Beau Ideal expands!

OMG! This year’s wedding season has hit fast and hard!

Yay!

I have so many beautiful weddings to post and am so busy with trial run throughs and establishing a second team of Artists for Beau Ideal Beauty that I have gotten really behind in my posts!

Speaking of Beau Ideal expanding, I would love to announce that I have now added some fantastic new Artists to Beau Ideal!

My new number one, right hand Hairstylist and Makeup Artist, Amber joined me at the very beginning of the year and we did our first wedding in January together.

By our 3rd wedding together, when she suggested we add Groom’s grooming to our business, I knew I had a great associate here. Amber just graduated from the acclaimed Paul Mitchell Cosmetology school. You may have seen her on some of my past posts, she is the beautiful young woman with the fantastic red hair.

By now we have done 14 weddings together and several trial run throughs.

Amber has a tremendous talent and a fantastic outgoing and fun personality. We have the best time with our Brides and Bridesmaids as we spend the mornings getting everyone beautified!

Also, while I have over 20 years experience doing makeup and hair in Film,TV, Photo Shoots, and Weddings, Amber is a self proclaimed “Hair Dork”. Meaning that she loves knowing the science behind why hair reacts the way it does to chemicals and heat etc. When I hear her explain why, in technical terms, spraying  the hair with a wet setting spray/heat protectant really locks in the curl,I find my self saying “Really? Wow! I didn’t know that, I just knew it worked.”

Amber works primarily with me as a Hairstylist, but is also actively learning my makeup techniques for which Beau Ideal has become known for; natural, soft, and beautifully blended with the airbrush.

When Beau Ideal has 2 weddings in a day, Amber goes out with the B (Brilliant) team and then Caitlin works with me as the Hairstylist on my team, the A(Awesome) team.

Caitlin also just graduated from Paul Mitchell and was introduced to me by Amber. Caitlin already has an airbrush and has regularly worked with it, so she is a special addition to Beau Ideal. It is great to know that I have fantastic Artists who can do both hair and also makeup when needed.She also has a wonderful fun personality, something very welcome during the sometimes pressure filled wedding day.

And finally, but definitely not least, is Kristin, Beau Ideal’s new Makeup Artist.

Kristin graduated from the Academy of Makeup and Fashion.

I met Kristin when Amber gave her my name to do her makeup for her upcoming wedding. I feel Kristin is special in that she has an intuitive ability to know exactly what a client wants and likes in makeup.One thing led to another and now we have spent quite a bit of time together exchanging makeup tips and tricks and doing makeups and establishing a relationship with all the Pro stores in Hollywood. Kristin and I really had a wonderful whirlwind day driving around LA hitting, Frends, Naimie’s, Nigel’s, Dinair Airbrush Academy, and the MAC Pro store.

Now Beau Ideal’s Brilliant team has a kit with an airbrush and our signature foundation and the makeup that gives Beau Ideal it’s distinctive look.

With the addition of Men’s Grooming and both the Awesome team (me and Caitlin) and the Brilliant team (Amber and Kristin), Beau Ideal is headed for a fantastic summer of beautiful Brides and Bridal parties and well groomed Groomsmen!

Blair and Michael, Ojai Valley Inn and Spa

This last weekend was a doozy when it comes to weddings! The wedding of William and Kate on Friday and then Blair and Michael’s on Saturday! I personally think Blair’s was more beautiful and she looked so gorgeous!

We were at the fantastically beautiful Ojai Valley Inn and Spa, and the wedding took place in the amazing Herb Garden.

The ceremony site, the Herb Garden.

Beau Ideal had a full team doing make-up and hair, we had 9 make-ups and hairs and 1 make-up only and of course the bride!

My good friend Vicki took a day off her business (www.bridalbeauty.info) to help me out. I love my awesome friends who are such a great support!

Vicki and I worked together in the TV and film industry and have been friends for a long time, since we worked on “The Wonder Years”.

So Vicki helped out doing 5 make-ups, while I did 4 and also Blairs make-up and hair.

She brought her sister in law, Jill to help with hair, and Jill’s daughter Makayela helped wherever she could and did a make-up.

Of course I had Amber with me doing hair as well.

Amber, Vicki and I working away!

Jill was across the room.

We were a make-up and hair machine!

Blair in the works.

The pave brooch.

I did Blair’s hair down and romantic and wavy, with an antique brooch from her Grandmother in it.

I curled her hair by wrapping it around the iron, and then brushed the curls out.

I loved her Peony bouquet!

Perfect weather, and a great group of Bridesmaids and Groomsmen!

Under the Wisteria.

While the Bridesmaids and Groomsmen walked down the isle, Blair’s father gave her a break and let her sit on his lap. So sweet!

Thanks again Amber, Vicki, Jill, and Makayela!

Good job, look at these beauties!

Hartley Botanical Gardens and Padre Serra Bridal Show

On April 10th I did a bridal fair at Padre Serra Church in Camarillo. Hartley Botanical Gardens co hosted the fair along with Command Performance Catering. I set up my table and was able to demonstrate  my airbrush make-up to the future brides and their families.

The reception hall at Padre Serra was light and airy and I did not need my light this time.

The floral theme was yellow.

As the brides tasted the delicious food from Command Performance, they were also able to check out the rest of us vendors and talk to us about their weddings.

Belle of the Ball Florals provided some of the decor they rent as well as the 1/2 of the floral designs around the room.

There were several members of Women of Weddings there: Belle of the Ball Floral Design, Reverend Barbara Laughray, Pastries by Vreeke, Mia Bella Wedding Coordination, and me Beau Ideal Beauty. I tried to get better picture of the other vendors tables, the doors opened and I soon got busy doing makeups.

I booked several weddings!

One of the perks of doing Bridal Fairs and knowing the florists is getting to take home gorgeous floral arrangements!

Retro Pinup Makeup and Hair Photo Shoot

Saturday, April 9th, I was asked to work again with the gorgeous Chantelle Jackson on a shoot she organized. (This is the same beautiful model I worked with at the Mountaingate Bridal Fair and for the P.A.R.T.I. (Positive Alternative Recreational Team-Building Impacting) program fashion show. However, I misspelled her name and called her Chantal. Sorry Chantelle!)

The theme was a retro 1940's pinup feel with cars and a gritty garage as the background. Chantelle and her sister, Starr, equally beautiful, modeled some fun costumes that stylist Haven Howell pulled for us. Haven couldn't be present at the shoot because she had to work so we were left to figure it out ourselves. I'm sure Haven would have done magic with the clothes, but we did OK I think.

Chantelle and Starr, making a garage look glamourous!

It was cold, but the ladies made it look hot!

Photographer Ty Hart (bark@atomicpetportraits.com)

Chantelle

Starr and Chantelle's new puppy, Pebbles

B'nard Allen assisted me with the hair and provided his great energy and helped wherever and whenever he could.

We did a quick costume change and found another area that had some fun things to use as a backdrop.

B'nard had to leave to go to work and since the light was quickly changing to early evening we did one more quick change into cute racing costumes.

I did a on the spot hair change and took down Chantelle's and Starr's hair to give them a more modern look.

Finally we finished up with a tricked out Z.

Anyone need some long legged beauties to make their cars look good?

Jill and Dan, Sherwood Country Club

Last Sunday, April 3rd, I had the privilege of working on Jill and Dan's wedding at the gorgeous Sherwood Country Club in Westlake.

The vegan feast!

I was hired to only do Jill's hair, so I only needed my hair kit.

Sherwood is class all the way, from the fantastic spread of food for the bridal party to the gorgeous room to get ready in.

I did Jill's hair while the other girls did their own.


The bridesmaids did their own hair and make-up, and the atmosphere was really fun and upbeat. There were curling irons and cords everywhere!

This was a great group of lovely women! Jill and most of them are triathletes,
and they all did a race the day before! Amazing! They were a very close knit group and everyone gave gifts to Jill, completing her borrowed, blue , old , new tradition. Jill gave her bridesmaids beautiful pearl bracelets.

It was a lovely bridal party. This is what good health and exercise looks like:

One of our fantastic Women of Weddings members, Lori Andrews of Jazz Harp Records, performed on her harp for the ceremony and cocktail hour. Amazing and beautiful!










Reverend Kimber Wilkes, another friend in the wedding business performed the marriage ceremony with her usual grace.

It was a wonderful wedding and fun to work on!

Congratulations Jill and Dan!

Sophistafunklife Clothing photo shoot

On Saturday March 26th I again had the opportunity to work with Marquisa Jones,the designer for Sophistafunklife Clothing. We shot in Ernest E. Debs Regional Park in Los Angeles.

We all worried about the impending rain and worked as quickly as possible to get the shots before it came!

The photographer, TaShanique, tashanique@alasiphotography.com, Marquisa, and the beautiful Chelley  and I worked as a great team as we did make-up and hair on a park bench and ran around the park. Sometimes on photo shoots, especially with location photo shoots, it becomes this kind of on-the-run type situation.
Chelley changed clothes in her car!

I love working with Maquisa because I get to use fantastic makeup colors and her models have beautiful skin!

Our inspiration was Japanese street fashion.

We finally finished it off just as we felt the first sprinkles!

Gorgeous Chelley!

Cindy and Chris, 7 Dgrees, Laguna Beach, Ca.

On February 26th I traveled the 118 miles down the coast to do a wedding in my old stomping grounds, the lovely Laguna Beach, Ca. 

Having grown up in the neighboring Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, it was a pleasure to head back down to the area for Cindy and Chris's wedding.

The forecast had been for a lot of rain and very cold temperatures, but luckily the rain went through quicker than anticipated and instead Cindy and Chris had amazingly beautiful skies full of gorgeous clouds.

Cindy got ready at The Surf and Sand Resort in a room with the best view of the Pacific.

The view from Cindy's room where we did make-up and hair.

At one point, a rainbow entered the room and the photographers, Bwright Photography, were able to take photos of her shoes and jewelry on a piece of coral with the rainbow laying across it.

Brandon and Brian of Bwright Photography had just finished photographing
a close up of Cindy's jewelry on the piece of coral.

After we finished with make-up and hair we went a short distance to 7 Degrees, an art gallery and event venue. It was an amazing place with a beautiful outdoor ceremony space and a great indoor reception area.

The outdoor Ceremony site. The tent was added for the comfort of the guests and in case the rain returned.

The reception area.

Bryan and Brandon, twins, were very creative and looked like the rock stars they were as they photographed Cindy.

Cindy and her bridesmaids with Brian and Brandon, Bwright Photography.

We stayed until after the ceremony to help Cindy, (now Mrs. Shepard!) change from her wedding look to her reception look. I put her hair up and added a black silk and feather flower to her hair to match the black sash she added to the gown. It was a simple way to take a wedding dress to an evening look.

Cindy's mother and her bridesmaids helped bustle her dress for the reception.

It just goes to show you, with enough prayers and focus, the weather can cooperate and conspire to create a gorgeous day for any couple no matter how dire the forecast!

Mountaingate Country Club Bridal Fair and Parti Program Fashion Show

Hi,
Last week I had a fantastically busy week doing make-up and hair at two fashion shows.

Yes, Amber, being as indispensable as usual, helped Lisa Kasberg from
"I'm a Girl D.J." set up the lighting for the fashion show and helped me
get the models ready and also modeled. Then she helped with the
"I'm a Girl D. J." instant photo booth. Supergirl!  

The first was Tuesday,March 1st for the gorgeous Mountaingate Country Club in Los Angeles. Along with Rose Petals Bridal and Formal Dresses Store from Toluca Lake, I helped 4 lovely ladies get ready for a Bridal Fashion Show at the Mountaingate Bridal Expo. I did make-up and hair and Rose Petals dressed them in Bridal gowns. I also had a booth at the Bridal Expo and so unfortunately did not get any pictures of my models after they were dressed. We started make-up and hair at 2:30 PM and the Bridal Expo started at 6. I was just finishing up my last model as the Brides came in.

Chantal, Gigi, and Nikki. The other models at the Moutaingate Bridal Expo before they were dressed in the wedding gowns.

Of course, my table at the Bridal Expo was a prime example of the dual personality of my business: one side was Beau Ideal Beauty and lovely and girly and professional, the other side was the chaos of make-up and hair central with all the curling irons and make-up out and being used. That's my strong point, being creative under a time crunch!

The Beau Ideal Beauty side of the table.

The "get down to business" side of the table, which is actually after I had cleaned up a bit.

While I was doing make-up on one of the models, Chantal, she told me about a non profit organization she was launching in the Southern Ca. area called The Parti Program. It is a program that is quite successful in Northern Ca. but is in it's baby steps down here. It helps young people from 8 to 25 to learn leadership,volunteer and community service opportunities through fashion, modeling, performing, organizing and producing events. Chantal was planning their first fashion show, slated for the following Saturday. I love doing make-up and hair, and I love young people, so I asked if she needed help. She actually had 6 make-up and hair people scheduled from local Cosmetology schools but was happy to have me help.

I was definitely the "senior artist" there, but was welcomed warmly by the other artists.I ended up doing hair.

The energy was great, with all the excitement and anticipation of their first fashion show keeping all the young models bubbling with happiness. 

Lori

I put in some hair extensions for Lori, my first model, and curled it into a messy side ponytail.

Jackie

I then curled Jackie's hair around a small iron for a retro 70's natural look.

They had a few looks: A Black and White Look, which they styled the clothes themselves.

The Black and White Look.

Lining up outside getting ready to enter the banquet hall to walk down the runway. 

After they walked the runway, it was a quick dash back to the room to change into the next look: Camo.

The Camo look.

With the clacking of high heels ringing in the hallway, the ladies ran back to change into T-shirts designed by Tatiana,in which the name of her line is one of my favorite words, "Faith".

The "Faith" T-Shirt look. Waiting to walk down the runway.

Then back to the room for the formal dresses from Rose Petals Bridal and Formals again.

Some lovely formal dresses by Rose Petals.

Finally, the fashion show ended with some really fun designs by Marquisa Jones of Sophistafunk Life. I was able to help out here when Marquisa requested all the ladies wear red lipstick with her designs.

Sophistafunk Life, by Marquisa Jones. When I told Marquisa that her designs reminded me of some of the things we tried to put together in the 80's, she said that that was what her mom told her. I can tell her mom and I are the same age. Of course Marquisa's designs have a modern edge that we didn't in the 80's.

The young ladies did a wonderful job at sitting patiently trough make-up and hair,

and quickly running back and forth to change into the various looks!

This all happened in a very short hour and a half. 

The lovely Chantal, making sure the models walk the runway in perfect time.

One last look at Lori. 

Flashback anyone? I think I hear Cyndi Lauper in the back ground singing "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"!

Or is that just me.

; )