We girls all know how fabulous it feels to go to a good hair stylist that just ‘gets’ our hair and cuts, colours  and dries it so it looks like a better version of ourselves! The freedom,  the boost of confidence, the feeling that you’re on top of the world – you can’t beat that! So to have your hair styled to be the perfect complement to your wedding dress, allows you to feel like a princess – even if just for a day.  Today’s Expert is Kendrie from Chick Flicks She lives in Melbourne and describes her business as ‘A mobile service that brings glamour to your door….’  And who could resist that on their wedding day?

When did you first dream of becoming a hair stylist?

I first dreamt of becoming a hair stylist as a young girl. As a little dancer I was accustomed to having my hair and makeup done for performances, and I loved to learn the tricks of the trade and apply them on my friends and family. As an early teen I was the go to stylist for our friendship circle, offering some pampering in my mum’s kitchen!

Where did your career start?

My Career began in Melbourne at the award winning Salon ‘Vanity- Hair and Beauty.’ I was lucky enough to hone my skills under the wing of Carmel Kazanis who has a wealth of hairstyling knowledge. To this day I am still affiliated with the salon and always recommend my clients head to Vanity for their colors and cuts!

Image courtesy of Ryan Coonan

Are there particular challenges in styling ‘wedding hair’?

Styling wedding hair can have its challenges! Essentially a wedding day is the most important day of a bride’s life. She wants to look her absolute best, feel fantastic and confident, and a lot of that falls on to the shoulders of the stylist. Finding a beautiful balance between what the Bride wants, what will suit her dress, her face and also style of the wedding is key. I make it my job to ensure those factors align and my brides feel and look a million dollars!

Image courtesy of Ryan Coonan

Do you style hair for other sorts of events?

Chick Flicks style hair for all occasions! Parties, Functions, Debutantes, formals, girl’s nights out- everything! I even style period wigs for theatrical productions and those skills have really come in handy with the return of the ‘Vintage’ look sweeping the scene. Being mobile is what people love, coming to your home or hotel and styling you up a treat before you head out is an affordable luxury. I’ve found the ladies love my group discounts, enjoying private styling with some good friends and some champagne!

If we are having our hair coloured for the wedding, how long before the day should we do this?

I always encourage my clients to color their hair 7-10 days before the wedding, depending on their color and desired look. I like to achieve the desired shade and vibrancy, but just slightly worn in and just before re-growth rears its ugly head.

What are your secrets for great looking hair?

It has probably been heard a thousand times, but a good shampoo and conditioner and regular trims are paramount. Salon quality products can be fantastic, but are not accessible to all. I truly believe there are some excellent products available in your supermarket aisle – it’s all about trial and error. Not every product suits every head of hair; you just need to find what works best for you! Trims are simply a necessity, as is an excellent heat protection product.

Image by Teddy Tan

Are there any products you particularly recommend?

If money is no issue I can never look past Kerastase. The range is simply divine – luxury with practical purpose! The months before my wedding I bought myself numerous items from their red range to pamper myself as the wedding grew nearer – there is no denying the quality of my hair was the best it had ever been. For those on a budget, I find Tresemmé products a great, cheaper alternative. Their heat protectant spray is fabulous and excellent value for money.

Do you recommend a hair trial before the wedding day?

I think a hair trial is a must, not for me, but for the bride! Relieving any apprehension about the hair style before the big day makes for a more relaxed bride on the day of the wedding. It’s a different story for regular clients, I have lots of Brides who I have styled for occasions for years and they are more than happy to say “just do it on the day!” It is all about trust.

Image courtesy of Chick Flicks

As a bride, how do you decide whether your long hair should be ‘up or down’?

There are lots of factors that need assessment in deciding the hairstyle of a bride. What makes the bride comfortable and happy, what suits her, what suits the dress etc. My tip is collect images you like, choose some up and down and in between and be open to ideas. Most importantly play around at a dress fitting with what looks good. I was sure I wanted my hair swept up for my wedding, it was what I always assumed I would do and I was to wear a strapless gown- had to be an up-style right? Wrong! When my dress and veil were on I was completely thrown, It looked all wrong! We let down my hair into loose waves and everything changed- it was perfect!

How do you style short hair to look chic?

There is a common misconception that there is not much to do in the way of styling short hair, but I believe there is a lot you can do with short styles! Following the natural growth pattern really helps, working with the hair and how it wants to sit is a real trick with short hair. Adding a nice curl and some volume can really add a wow factor to a formal style. Slick vintage finger waves and a vibrant red lipstick is an excellent way to inject retro class to an outfit. Don’t be afraid of some teasing and some hairspray!

Should the bride and bridesmaids conform to a ‘theme’ when considering hair styles for the wedding?

Theme should always be respected, but that doesn’t mean regimented conformity! A loose through line, a subtle nod to theme is enough- for essentially the individual looking their absolute best is more important. A smart stylist can have numerous bridesmaids complimenting each other and the bride, but differently.

Image by Luke Lornie

If you could style anyone’s hair for their wedding, who would it be?

I would love to style Emma Stone for her wedding. She is effortlessly chic` with a vibrant and endearing personality. I can imagine she would choose a classic style and then give it an edgy twist! One of the things I love to do is breathe new life into a classic look, so I think Emma and I would get along famously!

What is your favorite thing to do on a weekend?

When not cuddling up on the couch with my Husband, two kids and two dogs, I do enjoy a simple night out. Good food, good wine, great company and I am in heaven! As a mum now, just a night out with adults is a welcomed event! A date night of dinner and a film may seem lack luster, but for me, it’s just perfect! I am also not opposed to the odd girl’s night out! Every now and then I need to slip on a dress, step into some heels and hit a dance floor with my best girls – its therapeutic!

Thank you Kendrie for joining us today. To find out more about Kendrie and her mobile hair styling service visit  Chick Flicks or contact her on:

Phone: 0403 682 530

Email: kendriecoonan@live.com.au

Headshot courtesy of Chick Flicks

Hair and Beauty Wisdom, What Would They Know?, Wisdom | Comments 1

Image by Denise Teo for Farah Almasi Couture via Farah Almasi Couture ‘Queen of The Jungle’ Collection

Hi Girls

A few thoughts from my perspective as a wedding dress designer on the best way to get the perfect beautiful dream gown that YOU love.

I have had visits from some of my clients who came to view wedding gowns and they brought a group of their friends with them. There are some positive and negative points about this. You, as a bride are going to wear the gown for almost 12 hrs on your wedding day. You have to be sure your gown is comfortable, easy to walk in, to move and importantly to dance and sit in.

The gown has to make you feel good about yourself, bring out your inner beauty which means bring out your personality as well as being flattering. So as you see all of the points I mention are related to you, and how you feel.

So when you bring along 5-6 people to help you to choose your gown, it can make it more confusing and far more difficult to choose what you love. What you love and feel might be very different to other people’s taste. One person disagreeing with your taste might leave you feeling confused and will make it harder to be confident in your final decision.

When you go wedding gown shopping it is more fun and exciting when you have your friends with you but choose carefully. Make sure the people you take with you know you very well, know what you like and feel and most importantly, are able to respect your opinion and allow you to choose for yourself.

Ms Gingham says: I think it’s worth doing all the preliminary wedding gown shopping with just one trusted person. If you then wish to take a group of friends with you once you have narrowed your choices down for some help then that’s ok. Great article!

About Fara Almasi – Fara Couture Wedding Dresses Perth: Fara Almasi is a couture Perth bridal gown designer with over 20 years experience. Not only does she design and alter wedding gowns she also creates stunning bridesmaids, mother of the bride and evening gowns.

Fashion Wisdom, Wisdom | Comments 1

The first of May brought with it the inaugural Wedding Showcase held at the State Library of Queensland (SLQ) and hosted by Vellum Studios. The canapés were sitting pretty and bottles of sparkling were ready to be popped as over 20 of Brisbane’s finest wedding vendors awaited the arrival of 180 excited brides (and a smattering of grooms!)

I spoke with Vellum Studios about how the Wedding Showcase came to be:

What made you decide to put on this Showcase?
We wanted a way to Showcase our photography work as well as the beautiful work of the other local vendors in a setting that was relaxed and comfortable.

What made you choose SLQ as the venue?
It is such a beautiful space and unfortunately not many people in Brisbane are aware that you can hold events there, so we thought it was the perfect place to host our Wedding Showcase.

How did you select which vendors attended?
We carefully selected vendors that were all about quality, client service, and specialised in weddings. We wanted to ensure that the couples coming to the Showcase were able to speak directly with and see and experience products from some of the best wedding vendors in Brisbane.

Rebekah Godbold is the Venue Hire Manager for SLQ. She echoes this sentiment, “The Wedding Showcase was a great opportunity to highlight our unique venues – which really have to be seen to be believed! When we saw the proposed list of vendors, we knew that they would complement the modern and sophisticated look of State Library of Queensland (SLQ).

SLQ offers a range of ceremony and reception venues with striking city views. But what really sets our venues apart are the unique architectural and quirky elements – whether it be a 6 metre high mirrored ceiling, a wall of tea cups, or a timber floor that appears suspended over the river – which our couples just love.”

Sarah-Jane from Cake That gave me an insight into her involvement in the Showcase and life as a cake artist, “I chose the [three] cakes I displayed because I like to make those type of cakes… whilst the styles are popular and engage most brides, I find it equally important to showcase and produce designs that also excite me.

It was important to me to be involved in this particular Showcase as I was surrounded by like minded vendors who I admire. Each week I get to see the best in the industry consistently producing fantastic products and services for their clients – so to be collectively under one roof was a magnificent atmosphere for those potential clients to meet their potential vendors.

My clients are always surprised about how much I ask them about their wedding and its details – colours, theme, gown, bouquet, and their personalities all play a huge part in the design I create for them. My clients value the fact that I want to know the tiniest details so that their cake can fit into their reception and make the statement that best suits their needs.”

Sarah-Jane summed it up beautifully, “People have a misconception that everything in this industry is about competition – to me it’s not. I have wonderful friends from the industry… each of us have our own style which won’t suit every client, but each of our clients will choose us because of how we fit with them.” Fantastic to see a collection of industry professionals working together!

Images by Vellum Studios

Event Reviews, Wedding Planning Wisdom, Wisdom | Comments 2

What are the top styling themes of this year? A renowned Sydney wedding planner who has brought to life the beautiful weddings of the likes of Australian personalities Ada Nicodemou, and Guy Sebastian – Anthony Del Col gives us  the lowdown of what the top three wedding themes are for the 2013/2014 wedding season.

Black and White

Choose either black or white as the main tone for the styling, think flowing white draping and pristine white tablecloths, with white flowers to add adds softness and romance to the whole look and keep in with the light-hued theme. While other bridal decorative features like black chairs and dark wall features lend drama to the overall look, you can add on splash of colour to light fixtures, chandeliers and table settings. The end result with be sophistication-central. Black accompanied with white always is – it’s fail-safe.

All White

An all white wedding theme can give an air of serenity, whimsy, and can be a thing of beauty to behold on your special day. Go classic, vintage, or modern and/or contemporary – it all comes down to how the elements are put together. Incorporating stunning clear vases with a variety of white flowers adds a truly breathtaking look to all that white space. The all-white wedding is making a large comeback with brides, likely as more couples want their wedding theme to reflect their style of living: simple, uncluttered, pared down, classic… and ultimately timeless.

Splashes of colour

The new modern bride loves colour. I often ask the bride and groom to pick four colours from a colour palette, and I incorporate these choices within elements of the styling, such as the flowers, wine goblets and table settings. As this theme is bright and summery, it is often used for outdoor weddings, tea party-style weddings, or for a bride who wants that wow factor when her guests walk into the room. And who doesn’t?

These themes will be in display at this year’s Ultimate Wedding Planning Party on May 8, Sydney Opera House.

Anthony Del Col says: “I truly look forward to explaining these three top themes, incorporating the event’s theme for the year: classic and vintage. I will also be sharing my top wedding planning tips and tricks, based on 15 years experience styling dream weddings”.

Images courtesy of Anthony Del Col

Ms Gingham says: Interesting trends that are coming our way. It’s still worth noting that your wedding should reflect who you are, so think about incorporating trends rather than following them religiously!

About Kim: “The producer of the annual Ultimate Wedding Planning Party – a glam bridal planning event showcasing all the best of Sydney’s wedding suppliers and designers. The UWPP is held annually at the Sydney Opera House!”

Styling Wisdom, Wisdom | Comments 0

1. Shark Pig – These guys are the raddest videographers on the planet. I would have liked to have promoted an Australian videographer here (which there are plenty to choose from, La Lune being my fave) but I just couldn’t overlook these mad geniuses. Their use of old school videography with newschool technology creates a surreal energetic montage of sound and imagery. THIS is what wedding videography should look like. I have tried to find an equivalent in Australia, but have had some trouble locating such original talent. I think there is a BIG hole in this market with HUGE opportunity for anyone with the goods!

2. Wil Valor – I met these two strapping young lads at a wedding fair recently and was very impressed by their take on style, fashion and masculinity. Wil Valor is made up of Mark and Vish and are the best tailors in Australia. These guys seem to be leading the way in men’s fashion and not just on the wedding scene. Their eclectic range seems to attract the groom who is looking for something edgy and Stylish (Style with a capital S). Drawing on past and current trends, I get reminded of the old-world European charm of pre-WW2 glamour, with the men looking sharp and dapper trying their best to charm the ladies, dressed to kill in their elegant and feminine couture.

3. Kari Celebrations – At #3 my favourite celebrant, Kari. Words cannot express what a presence Kari makes at a ceremony. With the compassion of the spiritually devoted, her heartfelt ceremonies evoke an acutely wise truth that lies at the centre of all relationships. Love, respect and commitment. There isn’t a dry eye in the house when Kari is weaving her magic. Photographer – Marion Jonkers Photography

4. Dan O’Day Photography -  There are a handful of photographers out there who I could have chosen as my faves for this feature. There is so much unbelievable talent out there, just in Australia alone. But, it is Dan’s work that inspires me just a little more than the others. I love how he approaches a wedding as a fine art photographer, rather than a wedding photographer. An artist who shoots weddings. And without sounding too pretentious, this is what I also strive for when I shoot a wedding. To get in my OWN zone and create images that evoke something in ME (and just hope that the clients see where I’m coming from). Dan’s perspective is one of a true craftsman. He carves beauty from the shadows just as much as the light and transforms a simple composition into a moving landscape of emotion. Photographer – Dan O’Day

5. Weddings At Tiffany’s – I have been shooting at this venue since I first started shooting weddings, and I can’t speak more highly of Tiffany’s. Not only is it one of the finest venues on the Sunshine Coast to get married (and I would even say one of the best in QLD.. Australia.. THE WORLD!!), but the folks who own and run this wonderful place are the most friendly, professional and welcoming people I have met during my time in the industry. And I think that I can speak for all of the couples who have married here too, as I only hear glowing reports. I really look forward to shooting a wedding here as it is like visiting family, so warm and hospitable. And do I even need to point out that it is one of THREE venues that has this billion dollar view??!! I don’t think so. Photographer – Luke Going Photography

6. Jennifer Gifford Designs – Jennifer’s one talented lady. Her savvy and sophisticated eye, fashions the very threads of every bride’s perfect dress (one too many puns there I think). Her dreamy elegance upholds all that is beautiful in the feminine archetype of our imagination – Sensual, Sexy & Graceful. Photographer – Feather & Stone 

Ms Gingham says: Some of my favourites here too!

About Luke Going: “If I let myself write a descriptive breakdown of all the things that made up ‘me’,  you would be bored by the second line. Because.. does all that really matter to anybody but me? I’d love to discuss all the cool things that make us unique over coffee sometime. That’s what I’m into!”

Tags www.lukegoingphotography.com | Vendor's Favourite, Wisdom | Comments 1