdly before sickness wasn’t something I had worried about but I was convinced this bride was too poorly to even make it to church. I still joke that I can now add doing a brides hair between her going to be sick every 10mins. She soldiered on and looked every bit the perfect bride on the photographs which of took a very determined character.

The honest truth is things will go wrong sometimes one but sometimes various things you cannot be in control of every last detail. The one thing you can do though is own that story. Without things happening unexpectedly there is no story these are the fun parts the bits that make it your crazy wedding. Don’t hide away from them , It might seem a struggle at times and like you’re never going to get there but I’m still yet to meet a couple that at the end of it all didn’t come away married. Afterall that is the most important part, everything else is relatively insignificant compared to the two of you making that promise.

So just Keep Calm & get Married.

Amelia xxx

A Disney Wedding

When you tell people your best friends had their wedding at Disney World there are two reactions ; the ones who melt a little bit inside and gush about how amazing it would be to have the real princess bride experience and get lost in the magic of it all. Then the other group of people who look at you like you’re batshit crazy and you’ve made the whole thing up, like what people actually get married there and follow on withsome remarks about do you have to go in fancy dress!? I still kind of can’t believe they did it but whatever your opinion it makes one hell of a fairytale …

I met Katy through training to be a hairdresser. As with most colleagues you’re often forced to spend a lot of time with someone and in our case Kate and I  became the best of friends she had the sweetest nature I’d never really met anyone so caring and honest before. When you make friends someone you don’t necessarily interview them on their interests and I had no idea for a long time that she loved Disney. Her and her partner Matt were true childhood sweethearts and it became apparent to me that although she hadn’t had the easiest of times growing up he was truly her Prince Charming. So it was no great surprise to us all when on New Years Eve 2013 at DisneyLand Paris he popped the question.

We had always spent hours talking about Katy getting married. I’d always known it would be a big deal but when she said after the engagement Matt was thinking they should just go all out and go to DisneyWorld for the wedding I was pretty surprised. There was a slight element of reality that then had to be applied to getting friends and family half way around the world to Florida , Katy wanted to wait until her sister and bridesmaid Laura had graduated her dentistry degree so the wedding wouldn’t clash with any exams etc. They also needed plenty of time to save to make sure everything would be perfect.  Eventually the date was set for November 8th 2016.

It often seemed to me like Katy was the most perfect Bride to be sometimes I struggled with comparing us as we were going to be getting married in the same year yet she had everything so sussed out whilst I was drowning in a sea of bags full of crap from hobbycraft trying to make my own favours and centre pieces. There’s a lot to be said for having your own wedding planner !! Katy never flustered over things she had put so much time into thinking what needed to be done when and would set a date and a deadline . That said when the time came around for the hair trials I was still nervous. Although Katy no longer worked in hairdressing it’s always more nerve wracking to have someone observe your work who knows all too well how it’s done.

We had ordered Katy the Crown & Glory tetra weft clip in extensions in colour 6, as I mentioned in previous blogs I think these are the best quality clip in extensions on the market. (visit crownandgloryextensions.com for more details) I like to work with clip in hair when brides require hair up work as they give great fullness , can be hidden well and aren’t any long term commitment like other kinds of hair extensions.

These are some of the trial session pictures. Katy ideally would’ve loved to wear her hair down but on a hot humid Florida day she knew this wasn’t practical so we worked on a hair up that looked soft and elegant and crucially for Kate kept the tops of her ears covered ( I get this request from so many people when having their hair up it seems to be a particular hang up for some ) kind of to my surprise we nailed it in one hit she loved the result. We both felt that as she was quite set on not having a veil it would be lovely to adorn the style with a hair comb. My sister is a ceramic artist and for my wedding had commissioned me a porcelain hair vine we decided a bigger floral hair comb would look exquisite for this style and smaller versions could be made for the bridesmaid. ( If you’re interested in a bespoke porcelain hair accessory please get in touch)

Katy was fortunate that the day after the wedding they had booked a ” park photoshoot” which allowed her a couple of hours having pictures in magic kingdom with her dress on. So for this we agreed we could style the hair in loose Hollywood waves so she had the best of both worlds pictures with both hair up and down.

When Katy got the date for her final dress fitting I allocated time to go and recreate the style this time the hair comb was complete and I felt pretty overwhelmed seeing it together with the style it looked beautiful. I love that the hair comb is neutral ( although can be coloured ) it had just the right amount of subtle beading but also had been designed to beautifully match Katy’s bouquet flowers it’s lovely to have something sentimental that can be kept , since the wedding Katy has mounted hers in a box frame.

So I guess all we had to do then was wait for the big day to roll around ,  We flew out with the Bride and Groom as my husband had the honour of being best man. Trying to get an insane amount of a hand luggage and a huge dress through an airport was quite a challenge but we did it . We arrived a little bedraggled on the Sunday evening. Katy and Matt still had lots to do before the wedding on the Tuesday . Monday’s aim for me was to get to Walmart. I hadn’t wanted to carry any aerosols with me on the plane so I needed to purchase hairspray I also wanted to find something with the strongest humidity protection. I was also aware from my trip to the states the year before that my curling tongs didn’t work there so I needed to purchase some that would. Every hairdressers worst nightmare new kit for a big event.

We then dashed back over to the wedding rehearsal it was amazing how well organised the Disney experience was there isn’t anything they don’t think of , Katy’s dedicated wedding planner Lisa was on hand for any queries at all times. We ran through the ceremony which would be at the Grand Floridian wedding pavilion. The setting if you haven’t seen is truly breathtaking a little white chapel style building that sits on the shores of the lake through the window you can see the lake and behind Cinderellas castle in magic kindom. It’s still Disney but not in a over the top way.

The night before the wedding we had sat outside at the Polynesian hotel eating our own body weight in pineapple ice cream (dole whip for those who know Disney) and watching Beauty and the Beast. ( I was definitely the only person sat there to never have seen the film before!!) We then headed back to the room at the Floridian for an early night of no sleep!! Wedding morning was soon upon us and we headed for an 8am character breakfast at Chef Mickeys in the contemporary hotel ( for none disney fans this is a buffet breakfast where Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters are there to see you) Katy’s mom had made us some gorgeous polka dot skirts and everyone couldn’t help but notice the brides mouse ears and veil . You can’t help but smile and get into the fun of it all!

Katy and Matt had set a fairly late ceremony time of 5pm to avoid the hot midday sun and allow the ceremony to flow into the reception. That said we were aware the photographer Stephanie was arriving for some ” getting ready ” photos at 1.45pm so we wanted to be photo ready by then. I had prepared a schedule for us to work from. We were back at the room for 10.30 , I allowed 45mins for the mother of the brides hair ( this is unusually long but Gill has very thick waist length hair and wanted a hair up ) then 45mins for bridesmaid Laura’s hair, half an hour for flowergirl/bridesmaid Ella and then 1hr15 for the Bride. Time wise it all seemed to flow pretty well I think Katy had got everything worked out to a fine art even making sure housekeeping visited to be sure the room was photo ready. The Floridian provides a wonderful space to get ready with a dressing table and sofa there was plenty of room for us.

For Gill (mother of the bride) we wanted to create a sleek timeless style that secured all her thick hair for all day and night. It maybe hard to see on some photos because of the hair colour we created a high bun with a plait around for modern twist.

Bridesmaid laura has always loved the idea of wearing her hair in a vintage inspired vertical roll . I was worrying about this more than the brides hair as she has super straight heavy hair so I had to plait half of it down to create a secure base. I think the results were beautiful with the addition of the porcelain floral comb.

For 8year old flowergirl Ella we wanted something secure but still childlike she asked for a curly bun so we created a high bun style that reflected Gills with a softer girly edge. With the addition of some pearl pins and one porcelain flower on a pin.

When I started working on the Brides hair her mom said she had got a little surprise from her and her partner Martin . They had bought her a veil. We hadn’t at all factored in the idea of a veil but her mom thought it would be nice for some pictures. I had been convinced all along she should have a veil so I was super pleased and it was a stunning addition luckily the hairstyle could accomadate it well otherwise I would’ve been slightly stressed . I plan every hairstyle around the positioning of the accessories.

Stephanie and her assistant Courtney took some stunning behind the scenes getting ready shots for us. Katy was so serene , you can never explain to anyone that has not been a bride how surreal these moments are. Before the day you try to imagine, you play them through over and again in your head and then suddenly you’re actually in that moment. It’s amazing how well Stephanie worked to capture the details that may otherwise get forgotten. Katy had kept her dress a complete secret from me so when I saw her being laced into her Sophia Tolli gown I was blown away, bizarrely my husband had predicted it wouldn’t be a classic white dress and he was right!! The colour is called tea rose and it sat beautifully against Katy’s warm skin tone . It was as if her and the dress were one. I said to myself I wanted to remember her just as this image like a perfect princess forever .

The Ceremony was beautiful, I’m a real crier at weddings at the best of times but they had asked me to do a reading and due to a little health scare the week before we flew out I genuinely had questioned whether I was going to even make it so I was overwhelmed with every kind of emotion. 3 years or what seemed like a lifetime of plans came down to this and the most beautiful thing was all Kate and Matt did was smile at each other .

We were transported over to the reception at Epcot for Disney fans you will struggle to imagine the perfect positioning. It was on a decked area in the French quarter sitting perfectly on the lake with an incredible view of the Fireworks and all the true Disney Magic . People in the park couldn’t believe what they were seeing a real Disney Bride. Stephanie and Courtney from Disney Fine Art photography worked tirelessly to capture some breathtaking photos. We sat ate Mickey Mouse shaped waffles and ice creams and smiled until our cheeks hurt.

It was a strange feeling going to bed that night Trump had just been voted in as president but nothing could take away my contentment , I was so happy that not one single hair had been out of place all day, there’s truly no better feeling that thinking you’ve done a job well. I set my alarm ready for round 2 I was to be back in a taxi on the way to newlyweds hotel room at 4.30am.

Notes for the future , asking a taxi driver to take you to your friends hotel room at 4.30 in the morning dressed in a baby pink velour tracksuit doesn’t give the best impression of oneself especially when you try saying “well technically it’s a business call”. Luckily I dragged my husband with me so I looked slightly less like a lady of the night. The time pressure was on to get Katy ready for the 5.45am photo call. She was so prepared even though she didn’t get to the hotel room till 1.30am she had found time to wash and dry her hair again ready for me! My new curling tongs were really feeling the pressure and I wasn’t totally pleased with the results. We decided on adding the floral comb tucked behind the ear on the right hand side so it was visible in some shots . I felt like I was working in slow motion but with a little help from my husband we made the deadline.

We weren’t able to go to the photoshoot at magic kingdom this time their photographer was Jaime of jar photography . Katy and Matt loved his energy for the shoot and how he knew every little spot for the perfect shot. Just the 3 of them in the entire park I imagined to be a strangely intimate experience in a normally crowded themepark. I always describe the photos from this shoot as the real “money shots” when you say Disney people want to see the castle and feel the magic and these photographs deliver on every level.

As we exhaustedly loaded my kit into the car I looked up at the sky it was like a watercolour of blues and pinks. I felt one little tear roll down my cheek probably my last bit of energy , I couldn’t imagine a more stunning backdrop to finish the Wedding and the beginning of their Happily Ever After ….

Amelia xxx

 

First Weddings of 2017 …

January isn’t typically a popular wedding month but in the last week I’ve had the honour of styling hair for two weddings. I think Winter weddings can actually be a wonderful idea, in what is often seen as a dull month they’ve certainly brightened up my week.

On Tuesday my alarm went off at 5am there was that brief moment where I pulled the cover over my head and wanted another 12 hours sleep.My husband leaned over and put his arm over me and said something quite profound ” Today is somebody’s wedding day that’s crazy isn’t it!?” That moment made me jump out of bed and embrace the day. I am so bloody lucky to get to be a small part of someone’s wedding day and it’s something that I never want to take for granted.

I had a 45 minute dark rainy drive to the Brides house and it was still dark when I arrived at 6.30. We had an early start time as the ceremony was at 10am but the house felt lovely and cosy and calm with candles burning and low lighting. I think creating a happy space on your wedding morning is crucial to the feel of the day.

The first thing I wanted to discuss was how she felt after the trial with her hair , she said she had worried it felt too much but she had never had her hair styled before and when she had shown the photos to her work colleagues they had gushed about how wonderful it looked so that had given her a confidence boost. I often find Brides struggle with this it can be difficult if you’re not used to wearing your hair in a certain style. My usual advice is that you should look like a nicer more fabulous version of yourself not trying to create an image of you that isn’t your normal style for one it can often scare the person waiting at the end of the aisle if you look too dissimilar to yourself.

The style did require some clip in extensions the brides hair was only shoulder length but also very thick so we need some length to give the detailing. For her “something borrowed” we added her friends hair vine which I think set the style off beautifully.

I also styled her mom and sisters hair, it was quite a fun end to the session as they had forgotten to book their taxi to the registry office so as it was on my way home I offered to drop them off. We joked about me being a taxi driver and hairdresser but it was just nice to be able help the day continue to run smoothly but not a service I will be adding to my list. When I got a Facebook notification in the early hours I was over the moon to see the bride had posted a picture to my timeline of her and her new husband.

The caption she put with it made me so happy that this is my “job”.

I think working on weddings almost gives me a kick of adrenaline, I had so much motivation going into the rest of my week so it was nice that on Saturday I got to do it all over again.

This Bride was from the U.K but her partner is from Australia and that’s where they currently live however she wanted an English wedding so they had tied it in with their Christmas visit and a fair amount of friends and family had flown over from Oz to be at the wedding. Due to the timing We had only met for the trial session two weeks before the wedding which was added pressure for me but luckily she had quite a set idea of roughly what we were going to create so that helped.

I love working soft boho plaits into styles but I also like how one side had the beautiful haircomb so that photos from each angle will give a different look to the style. Creating this low undone bun style that is actually very secure can be tricky but I felt very pleased with the look of the style. I completed the brides hair first this gave us time to see if there was any areas that became an issue or felt like they might become loose over the next few hours.

I then carried on with styling the mother of the bride and 3 bridesmaids.

They all had very different hair types had length which is often the case with bridesmaids but we decided on just a soft style set at the back.

Bridesmaid 1 (left) had a very naturally curly jaw length Bob so I secured the back area with bobbles to make sure the short areas wouldn’t drop out then defined the curls though the top with a wand then almost placed them into the style . Due to the length of the hair it had to sit higher up as the hair wouldn’t reach to a low bun.

Bridesmaid 2 ( centre ) had  shoulder length naturally wavy but fine hair. I used a bun ring to add fullness to the style. I was really pleased with the result.

Bridesmaid 3 ( right) had super thick curly shoulder length hair . The kind that has a mind of its own so I again secured with bobbles and added a bun ring as we discussed that with previous hair up experience clips just slide out of the hair so I thought the Padding would secure the grips.

I love all the styles and I liked how they are all still individual to each bridesmaid but are variations of a theme. The morning was so relaxed and lovely surrounded by the brides lovely family. She’s lucky enough to have her sister in law as a make up artist who did an amazing job.

All that was left for me was my favourite part of all to pop in the brides veil. I loved seeing her in her dress the top was very similar to my own wedding dress and it brought make so many wonderful memories. I was lucky enough to get some snaps of these moments

Two very different weddings but two very beautiful brides. January is normally my quiet time but right now I’m one very tired Hairdresser that is already excitedly anticipating the next Wedding …

Amelia xxx

Recently Engaged !? Just Breathe …

The word “Engaged” has two definitions in the dictionary. 1. To be busy, occupied or unavailable. 2. Having formally agreed to Marry. The two meanings really work in sync because when you formally agree to marry someone you become the busiest most unavailable person from that moment until the big day. Your life suddenly becomes consumed by the idea of your wedding.

That first week is a crazy mind field in my case within a few hours of me becoming engaged my bridesmaids had turned up with wedding magazines for me to get stuck into. Trying to work the next day was near impossible I was totally overwhelmed by people sending messages of congratulations on my social media. By day 3 I had enquired at the venue I had always had my eye on and I was totally distracted by my Pinterest boards to a level that was out of control. The venue was a barn on an orchard but I liked the idea of tropical table decor with palms and festoon lights everywhere with a sub theme of country fair we could have a coconut shy and classic games , oh and of course we would need an ice cream van and someone to make Pimms , I also wanted a curtain of orgami cranes and also maybe a photo booth for the evening. I remember getting off the phone to my mom after relaying all my ideas, she had told me I needed to remember to breathe and maybe I should go take a bath. I did take a bath but still poured again over my wedding magazines then for about 20minutes I cried. …

I’m a girl we are supposed to know exactly how we want our wedding to be but when I stopped crying and reviewed my Pinterest board I realised it was like my 8 year old self planning a party. There was no taste and certainly no budget it was just an overexcited group of ideas. I’ve met a lot of people that have been engaged for years never quite ” getting round ” to the big day. I can totally see why as the prospect is actually terrifying. Not the marriage part if you’ve said yes you know you’re going to spend the rest of your life with your chosen one. Just the huge amount of money and effort that you have to commit to this project.

That said for me coming out the other side it was all totally worth it. It’s a crazy journey planning a wedding I see it totally through new eyes now. I try to suggest to brides that they have their hair trial around 3 months months before the big day. This way your hair will be approximately a similar length ( if any extra length is needed there is time to get hair extensions ) and if there is anything you’re unsure of there is time to schedule other trials. Often in can be good to fit hair trials around dress fittings I think you get that wow impact when you see the look in its entirety however it’s sometimes tricky to organise. As a rule I don’t like to see brides for a hair trial before they have chosen their dress style, that doesn’t mean you have to tell your hair stylist what your dress is like but it just helps you to have a clear vision of what will work with your look ie. veil, accessories , neckline on the dress will determine a lot . I sometimes have brides contact me wanting trials when their wedding is a year away I often find in this time they will change their mind at least a 3 times but it’s not to say it’s wrong I think some people need a trial to see how a style transfers onto their own hair. I always ask brides to show me pictures of what things they like before a trial. Last year I think all but 2 of the brides I did showed me the same picture ( if you’re a bride to be you will have it on your Pinterest board) a low big messy bun with a hair vine at the side. It’s a gorgeous style but completely impractical, I’d imagine by the time you’ve stepped outside there would be bits dropping out. So if your stylist advices you something won’t last please listen to them there’s nothing worse than a photo of a bride whose hair looks bedraggled by 5pm. Don’t expect to be a carbon copy of what you see in a magazine often you see one angle of the style, my job is to ensure a style stays looking great from every photo angle and is still comfortable at 1am on the dance floor.

There is so much advice dispensed in wedding publications again the majority of it frightening. Everything you read has this glossy perfect world edge to it, I remember reading a timeline based on an 18 month planning schedule, I had less than a year it was as if that would be impossible !? For that reason I don’t ever like to dispense too much advice but my best offering is exactly what my mom said , just remember to breathe. When you do stop to catch your breath after all the initial excitement you can take your time to distinguish what you really want out of your day. Read the magazines and do your Pinterest boards but keep it tasteful and keep it personal. You can’t reinvent the wheel and certain elements have to be present at every wedding , a bride and groom are usually a good start.

Don’t panic , you got this ….

Amelia xxx

Liam & Sally ~ June 4th 2016

If you’re in a relationship or have been you will know the role your partners best friend plays in your life , I would guess that you’d be willing to put them in the annoyingly loveable box. As stereotypes go my husbands best friend Liam fit pretty perfectly, he was the only person I know that could ring up and say we are going out in town I will pick you up in an hour and my husband would no questions asked leave whatever we were doing to go hang out with him (most notably a picnic and movie night in the park). For fear of making this sound like the start of a bad best man speech I will leave it there but you get the idea. When Liam announced he had a girlfriend we were rather surprised , when it started to become serious we were even more shocked.

Sally was a genuinely lovely girl and it was so nice to see two people sharing in each others happiness. In 2014 Liam made the big move and popped the question. I perhaps didn’t know Sal well enough at the time to imagine what their wedding would be like. We met them for dinner after they had been to view some venues and it blew my mind that she had considered things I had never known were of importance. She talked about not liking the staircase at a certain venue and she didn’t know how the tables would be laid out in another. One thing that was set in stone is that the ceremony would be in the church her family attend in the village of her family home. They set the date for June 4th 2016. Sally had two older sisters that had already gotten married so I felt like I was talking to a semi professional in this field. She had such exacting views on how her wedding would be taking inspiration from what had worked for each of her sisters meant she was able to steal the things that worked well.

The chosen venues; St Lukes, Endon. Crewe Hall, Cheshire.

Sally has gorgeous hair, thick but gorgeous. I’d not really considered she might ask me to do her hair for the big day. Sally’s family friend was also her hairdresser. The conversation first came up when we discussed over dinner the notion of me quitting my job and working for myself. Sal smiled and said well I can be your first customer. It shouldn’t matter that the client / friend line was blurred here. I was always taught to make sure whatever hair style you create you should be proud enough  for your best friend to wear it but I so wanted it to be right and as perfect as she imagined.

We worked our way through various trials. The first issue I raised with Sally was because of the length/texture of her hair most styles she was considering would require added hair. Sals hair had grown to shoulder length and although naturally curly this often meant in humidity it can look a little “big and fluffy” I recommend Sally order some Clip -In hair extensions to maximise the potential look. I knew we would need as much hair as we could pack in to make it appear like her natural hair so went for the crown and glory tetra weft clip ins ( http://www.crownandgloryextensions.com/hairextensions/TetraWeft.html ) These are still by far the best quality clip ins I have worked with , they are expensive but the price is reflected in the quality and weight of hair.

Here are some of the pictures from the trials the left & right pics are the first trial. Sally was pleased with the quality and look of the extensions but afterwards we felt the style was perhaps overly structured and that we wanted more hair to sit softly around the face which was what we tried to create in the centre pic. as if the hair had gently been pushed away from the face but was secured so it didn’t appear too wide for Sally’s petite bone structure from the front. We knew sally would be having a veil but that she would probably want to remove this after the ceremony so I suggested sally look for something simple to adorn the style.

We had a great find with this simple hair vine from accessorize, it subtly provided some detailing to the side of the hair whist being undetectable from the front angle,it was a classy yet comfortable addition.

Every Wedding morning is different , Sally was getting ready at her parents farm with her 4 bridesmaids. Her 2 sisters both had tiny babys to look after but there was plenty of space for us to spread out. I had travelled over to blow dry Sallys hair the day before because of its unruly texture it needed to be tamed and allowed to set in pin curls so it was bouncy. We had agreed that I would do the brides hair and her two sisters, the other two bridesmaids and mother of the bride were to be looked after by the family hairdresser. Sally provided us with a spreadsheet time schedule so we knew who should be in the styling chair at what time, a top tip for any future brides, quite often I find bridesmaids too involved in the selection of breakfast pastries and prosecco to remember they are meant to be getting ready!! I was used to working in sync with other stylists from my years in the salon, the key here really is for brides to understand bridesmaids can never look like they came off a production line their styles will be similar but not the same. We were aiming to create a low chignon with twists at the sides. A little tricky on Sally’s eldest sister who was growing out a graduated bob. I made a hair pad with extensions covering it but the hair was still a little too short and something that bugged me all day when I could see stray hairs.

The weather that day was so humid, our prayers had been answered for the rain to hold off but it had that stormy feel to the air. I was so conscious of the curls lasting , we wanted relaxed soft waves but I knew they also needed to be tight enough to last a long hot summers day.

I made the final touches to sals style and then jumped in my car to make it to the church in hindsight I hadn’t quite worked my timings out for the day I sort of forgot I was a wedding guest too and as a result I was slipping into my outfit on the church car park behind a bush. I had just enough time to chuck my all important hair comb and spray in my clutch bag. Sal took my breath away when the church doors opened and she stood under the most magnificent flower arch at the bottom of the aisle. I felt overwhelmed that I could say I was part of creating the vision of the most perfect bride.

Looking back I must have been annoying Sally with my constant combing of her hair, I wanted every shot to be picture perfect. I really shouldn’t have worried so much Sally & Liam had hired some of the best photographs in the area Shaun & Lesley Meredith a husband and wife team that work tirelessly to create the most stunning photographers. Of course it helps when you have a perfect Bride & Groom …..

I hope you enjoyed a little insight into my part in our friends big day .

Amelia xxx