The Discerning Bride: Bridalicious 2010

This past weekend, I was privileged to be invited to Bridalicious 2010 at the Park Hyatt Toronto.  This very informative series of workshops was a collaboration between several Toronto vendors aimed at educating, informing and assisting the South Asian bride-to-be in making decisions concerning her photographer, her make-up look, her dress, and her venue.  It was very rainy that day, and there was a lot of construction downtown, but I have to say that I am very pleased that I made the effort to attend nonetheless.

A copy of the Programme and some cue cards from each presentation

(excuse the crappiness of the pictures, I haven't used a camera in a while).

Divided into three sections, the rooftop lounge of the Park Hyatt was decorated very prettily by Paras of Design2Decor to match the Miami Chic theme.  The brides were divided into two groups, "Glitz" and "Glamour."  After some light refreshments we were invited to the lounge where introductions were made, and then the two groups split up.  My friend and I were part of the "Glitz" group and after we seated ourselves, Garima of G + H Photography spoke to us about the best way to get the most out of a photography session.  Then Shobana and Narisha of Amplified Soul Hair + Makeup Couture discussed new trends in makeup and hair, gave information on finding a makeup artist and provided tips creating a beauty regimen leading up to the big day.  Each workshop was followed by a short question period.

Nirisha of Amplified Soul Hair and Makeup Couture demonstrates a hairstyle on a model.

After a short break, the groups switched sections and we met Richha and Reena of Arora Wedding and Event Planning who gave a short but info-packed talk on the do's and don'ts of coordinating your wedding day from start to finish.  They were followed by Gaurav and Raksha of CTC West who gave a thorough breakdown of buying a wedding outfit, from the way the outfit is made, the types of materials and work, the trends, and the final product.  We had the opportunity to pose questions to the presenters after each workshop and they made themselves available to answer more questions afterwards.

Two of the models in outfits from CTC West.

I was so impressed by both the quality and quantity of information available.  These days, when most wedding magazines have becoming more of a catalogue for wedding vendors, and information on the internet is all over the place, it was really nice to find it all condensed and categorized for our consumption.  It was so refreshing to find that these vendors were passionate about what they did, and their aim was to educate brides not sell to them.

I would recommend this event to any bride, and if you are interested, there will be another one coming up in the fall.  Space is limited, so be sure to reserve your space.  To see more (read: better) pics of the event, click here to check out Garima's post on the day.

The Discerning Bride: Long Distance Love (with a Makeup Artist)

Hi,

Just found your blog a few months ago and its fantastic - I follow it religiously now!
I wonder if you can provide any advice/recommendations for me -- I am getting married this summer and am looking for a makeup and hair person in Calgary, AB. Since I am not from there, I am finding it difficult to get referrals/info about hair and makeup artists in the area. Searching on the internet results in a plethora of hits, but especially with free lance artists, its really difficult to find someone that I know is reliable and will do a good job.
Do you have any recommendations or information that might help?
Thanks in advance for any direction!
 
S
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Hi S,
 
First of all, thank you so much for the kind words, they really encourage me to keep writing.  A lot of times I am trying to put out information that I wished I had access to when I was getting married, so I'm glad to know that other brides find it useful too. Secondly, Congratulations to you for your upcoming wedding.
 
Onto your question.  Well, planning a wedding in a different city or country has certainly gotten easier with the internet.  Or has it?  Sometimes I feel that when searching for vendors online, especially South Asian ones, we run into a lot of broken links and a thousand mediocre options but very few excellent ones.  Part of this is due to the South Asian Wedding industry's fear of copyright infringement.  I can respect that, but it does make your job harder.
 
Don't worry, however.  My best friend planned her whole engagement, which was held in the Middle east, from here in Toronto.  She actually had the most beautiful makeup done that day, and she was more pleased with that look than the one she had on her reception here in Toronto.  I have a few key suggestions for you:
 
Know what you want.  I can't stress this enough.  Even if you have the best makeup artist in Calgary, if you can't tell her what you want, she won't be able to achieve it for you, no matter how skilled she is.  Consider your dress (colour and style), your usual routine (caked on or bare skin?), the event (religious or crazy party), and your own skin and face.  Collect and print (I say print because they are no use to you in the salon if they are on your computer) or cut out pictures you like, making notes as you go along of what you like about it.  You can have a thousand pictures, but if you can't remember what you like from each one, it's kind of useless.
 
Go for a consultation with a makeup artist in your own city.  This is different from a trial.  You will go in, show them your dress and pictures of looks you like, they may make suggestions for you, but they won't make up your actual face.  I don't recommend doing a full trial, as you don't want to feel like you are comparing later on.  Not all makeup artists do this, and some charge for it, but it's worth the hassle, if you are really feeling clueless.
 
Don't rely on the internet.  Ask family or friends who live in calgary and whose judgement you trust.  Maybe they know someone or can do some footwork for you.  Call the MAC store in your area, find out if they can hook you up with a certified MAC artist in Calgary.  You could also try calling the Sephora store in Calgary (there are two, one in Market Mall and the other in Chinook) to see if one of their girls does freelance makeup artistry.
 
Schedule a trial.  Even if it is only one day before, having a trial with the the makeup artist will allow you to communicate your ideas to her, get her feedback, do a once-over, have a look at it, and decide if you want to tweak it.  I really recommend that you make sure the artist you schedule for the trial is the same one that comes on the day of.  Try to get this in writing (via fax), if you can, along with her price, and the timings. 
 
I wish you all the best, and I hope you look gorgeous on your wedding day, and that your hubby finds you beautiful for all the rest of your life together!
 
Warmly,
Asiya

The Bride's Lookbook: My Traditional Bridal Look!

No, that's not my face, although I wish it was.  I can't upload my actual wedding day pictures because I'm not wearing a hijab in any of them. But this is the orignal photo that my best friend used to copy my makeup.  She wasn't South Asian, so she was pretty conscious about keeping my look authentic, and she did a pretty good job, when I consider all the compliments I received.  This look might seem a little bit dated now, but to keep it current, try changing the lipstick to a blue-red shade, and use cooler tones on the lid.  The double winged eyeliner is still incredibly current.

To achieve this look:  My friend used a private label cosmetic kit from the middle east, but the 88-colour palette and 8 colour contouring palette from ebay would work just as well.  Face is the usual base of concealer, foundation and powder in your colours. For the eyes, start by highlighting the inner corner of the eyelid and underneath the eyebrow with a creamy, shimmery highlighter.  Apply a base of vanilla eyeshadow across the entire lid.  Starting from the center of the eye, apply a good gold shadow right upto the crease and blend in.  Inside the crease itself, use a deep burgandy shade and be sure to smudge it up a bit.  Line the top eyelid with liquid liner; my friend use Lancome's Artliner.  Smudge a dark browny-black eyshadow into the outer corner of the lid and blend in with the burgandy shadow. Lightly line the lower lid with pencil and flick it at the end just a bit. Apply lipliner only if you need it, then lipstick, matching blush and you are set to go.

Love at First Sight: Button Bouquet from Letters4Lilly

If you are the girl who says she doesn't like flowers, and you mean it.  Or, you're the girl who has contemporary style and are trying to avoid the traditional.  Maybe you like pretty little odds and ends.  And maybe, like me, when you see these pics your fingers itch to hold of a bunch of pretty buttons and beads to make something, anything, just to get over your crafting jones.  If you are one of these girls, you can, like me, fall in love with these bouquets and boutonnieres from Letters4Lilly on Etsy.

Button boutonnieres and bouquets from Etsy Seller Letters4Lilly.  Picture Credits: via StyleMePretty Blog

How cute are these???  The bride who had these made for her wedding (which you can see the rest of by clicking here) had a very contemporary colour scheme of yellow, grey, blue and black and her setting was a very urban, very trendy loft, so as you can imagine, these worked perfectly.  They are created by Etsy seller Letters4Lilly and the great thing about Etsy sellers is that they can customize and do bespoke creations to your taste, colours, theme and budget. Price: $140 dollars from Letters4Lilly.

Worth Noting: Bridalicious

Shobana and the rest of the Amplified Soul Makeup team, together with the top vendors in the GTA will be presenting a series of informative workshops this sunday at the Park Hyatt in swanky Yorkville, Toronto.  It actually looks really good; limited to a hundred brides and consisting of several beauty and planning workshops with very clear aims, I think it will inform more than advertise.  If you are a Toronto bride, consider going, to find out more or to register, click here for their facebook page, or click here to see the poster for the event.  I'm hoping to attend, and I can't wait!

The Inspired Bride: Urban Summer

Playing in the fountains at Dundas Square. Picture Credit: Sabesh via flickr

Did I mention that I live outside one of the coolest cities in the world?  Well, I do.  Toronto is laid back and sophisticated, not trying to be cutting edge and busy like New York, or worldly and fashionable like London, or chic and dreamy like Paris.  Toronto, is by turns, all of these things and more.  She is young and vibrant. She has the heart of a city but the spirit of the world cultures that make up her pulsing life.  She is not silver and modern, she is not gold and antique, she is a pleasant mixture of both.  She wears black because it is urban, but she throws in colours because they are ethnic.  She is fun, and beautiful, her accessories echo her heritage, but don't shove it down your throat.  She wears flats because she runs, doesn't pose.  She doesn't brag, so I won't brag about her, but if she was a bride, this is what she would wear.

Picture Credits from the top left:  Sari by Shyamal and Bhumika, Summer 2010, courtesy of OneIndia/Earrings by Amritsar Jewellers via SAB blog/T-strap sandals from Costa Blanca X/Chainlink headband from Jennifer Behr Headbands/Pictures of Toronto starting from girls on a subway platform via Flickr, Union Station via Flickr, Canoe Restauarant via their website, and a shop in Kensington Market via Flickr

The Zen Bride: Beauty as a State of Mind

In writing this blog, I am necessarily talking about an industry that is at best, unfair and exclusionary.  Beauty.  While standards evolve based on time and place, it is the irony of an age of overwhelming media influence that what we consider beautiful grows increasingly narrow in scope.  Beauty has become a commodity.  Everywhere I look, I am bombarded by images of what beautiful looks like.  But what does beauty feel like?

When I was in the Middle East, my travels took me to a remote area and I found myself outside the influence of mainstream fashion and immersed in purely ethnic traditions of beauty.  We weren't trying to look like anyone, and nor was anyone selling us anything, we were just using the products we had on hand to be as beautiful as we could for ourselves.  The process of beautification itself was a ceremony of sisterhood and communication.

This is why my favourite part of the bride's day is the hush that surround her as the final touches are made to her outfit.  That silence is imbued with a sense of anticipation and purpose, and shared with the women who understand its significance and emotional brevity.  It is a perfect expression of the idea that beauty is not about being, but about becoming.

Picture Credit:  Kara Purtell Photography via Marigolds and Mithai Blog

Tricks of the Trade: Highlighters

Picture Credits: Makeup by Halimah of Henna-H, Grand Duo and Benefit from Google Images

If there is one product I would recommend to the bride who is doing her own makeup, it would be this one.  Seriously, it will take your look from being everyday to camera ready in seconds by catching the light and illuminating the skin.  My favourite has got to be "Benefit High Beam", because it's multi-tasking so it can be applied to the cheekbones but is also great for highlighting the inner corner of your eyes and adding a touch of light underneath your eyebrows. 

Last winter, however, I was in MAC buying stuff from their Christmas collection (yaay for the christmas stuff! It's the only time I allow myself to go overboard at MAC), anyways, the girls all had this sort of glow on their cheekbones that made them appear so defined and high. So I asked what it was and it turned out to be Grand Duo applied on the cheekbone just below the eyes.   They looked ethereal, I'm not exagerrating.

There are loads of highlighters out there, so hopefully you will find one in your price point. To see an excellent overview of what's available, check out this post by Muhsine of Bubblegarm by clicking here.  To apply, use the tip of your ring finger to dab and blend some on to your cheekbones, the inner corner of your eyelids, or just under your eyebrows.

The Bride's Lookbook: Silver and Blue Traditional Bride from Henna H

Silver and blue traditional bride from Henna-H. Picture Credit: Henna-H

To achieve this look:
Apply a medium coverage foundation all over the face to create the base. Apply a lot of silvery highlighter under the eyebrows to complement the silver jewellery. Apply light blue cream blue eyeshadow followed by a darker shade in the sockets. Apply a mauvey pink blush on the apple of your cheeks and accent the cheekbones with highlighter. finish of with with a blue-toned pink lipstick.

You can see this and other work by makeup artist Halimah A and her team on her website. Halimah is based in the UK and she will be the official makeup artist for Miss India UK 2010. She does bridal makeup all across the UK. Click here to check her out.

The Bride's Lookbook: Soft Summer Evening Look from Henna H

Soft summer evening look from Henna-H. Picture Credits: Aira Photography and Henna-H

This look was sent to me by Halimah of Henna-H.  The colors are all very soft, yet it still manages to make a big impact because of the contrast with the model's darker skintone and the use of highlighter to elevate the cheekbones. 

To achieve this look:
Start by creating a base of glowy skin using a tinted moisturizer and a dash of bronzer. Apply a soft blusher and a highlighter to the cheekbones. Highlight the eye area with a creamy eyeshadow and a blue eyeshadow under the bottom lashes (to match the gems in the earrings). Keep the lips soft with a touch of pink lipstick followed by topcoat of clear gloss.

You can see this and other work by makeup artist Halimah A and her team on her website.  Halimah is based in the UK and she will be the official makeup artist for Miss India UK 2010.  She does bridal makeup all across the UK. Click here to check her out.

Reader Question: Finding a Makeup Artist in Delhi

Hi Asiya,
I'm getting married in the month of September. I went to your website couldn’t really understand what it's about. Are you a makeup artist, or a designer? You have pictures of very beautiful makeup and elegant clothing on your webpage. I would appreciate if you could tell me what you're about and if you could refer to a nice make artist. I'm in Delhi and I really don’t mind if the makeup artist is from any part of the city. Reaching her won’t be a hassle for me, I just want the best makeup artist.
I have visited a few of the famous ones such as Ambika Pillai and Vidya Takari, but I'm tired of seeing their work. Their makeup is the same repeat on every face as far as bridal is concerned. Not that I am questioning anybody’s art it’s just personal preference. I want someone who can enhance my features. Hope you could refer someone.

Thank you,
A
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Hi A,

First of all, congratulations on your upcoming nuptials! I am not a makeup artist or a designer, just someone who loves fashion and beauty and wants to write about it. Unfortunately, my base is in Canada and the UK, so I don't know much about make-up artists in India. I can, however, offer you some tips on finding make-up artist you can work with to get your perfect look.


Ask Friends
While it's true that the big name make-up artists are good, there are some gems out there that don't have a lot of exposure, but do great work. If you saw a bride whose makeup you loved, ask her where she got it done.


Take a Picture
Every artist has a niche, so that's why everything they do may look similar to you. Maybe you still love the artist and if she is skilled, chances are she can recreate a look you like. So take along a picture of what you want to look like, ask her if she can do something like that for you. A good artist will tell you what works for you, and what doesn't, if the look is actually flattering for you, or if it can be adapted to suit your skintone, bone structure, skintype, etc.

Go to a Makeup Counter
I know there's no such thing as one makeup line with all the right prouducts, but if you are a fan of a particular brand, why not try going to their counter in the mall or department store and asking them if one of their girls does makeup artistry?  This worked well for my best friend when she travelled back home for her wedding.

Do your Own
The truth is that even after all that, you may just feel nothing's working for you. Sometimes no one can give you what you want, or give you a look you are comfortable with, better than yourself. With the amount of information available online through, websites, blogs, video tutorials, you can easily work out a routine that works best for you.

Try reading my "tricks of the trade" articles for some ideas, check out this article on doing your own bridal makeup by Nazma of Asian Fashion blog by clicking here. You could also ask the makeup artists in your area if they offer courses to teach you the basics of doing your own makeup, or do a search for video tutorials on youtube.

The Pulled-Together Bride: Bobby Pins

There are a few things I wish someone had told me about how to pin a dupatta when I was getting married.  I searched all over the internet and came up with nothing.  Still, that was a while back, and these days there are a good tips floating around out there, particularly on Gup Shup Forums from Pakistan. I thought I would take some things I've learned from different places and consolidate them into one post.


Types of Hair Pins
Bobby pins (kirby grips to you Brits) are usually the standard choice for holding a dupatta in place on one's head and in a lot of cases they work just fine. There are, however, different types better suited to different needs. 

Picture Credits: Google Images

 If the pins are going to show, I would recommend buying ones that are beaded to match your outfit, or getting a few beads and attaching them to the pins with some needle and thread.  There are a couple of sites that offer customizable hair pins with a wide range of coloured crystals, rosettes, and pearls. 


If you have an elaborate hairstyle to hold up, try using those wide-toothed french hairpins, because you don't have to pry them open, and they are bigger, they will slide in a little easier and stay put.


If you are wearing a net dupatta, scrape the rubbery nub of plastic off the ends of the pins, and pass them through the holes, close to the seam of the border, so they don't damage the material.  Also, try hand-washing the dupatta in warm water with some baking soda based detergent to soften it up for a prettier drape.


How to Pin the Dupatta
When it comes to actually pinning them into your dupatta, you have several options, the first one being to poke through the dupatta with the pins.  Depending on the durability of your material, this is a risky option, but if you stay close to the seams, you will have less trouble.

Bullion stitches.  Picture Credit: Brazillian Embroidery

If you, or someone you know is handy with a thread and needle, get stitches sewn to the inside border of the dupatta through which you can hook the pins.  The best stitches are bullion stithces, sometimes used with hook closures on the back of dresses.  Click here to see how to stitch them.

Hook and Eye Closure. Picture credit: A.Y.N.

 Or, try using the eye part of the hook and eye combo that usually goes in the back of dresses.  I'm not too keen on this one because I feel the pins slide around a little too much with the the metal eyes.  I recommend this style for a lighter dupatta.


Alternatively, if you have decorative pins, or they won't be showing you can just slide them in over your dupatta into your hair.  This is best if you are tucking the edge of your dupatta behind your ears.