Bright spring color inspiration: Nicole and Steven’s Charleston wedding

I am a total New York girl and love the city in any season — but it was really a joy to hop on the plane for Nicole and Steven’s outdoor wedding on the waterfront in Charleston, South Carolina. Nicole had chosen to go with bold colors for her flowers and her bridesmaids’ dresses. It may have been February, but those splashes of red, pink, and orange made winter seem far, far away.


Style icon Blake Lively was the inspiration for Nicole’s hair. I used Ombré hair extensions to boost length and volume. With my favorite tool, the Sedu curling iron, I created a flowing, natural-looking wave. And then I styled Nicole’s hair into a side ponytail with a stunning bright flower accessory.

Airbrush makeup gave Nicole a long-lasting and flawless look. We went with a pink lip and light eye shimmer in keeping with the springlike colors of the wedding. False lashes added a touch of glamor.

There were a lot of laughs as we got Nicole and her gorgeous bridesmaids ready in their cute kiminos, in the elegant suites at Lowndes Grove Plantation.

And don’t you just love the photos, by Aaron Lockwood, of Lockwood Studios? I think he did an amazing job of capturing the beauty and happiness of Nicole and Steven’s day.

 

Cagney and Zack’s Southern style, Charleston, SC

This past weekend, I headed off with my stellar makeup artist Veronica – you may know her as RaRa from Bethenny Ever After — to that most elegant of wedding destinations, Charleston, South Carolina. (By the way, girls in the Charleston area: Once Upon a Bride has just opened a branch in your beautiful city!)

We were there to style Cagney for her wedding to Zack at the amazing Lowndes Grove Plantation, an historic estate on the banks of the river in downtown Charleston. I love that Cagney had two different hair looks for her wedding day: first I created a classic Southern belle look using long hair extensions with a wave. And when Cagney walked down the aisle we went with a side up-do that complemented her sheer white veil beautifully.

Veronica brought out the bride’s own glowing beauty with a couple of different makeup palettes, especially accentuating Cagney’s eyes with a dramatic look including luscious eyelash extensions.

My new friends at Southern Protocol wedding planners did an incredible job of making this a wedding to remember. The color scheme was exquisite — love the bride’s magenta Queen Anne sofa on the lawn and the flower girls’ tutus! And Paige Winn did a phenomenal job of capturing the whole event.

Thanks for making us a part of your day, Cagney and Zack — you are the sweetest couple. Congratulations!