Wedding Day Beauty Tips From Salon Cartarae

Face it ladies-no matter how much money you spend on your gown, the wrong hair and make-up could shatter the wedding day look you were aiming for. To make sure you look as dazzling as you want to feel on that special day, Jackie Rossano, master stylist at Salon Cartarae offers a few helpful tips for future brides preparing for their ‘all eyes on you’ moment.

Practice for Perfection
Jackie reminds us that every major show needs a dress rehearsal. Make sure to book a trial for your hair, make-up, nail color, and spray tanning if you are using these services on your wedding day. Doing so will relieve wedding day jitters because you will be able to see your finished look before your big day. It also helps the stylist understand exactly what you are looking for. Some things to remember:

• Come prepared with a few photos of what it is you are picturing.  Even if they are only pictures of what you DON’T like. Also, bring a photo of your dress. This will help your stylist come up with ideas that you are comfortable with and that work well with your look.
• Please understand that not every hairstyle looks good on each person.  Celebrity photos should be used as inspiration. Not a template. Make sure to ask your stylist for recommendations that will work best for your face and your gown. Some ladies look better with their hair up, others with it down.  Remember that just because it looks good on a model in a picture, doesn’t mean it is the best do for you.
• Bring any hair accessories that will be worn on your wedding day with you to your trial so that the stylist can figure out how to best incorporate them into your look. Especially your veil!
• If you are wearing flowers in your hair, ask your florist for a sample or bring fake ones to your trial. These accessories are usually attached to bobbie-pins. We always recommend silk flowers as opposed to the real thing as flowers can wilt in the sun. If you do choose to use real flowers, make sure you ask your florist for extra’s on your wedding day, just in case!
• If you are trying new products for the first time, such as fake eyelashes, make sure you include them in your trial. Some people are allergic and find them uncomfortable.  Every detail of your look should be tested out so you can be 100% sure that you will be looking and feel comfortable on your wedding day.
• Take pictures at your trial and bring them with you on the day of your wedding.  Your stylist might need a reminder of exactly what he or she did during the dress rehearsal. This is especially true if your trial is a month or more before the big day.

Bridesmaid Bliss
According to Jackie, some of the biggest fights between brides and bridesmaids occur because of hair conflicts. Brides have certain expectations for their bridal party members, while bridesmaids believe that how they wear their hair should reflect their personal tastes. Some advice to consider:

• Do not require your bridesmaids to have the same hair length.  They are your bridesmaids, but more importantly, your friends and it is not fair for you to ask them to change their style because of your special day.
• On that note, do not force your girls to wear the same hairstyle either. Politely ask them to wear their hair either up or down and allow them to choose their style.  As stated earlier, every look is different on each person. You want your friends and family to look and feel as gorgeous as you.

Tips and Tricks
Jackie reveals her secrets for fantastic hair care leading up to the big day.

• This should go without saying, but do not make any drastic changes to your hair style right before your wedding day. Six months before your wedding is not a good time to test whether or not you look good in bangs.
• If you normally color your hair, make sure to schedule your appointment two weeks before the wedding.  This gives your hair an opportunity to adjust to color and look more natural. It will also last long enough for you to continue looking fabulous on your honeymoon.
• Know your hair type. Many stylists advise to not wash your hair the day of your wedding, but to wash it the night before since hair with natural oils is more effectively styled. However, too much oil may require a wash at the salon if excessive amounts of dirt are present in the hair. Tell your stylist during your practice round whether you have an oily, dry or normal scalp and follow washing instructions accordingly.

Time and Place
Like every profession, stylists work best in their own atmosphere at his or her own pace. When scheduling your day, be aware of the following:

• It is always easier for a stylist and a bride if you and your bridal party travel to the salon on your wedding day. While in some cases they are able to come to you, it is more likely that something could go wrong. What if the curling iron suddenly breaks or you begin running behind. If you are able, consider going to salon where there is extra equipment and staff on the premises. There is usually more room, less distractions and better lighting as well.
• When creating your timeline, set aside at least two hours for the bride’s hair and one hour for each bridesmaid so that there is plenty of time and no one will feel rushed. Best possible outcome, you finish early!
• Allow at least 45 minutes to an hour for make-up per person and another two hours for the bride, depending on what she is having done.
• Book your appointments far in advance, especially if you are getting married in the heart of wedding season. Many salons’ can only accommodate one wedding party at a time.
• While we are all for celebrating on your wedding day, be respectful of other customers at the salon. Ask permission ahead of time to bring a light breakfast, refreshments, and champagne. Most salons are very accommodating and depending on the size of your wedding party, may even choose not to take other appointments during that time.

Don’t Forget!
Jackie reminds future brides to wear a zip-up or button-up shirt when getting your hair styled before the wedding. We leave nothing to chance. Also consider the climate of your wedding venue. Long flowing hairstyles do not hold up well in high humidity at outdoor weddings.

Salon Cartarae is located in Manasquan, New Jersey. For information on their prices and services be sure to check out their website at www.saloncartarae.com or follow them on Facebook.

Spring & Summer Wedding Trends

Style Me Pretty blogger, Abby Larsen, reveals the latest wedding trends for Spring and Summer and shares her secrets for creating fabulous DIY decor. Naked cakes? Chevron stripes? Whimsical and rustic details? Wedding season is in full swing and we can’t wait to see how many of our brides incorporate these unforgettable styles!

For more ideas, make sure to pick up Abby’s new book “Style Me Pretty Weddings“

Create Your Own Wedding Ceremony

Your love is one-of-a-kind, so shouldn’t you have a wedding ceremony that reflects that? Since many couples come from diverse cultures and religious backgrounds, it is becoming more popular for brides and grooms to create their own wedding ceremonies. This is most common when couples choose a unique location to say “I Do” like a beach, historic landmark or reception venue.

The core of any wedding is the exchange of vows. Elaborate customs and rituals have developed around this rite of passage, however, as long as the exchange of vows meets your celebrants and governmental requirements, the rest of ceremony can be left up to your imagination.

When creating a custom wedding ceremony, it is recommended that the standard outline of a ceremony be used to make it easier for guests to ‘follow along’.  Each element can then be personalized to create a distinguished and memorable event.

Below is the most common wedding ceremony outline with tips on how it can be personalized to reflect your relationship.

Welcoming Guests
Traditionally, ushers escort each female guest to a seat, with a male guest following. If the guests arrive as a couple, the usher can just say, “Please follow me.” An usher is also responsible for handing out programs and exit favors when applicable. For larger weddings, it may be more efficient for ushers to only escort guests with reserved seats, such as immediate family members, readers and VIPs. In this case, ushers would welcome guests upon entering the ceremony location and invite them to sit wherever they wish. Traditionally, guests of the bride sit on the left while guests of the groom sit on the right; however, it is becoming popular for couples to ask guests to sit on either side to reflect the merging of two families.

Processional
The processional still remains one of the most traditional parts of a ceremony. It can be customized with different music but the order of the procession should be as follows:

• Seating of Honored Guests and VIPs
  When the music begins, any living grandparents (that are physically able) would begin their procession down the aisle. The Mother of the Groom and Father of the Groom would come next, followed by the Mother of the Bride. It is recommended that immediate family members walking alone be escorted down the aisle by an appointed friend or relative as this can be a very emotional moment during the ceremony and having someone to walk with provides a great deal of comfort.

•  Entrance of Bridal Party
  Once all immediate family members have been seated; the bridal party enters in this sequence: ushers, junior ushers, junior bridesmaids, bridesmaids, matron of honor, maid of honor, ring bearer and flower girl. As a couple, you can decide whether the groomsmen should escort the bridesmaids down the aisle or if you prefer them to enter with the groom beforehand.

•  Entrance of the Bride
  At this time the music should change indication that all of your guests should stand. The bride will then take her fathers right arm, standing on his right side, and begin her walk down the aisle. This places her in the right position to join her groom since she will be on his left.

Opening Commentary
During the opening commentary, your celebrant introduces him or herself and welcomes your friends and family to your ceremony.  The officiator will then announce the purpose of the gathering and discusses the importance of marriage. They may also choose to say a few words about you and your philosophies of marriage, what marriage means to you and what it holds for your future.  The officiator may also share some more casual remarks should he or she have come to know you during marriage preparation.

Marriage Address
In a traditional ceremony, this is where the homily would go. The celebrant can use this opportunity to go in detail about your “love story”. They can talk about how you met, fell in love, the different life adventures you have shared and ultimately, what has led you to this moment.

First Reading
The use of readers is very important stagecraft for your ceremony. They connect you with your guests because they come from the audience, not the bridal party. A reading can be anything from a short poem, lyrics from a song, narrative from a book, or verse from a scripture. An alternative to a reading would be to ask a close friend or relative to tell a story about you. It could be someone who introduced you or witnessed the growth of your relationship. Regardless, this portion of the ceremony should be meaningful to you as a couple and solidify what was said during the marriage address.

Declaration of Intent
This is the “I Do” part of a wedding. The bride and groom face one another, takes hands, and answer a series of questions whereby you are declaring what you are intending on doing-joining your lives in marriage. A cute way to customize this area is to create your own “I Do’s.”

Unity Ritual
The unity ritual is the focal point of the wedding ceremony and can be highly entertaining to watch. It is meant to symbolize the joining of two individuals into one partnership. There are many different takes on this ritual and can be customized to represent your overall wedding theme. For example, if you are having a beach ceremony, you might want to do the sand ritual, or if you are having a rustic wedding, it would be appropriate to plant a tree. Other rituals include: The Unity Candle, Wine Sharing, Handfasting, and Bread Breaking ceremonies. The possibilities and interpretations of this are endless and should reflect your personalities and interests.

Vows
This is the portion of the ceremony in which you verbally commit your lives to each other. The celebrant, in a “repeat after me” style can read them, but composing your own set of vows is enthusiastically encouraged. This act along can bring your ceremony to a whole new level, and will have your guests on the edge of their seats. There is no better way to personalize your ceremony then through your own declarations of love.

Exchange of Rings
Here you give each other a physical expression of fidelity. Short ring vows are usually done in a “repeat after me” style as the couple places the rings on each other’s fingers. This portion of the ceremony can also be combined with your vow exchange. Whatever you as a couple feel most comfortable with.

Second Reading
Here is another opportunity to invite a close friend a relative to be a part of your ceremony. This reading should emphasize commitment, everlasting love, and blessings for the future. As in the first, it should be personal to the couple and reflect their relationship. Make sure you give readers plenty of time to prepare by providing them with their readings a number of weeks in advance. Always bring extra prints of the reading on the day of the wedding just in case someone accidently forgets their copy.

Unity Ritual
This is a good moment in your ceremony to honor family and friends (living and deceased), who have played an important role in your lives. Some ways of doing this is through Actions In Memoriam, Parental Vows, Giving Roses, Using a Photo Montage, Special Song, Signing a Marriage License and Ketubah Signing just to name a few. This section can also be switched with the first Unity Ritual or be eliminated all together. It’s your ceremony and should be created the way you feel most comfortable with.

Closing Remarks
The officiator uses this opportunity to give final blessing and summarizes on the important elements of the ceremony. A short poem or piece of advice is another good option. If you have bubbles, rose petals or something you want guests to shower you with as you exit, this is also a good place to have your celebrant make a little announcement about the directions upon exiting.

Declaration of Marriage and First Kiss
Your celebrant pronounces you Husband and Wife and you seal the deal with your first kiss as a married couple. This act needs no further explanation.

Recessional
The bride and groom lead the recessional back down the aisle, followed by the bridal party in the opposite order that they came in. After the bridal party has exited, the parents of the couples will leave, followed by grandparents and other family members. At this point in time you may choose to have a receiving line in which you greet your guests and thank them for coming.

Before personalizing your wedding ceremony, make sure you talk to your celebrant about their standard order of events as each officiator may have their own preferred way of performing this service. Together you should come up with a plan that reflects your personalities but also makes you feel the most comfortable. It is also a good idea to talk to family members about special traditions that may be important to them to include. Being the center of attention can often times be embarrassing for couples, so make sure you feel comfortable with the layout you are creating. If you tend to get nervous in public situations, you might prefer the more traditional vows instead of saying your own.  Lastly, do not be afraid to practice. Have a rehearsal to get out any last minute jitters and work out any kinks. This will make you feel all the more prepared on your wedding day.

Did you add a unique personal element to your wedding ceremony? Please share it with our readers!

Proposal Day

Are you anxiously waiting for your loved one to pop-the-question? Well today might be your lucky day! March 20^th is Proposal Day. (Yes, there actually is a such thing!)

In addition to Valentines Day, holidays, birthdays, vacations, and, well, every other day of the year, Proposal Day has been set aside as a special day for couples to get engaged.

A man named John Michael O’Loughlin invented the holiday after his cousin’s boyfriend spent years stringing her along without popping the question. He felt badly that his cousin had to wait so long and decided to create a day to be dedicated to proposals, or at the very least, a day that encourages conversations between couples to decide if their relationship is heading in that direction.

Proposal Day falls over the Vernal Equinox, during which the day and night are at equal lengths.  A second Proposal Day occurs during the Autumnal Equinox in September.  It is considered a good day to nudge procrastinating lovers into marriage because the equinox symbolizes the compromise it takes to build a successful relationship.

At SociaLife, we believe that any day that celebrates love, should be taken seriously. Therefore, we are sharing one of our favorite proposal videos.

Click Here to learn more about Proposal Day or to find out when the next one falls.

Football Jersey Table Numbers

Kirsta and Mylo’s wedding was such a fun event to work on. Not only did they hire us for their “Day Of” coordination, but Kirsta also asked me to help her create some memorable table numbers to go along with her football and snowflake themed wedding. Being that the bride and groom are huge Pittsburgh Steeler fans, they wanted to incorporate their favorite sport into their wedding décor.  I designed each card to look like a Steeler’s football jersey and kept it as authentic as possible, even including the NFL logos. Each table represented one of their favorite players from the past or present. The back of the jersey showed the players name and number, while the front included a short bio of the player and described why they were chosen as one of the couple’s favorites. Being a huge football fan myself, I really enjoyed creating such unique décor and loved how the couple incorporated their favorite sport into their wedding!

Some other cool details that Kirsta and Mylo incorporated into their reception were “Terrible Towel” favors that included the couples name and wedding date. Guests waved these high in the air as the couple made their grand entrance to the NFL theme song. They continued to wave them throughout the evening, which indicated a kiss between the newly married couple in lieu of clinking glasses.

Kirsta and Mylo’s wedding day will certainly be remembered as a legendary touchdown in their own game of life!