Rain is Good Luck, Right?

Okay, so maybe all this bravado while blogging about "perfect" wedding weather has finally caught up to New Leaf. We talked a good game. Overconfidence never pays off. A hurricane swept into town and it was mad. It was angry that every weekend, brides kept having sunny days and outdoor venues. Well, not this time.

I knew Gretchen Babyak's wedding was at Blithewold but I was really praying that she was NOT planning on an outdoor ceremony. She is a smart New Yorker so rest assured, her ceremony was in a church--whew!

Weather aside, she had 8 of her girlfriends and her mom with her so a little rain (and wind) was not going to put a damper on her day. New Leaf's Bridal Lounge was a perfect spot to hang out, unwind, and drink some mimosas before it was time.

Gretchen wins a new award at New Leaf. For what, you ask? For having the most hair. EVER. I haven't seen anything like it. Put your hands together to create a circle. That's how thick her ponytail was, I swear. Luckily, it was gorgeous hair.

First thing's first, roller set. It helps to give bend to the hair and makes it more cooperative.

She's off to the magic make up chair with Amy. She is adding some individual lashes for a dramatic eye-opening effect. Amy always recommends it and, hey, no one will ever know. Not even your husband. Trust me.

Gretchen's bridesmaid has this fantastic curly blonde hair. Ashley creates her hurricane-proof look...

LOVE all this texture.

Usually, extra hair is needed for this classic chignon. The first chignon at the trial actually came out too big! The challenge for hair as thick as Gretchen's is having it stay in place because it's so heavy. I was up for the challenge.

The finished product...

I LOVE this hairpin.

Gretchen told me a funny story about it. She searched in all these fancy places for something for her hair and found the prices outrageous. She went to Chinatown in New York and the man told her $20. Gretchen, again, a savvy New Yorker, knows to never pay full price in Chinatown. She said $10. He said $20. She left.

She kept searching and came up empty. Hoping the pin was still there, sheepishly she went back to the same store, to a different clerk and got it for $10. Now that's a bargain-hunting bride(and quite lucky too)!

Amy's make up wand strikes again.

Audrey Hepburn meets Natalie Portman, right?

The sky literally FLOODED the streets of Bristol as I drove home, but 6 o'clock rolled around and I can't say that I saw the sun, but it looked like it was trying really hard. Hopefully, Gretchen and her husband were able to sneak outside for some photos on the Blithewold grounds.

Thanks Gretchen for choosing New Leaf, and if you decide to take your photographer up on the offer to "recreate" the wedding photos on a sunny day, you know where to find us;-)

Congrats!

Timeless Beauty

With a hurricane on it's way, Megan O'Brien sure had luck on her side. The day was sunny, crisp and fall-ish...not what you'd expect for an August wedding!

Megan had a vintage-theme in mind for her hair and make up. She brought in a Jessica Simpson image to inspire me:

I urged Meg not to be horrified as a teased and curled her hair. I told her that a New Leaf bride would never walk out the door with "pageant hair"...GASP!! I just needed to make sure it lasted all day and night and this is how the magic happens...

Here are Ashley and Amy beautifying the moms together...how sweet.

Ashley is a double threat because, like Leah, wears both hats...a hairstylist and a make up artist. It must be nice to be so gifted;-)

Danielle added this beautiful orchid in her Allison's hair. I just love flowers!

After Meg described her dress and I saw her veil, I thought we had to make the style a bit more vintage-y (That's a word, right?)... I pinned one side and she had the most beautiful white orchid to put in during the reception.

Can you believe Megan doesn't color her hair?! It's rare to feel hair so healthy and shiny. Oh, to be natural...

Megan is a classic, timeless, beautiful bride. I love when we create a style that doesn't reveal a decade.

There are so many (too many, if you ask me) choices out there for brides. It's confusing and overwhelming.

My hair and make up advice for brides is this: Choose a style that you will love in 10, 20, even 50 years. Think about how beautiful your grandmother looked on her wedding day. You wouldn't want your grandchildren laughing at your crazy hairstyle or your over-the-top make up.

Any 1980's bridal magazine is evidence:-)

Thank you Megan for reminding us of this 'simple' lesson. Congratulations and we hope the hurricane didn't delay the honeymoon!

Pretty as a Pearl

Leah and Amy hit the road for Caitlin Slodden's Newport wedding...they prepped Cailtin and her family at the Pearls , a swanky boutique style hotel that's off the beaten track of the typical Bellevue Avenue mansions.

How classic and modern is this style that Leah created for Caitlin? We really do LOVE blondes for wedding hair.  We have nothing against our chocolate-hued tresses. Trust me, I'm brunette.

It's just that all the details of a swept up style really show on blonde hair. That's why we suggest that our brides add (a few/some/or hey, a LOT) of highlights before the big day. The lighter tones help to add dimension and really show off a gorgeous 'do.

Like this one... 

Caitlin had the most amazing skin...a flawless canvas for Amy to paint. 

A girl can dream, right? We can at least be jealous;-)

Uh oh, dueling photographers...I think Leah won out on this one. Aren't the stephanotises in Caitlin's hair so pretty? Nice touch.

Amy is using Cargo's blu ray high-definition lip gloss as her finishing touch. Some glosses look too 'wet', this one photographs beautifully.

Whenever I see a bride with extra glossy smackers, I always wonder about the aftermath of the first kiss during the ceremony. Think about the poor groom!

A great photo. Caitlin wasn't being prompted to gaze out the window. I think this is just a random moment of solitude. Beautiful.

Congratulations, Caitlin, and thanks for inviting  New Leaf to Newport!

New Leaf's Wedding Weather Protection Program

Julie Ciarlone couldn't have dreamed of a better day in August to get married at Blithewold Mansion!  The sunny, 83 degree temperature was well-deserved after our "summer that wasn't". I shouldn't whine. We really have had some stellar weekends--it's part of our New Leaf Wedding Weather Protection Program. Know a future bride who is already obsessing about the weather? Enlist in our program today:-)

The wedding team gets their game faces on...Love the lounge!

Wow, my game face really IS on...I have been told I make a really serious face while styling...apparently so!

Julie has the most beautiful thick, chocolate brown hair. She also has what many women have. You know those tendrils in front of your ear that NEVER seem to grow longer than 2 inches? Those can be pretty stubborn when trying to get them to stay put all day long. 

Solution? I wove them into rope braids that were hidden under her half up style. Wisps--okay. Tendrils--bad. 

A cool shot of Jamie Evenson beautifying Julie's mom, Peg. A fluke? I think not...maybe Mariah's photography advice last week did help after all. 

Peg was so pretty. We think she should try modeling. She laughed at us but I could picture her in a Chico's or J Jill catalog for sure!

I said in Sarah's blog a few weeks ago that you might see us in some strange pretzel like positions while styling. Check out Jamie Rego's contortion act!

How bad do you want to know what story Jenn was telling in this shot? Me too.

Hey, hair is an expressive art! I just love this photo.

(how pretty is Julie's sister in law?)

Amy, smiling as always, while making over Jen...

I couldn't resist snapping this shot. Arianne loved volume. I mean LOVED. She couldn't get enough of it. Well then, we love Arianne. 

Who couldn't use a little extra height? 

Unless you are Katie Holmes, marrying Tom Cruise. She would probably not want any volume....But I digress, as usual. 

Pam is a yoga-fanatic. I think she is trying to 'one-up' Jamie Rego's pretzel contortion act as she pins Arianne's hair. Downward Dog? I think not...we'll call this yoga pose the Sideways Stylist. Pam will be so proud.

Arainne's an A-Lister now.

I think I am going to dig out my eyelash curler. Amy says I should. She says it's a beauty staple, especially for those of us who need 3 coats of mascara to leave the house. Not that I do that. Okay, I'm lying, I am a mascara junkie...Cargo's Blu-Ray mascara is my drug. 

It's designed for high-definition photography. It's creamy yet quick-drying...it lengthens, curls, volumizes and separates. Perfect for mascara addicts like me. 

We tried a swept-up style and a half up one at Julie's trials. I am so glad she chose this one. Her hair is just too pretty (plus her husband loves it down...bonus!)

The gang.

Julie and her mom...beauty sure runs rampant in this family. 

Stunning.

Thanks to Julie and her whole wedding party! Congratulations...we hope you are drinking a pina colada somewhere!

Snap-tastic!

We know a good thing when we see one. 

That's why when our friend Mariah at Snap! Photography was 'snapping' Jennifer Resnick's Linden Place affair, we default to the professionals. 

Snap!'s collection of Jenn's photos IS the reason why every bride needs to hire a professional photographer. For this reason, I will not post our sad little pictures because we will surely be shown up by some fantastic competition!

My version...

And check out the incredible Snap!'s version...and more of the gorgeous Jenn and all her fab ladies (and gorgeous mom) at Linden Place! Like romance? Check these out.

Congratulations Jenn and thanks for being a dream bride. Have a BLAST in Portugal!

Bristol meets Boston

Katie Hewett was truly one of the sweetest brides we have ever met! Although she lives in Boston now, to our pleasant surprise, she grew up right here in Bristol (locals call themselves 'Bristoleans'...cute, right?)

How much fun does it look like she is having with her girls?

Ahhhh...just relaxing, reading some celebrity gossip while getting primped.

Love the height!

Jenn just making sure there is not a hair out of place...

A few of the afters....

Leah adds some texture to Katie's fine hair...

Katie must feel like a star having all these paparazzi snapping pictures of her...

Leah adding her finishing touches before she heads to the make up chair!

Katie's wedding party was in a hurry to get their day started, so you will just have to imagine what she looks like;-) OR, Katie could send us some fabulous photos and we'll update our blog!

Thanks Katie for being a dream bride...we hope your day was everything you imagined. Congrats! 

Oceancliff Extravanganza!

It was a perfect day for Sarah Huse. Humidity and heat in August? Not this summer. Try 75 degrees with a breeze. Sarah's ceremony and reception was at Oceancliff, a seaside mansion in Newport. What a fun weekend to be in Newport (by foot, bike or anything other than by car) because it was Jazz Fest!

Sarah, a Boston bride, found our wedding team through her sister and mom, Rebecca and Meredith, faithful New-Leafers. 

Sarah's wedding party included 1 bride, 9 bridesmaids, plus 2 readers. Most people would gasp, and ask how LONG must that take to do everyone? No worries, New Leaf will take care of it.

We brought a team of 4 hairstylists, which made for some serious action (and a heavy hairspray fog) in the suite, but everyone was done in 2 hours!

Sarah had beautiful, thick blonde hair but it was just a bit too short for the chignon she desired. Solution? Our beloved extension pieces.

I am wrapping the weft of hair in the chignon while in a very unusual position.  It's not uncommon during onsite weddings for our bodies to be warped in pretzel-like poses. A chiropractor would be horrified. Hey, we do what it takes, okay? 

Here is the beautiful Rebecca, Sarah's sister. Becky is the mom of 2 adorable little boys. Wyatt, her 3 year old, was the ring bearer which made her a bit nervous. The Huse's are brilliant though...he carried some "substitute" rings. Why don't more people do this?!?

And the back...

All of Sarah's girls went to Gettysburg College so it was more like a fancy college reunion. 

They were some classy ladies, and many wanted simple chignons, nothing too fussy. 

We certainly can't have everyone looking identical so we personalize each one...

Ashley's version...

And Pam's...P.S. How great is her smile?

Pam working on the before...

Stunning!

There's always one who wants to be a bit different...

Leah's asymmetric version... 

Pretty waves...

I like the something about this photo...between the backlighting and hairspray haze, it's pretty neat. But what about the mystery handheld mirror to the right?

Oh, it's just Pam, reliving her assistant days long ago! 

We rely heavily on our mirrors for wedding hair so it can be challenging to work without them for onsite events. That's why we have each other...awwwww.

Just a cool action shot...

My finishing touches on Sarah...

Clean and classic!

Just a quick glimpse of what it's like 30 minutes before a wedding...and this was only half of them! Time to get married...

Thanks so much to the entire Huse family. We can't wait to see pictures at the salon, which we require before  your next appointment! 

Congratulations, we hope you had an amazing time!