Burning River Wedding: Gettin' Prettified

Despite only a few hours of sleep and feeling like complete crap, I pulled myself together and started getting ready. I inhaled the granola bar and the ginger ale was really helping my stomach. Once all of the girls arrived I ordered breakfast for everyone...you have no idea how much I was looking forward to eggs and ham.

While we waited, the stylists got started on the girls. I also pretended the outside world didn't exist so I didn't have to witness rain on my wedding day, hence the closed curtains.

BM Helen and BM Ena. Sorry Helen, I had to do it :) 

We all looked a bit rough that morning

*Photo courtesy of BM Nikki*

I got a head start on my make up before BM Bree tackled my hair. I'm glad I left plenty of buffer time in the schedule because doing my own make up definitely took longer than normal. 

Right before we started my hair, our photographers arrived! I was SO happy to see them. I hired them over a year before the wedding and stalked them for nearly a year before I booked, so this was a long time in the making. Rachel is a beautiful person with amazing talent and I was so thankful to have her with me the morning of my wedding. I really should have insisted we take a picture with our photographers. They truly are special people.

Bree requested we start with freshly washed hair because her philosophy is you can always make it "dirtier" but you can't ever make it "cleaner." Makes sense to me! She started by blowing out my hair the way only she knows how. Sigh...I'm a lucky girl. Then she curled it and began pinning.

There's a smile from Mama P! One of the few caught on camera that day.

Laughs all around...I was feeling much better by now.

I also worked on my face a bit while Bree pinned. This was harder than it looks.

Some of my favorite pictures of the day are the ones Rachel captured of everyone laughing and having a good time. My goal was to create a relaxed and happy environment, free from stress and drama. I think the pictures showcase this.

I spy with my little eye....a mother-in-law-to-be!

The suite was definitely buzzing with activity. We put the finishing touches on my hair and make up:

The moms got their hairs did:

And the ladies prettied themselves up:

*Photo courtesy of BM Nikki*

Next thing I knew...it was time to put on The Dress! And guess what: we were totally on schedule!! I couldn't believe it. We actually had time to spare.

Burning River Bride Tip (I've lost track of the numbers...whoops): Create a TON of buffer time in your wedding morning schedule. If you think something is going to take 30 minutes, give yourself 45. We managed to stay on time all day which I hear never happens. We started really early (8am), but we were relaxed and not rushed.

Next Up: I become a Bride

Was your wedding morning crazy and rushed or pure serenity?

**All photos by Linczak Photography unless otherwise noted. Do not take without permission.

"Make" me up before you go go!

I knew from pretty much day 1 that I would do my own make up for the wedding. In the past when I've had my make up professionally applied the results ranged from "meh" to disastrous. For some reason make up artists tend to make me really pale even when it's the middle of summer at the peak of my tan-ness. Ugh. One guy, who supposedly worked with "celebrities" out in LA, did such a half-ass job that I had to literally FINISH applying it myself. Believe me, I could go on. Ok, rant over :)

So for such an important day, I knew I couldn't chance it. I love doing my own make up and I know what colors and applications look best on me. Plus, I have experience applying make up for professional pictures. I did my own for our engagement pics and our recent bridal session.

So I figured I should probably practice before the big day and last weekend I did just that. Needless to say, I'm super happy with the results!

Because I LOVE all of you little lambs SO much, I'm going to put up a picture of me with no make up. Please, do not be afraid. I rarely go out of the house looking like this (and trust me, I'm not fishing for compliments, I know I look like shit without make up).

I must really effing love you guys. So not cute.

And here is the end result! ::drum roll please::

I'm a new woman!

I took this one on my computer after I added a bit more eyeshadow. 

Not the best quality picture, but this was easier to do than use my point and shoot.

Close up. I'll do it a touch darker on W day.

Again, from the computer, but the colors showed up nicely.

I'll probably add a bit more blush, but other than that I'm totally happy with how it turned out. I'll also have one of my bridesmaids carry my make up bag with me in case I need to touch up (which I'm sure I will).

Do you guys want me to do a post about the products I used an a little tutorial? If you're interested let me know, I'm happy to write one up.

Are you doing any beauty DIY for your wedding day or are you leaving it to the professionals?

I gots mah hurr did: part deux!

BM Breeze was in town for my shower last weekend (more on that soon!) and agreed to do another hair trial. Ah, the perks of having your FSIL do your hair.

You may remember these posts about my hair inspiration and first hair trial. While I loved what Breeze did the first time, it still didn't feel completely "me." This time I asked her to make it bigger and the results were amazing!

My camera was completely dead after taking those two pics so we weren't able to get a great shot of the front. Oh and of course I forgot my hair flower. But I assure you, it's fabulous and I'm extremely happy.

There are absolutely no products in my hair (we also started with clean hair rather than starting with day-old dirty hair; this is Breeze's preference) and the bobby pins were kind of crappy (my fault, whoopsie!) so this is a bit messier than how it will look on the wedding day. Breeze assured me that her up-do's have massive staying power, and of course I trust her.

I wish I had taken a pic of my hair when I took it down. Oh my gosh, SO glamorous! And then even after I slept on it, it still looked fabulous! I wish Bree could do my hair like that every single day of my life.

Did your hair go through numerous revisions or did you have a concrete idea of what you wanted?

Size Matters

I know you've all been waiting with baited breath for a recap of my bachelorette party, and I promise it's coming...once I figure out my new Mac. Yes, I got a new computer and if you've been following me on Twitter you know that I sort of hate it. Hate is a strong word, I know. So maybe what I actually hate is having to learn a completely new operating system. So once I figure it all out, you'll get a recap. Let me just say that it was a BLAST.

But for now I want to talk about something that we all know is true but no one wants to admit. Size matters. Don't lie and tell me it doesn't matter to you, because I'm going to call BS. Yes girls, so many of us wish for thick, full, and long....
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EYELASHES! Get yer minds outta the gutter!

A few days before my bachelorette party I was playing around with make up and fake eyelashes. While I'm pretty darn good at doing my own make up, I pretty much SUCK at applying fake eyelashes. The glue and the placement...it's just a mess. I even used Miss Rainbow's awesome tutorial, but alas, they looked and felt weird.

Frustrated, I remembered posts from Mrs. Caramel and Miss Fro Yo who both got eyelash extensions with amazing results. I did a bit of Googling and found Exclusive Eyelash Designs and Spa. I pondered the price for about 5 minutes and decided it was totally worth it. Luckily she was able to fit me in the next day!

Since I know you're waiting for pictures I'll get to those first then explain the process.

My eyes before (no make up...I can't believe I'm posting this.)

Ok, not terribly short or sparse or anything, but I felt like they needed a bit of oomph.

So 2 hours and about 200 individual lashes later I had this:

I love them! They look a little wonky because I had just woken up, but once you brush them they look normal. And although it looks like they make my eyes heavy, I'm pretty sure I was just sleepy :)

So how exactly does it work? First you start with a clean face. No lotion whatsoever. Next, you settle in for a nice 2 hour rest. A quick procedure it is not, my friends. But look at the results! The person applying the lashes tapes down your eyelids and pulls the skin around your eyes taught so she can see each individual lash. Then the magic happens. She applies a synthetic lash to each individual lash. Each. One. Not your skin, your lash. That's just crazy to me and I know I would never have the patience to do that for a living. A few hours (and a few hundred dollars) later you have some long-ass lashes.

Upkeep is pretty easy: sleep on your back and don't get them wet. Also, don't use any oil-based products around your eyes. Oh, and no mascara allowed!

I paid about $250 for my eyelashes. I know, that's a lot of money. I know. I actually got a "deal" (if you want to call it that) because she applied about 100 lashes per eye which usually costs $400. I'm not really clear as to why I got this deal, but I wasn't about to question it ;) It's recommended that you go in every 2 weeks for a refill (which costs about $50) but I don't think I'll be doing that. However, I will definitely get these again for the wedding day. I'm sure there are better things I could spend my money on, but hey, we all have our priorities. Mine just happens to be my vanity!

I'm happy to answer any questions so feel free to ask away in the comments!

Is there anything you're splurging on for your wedding?

Let's face it

We're taking a break from invitation-mania for a bit. We have a few designs that we're trying to choose between and hopefully I'll have the final design chosen by this week!! But for now...

Girlfriends, let's talk face. Miss Rainbow is doing a series of posts on Weddingbee right now about skin care and make up (her latest is on contouring). Head on over there for some FAB tutorials.

I want to talk about the products that I'm currently using (with great success!) to help me stay grease and blemish-free, especially in these months leading up to the wedding. It's taken me a lot of trial and error, but I finally feel like I've found items that really work for me.

Let me preface this by saying I have pretty normal skin. It's not super dry, it's not super oily (although my T-zone does get oily at times) and I only experience occasional breakouts (a pimple here and there). I cannot say what these products will do for other skin types, but since I've started using them religiously, I haven't had any major break outs.

Body Wash: Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash

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I am literally OB.SESSED. with this stuff. It has completely changed my skin. If I run out of it and can't get to the store for a few days to pick up more and use any old body wash I might have, I can almost immediately tell a difference. I have a tendency to get a bit...bumpy on my chest, back, and the back of my arms. This clears it all up! I really can't say enough good things. It's a little pricey, and I go through a bottle fairly quickly, but for me it's totally worth the investment.

Cleanser: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Anti-Blemish Cleanser

 

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It doesn't get super foamy, but it does the trick. It also doesn't dry out my skin, thankfully.

Exfoliator: St. Ives Naturally Clear Blemish and Blackhead Control Apricot Scrub

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I LOVE this. I don't just use it on my face, but also my chest and the back of my arms. This product is an absolute staple in my shower. I don't use it every time I shower, but probably ever other day-ish.

Make up remover: Neutrogena Make-up Remover Cleansing Towelettes 

 

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Do not walk, RUN to your nearest CVS/Rite Aid/Wherever and buy these. I'll wait. Back? Great. These will change your life. I'm not kidding. Don't feel like washing your face after a long night out? No worries, just swipe this over your face and you're good to go. Honestly, I should buy stock in this product because I love it so much. I've tried so many other "cleansing towelettes" and none of them compare. These are the only ones that do not irritate my eyes. I've vigorously rubbed them on my eyes and they are just so gentle. But they remove make up like a dream. Josh even put them in my stocking for Christmas one year. That's when I knew he was The One. Please, go buy them.

Moisturizer: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Lotion, SPF 15

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Before I get to this product, I should explain that I have pretty sensitive eyes when it comes to putting stuff on or around them. I don't use this on my eyes because it gets in them and burns. I also have some dry skin on one of my eyes (it's very strange) so I use a really creamy, super moisturizing lotion for my eyes. Basically whatever I have on hand that I would put on the rest of my body. Ok, now that we have that out of the way, I can tell you that I have a love/hate relationship with this moisturizer. I love it because it does the trick and keeps my skin clear, but sometimes it freakin' burns! I'm pretty sure that means it's working, so I don't worry about it too much.

That's it! It seems like a lot, but it's so worth it. Vanity runs in my blood, you see, so it's important for me to look my very best. Also, notice that everything I use can be found at the grocery store or drug store. You don't need fancy-shmancy department store stuff. Actually, I may just be saying that because I can't afford fancy-shmancy.

What are your favorite skin care products? Share them in the comments!