Wedding Hair and Make up in Spain

Once the venue is booked, the thing brides most stress over is their hair and make up. After all, they are going to be looking at their wedding photos for the rest of their life's, and want to look their very BEST for their special day. 

As every bride´s look and tastes are so different, it always good to do some research on the look they are aiming to achieve. 

As Im not a hair and make up expert, I asked the lovely Lorraine Romain of Princess Bride www.princess-bride.co.uk for some tips and advise on bridal hair and make up and here is her expert advise. 

All photos have been provided by Lorraine and these are REAL brides! 

I hope you find it of use, and thank you so much Lorraine!  x

The following advice is what I give to my brides who are considering a style that is right for them on their Big Day. 

Your Wedding Dress 

Your dress is a good place to start when choosing what hair style you want to go for.  First, it's really deciding if you want to wear your hair up or down, or half up half down. Often brides contemplate this first. 

A dress with detail at the back of the dress deserves to be shown off.

If your dress features lace detail in the bodice, and your hair is long, you may opt for an upstyle again to reveal its beauty as well as prevent your hair brushing against it making it look untidy.  

The Neckline of you Dress

An upstyle tends to compliment the following necklines:

Halter

Scoop

Jewel

T-Shirt, V-Neck

.... and avoids getting caught in the neckline.

Half up, half down hairstyles suit the following necklines:

Off-the-Shoulder

Portrait

Sweetheart

Sabrina/Bateau

These hairstyles are chosen by brides who love to wear their hair down yet still have a style that will still stay put and away from falling over their faces. With the right length to suit your dress, it will look good on camera and last throughout your day and night.

There are so many flattering hair styles that you can have yet the style of your dress, its material, its shape, it's length etc. all influence your hairstyle.

Your Wedding Date

The time of year is a big factor. For some women, hair resting on the back of their neck makes them feel hot and uncomfortable. An upstyle can keep you cool and stress free leaving you to enjoy your day whilst your hair underneath remains dry and in place.

Many brides think that because it can be hot in the summer, it can equally be humid and their hairstyle will not last. In fact, I find the atmosphere during the day to be very dry. This is great news for hair that tends to frizz at the slightest presence of moisture! 

Be aware if your functions are held right by the sea. As night falls the moisture can then rise and those whose hair is curly and porous, your style can begin to drop and your hair frizz. 

Your Wedding Ceremony Time

If the wedding is early, it might be an idea to choose a style that you know is going to be in place and look good all day for your photos. 

Having a ceremony later in the day means that you have a greater choice available to you.

                                                            

Your Character and Personal Taste 

Brides are individuals too! Your character is what comes through on the day. Your personal taste says who you are and your hair is no exception.

Classic/Trendy - vintage, era hairstyles

Chic/Stylish - wavy, little curl. Simple, neat and no fuss looking styles

Modern - twists, plaits, waves, Hollywood curls

Romantic - soft curls, soft/loose hair around the face Sophisticated - smooth,neat, structured hairstyles

Traditional - upstyle, small curls

Relaxed/laid back - beach waves and loose twists. Wore down or up.

Glamorous - body, soft curls

Current Fashion Trends

Sometimes current trends can appear in wedding fashion. Current stars in glossy magazine spreads, papped at red carpet events, and starring in reality tv shows are inspiring women for their own special events to have equally stunning hair and makeup styles. 

Your Hair Type

Your hair type can dictate the style you choose. Your hair is your identity and it is how people see you. You may want to keep your hair in its original form or change it for your big day.

Curly hair can look thick until it is straightened and straight hair may be the type that never seems to curl. Accepting this, look at styles that embrace your hair type rather than those that try to change it whereby changing you. 

Twist up hairstyles looks beautiful on Curly Hair 

Straight Hair can be moulded into stunning styles

However, all is not lost. Breakage due to chemical over processing can be hidden by opting for a curly style. 

The use of extensions can mask the signs of thin hair as well as lengthen short hair. 

Hair forms can be used to plump out upstyles giving the impression you have more hair than you normally do.

Growth pattern/Hairline

This is when your hair particularly on top, at the front or your hairline, will only sit in one direction. Be flexible to your hairstyle. 

There are some women who when wear their hair in one direction, actually suits their hair worn the opposite. 

We women say we always want what we can't have, but there are ways to go about achieving it. It's just that they take a little more time and effort to achieve.

How you Wear your Hair Everyday

If you wear your hair tied up in a pony tail everyday for work, have an elegant up style or wear it half up half down. If you wear your straight hair down, go for soft curls or a stylish upstyle. My advise is to choose a style that is a glamorous distance from how you wear your hair everyday.

High end magazines

Women's magazines can feature some current beautiful hair and makeup styles. Cut out your favourite ones and bring them to your trial for us to discuss and try out.

The Internet 

You can find 1,000's of images of hairstyles for wedding day hairstyles. I love also looking at celebrity hairstyles for formal events. If you have a favourite celebrity or whose sense of style you like, the internet will give you ample of choice to choose from. Save your most favourite images for your wedding day hairstylist.

Red carpet events

Though I found the Oscars to be rather disappointing this year for wedding day hairstyle inspiration, past red carpet events tend to often crop up on a search for hairstyles. A red carpet event is what your wedding is, so your hairstyle should be nothing less than fit for a star.  

Reality tv shows

I don't watch them all but when I do, there isn't an episode that goes by where I'm not loving the hair, the makeup and the outfit. I love sophistication, style and glamour, and some of these ladies sure know how to work it. When watching tv, have your camera, phone or device at the ready to get a good shot of the style so your hairstylist can recreate the look you want.

Once you have chosen your hairstyle, it is then up to a stylist like myself to adapt the style to suit you. All the above mentioned play a factor in me creating that perfect hairstyle for you for your Wedding Day.

Choosing Your Makeup style

Your Makeup is really the easy part. Your makeup style is really designed by how you like to wear your makeup for special occasions. The amount of makeup you apply, products you use, or the depth and intensity of colour and definition you apply it, all design your own style. 

Special Occasions

If you often do your own makeup for a special occasion, you already know how you like to look on camera and have a style in mind you love and are trying to recreate for yourself. Show a photo of this and the style you're trying to recreate and low and behold, it will result in a style you love and is ideal for you on your Wedding Day.

Lorraine Romain is an International Bridal Hairstylist, Makeup Artist and Beauty Therapist. Since 2006 she has been providing brides on the coast and inland as far as Seville and Granada, with picture perfect, flawless skin using exclusive waterproof makeup & stunning contemporary Bridal Hairstyles. 

www.princess-bride.co.uk

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Costs of a wedding in Spain

Today, I thought I would address the subject of the cost of a wedding in Spain as its a question I am asked on a daily basis. 

I think people presume that a wedding in Spain would cost less than a wedding in the UK and Ireland. Now, I can only go on what people tell me, but there seem to be some really good deals in the UK and Ireland at the moment. In Spain, on the otherhand, venues are not lowering their prices. In fact, some venue are putting their prices up! Crazy I say! No wonder the country´s ecomony is in such a mess. 

There is quite a large choice of venues in Marbella and its surrounding areas, but venue prices REALLY vary in price. Some venues are soo expensive that I dont even bother recommending them - I cant see a demand for paying 300€ per person at the moment! 

Some venues I work with offer a 1 hour drinks reception with canapes,  3 course meal including wines, centrepieces and bridal suite for as little as 48€ per head. To me, that is a really good price, but I have had clients tell me they could get it cheaper in Ireland.  

I would say the average price of a 1 hour drinks reception and 4 course meal including wine would be in the region of 80€ per head but can range from 45€ to 150€ depending on the venue. 

Some couples choke when I give them prices, but remember, having your wedding reception al fresco and in the sun is priceless. If you were getting married in the UK or in Ireland, you would definately be looking at dining in a function room or something similar. 

You should also remember that if you were having your wedding at home, you would probably have double if not more guests attend your wedding, which means you will always pay more than if you were in sunny Spain. I always find that guests are in such good form at weddings here. Im not sure if its because they are on holiday, or because its sunny, or because the drinks are flowing and they are drunk, but they are always in great spirits! 

One of the first questions I ask clients is what their budget is, and I always try and keep to their budget. More often than not I have to politley stop couples getting carried away as it is easily done. 

To give an idea of overall costs, I have had villa weddings for 50 people including everything (photographer, video, cake, flowers, entertainment, hair and make up, cars, decoration at 12,000€. 

5* hotel weddings for 50 people including everything for 14,000€. 

A spanish style restaurant for 120 people including everything for 17,000€ 

A boutique hotel for 60 guests including everything for 18,000€ 

A 4* hotel for 40 guests including everything for 9,000€ 

So, although getting married in Spain isnt cheap, I promise it will be worth every last cent. 

xx

Spanish Venue

Given the fact that it feels like it has been raining solidly here for last month, I thought it would be apt to blog about my one and only rainy wedding in Spain!

Well, what can I say about Katharine and Dallas? Fun..., emotional...., kind..., happy....and crazy....... spring to mind.  In true reflection of their personalities, their wedding was always going to be a blast :) 

The build up to Katharine and Dallas´ wedding was an emotional one with much laughter and tears from both of us. Katharine had had some hard times in the past, and if anyone deserved a fairytale wedding to her Prince Dallas, then Katharine most definitely did.  

Booking your wedding in Spain in November is always a bit brave given that it tends to rain here in November, but, Katharine, being the brave person that she is,  booked her wedding for 3rd November 2012. 

Most brides would have a complete melt down if it rained on their wedding day, but Katharine took it on the chin and it didn't bother her in the slightest. She continued smiling, and in fact, she smiled the WHOLE day on her wedding day ;) 

Katharine´s color scheme of fushia pink, red and burgundy sum up her personality in a nut shell and complemented the venue beautifully :) 

If I tell you that bride and groom´s entrance to their reception was "Here comes the Bride" scratched into "Gangnam Style" including the bride and groom doing "THE" dance, sums up their wedding day. Great fun! It was a joy to work with them. 

As always thanks to all the suppliers involved in this wedding, Flowers in Bloom, Cake Couture, The Rat Pack, DJ Des Carlton, Gorgeous Event Decoration, Flamenco Dani, Jorge Finning, and Paco Montagut. 

Massive thank you to the talented Mr David Toms for capturing this wedding so beautifully. I know he had it hard in the rain, but he most definitely pulled it off. 

Katharine and Dallas; I hope you live Happily Ever After. 

xxx

Blessing in Spain

Roisin and Stuarts action packed wedding was held at the fabulous Shanitsom in Monda. Shantisom is  stunning and perfect for weddings as there are no noise restrictions and the venue is exclusive to each wedding. The staff were a joy to work with and it was a brilliant day enjoyed by all! 

A massive thank you to everyone involved in this wedding. A special thanks to Marbella Catering, Gorgeous Event Decoration, DJ Rob, Lisa Gisby for flowers and Kris McGuirk for capturing the day so perfectly and making the day so perfect for Roisin and Stuart. 

I will leave you with an email I received from the happy couple shortly after their wedding :) 

Dearest Lisa,

Stuart and I can not put in to words all the things you have done for us in the past 12 months and we genuinely can not thank you enough for planning the best day we could ever have dreamed of.  Lisa from our first conversation in October 2011 you filled me with trust, respect and reassurance of your complete dedication to weddings, but importantly ours.  When I said for the thousandth time “What are we going to do if it rains” you resisted strangling me and placed me at ease!!

Talking of rain, you will recall our first trip to our final choice of venue and the torrent of water that we encountered, once again your calm, cool and your reassurance prevailed.  With your perseverance we returned and thankfully celebrated our day at Shanti-Som outside of Marbella on 5^th October 2012.  The weather was amazing!!!

Lisa you have understood me from the start, I truly do not think I have been Bridezilla, however equally you have understood everything we have loved and hated, changed anything I was unsure of and reasoned me to see sense where needed. 

Your network of contacts are immense, the trust and respect they hold for you and you for them is clear and unrivalled!!  From Photographers, to Caterers and Fire dancers to flamenco dancers, who you do not know in Southern Spain is not worth knowing/using!

During the very stressful week running up to the wedding, although none of the stress was related to the wedding or the organisation, you once again helped calm and assure us. 

We had one wedding guest who attended the wedding who has been to in excess of 150 weddings and said that our day was by far the best!!

We truly can not thank you enough and you will always be in our hearts as being the person who created the best day of our life’s!!

Much love to you and your boys and we wish you many more years of making couples very, very happy!!

Xxxxxx