Our Wedding: Part II

Hair and makeup. When I told people I would not only be doing my own makeup but also the makeup of all the ladies in my wedding party, including my mom, they all said I was crazy. Having worked on many, many weddings now, I knew the pacing of the day could only go smoothly IF I was organized and everyone played their parts by showing up on time. Luckily, our party was a very responsible group of people and things went very well. 

Part of my decision was because I firmly believe in not paying for something you can do yourself. I also thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to spend some one on one time with each lovely lady. I think it was the best decision I made because the rest of the day went by like a blur! 

We started around 8am and finished around 2:30pm. I set about 45 minutes for each person, and was able to do my own makeup while the amazing Jenn worked on my hair. I also built in about a 30 minute cushion, as every wedding I have ever worked on ran a little late. By the time Kevin and I had our first look, we were right on time! And arriving at the venue to take portraits with everyone was a relaxing and fun experience. I'm really happy with how everything turned out, especially since Nirav took our photos in so many different types of lighting. 

I wanted all the ladies to look fresh, bright, but still classic. The main focus was a clean, winged eyeliner and soft but thick lashes. Flawless skin was a must, with extra powder through the forehead and nose, but a dewy look on the cheeks. I stayed in the peach tones for the blush to compliment their dresses. I chose coral based lips for each of them, but my favorite is on my sister - Bobbi Brown's Creamy Matte Lip Color in Pink Lily. My mom requested the least amount of makeup possible, so we just made sure her brows were well groomed, evened out her skin and applied very thin Caviar eyeliner. I asked Jenn to keep their hair soft and fun, but to also reflect each of their individual styles. I even put a little sparkle eyeshadow and gifted clear lipgloss to our flower girl, just to give her a little special attention too. She loved it and I know it is something she'll always remember! 

I cried A LOT through the ceremony, not knowing how emotional I would be. Thank goodness for waterproof mascara! I used Shu Uemura Luxe Lashes and Precise Volume Mascara, the same mascara I use every day to prevent any smudging. 

Everyone knows just how much I love blush, and I told the bridesmaids to get whatever dress they wanted in blush tone as well as any shoe. I was shocked when the majority of them chose blue, and the rest followed suit! I decided to run with the colors, included them in our invitation design, and there were pops of blue throughout the venue. I loved the colors and thought they were an unexpected choice for a fall wedding. My mom was even inspired to sew her own beautiful blue silk dress. Since we didn't want the overall look to be too feminine, the blue kept it modern and graphic too. 

Hope you enjoyed the photos of the pretty ladies in my life, as well as our first look (which I highly recommend doing before the ceremony!). 

Next up, ceremony and decor! 

Our Wedding: Part I

The morning. We just got our photos back from Nirav and they are wonderful. His images captured the day perfectly and they tell the story of our family and friends.... and all of the moments in between. 

It was a wonderful experience being surrounded by my closest people, including my dad who was a great sport watching all of the girls go through their beauty routines. And of course, doing the makeup for all of my bridesmaids, my mom, and yes - even myself. Next up: makeup and hair. 

Aaaand....

We're back! We had a lovely wedding day surrounded by our loved ones. We still can't believe how lucky we were that we got the one sunny day of the week - not a cloud in the sky! Here are a couple of my favorite candid images from the day, courtesy of friends and family. 

Looking forward to getting our album back from Nirav, who was just voted Rangefinder's Top 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography. So proud! Read his story for some life changing inspiration.  

Yeah!

It's happening. We are finished with the details, planning and stress. Tomorrow we are going for our couple's massage and then headed off to further relax before the party people roll into town. Below is a preview of our cake topper. 

Looking forward to a great celebration, with my favorite dude by my side. 

I will be out of the office for the next couple of weeks, with lots to update you on when I get back. Have a Happy Halloween! 

Licensed to Wed.

Oh boy. 

He looks pained, doesn't he? With just a few short weeks left until the big day, Kevin and I needed a relaxing day away from wedding planning. We headed off to the San Francisco City Hall to get our marriage license. Originally, I imagined getting married there in the Rotunda surrounded by just a few of our closest people. Unfortunately, we had too many people we wanted with us and City Hall only allows six people as witnesses. Our immediate family was already more than six, so we knew we had to celebrate BIGGER. 

As we walked around the building (it's one of my favorite places in the city) we saw so many couples excited to sign their paperwork. There was a big cotton candy looking bride, traditional Korean bride, and petite bride with a short bubble dress, plus all the casually dressed ones accessorized only by the stars in their eyes. It really put things back into perspective as I've been getting a bit overwhelmed by the last minute details. So on the day of our wedding, I will pretend that we are alone in the Rotunda, even though we will be surrounded by hundreds of our friends and family. 

In a split decision, I had to fill in what my new married name would be. I thought I had a some time to choose, but I didn't! After Kevin recited all of the possible combinations (and I laughed hysterically as he tried the names out in different contexts) I think we came up with a combination we were both happy with.  

After we raised our right hands to promise all information was correct and true, signed, and were handed a pamphlet about health and STDs (so romantic) we headed off for some gelato. Thank goodness because it was 92 degrees! We then arrived at the Cal Academy to wander the aquarium, our favorite part. 

Those hypnotic jellyfish really calmed my nerves and I was able to relax for a few moments. We walked around Golden Gate Park and just enjoyed the super warm weather. It really was a wonderful day in the city and I highly recommend a day away from it all, if only to spend some quiet time together. 

The Best.

Weekend. I spent a few days in wine country with some of my closest ladies. My bestie Linds organized the whole thing, starting us off with tranquil massages, and taking us to large house among the grapes for us to relax and eat! We went out for a delicious dinner on day one (macaroni and cheese pizza?!), followed by wine tasting and cupcakes the next day. My sister and cousins made an amazing dinner the second night and we indulged with some of our favorite board games from our teen years. My friends and family really are amazing. I could not believe the outpouring of love! 

It wasn't your typical phallic filled weekend but I can say I had one of the best sleeps ever since it was so quiet! I felt so special and the relaxation was just what I needed. Thanks to everyone for spending the weekend with me!