Having your wedding makeup professional applied is more of a necessity than a splurge. We thankfully learned this the good way by scheduling Tamra Davis, wedding makeup extraordinaire, to apply the bride’s and bridesmaids’ makeup.
Tamra is a New York-native who moved to California to pursue her makeup artistry dreams. She has been a professional makeup artist for 5 years, and she has worked with Chanel, Bobbi Brown. She has also been a regional artist for Trish McEvoy. Tamra has applied makeup for numerous events, and we are so thankful that her talented artistry enhanced our event through her…
- Application of makeup for indoor and outdoor photo lighting
- Proper application and use of makeup that says on throughout the day and night
- Recommendations of certain products to reapply throughout the day (lip gloss and powder)
- Honest feedback, fair price, and her professional work ethic
Tamra also ensured our “getting ready” time went smoothly by…
- Being prepared and by being flexible
- Having a trial makeup run with the bride
- Moving between the nail salon, hotel, and church to ensure everyone had their makeup done, touched up and ready to go
- Matching colors for each person and keeping within the traditional theme
We are so thankful to have found Tamra, and we recommend you contact her via email (artbytamra@gmail.com) to learn more. Make sure to mention the Bay Area Bride Guide!
Uplighting can make a big difference in creating ambiance for your wedding! If you’re on a tight budget, you can order them from a company like Impact SF and set them up yourself. Otherwise, you can work with your DJ, caterer or wedding coordinator to order them and have the rental company deliver and install.
My fiance and I just ordered a few in blue and amber to jazz up our dance floor and reception hall. If you’re planning to use uplights too, what colors are you considering?
{Blue uplighting; photo from BizBash}
{Orange uplighting (what we’re considering); photo from Love and Splendor}
{Soft pink uplighting; photo from Hannah Days}
{Purple uplighting; photo from It’s Your Night}
{Green uplighting; photo from Pacific Weddings}
Where to order:
Da Vinci Fusion Inc.
www.davincifusion.com
Got Light
www.got-light.com
Impact Lighting & Production
510-232-5723
www.impactsf.com
McCune Audio, Video, Lighting
650-873-1111
www.mccune.com
I have heard a lot of buzz lately around different hair accessories for brides. At my friend’s wedding last month, she took off her veil after the ceremony and replaced it with a beautiful flower. Aside from a flower there are a ton of different options out there for your hair. If you are looking for something bold, that makes a statement, have you considered a peacock feather?
This fabulous clip is from Sweet Grass Mill, and I found it on Etsy. It’s gorgeous and a great price!
Sweet Grass Mill hair clip
Are you looking for something instead of the typical “behind the ear” feather? This piece from NY Jolie Jewellery is so classy and beautiful!
NY Jole Jewellery
For a more dramatic option you should look at the Alanna Bridal Peacock Feathers.
Alanna Bridal Peacock Feather
Once you get outfitted with your feathers, it’s time to shop for the rest of your wedding party. I love this cute option for your flower girl! It is from The Headband Shoppe, and the photo is by ambphotocompany.com.
The Headband Shoppe
After you select your accessories send us some photos. I love to see what you are interested in!
(All photos taken from Etsy, or the designer’s website)
I stumbled upon an adorable “all things wedding” boutique today in the East Bay and I thought I would share. Unveiled in Walnut Creek is your one stop shop for wedding ceremony and reception items, fun gifts for the entire wedding party, favors, and an awesome selection of bachelorette party items. One of the neatest products they have is the ability to design and print all of your wedding collateral. You work with their designer to create table numbers, programs, and place cards all within a theme that matches your wedding.
Unveiled also has a great website of all their products that you can order from so you don’t have to live in the area to check out this fantastic little store.
Unveiled
1513 Cypress Street
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
925-944-0132
www.unveiledbridal.net
Open Tuesday through Friday 10am-6pm
Saturday 11am-5pm
Sunday 12pm-4pm
Why pay for your honeymoon stay when you can win it? Right now, the travel website Jetset Extra (www.jetsetextra.com) is offering up the chance for one lucky couple to win a 3-night, 4-day stay on the Riviera Mayan at the JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa, Mexico. Sign up for the Jetset Extra email newsletter for a chance to win. Enter now and in the days after your wedding you could find yourself on pristine white beaches by the Caribbean sea, all thanks to Jetset Extra and JW Marriott Cancun Resort. With all the money you’ll save you’ll have more to spend on your big day!
By: Lauren and Haney
Hi Bay Area Bride Guide readers! Over the new few weeks, we are going to highlight the various vendors who helped make our big day possible. We are featuring these elements of our wedding to pass the lessons we learned–and to share some fantastic vendors with you!
Our first feature is Especially Yours Chair Covers. We understand that chair covers maybe an “extra” addition for you, but it’s worth it. We chose to have chair covers because they create a formal tone by…
- Covering an informal chair and turning it into a formal chair
- Unifying the room by accenting the wedding colors (the sash and the cover create the uniformity)
Our experience with Especially Yours was ideal from start to finish, and they are unique because they…
- Offer a wide variety and selection
- Are timely, responsive, and fair with prices
- Send you fabric samples to review
- Have a friendly and professional staff who helps you select the ideal linens for your event
Especially Yours offers full service linens (table linens and overlays), and this includes chair covers and sashes.You can contact them for more details and request an appointment at:
Tel: (415) 812-8777
Fax: (415) 354-3326
info@eychaircovers.com
http://www.eychaircovers.com
We advise contacting them sooner rather than later, because they are popular to work with. They have 6-14 bookings every weekend! If you do contact them, make sure to mention the Bay Area Bride Guide! Especially Yours is fantastic to work with, and we are thrilled to have found them. We hope this recommendation helps you, too!
A few weeks ago I was wonderfully introduced by my friend Lynn to Lilac Dress Boutique out in Alameda. I was able to spend a few hours drooling over the selection of fabulous bridal gowns, cocktail dresses, and adorable accessories. The best part was hanging with Pilar, the shop’s owner and watching her work. Check out her glowing reviews on Yelp and you will understand – this woman GETS dresses.
I watched an attractive woman in her 50’s come in looking for a mother of the bride dress for her son’s outdoor winery wedding. Pilar pulled some great finds, and helped the woman in the most amazing way accentuate her assets – it was so fun to watch her try on dresses! Pilar is the best friend you take along with you dress shopping – helping you choose things for the dressing room that you normally wouldn’t try on and give you an honest response – when it’s good or not so good! The woman left feeling confident and radiant in a great flowing print dress that was perfect for the occasion and fit her like a glove.
In terms of bridal, Pilar’s selections lean toward the sheath and A-line dresses. She also carries a line of the most beautiful eco couture dresses I have ever seen – certified organic fabrics and recycled lace.
I plan to head back there soon as I had my eye on this adorable silver and white number she has in the window with my name on it…
You must visit this store for that sweet summer sundress or a hot little number for a night out on the town and if you are a bride, Pilar will help you find the dress of your dreams.
Lilac Dress Boutique
1918 Encinal Ave
Alameda, CA
510-865-2544
Tues-Sat 10am -5pm
Photo source: Trisha Dean
By Erin Frank
Brides often hear “Search your local thrift stores for great, affordable finds for your wedding decor!” Wise advice indeed—you’ll often find vases for a steal, silver trays, or simple, touching items to accent a tabletop. But as a frequent visitor of a rather grubby Goodwill on Haight Street in San Francisco, I can attest that pawing through piles of stuff can often yield more trash than treasure and have you reaching for the Purell. Make your second-hand foraging more fun with a day trip to Petaluma, CA. There you’ll find clean, carefully curated collections at any number of great thrift and antique stores. Before you get started, make time for brunch at Della Fattoria. Their breads are outstanding, and the creamy polenta? Heaven. Then head to some of my favorites shops:
Summer Cottage Antiques
Summer Cottage Antiques brings together 30 dealers in one store. That’s 30 people out there finding what’s great, then placing it there for you to buy. I’ve had dreams about items I’ve passed up at this place, so on a recent trip I grabbed what I wanted to avoid regret later. Head to SCA if you’re looking for glassware, anything shabby chic, chandeliers, mason jars, and more. They have a few colors of some gorgeous German glass glitter too.
Chelsea Antiques
Chelsea Antiques is where Pottery Barn, Renovation Hardware, and all of those great home decor stores go for inspiration. Or at least that’s how it looks. It’s full of stunning furniture and bric-a-brac that’s catalog-, restaurant-, and designer home-ready. Wedding-friendly items include vintage bottles, wooden crates, antique globes, old typewriters, and much more. Prices can be steep. This is one to visit for inspiration, and maybe to pick up a single show-stopper item.
White Rose Antiques
A glassware haven. I was on the hunt for cake stands, which I didn’t find, but I was astounded by the number of gorgeous vases, cups, goblets, pitchers, bowls and more I found here. If you’re looking for glass, this is the place for you.
Alphabet Soup Thrift Store
I love this Alphabet Soup because it’s small. You pop in and almost immediately know whether it has something you’re looking for or not. I’ve picked up milk glass vases and silver tea service items for a pittance here.
Sacks Hospice of Petaluma
Okay, Sacks lacks a bit of the gloss and order of some of the other stores, but it’s cheap, cheap, cheap. I’ve snagged silver chafing dishes with the glass insert intact for a few dollars, and several glass dishes or vases for less than a dollar.
Note: Several of the stores are not open on Sundays, so check ahead and plan accordingly.
Summer Cottage Antiques
153 Kentucky Street
707-776-2873
www.summercottageantiques.com
Chelsea Antiques
148 Petaluma Boulevard North
(707) 763-7686
White Rose Antiques
523 Petaluma Boulevard South
707-763-7371
Alphabet Soup Thrift Store
213 Western Avenue
(707) 776-4620
Sacks Hospice of Petaluma
128 Liberty Street
(707) 765-2228
By Lauren and Haney
Check out our wedding photo highlights below! Enjoy!
Wedding Ceremony (© Rick McKay)
The traditions of the Catholic Church, carried out in the interfaith tradition of the Stanford Memorial Church, represent family values and togetherness. Also, the beautiful grounds of Stanford University, an institution that has given so much to the couple, represents the importance of education.
Military Sword Arch (© Rick McKay)
The military sword arch with members of various uniformed services represents the discipline, honor, and tradition of those men and women in uniform today.
Korean “paebaek” Traditional Wedding Ceremony (© Rick McKay)
The Korean “paebaek” traditional dress and the bowing and tea ceremonies represent the payment of respect to elders; the tossing of dates and chestnuts represent ancient legends as the number of children the new couple will have; and the nearly comical carrying of the bride by the groom represents strength.
I’ve lost about 14-15 pounds as my 10/10/10 wedding approaches, but so far I’ve still got the jiggly arms since I haven’t been doing weight training consistently. My dress is strapless and I’m worrying about the chicken cutlets that threaten to hang out over the sides of my dress. Eeks!!!
Uptown Urban Craft to the rescue! For $74, I can get this cute bolero in taffeta and choose from seven colors. Unfortunately, teal or orange aren’t among the choices (mostly pastel), but I suppose the brown will go best with my champagne colored dress.
{Photo from Uptown Urban Craft}
Another one that’s really sweet is this art noveau inspired number, called La Belle Epoque.
{Photo from Uptown Urban Craft}
