I Guess I Do

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Monday, May 25, 2015

Bridal Makeup 101

Happy Memorial Day UnBrides!

I'm excited to be bringing you all a series of makeup tutorials by Celebrity Makeup Artist - Mathias Alan! He is the mastermind behind all of the makeup in my headshots, engagement photos, and various shoots throughout the years...

Up first in the series - A Makeup Tutorial For a Sophisticated Bride.  Enjoy!



My name is Mathias Alan and I am a professional makeup artist working in Los Angeles. I've been painting faces and creating stunning hairstyles for brides for over 15 years and I absolutely love collaborating with a woman on her special wedding day. Creating a DISTINCT LOOK that fits her individual personality as well as incorporating my EXPERTISE in celebrity red carpet makeup and hair is what make my bridal parties UNIQUE and EXCEPTIONAL.

If you live in the Southern California area and would like to book me for your wedding date, please email me at Mathias@Mathias4Makeup.com for my rates and availability. Hope to hear from you soon.

Please subscribe to my beauty channel right now because I also have posted PART 2 of this bridal transformation in which I show you how I created my client’s GRACE KELLY inspired updo!

Also, check out my Discount Product Links Below for purchasing any of my Must Have Beauty Items used in this video tutorial:

1. MURAD PERFECTING SERUM & MURAD ENVIRONMENTAL INSTANT RADIANCE EYE CREAM AT ULTA   2.  TARTE AIRBLUSH MARACUJA CREAM BLUSH IN SHIMMERING PINK   3. TARTE MARACUJA RAINFOREST GLOW INSTANT MATTE WATERPROOF BODY PERFECTOR   4. ANASTASIA BEVERY HILLS CONCEALER AND TINTED BROW GEL   5. MAKE UP FOR EVER ARTIST SHADOW   6. URBAN DECAY NAKED SKIN ULTRA FOUNDATION, NAKED SKIN ULTRA DEFINITION LOOSE FINISHING POWDER, AND ALL NIGHTER MAKEUP SETTING SPRAY   7. MAKE UP FOR EVER AQUAROUGE IN CHESTNUT #4   8. OCC CREME COLOUR CONCENTRATE IN VICE   9. URBAN DECAY "PERVERSION - BAIT” FALSE LASHES   10.  SIGMA GEL LINER IN STUNNINGLY LADYLIKE   11. SIGMA LOOSE SHIMMER IN GILDED  12. SIGMA 3DHD KABUKI BRUSH   13. SIGMA 3DHD PRECISION BRUSH

If you would like to keep up with my behind the scenes adventures as a makeup/hair artist then please check out my Portfolio and follow me on Social Media - Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google +, My Beauty Blog, & LinkedIn Business.


Stay tuned next month for a Bridal Beauty Makeup Tutorial on Raquel herself!



Monday, May 18, 2015

For the Dudes

Here are my gift picks for the dudes in your wedding by a dude himself. It doesn't take much to please us (unlike someone of the opposite sex I may know...I will never live down the JLO Glow perfume purchase many birthdays ago!)  So anyways, the task at hand wasn't hard!



1. Cologne – Bleu de Chanel  2. BBQ Tools Golf Set  3. The Art of Shaving Gift Set  4. Personalized Bar Sign   
5. Citizens E-Cigar  6. Personalized Wall Mounted Bottle Opener


Sunday, May 10, 2015

Happy Mother's Day

Just wanted to wish my best friend, who just so happens to be my mom, a Happy Mother's Day! 

The more I mispronounce words and over-share random stories with strangers, the more I know I'm turning into you - and that's something I'm proud of!

Have a great day Ma!

xo


Monday, May 4, 2015

Wedding Planner Confessions

Happy Monday UnBrides! I am very happy to bring you another installment of Planner Confessions. This one being from Jennifer Hartman, Owner & Lead Event Coordinator of Heart 2 Heart Occasions in Northeast Ohio. Check out her insider scoop and gain some inspiration from pictures of her past events. Enjoy Jennifer's story in her own words below!


Why I Have to Say Thank You to All of My Brides

It seems as time goes on I take away something from each of my weddings. You would think after 10 years in the business I would have seen it all, heard it all, experience it all. But it never fails that every night when I drive home after a wedding I recall what new and different piece I could take away and learn from. And for that I have to thank each of my brides.

I have to thank the bride that told me to trust her, when she wanted to put dancing between each course of the meal (thus making dinner a nearly 4 hour affair). Although it was new to me, and I was concerned about the flow of the evening, she clearly had a vision and asked me to trust in her. I did, of course, and the evening was a fantastic success. 

Lesson learned: Sometimes you have to trust your client’s vision and know it's just better than yours.

Thank you to the bride that taught me too many options is just too many options. I used to operate under the guidelines of pulling together all of my ideas and presenting them to a bride. But, I have learned that the more options you give someone the less likely they are to be happy with the decision they make. I learned that after we went venue shopping at no less than 45 locations and hair and makeup shopping with no less than eight beauticians. And I won't even tell you how many rounds of invitations we went through.

Lesson learned: Keep the options minimal and the client will be happier with the decision that they make.

Thank you to the bride that taught me wedding planner, equals psychologist. I learned this lesson very early on. When you hire a wedding planner you also hire a best friend, confidant, ringleader, colleague, mediator, psychologist, etc. I have smoothed over more relationships between mother and daughter and in-laws than I care to mention here. My favorite is the client that had a mom, a step mom and four aunts. And each thought they knew exactly how her wedding should look. Once everyone felt they were part of the planning, they fought less to be involved.

Lesson learned: It’s not only my job to keep everything coordinated, but to keep the boat from rocking. Usually close family members are the ones making waves. Everyone needs to feel important and part of the process. But no one is more important than the bride.

Thank you to the bride that allowed me to remind her that a wedding is about two people joining their lives forever. I love outdoor weddings, but I always caution my clients that if you choose to have a wedding outside you also have to be able to fully let go of the weather. There's just nothing you can do about it (other than having a million backup plans). This particular bride experienced some rain right before her ceremony was about to begin. As tears began to come down her face I looked at her and reminded her what the day was about, come rain or shine, she was there for one reason. And as long as we were able to make that happen everything else would fall into place. Although I'm not quite sure she agreed with me in the moment, I know by the end of the day she was thankful for my pep-talk.

Lesson learned: Weddings are more than just parties. And sometimes it’s easy to forget that, and get caught up in the festivities. But it’s so important to always remember exactly why you are there. And the weather won’t change that.

Lastly, thank you to the bride that allowed me to be honest. As a wedding planner, I find myself always wanting please clients regardless of the situation. I learned early on that it's much more important to express concern over a poor decision, than to agree with it, just to keep the peace. Like the bride that wanted to ask her guest to walk half a mile to the “perfect” group picture spot. Or the bride that wanted to dismiss rows post ceremony…. For 500 guests.

Lesson Learned: The key is actively communicating why you disagree, and then, let it go. I feel good knowing that I have said my reasoning, but at the end of the day it is ultimately the bride’s decision.

I think growing and learning is a healthy part of any career. I am just very fortunate to be able to learn from such amazing clients. To be asked to play such an integral role for the biggest day of their lives, is a huge responsibility. So I say thank you to each of my clients!


A big thanks to Jennifer for sharing her stories behind the pretty pictures. Be sure to show Heart 2 Heart Occasions some love on Facebook & Twitter!