I Do's Wedding Hair - Stylist Dianna Perona

As a wedding coordinator, a lot of my clients ask me for recommendations for bridal makeup and hair. One of my recent “discoveries” is Dianna Perona of I-Do’s Wedding Hair, based in Palo Alto.

Since I’m getting married this year too, I had Dianna give me a hair trial. Our wedding style will be vintage, with a dash of Southern bluegrass goodness. I’m planning to wear a birdcage veil and Dianna recommended I go with finger waves. It turned out very cute!

I sat down with Dianna and asked her to share a little bit more about herself with us, since she recently moved from Los Angeles to the San Francisco Bay Area and is establishing her thriving business here:

1. Why did you decide to go into hair/beauty? What are you passionate about?
It was my natural skill in styling hair that initially inspired my decision to go to Cosmetology School. Thirteen years later, I am still excited and fulfilled in my career choice. I am passionate about the connections I make with my clients that go beyond a great haircut — I love the instant gratification that I get all throughout the day each time I spin the client around to view the finished product of their service and seeing their reactions. I am truly most inspired by and passionate about my bridal services: it is such an honor to be a part of a bride’s ‘Big Day’. I’m a romantic, what can I say?

2. How would you describe your own personal style?
I would describe my personal style as tailored, chic, and old Hollywood.

3. What do you think sets you apart from other stylists?
I think what sets me apart from other stylists is my first-class level of service and my honest excitement and passion for my craft.

4. What is your favorite part of a wedding?
That is a tough one! I am a romantic, so of course I love the vow exchange. But, as a stylist, I love the pre-wedding getting ready get together with the bridal party. It is so much fun, and I love seeing the whole look come together when my brides put their dresses on!

5. Describe how you would conduct a consultation with a bride. What should she bring?
My trial-run appointments are 2-hours long. We would have a thorough discussion about all of the details of the day and then choose different hair looks to try. The end result is a custom hair design for their signature bridal look. I would ask that they bring a camera, any veil or headpiece that they may have, any magazine pictures of styles they like, a picture of the dress, and invite a girlfriend, a mom, etc.

6. What has been your favorite wedding so far? What made it so special?
So far my favorite wedding has been my own, no need for explanation there. But, another favorite was my best girlfriend’s — I was maid of honor and the styled hair for 7 people total. Not only was it special because she is like a sister to me, but being able to make her feel like the gorgeous fairytale bride she imagined was so fulfilling to me.

7. What would be your dream wedding to work on?
My dream wedding, also a tough question, I love them all. I always love a theme style wedding, I love old Hollywood glam hair and love the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s styles.

I Do Wedding Hair by Dianna Perona

I Do Wedding Hair by Dianna Perona "Classic Princess"

Today, we are very excited to have a guest post from Heather Ferrai, founder of All Set, and all around table-top design diva. All Set is a peninsula based table decor company that is committed to creating and designing memorable tables on a budget.

Heather’s energy is infectious and her attention to detail and sophisticated designs never fail to impress. That is why I asked her to provide you with some inspiration for choosing your colors for your upcoming wedding.

ROYALTY REDONE By Heather Ferrai

When predicting the wedding trends of the future it is often helpful to study the past. History has a tendency of repeating itself- why should color trends be any different? In medieval Europe, the color that an individual wore represented their rank amongst society. The blue dyes that were used to create beautiful royal purple garments were rare and very expensive; therefore, the color purple was worn only by the wealthy and the aristocracy.

Fast forward- centuries later and the color purple is still associated with royalty, riches, and luxury. Purple combines the passion and energy of red with the stability and calm of the color blue. Are you convinced yet?

When selecting your wedding colors it might feel like the biggest decision of your life- similar to when your mother only allowed you to buy one new marker from the art store… but which color will it be?!? In most cases a front runner is selected and then an accent color is assigned. This is a great compromise, but a trend of the past. Narrow it down, process of elimination, eeny meeny miny moe- do whatever it takes to select just one color. My suggestion, purple. Add dimension to your color scheme (black, white, and purple) by selecting two additional shades of purple to work with. Ideally these additional two colors would be within the same color palette as the initial purple chosen- a shade lighter and a shade darker.

The variation of purples should been seen throughout the wedding design- from invitations, to florals, to your bridesmaid dresses. You will be pleasantly surprised at the cohesiveness of the design on your big day.

By Erin Frank

Yesterday I got an education in wedding planning from Bay Area bridal professionals at Wedding University, presented by Wedding 360 at the Four Seasons Hotel, Silicon Valley.  Wedding University, now in its second year, is a new and different take on bridal shows.  Rather than a ballroom filled with vendors who inundate you with business cards, samples, inspiration, and temptation and leave you feeling confused and overwhelmed, Wedding University provides advice and guidelines from industry insiders with years of experience.  The goal is to educate and empower you, not to sell you services (though, of course, they are always happy to have your business).

Topics covered include photography, music and entertainment, decor and design, and much more.  It’s a full day of “classes” with frequent breaks during which the Four Seasons catering staff plies you with tasty treats.  From the mimosa brunch to the sliders and cake it’s a day chock-full of food and information.  Always a star student, I made sure to take notes and from them I’ve compiled my top tips from Wedding University. Sharpen your No. 2 pencils and get ready to learn!

Top Ten Tips From Wedding University:

1) Consider a bridal planner, says Mary Dan-McNamee, author of Wedding Wisdom. “We get married 20 or 30 times a year” compared to your experience as a newbie.  It helps to have a seasoned veteran on your side.

2) We all want that “glossy magazine” look for our wedding.  But know what you are looking at, says McNamee, “The weddings you see in magazines cost $700-$1000 per person.”  Suddenly your guest list is looking shorter, right?  Don’t worry, with good help and a creative eye you can host a similarly lovely wedding for roughly $300-$500, or even less if you are willing to compromise.

3) Define your wedding style clearly—you may want a “modern” wedding, but what does that mean?  “Pop modern,” “sweet modern,” “glam modern,” urban modern?”  Bring stacks of magazine pages with the style you like to any initial vendor meeting.

4) Avoid photography trends like coloring the bouquet or a fish eye lens, says photographer Kevin Chin.  In just a few years they can make your photos look dated.

5) Paul Kuhn, Director of Catering at the Four Seasons Silicon Valley, had great suggestions for the bar: “Don’t be afraid to ask about pricing,” Kuhn says, “at some venues soft drinks and juices can be a surprising $6 to $8 per glass.  You’ll want to be prepared for that.”

6) Don’t assume anything about a venue, advises Kuhn—be sure to ask if refills will be given if people drink too quickly during toasts, and ask about a venue’s policy on tip jars or any other details.

7) When it comes to your wedding soundtrack, DJ & Master of Ceremonies Ron Grandia warns:  Avoid horns during cocktail hour and speeches.  Did you know that a saxophone occupies the same space in your head as conversation does?  This makes voices more difficult to register.

8] Give your Master of Ceremonies the keys to succeed.  Your parents names’ may be Robert and Kimberly and their last names Wilson, but introducing them as “Robert and Kimberley Wilson” will make folks uncomfortable when “Mr. Robert Wilson and Ms. Kimberly Wilson and her husband John” is more appropriate.

9) Thinking of hair extensions for the big day? What looks great then might look a mess after a week on the beach.  Stylist Armando Sarabia recommends clip-on extensions to avoid newlywed bed head later.

10) Tuck aloe-free baby wipes in your emergency kit, suggests Gabrielle Medrano-Contreras of Gabrielle’s Bridal Atelier.  They’re great for removing a multitude of smudges and stains on wedding dresses, even lipstick.

By Megan Peters

Since I am always looking online for things I need for my wedding. I have finally stumbled upon a few gorgeous dresses and at unbelievable prices. If you look carefully and are patient you will find the pot of gold! I promise. Here is my favorite site I have found www.inweddingdress.com.  They actually carry sizes 2- 26w or you can custom size. This is perfect for me because not only am I large I am also 5’11’’ which means most ready made gowns are not long enough for me, another added hassle to my shopping. I have noticed not many plus size bridal sites will let you customize dresses and that’s why this site is a beauty. I am such a fan of the fit-n-flare styles as well as the A-line satin strapless dresses they carry. I am thinking maybe I will just order my top two favorites and then eBay the one I don’t want since they are all under $250.

Soon I will be making an appointment at Trudy’s, a bridal salon in the Bay Area that stock some in store plus size dresses. However, I am much more excited that they are having a “Gorgeous with Curves” fashion show in March than my dress appointment. The show will be featuring beautiful plus size bride’s size 18-24w. Maybe seeing someone my own size in a bridal gown for a change will get me more excited about shopping. Currently I am feeling a little bummed as I flip through bridal magazines and only seeing one to three pictures of plus size brides. Where is the representation? Come on now, don’t they know the average woman is a size 14?

By Elizabeth Zachry

Lately I’ve noticed an increasing number of party invitations arriving via e-mail.  I know it is cheaper and much less time consuming than creating paper invitations, but how do you make an evite classy?  The answer…Paperless Post!

Invitations sent by Paperless Post arrive via e-mail and look like a typical envelope you would find in your mailbox.  When you click on it, the envelope opens and out pops the invitation.  Clicking on the invitation generates an RSVP to the host.

I decided to give Paperless Post a try and created an invitation to a bachelorette party.  The choices for invitations seemed endless with a large variety of colors and backgrounds, font styles, and pictures.  For more personalized invitations you even have the option to upload your own photos.  In under ten minutes, and for about thirteen cents a card, I was able to create something environmentally and user friendly.

With Paperless Post you still have a classy invitation but at a much lower cost.  What do you think about going paperless?

I finally decided, after much searching, that I’m going to get my dress custom-made. For the price that many off-the-rack dresses were going to be PLUS alterations, it just didn’t make sense to me to do it any other way.

Enter Suzanne at Atelier des Modistes. She’s owned this beautiful little shop in Russian Hill for over ten years now, and her expertise shows. She got really excited when I started to tell her about what I wanted and jumped on the idea right away. We talked about what we would envision for my look on my wedding day and I felt like I was at a brainstorming session with a creative collaborator. She was a great listener and I have no doubt that she understands exactly what I want.

After several months of disappointed shopping, I’m finally excited about my wedding dress!

The Nitty Gritty: if you want to meet with her to discuss a dress or try on any samples in the shop, call and make an appointment. You can look at different fabrics and photos with her and talk about what kind of dress you’re interested in.  She’ll give you her undivided attention and a price quote by the end of your meeting.

Aiko Designs

I met Christine Aiko Beck of Aiko Designs at the SF Wedding Fair a few weeks ago and I was drawn like a magnet to her organic and distinct designs.  I asked Christine to share a little bit more about herself for us so that we could get to know the artist behind the fabulous designs!

1. Why did you decide to go into jewelry? What are you passionate about?
Growing up, I was interested in fashion and wanted to be an artist, but I couldn’t draw and just couldn’t seem to find the right medium.  Over the years, I continued to take various classes and look into new mediums to nurture my creative side but still, nothing seemed to stick.  Eventually, jewelry was one of the mediums I took up as a hobby and finally, I discovered something I loved, something that was going to stick!  It took a while to go from the hobby to the business, but it grew organically and I still love what I do — creating pretty things that other people love as well.

2. How would you describe your style? What do you think sets you apart from other artisans?
I describe my style as sophisticated and elegant, organic yet ethereal.  My designs are very simple and subtle, but strikingly pretty and feminine.  I think my designs are thoughtful and my jewelry is special — details are important to me.  It’s not always easy to create simple designs that are unique, interesting and pretty — some designers just can’t do simple and tend to over-design.

3. What is your favorite part of a wedding?
When the bride and groom are announced and walk down the aisle together — I love to see the looks on their faces!

4. What has been your favorite wedding so far? What made it so special?
My friends Chris and Sarah were married several years ago in Sayulita, Mexico.  The wedding took place at a villa overlooking the ocean and was absolutely gorgeous!  Sarah is a graphic designer so her sense of style and unique touches made the wedding so lovely.  Luckily, some of her close friends are floral designers, photographers and jewelry designers (me!) and we were able to participate in helping her prepare and provide her with our individual specialties.  The combination of location, friends, family and fun made it quite special.

5. What would be your dream wedding to work on?
It’s always nice when someone you admire (i.e., another artist, someone with amazing style) compliments your work, so my dream wedding to work on would probably be with someone like that.  In my dream wedding scenario, I’d have sufficient time (and an open budget) to create something special and unique for the bride, bridesmaids and family/friends.  Also, ideally, I’d get to attend the wedding and it would be somewhere fantastic!

6. For fun: what’s your guilty pleasure? What can’t you leave home without?
I am guilty of collecting and loving accessories that aren’t my own jewelry (hats, scarves, handbags, etc…)!  There are some days where I’ll forget to wear a piece of my jewelry, but will have both a hat and scarf on…oopsie!

Here are more designs from Aiko — aren’t they lovely?

Aiko Designs Blue Topaz Drops

Aiko Designs Gold Moons Earrings

With so many upcoming wedding events, the decision on where to spend your time can be very confusing. We feel the same here at Bay Area Bride Guide. But, BABG is here to make your life a little easier.

Two of our bloggers, Erin Frank and Megan Peters will be attending the Wedding University on 1/31 at the Four Seasons Silicon Valley.

We highly recommend you check it out. But, In case you are not able to attend, have no fear! Our bloggers will cover the event for you so that you can get the latest scoop on all your wedding planning needs.

Planning the perfect wedding can be exciting and fun. But with so many details and decisions, it can be stressful, too. The Wedding University will help you evaluate options, make decisions and design a wedding celebration that truly expresses who you are.

The leadership team at The Wedding University is dedicated to making wedding planning more enjoyable for engaged couples, by educating and pampering them. The teachers are among the most knowledgeable wedding professionals working today, brimming with fresh, creative ideas and ready to answer your questions about everything from wedding etiquette to choosing flowers, menus and music. Ideas are illustrated with examples that allow you to see how concepts can be brought to life or modified to meet your needs. It is an event not to be missed!

Check back here next week for highlights from the Wedding University!

By Erin Frank

If you are looking for something a little non-traditional for your wedding invitations, you’ll definitely want to check out Bon Moment.  I recently talked with design duo Denise Stockman and Maureen Jann, a Berkeley and Seattle-based pair of artists who are pushing the envelope on wedding stationery.  Here’s a look at their desirable designs, plus a few tips on timing from these pros.

BABG: How did Bon Moment get started?

Bon Moment: We strive to create wedding stationery for the rest of us.  When we think about weddings, flowers and swirls never seem to fit. Pastels and petals seemed a bit too fussy for us and we don’t think we’re alone.  That’s why we’ve created wedding invitation suites that befits a couple that dances to the beat of their own drum.

As for how we got started…  Maureen was planning her wedding and she couldn’t find anything that really reflected what she was looking for in wedding stationery.  That frustrating experience inspired the idea for doing a wedding stationery business, but she knew she didn’t want to do it on her own. She needed a capable and inspired partner to make the business as amazing as she thought it could be.  She hooked up with her long time friend and crafting buddy, Denise.  Together we formed Bon Moment and built a product offering that we think will inspire other brides and suit their tastes, just like ours.  So far, we’re kicking butt and taking names.

BABG: What are some of your other favorite designs?

BABG: Do you have any tips or tricks you’d like to offer our couples?

Bon Moment: We love Save the Dates! They are helpful and informative. Generally we recommend them to couples who have guests coming from out of state or flying to remote locations for their destination weddings. It’s best to send your cards out between 6 and 9 months before you’re getting married.  If you’re getting married on a holiday weekend or you’re tying the knot in Ireland and your friends and family are from California, you might even want to send it a year in advance to give people time to plan.

A little Save the Date Tip: Be sure to include your location on your Save the Date!  It seems a little obvious, but when you’re getting caught up in the planning it would be an easy thing to overlook!

Invitations usually go out about 60 days before your wedding. Destination weddings invitations can go out 90 days before the wedding, but some couples opt to create a wedding website and include the web address on the Save the Date so guests can get up-to-the-minute information about lodgings and events.

The Manners Maven Emily Post recommends that couples send out Thank You Notes within 3 months of receiving the gift and we agree.  There’s nothing like waiting for the Thank You note that never comes, or maybe even worse, a Thank You note that comes too late.

A little Thank You Note Tip: When opening your gifts, be sure to designate a note taker. They can note the gift and who its from to make writing your thank you notes easier!

By Megan Peters
Welcome everyone to your very own plus size bride-to-be blog. Let me tell you I am excited to be here and really hope that I can bring some of my own experiences and recommendations as a plus size bride to help you all out there. I wish there was a blog for me to read that was purely dedicated to being plus size and getting married. I know it’s stressful being a bride, but a plus size bride has even more to worry about. Where are we going to find the perfect size 14w-26W and up dress?  Why does there have to a be a weight limit for horseback riding? Doe’s that mean no romantic ride down the beach on your honeymoon? Where am I going to find sexy lingerie for my wedding night? These are some of the questions I have been trying to answer while I am busy preparing for my wedding this fall 2010.

A little dress shopping never hurt, right? Most women are excited to go shopping. I am not one of those women; it takes me way longer to find something than the “normal” size woman. My first stop in dress shopping was David’s Bridal. It’s highly advertised that they carry many plus size dresses or as they kindly call it DB Woman. I took my mother and a very close bridesmaid with me to my appointment. I am really set on a strapless dress but am open to how it looks as far as the shape goes. Of course my consultant recommended all A-line dresses. She said, “ They are very flattering to a larger body type” which I know is true but I would love to experience something else just to compare. After uncomfortably trying on dress after dress I was not in love with enough to show outside of the dressing room. I finally came out of the room wearing a beautiful silk A-line strapless gown with crystal-beaded details and a long train. I’ll admit I was a little teary eyed because it was so beautiful and my family and friends thought so too. Then I got a glance of the woman and her mother behind me through the mirror. I could feel those judgmental eyes darting my way. For a brief moment it nearly ruined my dress shopping experience. I took a deep breath and didn’t let it effect me. I may have made it through that one time but I have heard horror stories about situations at bridal stores being a hard to fit bride. My bridesmaid later told me “I don’t know how you did all that in front of the whole store, I would be nervous to show my body, that is so you to be able to do that.” That is right, that is SO me. I may be big but that doesn’t mean I have to hide myself.

The best advice I have been given about my size is “love your plus size body the way it is and at any size”. I say dress according to your own taste and pick a fit that flatters your shape just like any other woman. I may not have found the most perfect dress for my special day but I did find out that my friend is proud of how confident I am in my own body. I only hope that I can help someone else feel that way too. The dress I found was beautiful but I know when I find the right one I will have an even bigger, overwhelmingly, happy moment then just a little teary. I look back and think maybe those little tears were coming because it hit me I am really getting married. That’s right, plus size girls do find love!