Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Principe Perfection


It's always very special when one of our New Leaf clients gets married. Joanna Principe and her mother, Marcia, have been faithful New Leaf-ers since the doors opened in 2001 so we were pretty excited when Joanna and Walter got engaged...

Joanna and Walter have been together for more than 11 years--whew! Patience must be Joanna's #1 virtue. Joanna has a big italian 'familia' so we knew her wedding would be a pretty big deal.

If you follow this blog at all, you might notice that I am slightly obsessed with the weather for brides. Needless to say, I was checking the 10 -day forecast for Joanna's wedding. I know, I know, overcast days are best for photos. But people are always in such great spirits when it's a beautiful day so who wouldn't want to be surrounded by all that happiness on their wedding?

Anyways, it was drizzly in the morning when they arrived, and sunny by the time everyone left...yipee! The New Leaf touch.

It was not a secret that it had to be a nice day for Joanna and Walter. Rain was simply not an option. You see, they were getting married at Blithewold in Bristol. It's an outdoor venue under a tent. The amazing grounds must be seen to be believed. 

Given the lack  of air conditioning, Marcia, Joanna's curly haired mom, was a tad concerned. As a curly haired girl myself, I understand the phobia of humidity. Humidity can make waves turn to frizz and fine hair fall flat. Fear not though, New Leaf will come to the rescue!

Here is the adorable Joanna with her birthday mimosa (yes, she got married on her birthday...neat, right?) LOVE that gorgeous grin!
Making sure the volume is just right....

Leah and Amy painting their canvases...


I love this shot of Joanna's bridesmaid! We promise that no one has to walk down the aisle like this:o)
Much better....

Meet Shade, pronounced Sha-Day. She was a major cutie-patootie. Ashley was in charge of making her a spotlight stealer...but I don't think Shade needed Ashley for that! 

Apparently, Shade told her mom that she was tired of people saying how beautiful she was and that she wished they would stop. We all agreed that it is a problem we all wished we had!

The 'fancy' Shade and her mom take a moment to relax.

This is a very hot style right now for bridesmaids. We can thank Jessica Alba and Jennifer Aniston for rocking the side-braid to red carpet events. Sometimes, a celebrity trend takes right off!

How gorgeous are all Joanna's ladies?!?

This wedding was extra fun because another loyal New Leaf-er was in Joanna's wedding. Michea and Joanna have been friends since they were in diapers. She is so pretty and has this amazing long, thick hair that she had never worn 'up' for anything before. I was up to the challenge!
We decided on a natural, bohemian kind of style with plenty of hair left around Michea's face. If you tend to wear your hair down a lot, having some softness around your face in an updo might make you feel more comfortable and not so exposed.

Finalizing Joanna's textured chignon...




Leah working her magic before the reveal...

And AFTER the reveal...Can you say gorgeous???
Everyone seemed to escape after their make up was done without us assaulting them with our camera (I know, again...we are going to have seriously consider holding our wedding parties hostage until their pictures are taken!) 

To see all the girls, you HAVE to check out our fabulously talented friends at Snap! Photography. They have the best blog, so fun to read. To see Joanna getting ready, check out  the snap! To see Walter and Joanna canoodling at Blithewold, click here.

Thanks Joanna, Marcia, Michea and all the ladies...such a blast! Congrats and hope you are having a fantastic time on your honeymoon. See you when you get back!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

The Kaplan Clan

When Emily Kaplan first walked in, I remember thinking how beautiful she was...tall, thin, perfect skin, ballerina posture, and very well spoken. After talking with her for a few moments,  I realized she was even more beautiful on the inside.

Emily and her mom took advantage of the bridal and wedding party packages. They came in together on Friday to pamper their hands and feet and they had so much fun!

Emily's mom was absolutely hilarious. She had some of the best one liners we have ever heard. By the end of the day, we suggested she consider stand up as her next career path.

Amy 'beautifies' Emily's mom... 
The whole gang!


Emily's textured chignon. As an aside, I tend to really dislike the word 'bun'. I don't know why, it's just one of those weird hang ups of mine. I think I revert to being a kindergartner because it makes me think of a body part, and not pretty bridal hair. But again, I digress....


Emily's wedding was at the Glen Manor in Portsmouth and it seemed to fit her just right. Glamorous but not overdone. Classic, beautiful in it's simplicity.

I hope Emily and her family had a wonderful day...Congratulations and thank you for entertaining us all afternoon! I am sure Emily looked incredible in her gown, and as always, send pictures


Eileen Christens the Lounge

It was another New Leaf kind of day...sunny with a nice breeze. It was a perfect day for Eileen MacLean's wedding and a perfect bride to 'christen' the Bridal Lounge. What a fun group of girls! We really are so lucky, I swear we meet the nicest brides.

Eileen waits for Leah to get started and the Lounge comes alive!
Hairspray, bobby pins, curling irons, make up brushes, lip gloss...just a few things in our arsenal. 


How pretty is this style?
Ooooo.....and the back of Ashley's Jessica Alba inspired style.

Leah applies Eileen's make up while her hair sets...
A moment of solace.


So beautiful! I just love the half up style, it's so flattering.

A big thanks to Eileen and her wedding party for being such a great group to 'open' the Lounge!

Stay tuned for more...

The Bridal Lounge Unveiled!

The wait is over and it's finally ready...introducing New Leaf Hair Studio's fabulous addition...
The Bridal Lounge!

The Bridal Lounge concept was 'born' this winter and has been in the works ever since! We imagined a relaxed space, a private area away from the bustle of the salon.  We pictured a cozy sitting area where girls could gather, drink mimosas and watch the bride transform. The Bridal Lounge is a place where a bride can feel like she's at home getting ready with her girls, usually a favorite part of the wedding day. 

The Lounge accommodates wedding parties, large or small. It has plenty of comfy seating, 5 styling stations, and a Smashbox and Cargo make up area.

Here are a few snapshots of the Lounge...






We are so excited to introduce the Bridal Lounge to you!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Brook's Lucky Break


The day before the wedding, our fabulous bride Brook came in with her mom and her friend, Heather for nail treatments. They took advantage of our Wedding Package, which includes a hair and make up trial, manicure and pedicure and wedding day hair and make up. Having a manicure and pedicure is such a great way to relax and get ready for the festivities! 

New England was playing a very cruel joke on Brook while she was trying to enjoy her pampering...the sun would be shining one minute and a monsoon would come through the next! I think her beautifully blown out hair made it through all the rain okay....

We joked that she made a deal with God the day before when she decided to pay for a bigger tent because of the mischievous weather....
And boy, what a deal it was! When Brook woke up, the day was just perfect.
Brook and Matt were having backyard wedding on the water in Bristol, so she was pretty excited when she woke up to see that she didn't need the bigger tent after all.

Amy beautifies Heather, Brook's Maid of Honor (or MOH, as brides say in the wedding 'biz...there are so many acronyms for wedding attendees, I have to check to see what they mean!)

This is a cute shot of Heather and her daughter, Layla, having their hair done together. Layla was so energetic but she stayed as still as a statue for her braids!


It's Brook's turn to be transformed (okay, not completely transformed because she is already naturally beautiful)....

Hey, it happens...with all the running around in the rain in flip flops the day before, Brook needed a toe touch-up from Cynthia...that is some service!

Not only was Brook a whole lot of fun to be around, she is also very smart--she wore a top that was very easy to get out when she needed to put her dress on. Brides, take notice!

Another stunner...Matt is so lucky to marry such a funny, beautiful and radiant woman. But I bet he already knows that:o)

Thanks Brook for making our job so easy...you deserve the best! We wish you a lifetime of happiness...Congratulations and SEND PICTURES.

Soft and sexy hair for 2009 and everafter.....

Soft and sexy hair for 2009 and everafter.....

Leah's Favorite Product for Jan. 2009

Leah's Favorite Product for Jan. 2009
perfect for oily hair, perfect for dry hair! You can't build anything without this foundation.

My "go-to" product for all seasons

My "go-to" product for all seasons
a little goes a long way!

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Something you won't see at New Leaf (but I thought you would laugh!!)

Something you won't see at New Leaf (but I thought you would laugh!!)