Long, long ago, in a galaxy not so far away... there was a girl named Amanda who was brave enough to leave her hair in the hands of a hairstyling novice on the day of her wedding. Amanda dreamt of a Star Wars themed wedding where guests could dance the night away and sit together at tables named after Jaba's Palace and the planet Tatooine. Here are a couple of photos from Amanda's early morning adventures amid alien styling products before her intergalactic celebration.
My first bride daring enough to wear RED (and I mean, AR-EE-DEE) lipstick! So perfect. 
Can't wait to see more pictures, but I guess I'll have to until they get back from their honeymoon that is sure to be out of this world (well, at least out of this country)! Thanks for the before and after pictures Hazelle, and for being such a great assistant! You clean brushes like no other Jedi can!
Deanna the Great (and Nate)! Put an event planner in charge of her own wedding and you get quite the production. All of these amazing moments at the Piedmont Community Center in California were captured by the talented Amy Carr. 
Deanna kept her August wedding simple with navy suits and navy bridesmaid dresses. Pops of red roses brightened up the design but her amazing wedding party was what really kept things exciting.
The morning started out at the Claremont Hotel in Oakland complete with cheese, fruit and mimosas (among other treats). The air was fresh and the lighting was nice and bright. The atmosphere was so positive with moms, cousins and sister-in-laws-to-be sharing funny stories about the bride and groom.
We kept Deanna's look simple and classic. As a catering manager for California Rose Catering in Berkeley, she's around weddings all of the time. In spite of all the eclectic ideas she's surrounded by at work she went with a very traditional style for her own wedding. Deanna has witnessed the trendiness of the cupcake bar, the birdcage veils and signature cocktails, but at heart she's a traditional bride. Since she's a pearls and veil kind of gal I did my best to keep the look timeless with soft pinks, a structured eyeliner, soft lashes and lots and lots of blush since her wedding and reception were both outdoors.
I love Deanna's table settings. Instead of table numbers she handmade cross street signs in green, familiar to those of us living in the East Bay. And nothing was more sentimental than Deanna's dress, a reconstruction of the very dress her grandmother wore.
I'll end the post with something sweet- instead of the traditional wedding cake, a cutie pie with some tasty tarts!
Fontane and Ernie. Their August traditional Chinese tea ceremony and reception took place on a Saturday at the Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park, California. If you've never been there, it really is a beautiful location to hold a party. Tucked away in a fancy neighborhood (really, I drove by the entrance twice before noticing it) the rustic yet romantic site include fountains, archways and tile work that just brighten up the whole place. And there was parking... lots and lots of parking! Though it was a very warm day, the stone walls and tile kept the inside of the venue nice and chilled.
I saw Fontane before her hair was done and she has pretty short hair. When I saw her again a couple of hours later I have to say, I was very impressed! Kathleen May at Maison Salon in Burlingame did a stellar job styling her hair into an up-do, making it look full and curly.
Below is a snapshot, taken by a guest, of both Ernie and Fontane's moms who were so excited to have their make-up done, but even more excited to see their kids marry each other. They were the nicest of wedding moms I've worked with.
I love how Fontane's lashes look in profile. And I just love this picture.
Photographer Deeba Yavrom of Donya Photography did a wonderful job capturing these candid moments of the lovebirds. Don't they look so happy? Speaking of lovebirds, check out the sweet topper on their cake! So adorable.
I only met Ernie for a brief moment as he stopped by to chauffeur the moms but he was so polite and sweet, thanking me for just doing my job. What a gentleman! Fontane is a lucky gal!
Thanks Fontane, for including me in your big day. Everything looked great!
The Berkeley Rose Garden. Soft, overhead outdoor lighting. Beautiful, but challenging when it comes to doing make-up. Denise and Matt posed for engagement photos among the trees and rose bushes throughout the garden. This easy-going couple was great to work with, took suggestion well and had a fun time throughout the shoot. Photographer Paul Bothwell is quite the visionary, capturing graphic details, texture and lighting in each of his pictures. I definitely learned a lot from his perspective on just what photographs best outdoors.
Not wanting to take away from the simplicity of the shoot, I decided to create a very natural face. The look we designed was very everyday and un-glamorous to compliment the outdoor space, greenery, and Denise's personal style which is unfussy, yet pretty. What was most important to me was to highlight the eyes knowing Paul would be focusing on the intimate looks they gave each other. Whereas wedding photography is fancy, clean and colorful and really makes the bride stand out, engagement photos are a little more relaxed and casual with more emphasis on the couple. I would save the glamor for the big day and keep the engagement photo make-up more low key, but still polished.
We used a cocoa eyeshadow in the crease and a pop of white matte on the brow bone. What kept the look simple was the use of neutral eyeshadow and more emphasis on the eyeliner, which is lifting and brightening without having to contour anything on the lid. Using an eyeshadow (not pencil) throughout the brow gave a soft look yet still gave frame to the eye. Then I added individual lashes on just the outer third of the eyes to help them pop.
I cannot stress the importance of lashes for photo shoots where everything needs to be just a touch more emphasized. Asian shaped eyes that are creased are especially challenging (trust me, I can sympathize) as they can look closed in or small when smiling. To make sure the liner will show in pictures, line the eyes first, smile into a mirror and note whether or not the liner disappears when the eyes are open. If not enough liner is showing, go a touch thicker. The lashes and liner really help to open up an Asian eye and can get otherwise blunt tipped and short lashes to stand out. Line just beyond the natural lash line and taper off towards the temples. To get false lashes to look most natural, line the eyes, curl the lashes, glue the individual lashes on, allow the glue to dry and set, touch up the liner to blend the base of the lashes in, and finally coat and blend real and false lashes together with a thickening mascara. Sounds like a lot of work but the results are well worth it!
And of course I couldn't post without a snapshot of the beautiful mom and her newest little nugget, Ryan.
I can't wait to see the rest of the photos and I look so forward to working with Paul again. Stay tuned for more of our collaborations!
A bit late, I know. Here are a few pictures of prom make-up I did for my sister Taryn and her friends back in June. 
My mom and I were pretty sad as this was the last time we would work together on Operation Prom. When I was in high school (a long time ago) my mom designed and sewed all of my prom dresses, just like she used to do for her own proms. There's nothing quite like having something custom made to fit your size and shape. Since I'm seven years older than my sister, she was fortunate enough to have a hair stylist and make-up artist on hand for all five proms she went to. And my awesome mom made a dress for each and every one. This last one was my favorite as I could easily see the shape and style of it translate nicely into a wedding gown. The big bow was the best part! 
And it was high pressure for my mom and me since my sister was on the prom court. Since the dress was such a soft pretty color, I didn't want to take away from it by putting on harsh colors so I did more definition with black eyeliner and I chose some eye shadows that were more blush toned. For teenage make-up, it is super important to me that the look is age appropriate, natural, but still pretty.
Then as a final touch I complimented every one's cheeks with a shimmer highlight which gives a nice glow in pictures.
Here is a shot of Sydney and her cutie pie prom date. Luckily for Sydney, she had a natural glowing tan from swim practice. 
Thanks girls for letting me paint your faces for the last four years. I'll miss my baby sister who will always be the rosy, chubby-cheeked tot whose hair I used to braid. Good luck girls! Your faces are now on their own. Always remember to moisturize and blend, blend, blend!
There are moments in life that make you realize the magic that can happen when all the right people come together. Kristina and Soren's wedding made me step back and think about what a wedding is really all about.
What do you get when your mother-in-law to be runs her own catering business, lives on a beautiful ranch property where the sun always shines, pours punch from a fountain on her patio, and barters photography for cases of wine? 
You get a beautiful heartfelt wedding that outdoes every other fancy wedding you've ever been to. You forget about the comforts of a padded chair when you're eating organic veggies on a bale of hay. You get a duet of guitars that welcome you as you walk down a dirt aisle. You realize you are having the wedding of your dreams and the best part is that it doesn't cost you a thing.
When you wear the dress of the woman who raised your husband into the man that he is today, the sparkling antique diamond ring of his grandmother and flowers in your hair grown in the gardens where your husband played as a little boy, you get the most cost effective, sentimental, meaningful day of your life. And as a make-up artist you get to prepare the bride outside in the most beautiful natural light possible. 
You also get a bride near tears, hence the reason that waterproof mascara is so important on your wedding day. 
If you're fortunate like me you get to participate in the wedding of good friends. And if you're lucky enough to be Soren you get to spend the rest of your life with a beautiful wife like Kristina. 
It was everything a wedding should be- a simple celebration of the couple without the hassles of uncomfortable tuxedos, the bright light of chandeliers, or bad banquet food lit by dim candlelight, eaten with heavy silverware. Kristina's wedding was inexpensive yet personal and oh so very beautiful. 
Cheers to the newlyweds who threw one of my favorite backyard bridal bashes ever!
Preview. Just wanted to post a snapshot of Deanna's wedding prep at the Claremont Hotel, a beautiful venue with spacious rooms to host your wedding party. Deanna was a super calm bride lucky enough to have a massage therapist for a cousin who worked on her in the room- a nice treat to relax before getting hair and make-up done! An event planner for California Rose Catering in Berkeley, the ever-organized Deanna had things running smoothly all afternoon. Two moms, three bridesmaids, a few pitchers of mimosas and one set of lashes later we were off and running! 
Yes Nate, Deanna is gorgeous. High five! More pictures coming soon!
Preview. Here's a sneak peek at my friend Kristina's ranch wedding in Mendocino County. Her maid of honor (my lovely cousin Jessie) did a great job putting it all together. Complete with punch fountain, pregnant goat, barefoot bartenders, gorgeous gardens and the first dance by a beehive (yes, a real active beehive!), Kristina's wedding was one of the most intimate and special weddings I've ever attended. I'm awaiting more photos from her new husband and will post when I can!
My first bride daring enough to wear RED (and I mean, AR-EE-DEE) lipstick! So perfect. 
Can't wait to see more pictures, but I guess I'll have to until they get back from their honeymoon that is sure to be out of this world (well, at least out of this country)! Thanks for the before and after pictures Hazelle, and for being such a great assistant! You clean brushes like no other Jedi can!
Deanna kept her August wedding simple with navy suits and navy bridesmaid dresses. Pops of red roses brightened up the design but her amazing wedding party was what really kept things exciting.
The morning started out at the Claremont Hotel in Oakland complete with cheese, fruit and mimosas (among other treats). The air was fresh and the lighting was nice and bright. The atmosphere was so positive with moms, cousins and sister-in-laws-to-be sharing funny stories about the bride and groom. 
We kept Deanna's look simple and classic. As a catering manager for California Rose Catering in Berkeley, she's around weddings all of the time. In spite of all the eclectic ideas she's surrounded by at work she went with a very traditional style for her own wedding. Deanna has witnessed the trendiness of the cupcake bar, the birdcage veils and signature cocktails, but at heart she's a traditional bride. Since she's a pearls and veil kind of gal I did my best to keep the look timeless with soft pinks, a structured eyeliner, soft lashes and lots and lots of blush since her wedding and reception were both outdoors. 
I love Deanna's table settings. Instead of table numbers she handmade cross street signs in green, familiar to those of us living in the East Bay. And nothing was more sentimental than Deanna's dress, a reconstruction of the very dress her grandmother wore. 
I'll end the post with something sweet- instead of the traditional wedding cake, a cutie pie with some tasty tarts! 
Can you believe they worked out together before getting ready that morning? Now that's commitment. Her healthy lifestyle really paid off... you can tell how amazing her skin is in the pictures! Everything about her just glowed. We designed a really simple, classic look and used a half strip of lashes instead of a full set. They were subtle but still brightened and lifted the eyes. 
A touch of shimmer rolled on with a fluffy brush lit up the tops of her cheekbones. Denielle had great angles on her face and an amazing smile. I had so much fun working with her! 
I love the little corset holding the lilies together. And look at Denielle with her cutie pies! 
Congratulations! These parents of twin boys are a real classy pair. Denielle looked amazing and really inspired me to get back into shape and drink lots of water. She really is a super momma and a stunning bride!
I saw Fontane before her hair was done and she has pretty short hair. When I saw her again a couple of hours later I have to say, I was very impressed! Kathleen May at Maison Salon in Burlingame did a stellar job styling her hair into an up-do, making it look full and curly. 
I love how Fontane's lashes look in profile. And I just love this picture.
Photographer Deeba Yavrom of Donya Photography did a wonderful job capturing these candid moments of the lovebirds. Don't they look so happy? Speaking of lovebirds, check out the sweet topper on their cake! So adorable.
I only met Ernie for a brief moment as he stopped by to chauffeur the moms but he was so polite and sweet, thanking me for just doing my job. What a gentleman! Fontane is a lucky gal!
Thanks Fontane, for including me in your big day. Everything looked great!
... no really, we did! Actually, it was the restaurant/bar where I worked as a waitress. It's been exactly two years since we first met and we've been inseparable ever since. What better way to celebrate than with a little photo shoot? My good friend Clarice of 
I also wanted to do this as practice to see exactly how much make-up I would need in photos. Who knew that my skin would photograph so pale, especially in outdoor lighting? If I had to do it all over again, I would have used more blush and bronzer to create more dimension on myself, since I have very round cheeks! I would have also added thicker eyeliner for more frame on the eyes. I've found that it's much easier to do make-up on others where I can step back and look to see if more or less is needed. In spite of my lack of coloring, I was really happy with how all the pictures turned out. It was fun to wear lashes and play dress up for a bit.
Hope you enjoy some of the fun moments we had while shooting with Paul Bothwell. He's awesome! I love the splashes of blues he captured. Kevin and I have a fun life together and Paul helped us convey that in our photos. 
Thanks to Kevin for being such a good sport and keeping me smiling throughout the two hour long shoot (and every single day too!). 
Our morning started out with good conversation (turns out we're nearly neighbors), bananas and Chinese pastry buns. 
I wasn't able to see the final product on her wedding day as she had to rush off for hair and then to a traditional Chinese tea ceremony. I'm so happy to finally see these snapshots of her dress... beautiful! 
Check back for more photos soon!
Not wanting to take away from the simplicity of the shoot, I decided to create a very natural face. The look we designed was very everyday and un-glamorous to compliment the outdoor space, greenery, and Denise's personal style which is unfussy, yet pretty. What was most important to me was to highlight the eyes knowing Paul would be focusing on the intimate looks they gave each other. Whereas wedding photography is fancy, clean and colorful and really makes the bride stand out, engagement photos are a little more relaxed and casual with more emphasis on the couple. I would save the glamor for the big day and keep the engagement photo make-up more low key, but still polished.
We used a cocoa eyeshadow in the crease and a pop of white matte on the brow bone. What kept the look simple was the use of neutral eyeshadow and more emphasis on the eyeliner, which is lifting and brightening without having to contour anything on the lid. Using an eyeshadow (not pencil) throughout the brow gave a soft look yet still gave frame to the eye. Then I added individual lashes on just the outer third of the eyes to help them pop. 
I cannot stress the importance of lashes for photo shoots where everything needs to be just a touch more emphasized. Asian shaped eyes that are creased are especially challenging (trust me, I can sympathize) as they can look closed in or small when smiling. To make sure the liner will show in pictures, line the eyes first, smile into a mirror and note whether or not the liner disappears when the eyes are open. If not enough liner is showing, go a touch thicker. The lashes and liner really help to open up an Asian eye and can get otherwise blunt tipped and short lashes to stand out. Line just beyond the natural lash line and taper off towards the temples. To get false lashes to look most natural, line the eyes, curl the lashes, glue the individual lashes on, allow the glue to dry and set, touch up the liner to blend the base of the lashes in, and finally coat and blend real and false lashes together with a thickening mascara. Sounds like a lot of work but the results are well worth it!
I can't wait to see the rest of the photos and I look so forward to working with Paul again. Stay tuned for more of our collaborations!
My mom and I were pretty sad as this was the last time we would work together on Operation Prom. When I was in high school (a long time ago) my mom designed and sewed all of my prom dresses, just like she used to do for her own proms. There's nothing quite like having something custom made to fit your size and shape. Since I'm seven years older than my sister, she was fortunate enough to have a hair stylist and make-up artist on hand for all five proms she went to. And my awesome mom made a dress for each and every one. This last one was my favorite as I could easily see the shape and style of it translate nicely into a wedding gown. The big bow was the best part! 
And it was high pressure for my mom and me since my sister was on the prom court. Since the dress was such a soft pretty color, I didn't want to take away from it by putting on harsh colors so I did more definition with black eyeliner and I chose some eye shadows that were more blush toned. For teenage make-up, it is super important to me that the look is age appropriate, natural, but still pretty.
Then as a final touch I complimented every one's cheeks with a shimmer highlight which gives a nice glow in pictures.
Here is a shot of Sydney and her cutie pie prom date. Luckily for Sydney, she had a natural glowing tan from swim practice. 
Thanks girls for letting me paint your faces for the last four years. I'll miss my baby sister who will always be the rosy, chubby-cheeked tot whose hair I used to braid. Good luck girls! Your faces are now on their own. Always remember to moisturize and blend, blend, blend!
You get a beautiful heartfelt wedding that outdoes every other fancy wedding you've ever been to. You forget about the comforts of a padded chair when you're eating organic veggies on a bale of hay. You get a duet of guitars that welcome you as you walk down a dirt aisle. You realize you are having the wedding of your dreams and the best part is that it doesn't cost you a thing.
You also get a bride near tears, hence the reason that waterproof mascara is so important on your wedding day. 
If you're fortunate like me you get to participate in the wedding of good friends. And if you're lucky enough to be Soren you get to spend the rest of your life with a beautiful wife like Kristina. 
It was everything a wedding should be- a simple celebration of the couple without the hassles of uncomfortable tuxedos, the bright light of chandeliers, or bad banquet food lit by dim candlelight, eaten with heavy silverware. Kristina's wedding was inexpensive yet personal and oh so very beautiful. 
Cheers to the newlyweds who threw one of my favorite backyard bridal bashes ever!
Yes Nate, Deanna is gorgeous. High five! More pictures coming soon!
