Caitlin & Sam's Wedding

Last week was the week! Caitlin and Sam tied the knot and my entire family and I are so happy and excited for them. The day was absolutely beautiful, it was warm, sunny, and pretty much the most perfect day to have a wedding.  They got married in the Salt Lake LDS Temple and their reception was at the Grand Hall at The Gateway.  Caitlin and Sam's wedding was simple, elegant, and had an ethereal/antique flare.    

A Stunning Fall Southern Wedding

Now that it's spring I don't like to mention fall or winter, but in this case I will, because I just have to share!

Last fall when I was nine months prego--I had the pleasure of doing Lauren's makeup for her wedding.  She was a beautiful and gracious bride.  I loved working with such a sweet and happy person.

Scroll through the pictures and be inspired by this elegant wedding!

8 Sweet Bridal Hair Accessories

In my search for a fun bridal hair accessory to complete my bridal look, I found so many great options. I'm planning on ditching a veil for my upcoming nuptials, and I'm looking for something with individuality and a dash of unforgettable style. I thought I'd share with you a few of the beauties that I found. Here are a few of my favorites:

Enough about the Linens! —Wedding Planning from the male perspective

photo credit

Hi!  It's Sam.As you undoubtedly know, Caitlin and I are in the midst of planning a wedding. We are both really excited to get married and share that special day with our friends and family. I’m sure that every couple ever feels that way, but I’m also fairly sure that the majority of engaged couples feel that planning their wedding is a rather stressful endeavor. I guess it’s just the nature of the beast, really; there are just several factors that make planning a wedding very difficult at times. I mean, planning events that involve feeding and entertaining a large group of people are always hard. It’s very easy to get stressed out when so many different people (a photographer, a florist, a caterer, etc.) are involved in making your event a success. Furthermore, it’s you’re wedding! Society has created this stigma that your wedding has to be the most perfect day of your life or else it’s a total failure (that’s at least 5,000 more stress points to count for those of you keeping score at home). In addition, this entire wedding related anxiety escalates when you realize that you only get one shot at it. Sure, divorce and other things happen and some people will have more than one wedding in their life, but when you’re planning your wedding it’s not something that you’re planning on doing again. All of these things combined cause millions of brides every year to be subjected to the evil wedding planning virus (also known as weddingplaneosis, bridezillitis, or bitchophrenia). Caitlin’s good attitude and sense of humor have helped immunize her against the symptoms of this planning related pathogen, but even for a girl who manages stress well planning a wedding can be rather taxing. And then there’s the man in the picture, seemingly on the sidelines, wanting to help, but not really knowing how to do so. That may seem like a shocker, the fact that your significant other actually wants to help with the wedding plans, but I think it’s true. I’m not saying that the man in the equation is concerned about color schemes. I’m not even saying that he cares a fig whether or not you have napkin rings (what is the point of those things anyway?), but I am saying that he loves you (heaven knows he probably wouldn’t be marrying you if that wasn’t the case) and wants to make pulling off a decent wedding as stress free as possible. So, here are some of my tips for guys and girls that will hopefully help encourage more male involvement in wedding planning.

A Feature on The Utah Bride Blog!

Hello there!

Mikki Platt Photography

I'm so excited to share with you all that our engagements were featured last week on The Utah Bride Blog!

It really kind of caught us by surprise. It's not everyday that a random publication features photos of you (but then again...). All in all, we're flattered that someone out there thought that we are photogenic enough to be featured on the World Wide Web. Really I think it says more about our photographer than our good looks. We both feel that Mikki did a really fantastic job capturing what we had both envisioned for our shoot. It felt much more natural than a lot of other engagement shoots I've seen (you know, the ones where a couple is standing on a ladder or in an awkward high school prom style pose where the bride-to-be's left hand is oh so strategically placed on her fiance's chest so she can show off her bling in the least nonchalant way possible). We can't wait to work with her again for our bridals and actual wedding day. Can you believe it's less than two months away?

Caitlin's Wedding Sneak Peek

Hello, it's me, again!

Sorry you haven't heard from me in a while, I've been busy being engaged, planning a wedding, trying to finish my last semester, work, eat, shower, ya know, just the basics. ;)

I thought I'd share a little sneak peak of what my mom and I (mostly my mom) have been planning for my upcoming nuptials.

First things first, look at that handsome guy!  I'm so lucky to be marrying him!

Photo by the lovely, Mikki Platt

It's Official: May 15, 2014

Hello and Happy New Year!  

Many of you have already heard the exciting news, but I thought I'd spill a little more of the details on my engagement, and a picture of my pretty little ring.

A Southern Bride

In August, I  had the pleasure of traveling down to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to do the makeup for a stunning bride and her wedding party.

Shanleigh was a pleasure to work with. She was such a beautiful bride, inside and out.  It's when I get to work with clients like her-- that I am reminded how much I love what I do.  We kept her makeup simple and classic with a romantic feel.

Her wedding was featured on the Mariee Ami blog this week.  The images were shot by Scottie Jones Photography.

She wore her mother's wedding dress which she had refashioned to fit her frame.  I loved that gown, especially the sleeves and neckline.  Knockout!

Shanleigh and her mother.

Mandatory shoe shot.

There is such a special charm surrounding a southern wedding.  It's hard to describe, but for me it's almost like I step back in time for a day.  Tradition, love, beauty, family and lush flowers take center stage.

Look at that cake!

Congrats to the newlyweds!

Top 5 Makeup Tips for Brides

 I love the month of June because it's starting to get warm, summer is right around the corner, and the flowers are out in full bloom.  June is also a busy month for me because there's a lot of weddings!  I love the saying Liza from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers sings in the musical, "Oh, they say when you marry in June, you're a bride all your life."  I love that musical.  June is a busy month for me because I do a lot of freelance work on the side for weddings.  When I do makeup for these beautiful brides I get a lot of questions asked by them as to how to get their  makeup to look flawless on their wedding day.  I have learned a thing or two about makeup for your wedding day--and I'm here to share it with you!

These are my top 5 makeup tips for brides:

1. Use a foundation primer.  You want your makeup to last all day, and you want a smooth surface to start from.  Choose a primer based on your skin type.  Here are a few recommendations:

Laura Mercier Oil Free Primer

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer

2. Waterproof eyeliner and mascara.  Let's face it, a wedding can be an emotional and overwhelming day.  You'll probably shed a few happy tears and you need something that will stay put.  These are bullet proof options.

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner

Diorshow Iconic Waterproof Mascara

3.  A makeup setting spray.  A fine hydrating mist you spray after you've finished your makeup will help it set into the skin, and it will instantly make it look less makeup-y.  I like the Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Skin Energy Hydration Delivery System

Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Spray

4. Use a highlighting powder to brighten and finish your look.  The idea is to look glowy-not shimmery or glittery.  Dust this on top of your cheekbones, nose, and inner corners of the eyes to add some dimension and highlight your features.

Guerlain Meteorite Compact

Bobbi Brown Brightening Finishing Powder

5.  Please use lipstick and a sheer pressed powder that you can touch up with throughout the day and into the evening.  

Bobbi Brown Sheer Pressed Powder

This is your wedding day--prepare for this detail.  Pick out colors you know you love, and have them handy.  You can ask your maid of honor/mom/wedding coordinator to keep them in her purse and have her bring them to you so you can reapply after you eat or drink.

Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Lip Color in Pink Dusk

Yves Saint Laurent Glossy Stain

I hope these tips will make your wedding day more beautiful.  Even if you're not a bride, but you are wanting to look flawless in photos, these are great tips to try!  If you have any makeup questions, or are wanting to know more on a certain subject, e-mail me at melliecraig@gmail.com!