Blogging on all things Southern California weddings and elopements!
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She knew she wanted us to create her dream bridal hair and makeup look and she wanted to feel special and elevated, but still feel like herself! Natural and effortless is our specialty around here, so I personally LOVE that kind of request. Everyone got hair and makeup done down the street from the wedding venue at The Ranch at Laguna Beach.
Providing bridal hair and makeup services for this destination wedding in Playa Del Carmen/Riviera Maya was one of the highlights of my year! I flew from Los Angeles to Cancun, Mexico then drove about an hour south to beautiful Riviera Maya. The entire wedding weekend of events were held at Banyan Tree Mayakoba. One of the most uniquely serene and breathtaking resorts and venues I’ve ever been to.
Our brides, Emma and Ivy, chose such a fun, carefree, and modern wedding day design style and we could not be more obsessed with every detail. The cozy/perfect-weather morning was spent getting hair and makeup ready at El Encanto, overlooking the Santa Barbara coastline. Their hair and makeup visions were unique while both encompassing our signature natural, minimal, and effortless feel.
This gorgeous couple’s love story started by meeting each other on an airplane… yes, meet-cute GOALS!!! They planned the most beautiful, elegant, and romantic wedding at Cielo Farms in Malibu, CA. Our bride started her day getting ready at her Calamigos Ranch bungalow. We created a soft, but impactful makeup look with an intricate and twisted updo.
Fun and cliche drive-thru wedding in Vegas! The ceremony was officiated by Elvis at The Little White Wedding Chapel. It was a private, family-only ceremony, and of course, the afternoon included photos of the newlyweds in front of the iconic Las Vegas sign. The after party planned for all family and friends Monday evening was at Ellis Island Karaoke Bar - outrageous outfits and karaoke required!
Jessica is one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met! She reached out to us for her bridal hair and makeup because she knew she wanted a look that was on the natural side of things. We created the most flawless, natural, and radiant airbrush makeup look. Paired with an effortless, soft, romantic side-braid hairstyle! As locals to Los Angeles, they planned their wedding at Lake Arrowhead Resort.
Instantly fell in love with our bride, Alex, and her wedding aesthetic - classic and timeless. Her hair and makeup vision was a touch of Taylor Swift, meets Old Hollywood. SO CHIC!!! They chose the iconic, 1920’s, Culver Hotel, in Culver City/Los Angeles as their getting ready location and wedding venue!
Malibu is one of our biggest locations we travel to for weddings and events. With so many gorgeous nature spots, wedding venues, and wineries in the area, it’s a huge destination spot for our clients! This beautiful bride booked us just for her bridal party. They went for romantic and effortless hair and makeup styles that paired beautifully with their Malibu venue, Calamigos Ranch.
Understated glam look— with shimmer and glitter and some bolder choices. Michelle, from our team, totally killed it executing just that! From Hannah’s unique and personal details, to the pops of fuchsia, mustard, teal and navy, to her funky and colorful venue ( The Fig House), we just love it ALL!
When this beautiful bride reached out to us, she wanted to look very natural. No giant lashes or a ton of eye shadow, she just wanted to look glowy and sun-kissed and like she woke up looking perfect! Her hair inspo was messy, wavy, and like a boho goddess! We felt honored that she trusted us with hair and makeup and it was such a special morning during the getting ready process.
Seeing this couple’s wedding day through the lens of photographer team itla… just so cool and artful. So many little moments documented that really makes you feel present. Our couple got married at Grass Room in downtown Los Angeles (a part of the Marvimon Wedding Venue family). Grass Room features a jungle of plants, pops of bright color and patterns, and a greenhouse roof to let so much light into the refurbished urban space.
A destination wedding WEEKEND in Zihuatanejo, Mexico… sounds like a complete dream, right?!! Sierra and Christopher made this their reality, with the help of their destination wedding planner, Jennifer Jaimes. The couple chose Casa Angelina, a villa in the Zihuatanejo Bay, as their breathtaking venue. Celina, from our team, flew out from LA for hair and makeup and created the most stunning looks for Sierra and her bridal party during the weekend. From a fun and colorful welcome party look to the wedding day modern and chic style, every detail was executed and fit together beautifully. Amanda Gillian, the couple’s photographer, also flew in from LA to capture the wedding weekend and the film shots are just always a fave!!!
Our clients chose a calming destination spot from Los Angeles and picked Santa Ynez tucked away in Santa Barbara wine country. The venue, Brave and Maiden, is a gorgeous estate with a huge property, and of course a love of wine. Our bride wanted her look to feel effortless! For makeup, we kept the skin natural and glowing with airbrush foundation, and a pop on the eyes. For hair, we went with soft and brushed together waves, complete with hand-placed pearls. One of my favorite hair looks!
My friend, and fellow wedding vendor, Vanessa Todd, is an incredible wedding photographer based in LA. After she fell in love with Mark, a magician from the Magic Castle, they knew they wanted their wedding to feel like them and be really intentional with tons of personal DIY elements included.
Founder, author, and podcast host, Andi Eaton Alleman, wanted her wedding day to feel intimate and intentional. She and her husband got ready the morning of the wedding at Neil Young’s Topanga Canyon home. The ceremony was oceanside at the iconic Malibu setting, Point Dume, followed by a dinner under the trees at The Inn of the Seventh Ray in Topanga Canyon.
I want my clients to feel empowered, feel encouraged, and feel like themselves when they look in the mirror! Although instagram influencers and current trends preach contouring, or “more foundation”, or something that will “pop in photos”, you’ll find my approach to hair and makeup is a lot more minimal. We want every bride and client to feel confident in their own skin.
When you are touring or talking with venues, if they advertise any kind of day-of suite or getting ready room, one very important tip is to note the amount of time you’ll have access to this room. Some venues only allow access to these getting ready rooms/suites one or two hours before the event, so sometimes booking a hotel room nearby or arranging another option makes the most sense!
‘The Love Boat’ themed LA wedding with a 60’s and 70’s dress code. Notable moments during the wedding day included an Easter egg hunt led by one of the voices of the Power Puff girls, the guest’s 60’s and 70’s vintage fashion, a giant thermometer that tracked hashtag usage, a powerpoint presentation, and of course we created a 60’s bridal half up hairstyle for our bride’s look!
The bride explained her vision for her bridal hair and makeup look, wanting something soft, whispy, and romantic for hair. She wanted her hair to feel very classic, but casual. With a dewy, and natural makeup look. It paired perfectly with her ivory dress from Reformation. Photographers, The Hendrys, created an artful and thoughtfully curated gallery to look back on.
Our couple chose an intimate, Indian fusion gathering to celebrate their wedding day. The LINE Hotel is an urban and artfully designed boutique hotel in the heart of Koreatown, and it has a perfect rooftop for a small venue. The bride wanted her look to be “simple, romantic, and natural”, and we created just that! She is so naturally gorgeous, and we didn’t want to cover her up in makeup, just enhance. For hair she chose a loose, romantic, low updo.
Our two groom’s Jewish wedding ceremony and reception at The Ocean Institute overlooked the Dana Point harbor, and ended the evening with an In-n-Out Truck for the late night snack. Men’s hair styling and makeup is growing very popular, especially for weddings and elopements! We provide our “Grooming” service as an option for our clients. We include a no-makeup look "touch-up" and hairstyling.
Between the oceanside and the canyons of Laguna Beach, The Ranch at Laguna Beach is one of our favorite stunning wedding venues in Southern California. With outdoor and indoor venue options in addition to on-site resort rooms, this location is a dream destination for a summer wedding. Our bride's wedding dress was completely enchanting!! The gown featured a strapless V-neckline and flowy, ethereal fabric cascaded down into a mesmerizing train, creating an air of whimsy and romance as she gracefully walked.
Our beautiful bride opted for a natural, glowing airbrush makeup look and a whimsical braided crown hairstyle, creating the ultimate dreamy ensemble. The enchanting backdrop of Hartley Botanica provided the perfect canvas for this fairytale wedding. Nestled in the picturesque hills of Ventura County, Hartley Botanica is an extraordinary venue that offers a romantic and serene setting for weddings.
The 1909 in Topanga Canyon provided the perfect backdrop for our Seattle couple’s destination wedding. Nestled in the hills of Southern California, this enchanting venue boasts a blend of rustic charm and modern elegance. Surrounded by the natural beauty of the canyon, the bride's vision came to life, complete with a 60's-inspired hair and makeup look.
The decision to get ready together can be a powerful way to cultivate the love and connection that the wedding day represents. By choosing to spend those precious moments together, couples can create a more intimate and relaxed atmosphere, easing the nerves that often accompany the big day. It also provides the opportunity to create lasting memories, as you share in the laughter, anticipation, and joy of preparing for your lifetime commitment to one another.
Our Austrailian bride, Cassie, had an impeccable vision for her intimate elopement. As a stylist and art director, she knew she wanted a jaw dropping venue and was willing to travel across the world to Beverly Hills for it. The couple chose the iconic Sheats–Goldstein Residence to be their destination venue. It was designed by architect John Lautner in the 60’s, and the ART that was created by the couple’s photographer Rachel Artime… just wow!!!
The Hailey Bieber inspired wedding hair has been HUGE amongst our LA brides. A huge bridal hair trend with my brides and bridal parties - simplicity. If it seems “simple”, it’s probably trending right now and chic AF. The bridal ponytail is one of those classic styles that is so cute! You can go more sleek with it, or more tousled for a more romantic feel.
“Natural and glowy” was the hair and makeup vibe and that’s exactly what our Santa Barbara bride got!! Savannah, from our team, created a classic and minimalistic bridal look that enhanced her features and didn’t feel overdone. Their ceremony was at the Santa Barbara Courthouse, with reception at Villa and Vine. Ash Gabes Photo captured the couple and their whole day so beautifully!
The bride wanted her freckles to shine through the foundation, not be covered up! Erin, from our team, executed the most beautiful look that looked polished, yet not too done up. The venue the couple chose was The Stonehurst in Los Angeles, and the day was captured by the incredible Jes Workman - and it wouldn’t be a wedding of hers without a LOT of film photography.
In a boho two-piece wedding dress, a bridal ponytail updo, and with an arm around her groom, our bride walked down the aisle of Malibu West Beach Club completely and totally smitten. You can see the honest, pure joy and the couple’s just-married feels as they are walking along the Malibu coastline in their wedding day portraits!