* Wedding Day Beauty * Expert Tricks & Tips by jacki Norrie

Gorgeous Cape Cod Bride

2011-10-31T16:00:00.000-04:00

We had the privilege of working with a gorgeous Cape Cod bride this summer. Amy was married to Grordie in August at the New Seabury Club in Mashpee. She was looking for a 'beachy' but put together look for her Big Day and I'd say Christine and Christopher knocked that out of the park!

Best Wishes Amy and Geordie!

Ceremony & Reception Venue: New Seabury Country Club

A_Mazing Photographer: A Brilliant Photo

Reverend: Donna Cunio

Make-up: Christopher, Wedding Tresses

Hair: Christine, Wedding Tresses

Band: Boston Players

Cup Cakes: Debbie Peloquin

DIY | A Bride's Curly Bun

2011-07-27T11:29:00.000-04:00

This fresh spring wedding is one of Wedding Tresses Kayla's favorites. She designed this Cape Cod Bride's makeup look to show the bride's natural beauty and brought focus to her gorgeous eyes.

Wedding Tresses Hair Designer Christine needed to ensure this smooth style would stay humidity proof and look touchable - we both just LOVE Sebastian hair spray for that!

To recreate this look on your self simply blow out your hair first upside down for volume and second with roll brush. Then hot roller the back of your hair and when the rollers have curled release the hair and pin into place creating curly bun. Tease where needed as you go - and use Sebastian Re Shaper!

Hope you enjoyed looking at Heather's Wedding Look. To see more check out Bello Photo ~ xoxo Jacki Norrie

Something Borrowed Something Blue: Wedding Vendor Profile - Wedding Tresses

2011-07-21T11:40:00.000-04:00

Something Borrowed Something Blue: Wedding Vendor Profile - Wedding Tresses: "You've got your gown, shoes, and headpiece all ordered. You have your wedding party all selected. Your vendors have been booked for month..."

Ocean Cliff, Newport RI

2010-11-23T17:49:00.001-05:00

This amazingly gorgeous Newport Rhode Island bride held her nuptials at Ocean Cliff Resort on a gorgeous summer day. Jacki Norrie and Holly from Wedding Tresses helped her create the beauty look that she envisioned for her Big Day. Just look at how she radiated joy and confidence.... And doesn't he look at her with adoration?

I Spy... the... Bride!!

2010-06-15T17:32:00.000-04:00

In a new Segment titled "I spy....the...BRIDE!" we give you a fly on the wall approach to one of our bride's wedding mornings..... Watch as Jacki Norrie completes her bridal hair and makeup look with the donning of the Tika.

"I spy the bride - the tika"

Enjoy!

Traditional Persian Bridal Jewelry ~ The Tika

Trend Following: The RETRO Bride

2010-03-23T12:07:00.000-04:00

Trend Following: The RETRO Bride

Take a look in any fashion magazine and you’ll probably encounter at least one reference to the “Retro” style that has been rapidly gaining popularity. Whether it be red hot lips, knee-high A-line skirts, heavily lined-eyes, or perfectly curled hair, we are seeing influences from the 40’s and 50’s all over, including celebrities like Christina Aguilera, Megan Fox, and Amy Winehouse. It’s only natural that brides have started to bring the Retro feel to their weddings.

So exactly what hair and make-up details can change an ordinary 21st century bridal look into a retro bridal look. One of the growing vintage trends in bridal hair is the pill box veil, a smaller than traditional netting usually attached to a hat or another small headpiece. While barely concealing the bride’s face, it adds a 1940’s whim and with many different sizes and styles the pill box veil has variety for today’s retro bride.
If your deciding not to go with a veil at all a simple vintage hairpiece will add retro flare. Try one with oversized feathers like style icon Sarah Jessica Parker in her Sex and the City wedding. Go with all white feathers in darker hair colors and brighter colors like teal for bride‘s with lighter hair so the hairpiece will pop. The feathers have a vintage flapper feel to them. Then choose a style, any style, that best suits you, whether it’s an up-do or flowing curls because it’s the vintage veil or hairpiece that is going to kick up the retro look without compromising your personal style.

The retro bridal look doesn’t end there. As a matter of fact all of these details need to coexist to complete the look. If you just have a vintage hairpiece, but natural, modern make-up your look won’t quite translate to retro. If you want to follow this growing trend its time for RED, RED, RED. Lips that is, which is probably one of the most symbolic trends of the retro style. It’s a sophisticated and super feminine symbol, but can be tricky to execute the perfect red lip. First, making sure your lips are fully moisturized, use a natural lip colored liner to line the lips in short feathered strokes, then blend with your finger. Lining the lips is extremely important in the prevention of the lip color bleeding into the skin surrounding your lips, especially with a bold color like red. Then it’s time to layer. Paint the lip color using a lip brush, blot any excess onto a tissue. Now take a single tier of a tissue and cover the lips, using a powder brush dab some loose face powder onto the lips with the tissue still in between, this is part of the setting process. Now time to layer again and as many times needed to achieve the red your looking for. Finish with a little red tinted lip stain to add shine and long lasting wear ability. It’s also a smart idea to give the lip color or stain and compact mirror to a bridesmaid to hold onto for possible touch-ups.

With many faces and many interpretations of the retro look red lips and heavily lined eyes are a constant. To achieve defined and heavily lined eyes a gel liner is best, but requires a tad bit of practice. Complete any shadow application first as we wouldn’t want to dull the line with any loose shadow. Stick with lighter shadows like creams, pinks, and lavenders so the liner will pop. Then with a steady hand and small angled brush dip into your pot of gel liner and begin to draw. Build your liner in small even strokes starting on the outside and working your way in. Having your liner slightly thicker on the outside opens the eyes right up. On the very outer edge of your eyes you can add a slight kick in your liner turning up and out to channel your inner Audrey Hepburn.
So let’s see an amazing hair style with vintage accents: CHECK! Red Lips: CHECK! And Heavily lined eyes: CHECK! You’ve got the basic details for your retro look, now it’s time to explore retro details for the rest of your wedding! Good Luck!
Kayla Manchester
Make-Up Artist
Wedding Tresses RI

hair and makeup by Jacki Norrie, Boston Wedding Tresses
Photography by Person+Killian, Boston

Mantilla Veils...

2009-11-13T14:36:00.003-05:00

Brides often bring Mantilla veils with them when they come in for a trial run before the big day and more often than not, they sheepishly avoid saying the word Mantilla and simply use "veil". Let's dispel the question now and set you all to ease - it is "Man - tee - ya". I know, I know - it is just like that crazy french term "chignon" we chatted about last month....

A favorite article of adornment by Queen Isabel II of Spain, Mantilla veils became an item of popular dress during her reign in the mid 1800's. It quickly fell out of favor upon the exile and eventual abdication of the Queen as it was seen as a form of support to the dethroned Queen. In the region of Andalusia women continued to employ the mantilla as a way to cover their heads durning religious event, during Holy Week, and for meeting with the Pope. It is believed that this is the genesis of the popularity with Catholics as an adornment during First Communion and wedding ceremonies.

Mantillas are sleek and sophisticated and without the pouf associated with bridal veils. They are meant to be worn alone with a beautiful border being the focus of attention. The shape of the veil is oval or round and is one single layer of fabric. The borders can range in size and material; some are wide bands of lace, and others are full of lace to the center, with scalloped edges, and yet some have tiny piping along the border giving a touch of definition. This graceful veil can be short or full cathedral length.

There are 3 main types of Mantilla Veils:

1. "Blonda Lace Mantillas": these are handmade comprised of two types of silk and the lace is floral themed.
2. "Chantilly Lace Mantills": are heavily embroidered with vegetable, fruit or floral designs. They are named after the region in France that the lace comes from.
3. Modern Lace: are embroidered tuille and a blend of the Chantilly and Blonda Lace styles. This is what brides today mostly wear.

How to wear a Mantilla Veil:
Drape the Mantilla over the head
Pin or attach with a small comb on the top of the head
Drape the material so it softly frames the face and upper body.

They are simple, yet elegance at its best. If you wear one for your wedding day - send me a photo! Jacki Norrie

Do We Speak the Same Language??

2009-08-11T13:41:00.000-04:00

Earlier this year I had a bride come in for her pre-wedding makeup consultation who asked for a Smoky Eye look for her wedding day. We chatted as I worked about the details of her wedding; she was an afternoon bride, church ceremony, photos inside, windowless reception location, bridesmaids in powder blue... When I was finished with her makeup she looked at herself and said, "No - more smoky". So more smoke I did... Again she looked and said, "I want more smoke, this is not right..." Ok...more depth at the lid...more light on the brow...darker sweep under eye... And STILL - "No, no. More Smoky." I am thinking at this point that we are dangerously close to Las Vegas Hooker, is she serious??I asked her to tell me exactly what "smoky eye" means to her without looking in the mirror. What she begins to describe is not a "smoky" eye, but rather a "bright" eye. HUGE difference! Polar opposite. Left and Right. Up and... you get the point. So with a laugh, I began again.

When you use specific verbiage to describe what you want, you are assumed to know precisely what you are asking for. This can, and as your read above, create confusion and miscommunication. The word "chignon" is the most overused and misunderstood word in formal hairstyling; due to that, when a bride asks for a chignon, I ask her to describe the look to me, without using that particular word (7 out of 10 times, it is not a chignon...). Use your words to describe to us your thoughts, grab your hair and show us where you might want it placed, pull out your lipstick and show us the color you love. As a professional it is our job to understand your layman's terminology not your responsibility to understand us.

We may all speak English, but we don't all speak "hair" or "makeup", and because of this, I am a firm believer that photographs are the best tool to allow the Artist and the client to begin to speak the "same" language. I know what you are thinking, you can find the photo - you have no idea what you want. You don't have to love the whole photo you bring in, rather you can love the back on this one, the front sweep on this one, the height of this one and you hate everything about this one (yes, showing us what you don't like helps us to narrow down what you do). I've had times where I have constructed a custom design from more than six photographs and without them, I would not have been able to get to the end result as quickly as we did.

Ask and ye shall receive - just remember to do it in your own words! Let me know if you need help and I would be happy to translate for you! Jacki Norrie

Creative & Classic Wedding Hairdo!

2008-11-13T15:53:00.000-05:00

I just received a few photos from a wedding Wedding Tresses took part in last month. The bride, Sarah, was such a sweet woman with a sense of style that was refreshing to work with. She has such originality and wanted that reflected in her bridal "look". I had such a great time working with her and her maids - they kept me laughing all morning.
Check out some of the getting ready photos and the amazing hair style we created for her!

here we are putting on the finishing touches...Every angle of this hair design was fun and different...

Sarah and her maids looked so amazing!

check out Emily Sterne for more photos!

Flawless Foundation

2007-01-02T14:10:00.002-05:00

How to Choose the Correct Foundation Color for Your Complexion

When choosing the right foundation you must first understand that a smooth palate (your facial skin) is critical to creating a flawless finish. Be sure to gently exfoliate and then apply a light moisturizer, or a hydrator, to properly prepare your skin. This ensures a smoother, more even application. When selecting the right shade, apply the color along the jaw line making a stripe. As the stripe dries it should stay a beige color. If any discoloration such as yellow or orange appears you need to try another shade in the same manner. Know that the artificial shading of yellow or orange will deepen as it wears. This is not the look you are going for. Once you have found the color that works well with your body chemistry and stays a true beige tone, you have succeeded in finding your foundation shade.
To create that flawless finish we spoke of, begin by smoothing your foundation onto your prepped skin with either a brush, sponge, or your fingers starting at the bridge of the nose and working out toward your hair line. This will give you more coverage in the middle of your face where you need it and feather out to less coverage as you approach your hairline where you do not want to see a line of demarcation. You want to seal the shade into the skin so that it appears like your skin is flawless not the makeup. This is done by dampening a sponge with water and gently working, and buffing, the foundation into the skin. You may need to repeat this process two or more times to get the coverage even. Once that step is complete, apply a layer of powder to the skin with a fluffy brush or powder puff to lock in the color. Remember to work the powder into the skin in a downward circular motion working with the hairs on the face, not against them. This should ensure a long lasting, natural look to your skin.
Wearing foundation should look like your own skin, just enhanced!

“Dirty” Hair is Best for Bridal Updos!

2006-12-01T10:06:00.000-05:00

It is important on the day of the wedding that your hair is NOT freshly shampooed if you want an updo or ½ updo that will stand the test of time and allow you to boogie on down till the break of dawn. I know it’s hard, but squeaky clean hair is extremely silky and limp, it has fly-away ends, and doesn’t have the grip needed to create full, voluptuous curls or smooth sexy hair with body and lift. No matter how skilled the designer, unless time is not of the essence (in which case we can “dirty” it for you), clean hair is too difficult to work effectively with in a timely manner. Cleansing the day before is the standard recommendation in the hair design industry. Having yesterday’s product in your hair is a bonus. Be sure that what you use the day before will be a benefit to and not a hindrance to the wedding day look. For example, a product used with a flat iron to create a smooth silky look for the night before won't work well with a wedding day style that includes curls. Wedding Tresses calls this “Rehearsal Dinner Hair”.

It is hard, very hard for some to not suds up, but I promise, the results are beyond worth it.

By Christine Enwright,
Wedding Tresses Hair Designer

Getting the Glow for Your Wedding Day.

2006-11-28T13:30:00.000-05:00

Your dress is altered, the band is booked and invitations are engraved. Looking ahead, the day of your wedding is the one day in your life when all eyes are on you. This is the day to look glowing and luminous, and this all begins with your skin.

Your wedding day makeup is going to look only as good as the skin underneath. For this reason you must begin to prepare your complexion months before. Follow this schedule as a “Countdown to Glow”.

3-6 Months prior to your wedding
Begin a skin care regiment that is tailored to your specific skin type. One of your steps must be exfoliation of the skin; this is key to achieving the aforementioned “glow”! For a twice-weekly, gentle exfoliating facial scrub, see the recipe below. This does not have to be a major investment in either time or money, but you need to be consistent. Product lines I recommend are:

Neutrogena
Clinique- especially their new liquid face cleanser and the old standby Clarifying Lotion
Mario Badescu- this line has a solution for every skin type

Also, now is the time to see a dermatologist for any skin related issues such as eczema, acne, etc.

1-3 Months Prior to your wedding
Schedule your trial run with your Wedding Day Makeup Artist to solidify the Beauty look you envision for your day! Bring pictures of Bridal Makeup looks obtained from magazines. Bring your own personal makeup, brushes, false eyelashes that are “must use” item. Some people even feel more comfortable having their own makeup applied by a professional makeup artist.

3-4 weeks to go
Schedule any facial appointments now if you opt to. Allow at least 3 weeks prior as skin eruptions might occur after any facial treatment.

1 week left
Get any facial waxing done no sooner than 2 days before to allow for any redness to subside.
Also remember to HYDRATE! Drink plenty of water this week. Nothing you can put on your skin can make your complexion look fabulous like hydrating from the inside out.

If you have any blemishes during this time, please do not pick at them. Instead, apply a spot healing product containing salicylic acid directly to the blemish. This type of product hastens the healing process of the blemish by exfoliation, bringing it to the surface quicker without squeezing.

The Big Day!
Right before you sit down with your makeup artist, wash and exfoliate your face. Follow with moisturizer.
Remember WATER, WATER, WATER!
If you wake up with puffy eyes, place wet bags that have been chilled in the refrigerator on each eye for 10-15 minutes.
If you wake up with a pimple, please-please-please do not pick it! It is much easier to conceal a tiny bump than broken skin as makeup will not adhere to it.

Sugar scrub recipe:
In a plastic sealable container, mix 3 tablespoons granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon honey and enough grape seed oil (found at any health food store) to form a paste consistency. Apply about 1 teaspoon to damp skin in a gentle circular motion working from the center of your face outward. Rinse off and cleanse your skin using your regular cleanser. Repeat 1 or 2 times weekly.

Jennifer Neumeister,
Wedding Tresses Makeup Artist

Where is Bridezilla???

2006-11-27T11:41:00.000-05:00

A few years ago I had become earnestly interested in the elusive creature known as "Bridezilla". Although I have often heard hype and stories about her and have witnessed the TV specials on the Discovery Channel... or maybe it was TLC… I've yet to encounter this mythical creature.

Anyway, she, not unlike Ole Nessie herself, seemed a little fishy to me. So I decided to hunt her down and see for myself is she truly existed or if she was just another Jerry Springer-esque myth. After watching many hours of important footage, I came to the conclusion that if real, she must to be related to the Gremlin (you remember, from the critically acclaimed film-"Gremlins" and the less successful sequels). For instance, they don't like to get wet (we all know what humidity can do to hair if not properly prepped with product), they seem so nice and then attack in an instant, and should not be fed alcohol after a certain hour. After studying the footage, I devised my plan to search far and wide- well, mainly the greater Boston area but - during the high season. This may sound dangerous, but I did my research. Without telling anyone I was secretly searching, I went head on into her own territory- I became a Bridal Hair Designer with Wedding Tresses. I have spent the past 3 seasons exclusively working with brides from Boston to Cape Cod, from Providence to Newport. I have searched high and low and still Bridezilla has eluded me at every step. With all my careful research and planning I have yet to encounter this creature. Is she a myth? Is she real? Where in the world is this Bridezilla? No matter where I looked all I could find was happy and excited brides- just normal girls.

It seems hard for me to believe she is real. With all the love and happiness and good feeling in the air at every wedding I go on location to- not a Bridezilla to be found.

Mother-of-Bridezilla? Maybe…

KT Renner,
Wedding Tresses Hair Designer

Wedding Tresses' Signature Bridal Eyes

2006-11-18T18:48:00.000-05:00

I worked with one of the most beautiful brides today. It is truly a pleasure to spend time with a bride who radiates warmth and happiness on her special day; time seems to pass by quickly and it hardly seems like “work”. Although this bride had a personality much like a serene and gracious princess and a smile that could melt glaciers- it was definitely her eyes that made her look amazing and set her apart from looking like a run-of-the-mill bride. I was thinking about her eyes on the way home and thought every bride should have the opportunity to look so lovely on her wedding day. It is with that intent that I share with you the "ingredients" of Wedding Tresses' Signature Bridal Eyes so you too can step away from the crowd and look amazing on your wedding day.

Wedding Tresses's lead makeup artist, Jacki, created a glow about the eye with a specific combination of eye shadows that flattered the bride's warm brown eye color and glammed up the look with the addition of individual black false lashes. You will need to customize the placement of the colors on your eyes to enhance your particular eye shape, but no matter your eye color, the shadows you use can be the same. The color combination is made up of:

Oyster - a light, bright cream colored shimmer shadow used for highlight on the brow bone
Suede - a rich chocolate color in matte applied in the contour of the eye
Ecru - a buff/tan matte color used to on the lid and as a blending medium

The eye was further enhanced with a fairly thick line of Black/Brown eyeliner applied to the upper lash line, close to the eyelashes.

The true Glam came when Jacki applied individual false lashes in black to the outer, upper lash line. No lashes were applied on the inner lash line to keep the drama at a maximum while keeping the look real and the eye "open". One quick coat of water proof mascara is all that was needed for this look. And what a look it was - simply gorgeous!

Under Eye Puffiness... The Cure!

2006-11-10T09:00:00.000-05:00

We are often asked, or rather bombarded upon by brides as we enter the door on their wedding day, what can be done for under eye puffiness?? For a multitude of reasons, brides are prone developing issues with the skin surrounding the eye: lack of sleep, stress, dehydration... Prevention really is the key- but, try telling that to a bride who is scurrying around tying up all loose ends in the few short days she has before the wedding. If the blessed day has arrived and you find yourself with monstrous mounds beneath your lids, relax and have a cup of tea. Caffeinated tea bags are the best thing you can do for the immediate relief of under eye puffiness.

Follow these simple steps to prepare the miracle bags:

Boil (not microwave) enough water for two cups of tea
Pour boiling water over the tea bags into the cups (don't add tea bags after water)
Let the bags steep for 3 minutes
Gently squeeze the bags of liquid and set on a plate
Place the plate in the freezer for 15 minutes
Sip and enjoy the cup of tea while you wait
Lie down comfortably and place the bags directly on of the puffy lump (not on the eye lid)
Relax, without talking, for 15-20 minutes

This process will not only take care of your eyes, but will serve to give you a quiet time out and relax you for a few minutes, letting you collect your thoughts and get on with the business of your wedding day.

Hello Bride ~ It's nice to meet you...

2006-11-08T12:06:00.000-05:00

Wedding Beauty blogspot is designed to bring today's brides information on today's bridal beauty trends, tips and suggestions for hair and makeup design, and assistance from the pros in creating a beautiful, flawless look for her wedding day.

I am looking forward to sharing these topics with you...