Boho Elopement Inspiration

I have been impatiently waiting to share this dreamy collaboration filled with rose quartz crystals and boho accents since the moment it was shot back in April. Captured in one of my favourite locations in Toronto The Great Hall, with its impeccable natural lighting,  white walls and art deco accents this space is a blank canvas waiting to be transformed.  Working with a group of industry talents like this boho dreams were destined to be created.

The shoot had  many layers to get excited about beginning with an  intimate boudoir session with our bride-to-be wearing a gorgeous bespoke bridal robe and tussled waves it made me wonder why I didn't make time for getting ready pictures like this on my own wedding day!

I always like to have a plan in place for the hairstyle when working on a styled shoot however when  I arrived on set I was completely inspired by all the props from Turkish rugs to a floral anklet, and that was before I saw the head piece I would be working with! I am a big believer of less is often more when it comes to hair and  I wanted to add a layer to the hairstyle that connected the movement and structure of the hair piece to the hairstyle and the playfulness of both outfits.

Get lost in the prettiest shades of rose quartz captured by Lea and styled + planned by June Bloom events.

Vendors 

Photographer Marcucci Photography  | Planning + Design June bloom events | Venue The Great Hall

Hair Bridal Hair Collective | Makeup Beauty MRK | Stationary  Via Calligraphy

Florist Wild north flowers  | Intimates, dress + shoes Sash & Bustle | Jewelry  The Tangled Merchant

 Cakes  Love in Bloom Cakes | Decor Plate Occasions  | Rugs + Floor seating Tavares

Bridal Kimono By Catalfo

If you enjoyed this wedding inspiration you may also enjoy an Intimate Elopement in the Southern HIghlands.

6 fabulous tips for brides with curly hair

After working in a salon that specialized in curly hair for several years I was always surprised at how many clients would come in that were at their wits ends struggling to control their curly hair or just trying to find someone that could style it. We often perceive curly hair to be easy to manage with a wash and wear approach,  although this may happen for some often it takes a lot more time and effort with a regular routine  to control unruly curls. Naturally curly hair is reliant on many factors to perform at its best including the right weather, product and a great cut! While many brides shy away from embracing their natural curls especially on their wedding day I love nothing more then working with a head full of natural curls. Taming and understanding how to get the best out of your curls for your wedding day can be a  journey and one thats worth investing time, money and patience in to achieve the best results refer to our following hairstyling tips:

Photograph by Corynn Fowler Photography

 #1 Wash it less: Naturally curly hair is easy to over wash  and under nourish. Try to keep shampooing to a minim of once a week or less (this may vary for finer hair types) less is defiantly better when it comes to hydrating your curls. A great way to revitalize and restyle your curls with out shampooing is by re-wetting your hair in the shower or with a  water spray bottle and re-apply  conditioner to the mid-lengths and ends a couple of times during the week. Use a leave-in conditioning spray on fine hair to re-vitaliaze curls in-between washes.

#2 Hydrate your curls:  Caring for curls means giving them the moisture and definition they require to look there best! I love  the AG Recoil shampoo & conditioner its great for fine to thick hair types and helps to re-activate lazy curls along with providing intense moisture and anti-frizz control. Smoothing shampoo + conditioners are also a great option if your hair is naturally frizzy. Add a deep hydrating mask to your hair care routine  weekly if your ends are very damaged or monthly if your hair is in good condition.

#3 Trim those ends: I know my curly hair clients often tend to leave it a little too long between trims as once curls bounce up you can loose a little bit more length then you had bargained for! Trimming and shaping your hair in the lead up to your wedding should be top priority as your hairstylist will not be blow drying or flat ironing  the ends to make them appear shinny and healthy you will need to ensure they in tip top shape!. Curly hair can also  lose its consistency,  and ability to hold the curl formation if the foundation of a strong haircut is missing,  Discuss your haircutting options with you bridal specialist in the lead up to your wedding to ensure you have enough time to cut and tweak your hairstyle allow at least a month between your last haircut and wedding day.

Photography by Deanne MacRae Photography

#4 Tame your mane: Whether its waves, classic curls or kinky texture all  curls crave moisture and conditioner alone isn't going to cut for most sets of curls. Finding the right product combination can cut your morning routine in half. The products you use in summer may vary to the ones you require in winter, naturally curly hair often performs its best in one season either loving the humidity in then summer or the dryness of the wither.  If your curls are on the finer side look for products that are in a gel, mousse or liquid form Curl Trigger and Recoil are my go to ones! For coarser frizzer curls I recommend defining and hydrating cremes such as Moroccan Oil  Hydrating styling Cream mixed with an argon oil. 

 #5 Colouring those curls: Always cut your curls first before the colour so that the colour will enhance the style. Curly hair reflects light easily due to its volume, especially really curly hair this means you don't need to add a lot of hair colour to  see results. If you plan on trying a new hair colour in the leadup to the wedding be conservative  which means less chemicals and healthier hair.

#6 Let it shine: Keep your wedding day hairstyle simple don't over complicate it with to much "hair detailing" let your gorgeous curls do the talking and add a bit of sparkle or a flower crown if you want to add more contrast or detail to your hairstyle.

Photography by Deanne MacRae Photography

If you enjoyed our  Curly Hair tips you may also enjoy our fabulous hair tips for brides with thick hair.

Intimate Elopement in the Southern Highlands

It doesn't  get much prettier then this wildly romantic elopement, with the majestic backdrop of a Victorian Italianate mansion and historic gardens nestled in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia. The estate is filled with nineteenth century history and Morden day style, ready to accommodate a small army of wedding guests in a well thought out conversion of the original stables to a luxurious coach house.

This Intimate Elopement shoot provided me with my first opportunity to work creatively in Australia and I soon came to realize how much of an inspiration my homeland is t me. The laid back Australian lifestyle is infused wholeheartedly into the bridal scene with its effortless and minimalist approach to beauty and style I couldn't help but reflect upon how this has influenced my career and approach to bridal hair. Working alongside some of Sydney's most talented and successful vendors was such an amazing opportunity to bring Bridal Hair Collective down under for the summer which included being featured on Style Me Pretty.

Thank you  Sandra Chau for dreaming up this magical elopement and  We are Origami  for capturing it.

VENDORS

Photographer We are Origami| Planner Sandra Chau | Dresses Babushka Ballerina

Hair Bridal Hair Collective  | Makeup  Blonde Rumor| Floral Trille Floral

 Cake Cake Arcade | Robe La Belle| Ribbions Frou Frou Chic| Stationary Tara spencer

Suit The Black Label | Table Hire Your Event Solution| Chair Hire Ashdown & Bee  

Models Oceana & Coner

If you enjoyed our intimate Elopement shoot you may also enjoy our Styled shoot at The Great Hall.

6 fabulous tips for brides with thick hair

Part 2 of our Fabulous Hair Tips for Brides is here.... Lets face it who doesn't long for a few extra strands of hair when a thick head of gorgeous hair bounces past you in the street! Yet the struggle is real when you have been blessed by the thick hair gods, with more effort, time and product often required to tame the abundance of hair. In this post I am sharing some tips on how to help you mange your thick hair in the lead up to your wedding to ensure you  get the most out of your wedding day hairstyle.

Deanne MacRae Photography 

#1 Brush with ease: I recommend utilizing a minim of 2-3 brushes to achieve the best results when detangling and styling your hair at home. The Tangle Teaser or a Wetbrush is great to use after the hair has been shampooed & conditioned and will make removing knots a quick and easy experience. Blow-drying thick hair with is a paddle brush allows you to work through the hair in large sections and keeps volume to a minimum. Lastly if you are want to add volume to your style  finish with a large round brush, these brushes are designed to create volume in the hair.

2# Hydrate your hair: Invest in professional shampoo & conditioner that is highly concentrated so you don't need to use a lot. Choose a hydrating conditioner that is rich in moisture such as the Kerastase Nutritive range avoid volume shampoo. Each week add a deep hydrating mask to your hair care routine if your ends are very damaged or monthly if your hair is in good condition.

#3 Shamppoo less: Washing your hair to often strips it of the natural oils it needs to be healthy and gorgeous. Washing less will allow your natural oils to condition and hydrate the hair naturally, I recommend washing thick hair 2-3 times a week.

Corynn Fowler Photography

#4 Trim those ends: I often see brides that have spend six months to a year growing their hair forgoing regular trims to ensure they have an abundance of hair for their wedding day resulting in damaged and shapeless hair unable to hold the tightest of curls! Depending on your hairstyle choice thick hair will often need to be layered or thinned regularly to be able to hold a soft wave or curl. Too much length and thickness can also make an updo appear out of proportion or shape if the hair is  too long. Discuss your haircutting options with you bridal specialist in the lead up to your wedding to ensure you have enough time to cut and tweak your haircut at least twice before your wedding day.

#5 Tame your Mane: If you have naturally coarse, thick or unruly hair you often have to deal with humidity and frizz! Humidity can often make your hair even bigger especially in the summer months. When choosing a wedding day hairstyle consider the time of year and location of where you are saying I do. If you are wanting to maintain some sort of control over your hairstyle. Wearing your hair in an updo will always ensure long lasting results a half-upstyle is also a great option if updo 's are not your thing! Rather then carrying a tin of hairspray have a Anti-hummity spray on hand to re-apply though out the day.

#6 Add some sparkle; Adding an accessory, flower or head piece can often divert the eye and add contrast and balance to the hairstyle.

If you enjoyed our Fabulous Hair Tips you may also enjoy 5 wedding Day Hair Hacks Every Bride Should Know.

5 Wedding Day Hair Hacks Every Bride Should Know

We know that every bride would like their wedding day hairstyle to look picture perfect right up until the last dance. To help make that a reality we are sharing our 5 wedding day hair hacks every bride should know. Whether it's holding your veil in place or taming those fly away hairs we have you covered with our favourite hair hacks. 

#1 Bridal Emergency kit

 I know this may seem like an obvious one, however I cant tell you the amount of times I have witnessed bridal party members scrambling to find some of these items at the last minute! There is more then just hairspray & bobby pins that makes for the must haves in your  emergency kit:

• Lipstick
• Blotting papers
• Eye drops
• Safety pins
• Needle & Thread
• Deodorant 
• Bobby pins
• Hair spray
• Kleenex 
• Breath freshener 
• Pain relief
• Dental floss
• Band-Aids 

#2 Taming your mane

Have a toothbrush on hand to tame those pesky flyaway & frizzy hairs. Spritz the toothbrush with hairspray and gently brush the problem areas. Ensure to brush in the same direction as the hair.

#3 Control your Veil

If you are having a beach or out-door wedding keep your veil from flying away with Veil Weights. Veil weights are magnetic and easily slip on and off your veil.

#4 Avoid Static

Carry a Dryer sheet to help control unwanted static in your wedding day hair style,  this is defiantly a must if you are saying I do in the winter months or a planning on wearing your hair down.

#5 Touch up time

You want your wedding day hairstyle to look consistent throughout the day and well into the evening and for most updo hairstyles this isn't a issue. If you are wearing your hair half-up or in a down style a touch-up time should be allocated before your entrance to the ceremony to freshen up your hair. Pack a curling wand and entrust your most beauty savvy bridesmaid to touch up those curls and tame the fly-aways to ensure picture perfect moments are captured all night.

If you enjoyed our hair hacks you may also like Six Bridal Hair Tips You Need to Know from our Bridal Hair Expert.

Spring Inspired Styled Shoot

 Styled shoots are such a wonderful opportunity for local creatives to get together behind one concept to express their creativity and to push each other into new creative spaces that aren't always practical or available when working with our own clients. The Spring inspired styled shoot brought together many talented women that I have admired from a far and only dreamed of collaborating with on a project like this! 

 With the brightest of blooms and the most romantic of dresses by Win desgins I knew the pressure was on to create something equally as beautiful with the hair.  When I saw Kei from Quill + Oak create  the most beautiful flower combs in a matter of minutes I knew I couldn't look past these adorable blooms as a focal piece for the hair.

Rebecca of Wee Three Sparrows was a master at capturing the vibrancy and playful scenes that transpired in a small studio bursting with wonderful  women, earl grey cupcakes and the most mouth watering meringues I have ever tasted.

Vendors

Photographer Wee Three Sparrows Photography | Dresses Wins Design  

Hair Bridal Hair Collective  | Makeup  Mobile Makeovers | Sweets Love in Bloom  

Models Zoe  & Tia

Romantic wedding at The Gladstone Hotel

The Gladstone Hotel has the honour of being Toronto's longest running hotel and by far the most unique. It is a melting pot of art, culture, food, wine and community where just about anything can happen on any given night. Last September it proved to be the perfect backdrop for Laura and Chris to say I do and if you haven't been to a wedding there I am sorry to say you are missing out!

Laura's wedding was filled with personal touches and authentic details from bright red shoes, flower crowns to embracing her own natural curls which seemed to only enhance the charm of the glorious setting.

Laura was referred to me after hearing I love working with natural curls and I was so excited to have the chance to create a hairstyle where a little bit of frizz or an imperfect curl was encouraged as lets face it thats the life of a naturally curly haired gal! For the wedding day hairstyle we enhance her naturals curls with a curling wand and keep the style simple and organic letting the flower crown have most of the glory.

These wonderful images are from the ever-fabulous Julie Broadbent Photography.
 

Vendors 

Photographer Julie Broadbent Photography | Wedding Dress by Inaru By Enzoani  from The Harrogate Wedding Lounge| Shoes Kurt Geiger| Hair Bridal Hair Collective | Makeup Mobile Makeovers | Suit Reiss 

Bridesmaids Dresses Davids Bridal | Florist The Rose Pros| Cake The Wedding Cake Shoppe 

Venue The Gladstone Hotel

6 Fabulous Tips For Brides With Fine Hair.

I am so excited to have recently teamed up with the Australian boutique La Belle to create this blog series the studio is based in Sydney, Australia and creates the dreamiest of heirloom accessories for brides. My blog series for La Belle explores how brides can achieve gorgeous hair on their wedding day no matter the cut, colour or condition. 

From one fine haired lady to another I understand the frustration and limitations that can come with owning a finer head of hair, today I am sharing my go to tips and advice on how to get those fine haired strands to work just the way you want them to on your special day!

Photograph by Corynn Fowler Photography

#1 Nourish the hair: Fine hair can often grow at a snails pace and be extremely fragile and prone to breakage or damage, to ensure your hair is at its healthiest consider adding a hair growth and strengthening supplement to your regime. There are many varieties available and I recommend trying some of them in the leadup to your wedding day! Biotin, silica and zinc are all great supplemtments to assist with the healthy growth and development of hair & nails. Find the one that is best suited to your needs and budget keep in mind these supplements can take 6-8 months until you see any results so start early.

#2 Plump up the volume: Select a professional range of shampoo & conditioner that has volumizing or thicking benefits, they are often less likely to weigh the hair down or make it oily making the hair look thicker and fuller. 

#3 Shampoo less: I know this can seem like an impossible cycle to break although its worth persevering through a few bad hair days to achieve a balanced & healthy scalp. Shampooing the hair more often then required strips the hair of its natural oils causing your scalp to overproduce the oils that have been stripped from over  washing. To achieve a balanced scalp limit shampooing & conditioning to three to four times a week. Only apply your conditioner on the ends of your hair.

Photography by Deanne MacRae Photography

 #4 Protect your hair: Heat damage from hot tools is often underestimated and once the hair has been exposed to heat damage your only option is to cut it off! If you are using heat styling tools such as blow-driers, curling irons or flat irons ensure you are using a thermal protection spray to prevent heat damage in the lead up to your wedding day.

#5 Volumize with colour: Hair colour can create an illusion of thicker/denser hair when placed strategically. I recommend a multi-dimensional look with 2-3 shades of variation to make your hair look thicker.  Always add a professional treatment after your colour service such as Olapex and avoid over lightening the hair which can lead to breakage and damage.

#5 Add Volume: Adding hair extensions to your wedding day hairstyle can be the perfect instant fix to longer thicker hair that will have the benefit of longer lasting hairstyling results on your wedding day. Hair padding (synthetic hair) is also a great alternative to hair extensions to achieve additional volume, and shape to bridal updo's.

Photography by Deanne MacRae Photography

Stay tuned for more insider tips for brides with thick and curly hair in the following weeks.