Idea Overwhelm

Hello there!

Today, I wanted to chat a little bit about information or idea overwhelm.

It’s super exciting being engaged and planning your wedding but with so many blogs, magazines and apps like Pinterest and Instagram, you can soon be bombarded with ideas and opinions and not know which way to turn.

So when I speak with brides about their wedding hair and makeup, I find it really useful to get them to think about how they want their hair and makeup to make them feel on their wedding day.  Forget about all of the pretty images and concentrate on how you really want to feel, deep down inside.  Think about how you want to feel when you reminisce about your wedding day in 10 years time.

Some of the themes that often come up are pretty, confident, I can forget about it, I want to feel like me, amazing, timeless, beautiful, relaxed etc.

From this I can probably assume that you want your makeup to feel great (not like a mask), you want tot look like you have amazing skin and want to keep things pretty natural. With your hair you want it to be polished but not tight or too done. And you don’t want to worry that it might fall out or drop on the day.

Does that sound a bit like you? How much easier was it to think about that, rather than wading through hundreds of photos of stunning models, that have been photoshopped?

Once you have identified the feeling, its then much easier to look at a few images and pin point what exactly about that photo you love.  If its the fullness of the brows, then it’s easier to show me a photo of full, fluffy brows etc if that’s your thing. Through this process of elimination we can identify a look that you aspire to.

Always try to keep in mind that that your wedding hair and makeup shouldn’t be an exact replica of a look you have seen elsewhere, the image should be used as inspiration so you can make it all your own.

Hopefully, these tips can help you feel in control of your decisions and make your bridal styling the positive, fun and happy experience it should be.

Natalie x

 

 

January 30, 2019 by Natalie Willingham/Weddings Tags: beautiful, boho, bridal hair, bridal makeup, bride, Leeds, makeup artist, Natalie Willingham, natural beauty, natural bride, wedding, wedding hair, wedding makeup, West Yorkshire, yorkshire Leave a comment

Thank You!

This Saturday is my last bride of 2015 and what a year it has been.  I’m not going to brag about the number of weddings I’ve worked or the number of brides and bridesmaids I’ve styled, even the  number of lessons I’ve delivered.  However, I am going to say how grateful I am for the last year, which has been my best year yet.

More so, I’m truly thankful that I have met some really wonderful women through my business.  Women who I have supported during their transition from Miss to Mrs, but who have also very generously supported me during a turbulent personal period.

I’m looking forward to 2016 and meeting the gorgeous brides who have chosen to be styled by me ready for the day that they marry the love of their life.  But more than that I’m looking forward to strengthening the friendships I have already made and those I’m yet to make.

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year that’s filled with love and sparkle!

Natalie x

December 16, 2015 by Natalie Willingham/Weddings Tags: bridal, bridal hair, bridal makeup, bride, bridesmaid, Leeds, makeup, makeup artist, mr & mrs, Natalie Willingham, wedding, West Yorkshire, yorkshire Leave a comment

Wedding dress shopping – a whole new world for The Wardrobe Angel (Part Four)

My brilliantly funny friend Steph is The Wardrobe Angel.  She has a thriving fashion business and has even been on TV.  But this year she has stepped into unknown territory.  She has become a bride to be and now has the task of going wedding dress shopping.  I asked Steph to write a couple of blog articles for me about how she felt etc not just because she was in an unusual position for herself but also because this was an experience that every bride to be shared.  I’m sure you’ll enjoy this funny and insightful start to Steph’s wedding dress search.

Shopping for my wedding dress (Part Four)

People have now begun to ask me:

“as a stylist are you feeling the pressure of finding a dress?”

The simple answer is no. Fashion and style are intensely personal experiences which can be influenced and shaped by the media, magazines and peers but I believe each one of us has an innate sense of style which, when displayed in all its awesomeness, is congruent with who we are, where we are going, and shows what we do.

The dress has to fit certain, non-negotiable, categories:

1. It has to fit.
2. It can’t show my cleavage. I’m getting married in a church.
3. I have to be able to walk, sit, stand and eat in it. I’m not paying for a fancy meal only to be able to manage a few mouthfuls. I intend to chow down come Wedding Day.
4. I have to be able to wear it again. Just kidding. Although I might bring it out at fancy dress time, or just wear it when I am cleaning…you, know…to pep up my day. Like Monica and the gals from Friends back in the day….

But aside from that, it’s my decision what I wear. It’s my style.

  I have NO IDEA about wedding dress trends, no idea AT ALL and I don’t want to know.

 I don’t want an “on-trend” wedding dress simply because everyone else has that one. I want a dress which fits (see point number 1 above and whilst you are there you may want to re-read the other points as well), which I feel awesome in, which when I put it on, I’ll know

YES, this is the dress I’m going to marry Rich in.

 

 

February 15, 2015 by Natalie Willingham/Weddings Tags: beautiful, bridal, bridal hair, bridal makeup, bride, bridesmaid, bridesmaids, wedding, wedding hair, wedding makeup, West Yorkshire Leave a comment

Wedding dress shopping – a whole new world for The Wardrobe Angel (Part Three)

My brilliantly funny friend Steph is The Wardrobe Angel.  She has a thriving fashion business and has even been on TV.  But this year she has stepped into unknown territory.  She has become a bride to be and now has the task of going wedding dress shopping.  I asked Steph to write a couple of blog articles for me about how she felt etc not just because she was in an unusual position for herself but also because this was an experience that every bride to be shared.  I’m sure you’ll enjoy this funny and insightful start to Steph’s wedding dress search.

Shopping for my wedding dress (Part Three)

So I went online this week to try and cure my wedding dress blindness and put together a coherent wedding Pinterest board to send to my wedding florist, Cate Wood who owns Flowers at 180. I had had a tweet from Oxfam who directed me to their second-hand wedding dress site after hearing about my wedding dress dilemmas. Initially, when we got engaged, I adamantly told people I would find my wedding dress in a charity shop and buy some designer shoes to go with it which I would wear again…and again…and again. Sustainable shopping is one of the pillars of The Wardrobe Angel and half my wardrobe is from charity shops so it just felt right to go down this route.

Then something happened:

My Mum very, very kindly offered to buy my wedding dress.

She remembered shopping for her wedding dress with my Nana as a pivotal moment in their relationship. I’m only going to do this (get married) once: so this kind of enduring, wonderfully special memory, this mother/daughter experience of wedding dress shopping was something I realised I wanted too. As Rich and I planned the guest list and the congratulation cards rolled in late last year, I realised that I had just been going through wedding planning motions, I forgot (or didn’t quite realise) how many other people were supporting us and loving us during this frankly awesome time. (And I wasn’t about to start dragging my Mum round every Oxfam in the area – she would not have been into that at all!) So I put down my ideas of a thrifted dress and dove head first (albeit terrified) into the wedding dress experience.

Even though I’m committed to trying dresses on in person, feeling the garments, seeing how they looked on me rather than on a picture on a model online, I did find an immensely awesome, minimal stylish label called Houghton based in New York. I spent a good hour browsing the bridal collection wistfully imagining the slim fitting dresses pulling like an elastic band on my 28F chest, dragging miles of fabric behind me as I’m at least a whole person shorter than the models. This was my wake-up call – yes the Houghton dresses are awesome and wonderfully aspirational but they aren’t me. Not on my wedding day. They look perfect for weddings in castles, sleek registry offices, cool swanky London bars and on boat trips down the Thames. But a church wedding in Halifax followed by Fish and Chips? Pull the other one.

This is another big realisation I’ve had in wedding land – I’ve got to be realistic. I’m 5’3″ and my weight is 7 1/2 stone. Too much fabric and I’ll be like Alice slipping down the rabbit hole; blink and you’ll miss me. Our wedding location isn’t high profile, it isn’t fantastically glam, but it’s our home. And I want a dress which fits our bill, not the bill certain dresses give license for.

So onwards…. I’ve had so many positive messages from people…

“Just keep an open mind.”

“Focus on hair and make-up so all the focus isn’t on the dress.”

And a lovely message on my blog from a lady who works in a wedding dress shop:

“Everyone is uncomfortable the first time they try bridal dresses on and why wouldn’t you be?! You probably have never done it before and hopefully never will again!”

Thanks for all your messages and for reading… it’s fun writing these blogs!

PS – here’s s bridal horror story if ever I saw one – click the link … Brides ordering online receive dresses which can barely be called dresses, and certainly aren’t a patch on what they thought they were ordering. 

 

 

February 12, 2015February 12, 2015 by Natalie Willingham/Weddings Tags: beautiful, bridal, bridal hair, bridal makeup, bride, bridesmaid, bridesmaids, flowers at 180, wedding, wedding dress, wedding hair, wedding makeup, West Yorkshire Leave a comment

Products that go Pow!

I’m tired. Scratch that – I’m knackered and I look it. I’m time poor since becoming a new mum and I needed a new makeup routine that would make me look a million pounds when I felt more like 5p!

Here are a few of my holy grail products which I wouldn’t be without now.

Bourjois 123 Perfect Foundation. I actually went to trial their Healthy Mix Foundation which a lot of pro makeup artists carry in their kit but I got side tracked by this little bottle. It claims that it corrects and conceals all blemishes and last 16 hours. 2 months later and I’m really happy with this foundation. It has a light to medium coverage and leaves your skin looking matt so no need for powder unless you are really oily. It evens out my skin and even goes part way to covering the blackest dark circles you’ll ever see. As for the 16 hr claim well I can only vouch for 15 hrs as I’m usually in bed by the 16^th hour!

Amazing Cosmetics, Amazing Concealer, from M&S. In a word – its AMAZING! It comes in about 12 shades so you stand a pretty good chance of getting one that works for you. And it covers everything. No more colour correcting before applying concealer, I just whack on a teeny tiny amount with a small brush and hey presto I suddenly look like I’ve had a good 12 hrs rest. If you suffer with dark circles you need this product in your life.

YSL Baby Doll Mascara. I’ve always believed that you don’t need to spend lots on mascara as there are some brilliant high street brands about. But this has been my one indulgence, after getting a free sample. No clumping. Just full, long lashes.

Dr PawPaw Multipurpose Soothing Balm. This little tube of wonder balm can be used on pretty much anything and anywhere. Here’s just a few of the uses I have for it but I bet there are loads of others. Lip balm, emergency moisturiser, smoothing eyebrow hairs, softening cuticles, softening dry skin on hands, heels and elbows, smoothing dry flyaway hair or split ends, healing cuts and grazes.

These are just a few of my favourites, I’d love to hear about yours.

xx

 

 

February 1, 2015 by Natalie Willingham/Weddings Tags: Amazing Cosmetics, Babydoll, beautiful, blend, Boots, Bourjois, bridal, bridal hair, bridal makeup, brush, concealer, Dr PawPaw, east yorkshire, Leeds, makeup, makeup artist, makeup bag, Natalie Willingham, wedding, wedding hair, wedding makeup, West Yorkshire, yorkshire, YSL Leave a comment

Wedding dress shopping – a whole new world for The Wardrobe Angel (Part Two)

My brilliantly funny friend Steph is The Wardrobe Angel.  She has a thriving fashion business and has even been on TV.  But this year she has stepped into unknown territory.  She has become a bride to be and now has the task of going wedding dress shopping.  I asked Steph to write a couple of blog articles for me about how she felt etc not just because she was in an unusual position for herself but also because this was an experience that every bride to be shared.  I’m sure you’ll enjoy this funny and insightful start to Steph’s wedding dress search.

Shopping for my wedding dress (Part Two)

So last Friday was an experience I shall never forget. Wedding Dress shopping has surprised, delighted and scared me in equal measure. Why?

1. I’ve never been so closely aware of my physical form before. 

Head to foot in reams of fabric, suddenly I was acutely aware of my exact proportions, my waist, my chest, even my chin! Better than being naked, one of the dresses hugged my curves severely, announcing my hourglass shape. I looked wide-eyed in horror at my reflection as the words “I feel like Jessica Rabbit” left my mouth. There were my tits, my ass, my shape…so clearly defined….so damn sexy….and not in any way shape or form appropriate for a church wedding. I felt like sex was oozing from my pores, steaming off me in a hot sweat. That’s the power of a dress right there.

2. My height (or lack thereof) was magnified tenfold.

I always wear heels but in a height-off between me and the dresses, the dresses won hands-down. When I walked into the shop I immediately folded my arms and became increasingly defensive and cowed. I put my bag down and retreated to the corner of the room. The dresses, though hanging a safe distance away on rails, were already taller than me and I was wearing heels. This was intimidating no end.

3. I feel my inner princess has been unleashed

I was always a tomboy growing up – didn’t like dresses, wore dungarees and when I got my hair cut short I marvelled in glee at the mounds of discarded hair on the floor. Even at uni I turned up at one of my hall formals wearing trousers and a top rather than a dress. Then I tried on a wedding dress and BOOM – I was parading around like Cinderella waiting for her pumpkin coach to arrive. It was magnificent!!! I got so into it – shoes, veil, headpiece – the works! Never thought that day would come but it did and I LOVED IT.

4. Wearing a wedding dress requires herculean strength.

I tried one dress on with a massive train, the weight of which was what I imagine dragging around a dead person is like. People talk about high heels impeding women’s ability to walk. Well, I’d like to chuck certain designs of wedding dresses into that pot as well. I felt physically unable to lift this train of fabric up. I struggled out of the fitting room, made 2 hapless steps forward then had to be rescued by the assistant who said.

“this dress is really made for someone 5’8″ tall and a good few sizes bigger than you.” 

Kudos to Di for dragging that train around

This woman attached HER BABY to her train. There are no words…

She stripped the TRAIN OF TERROR dress me off and we went onto what looked like an awesome dress but again – OH MY DAYS HOW ON EARTH DO YOU EXPECT ME TO WALK IN THIS???? The dress had a wonderfully sparkly top half, was cinched in at the waist and then sprouted like a material fountain out from the waist a good few inches, with reams of fabric layers in the underskirt. Due to height issues (see point number 2) the top, supposed to be a modest V Neck, practically hit my navel so had the rather weird look of J-Lo circa the Puff Daddy Days..

Having never worn a floor length gown, especially one with so many layers, I ended up kind of simultaneously walking and kicking the underskirts of the dress to get around. Seriously NOT a good look. Plus massively heavy!!

All in all an eye opening and muscle toning experience. But, on a serious note, with each dress I got a stronger and stronger sense of what I wanted to wear on my wedding day and how I want our wedding to look and feel. The shop assistants could not have been more helpful and for that I am eternally grateful. So where next? Next stop on my wedding dress journey I am heading online….wish me luck.

For more updates on The Wardrobe Angel finding her wedding dress follow her blog:

http://thewardrobeangel.blogspot.co.uk/

Website:

www.wardrobeangel.co.uk

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/wardrobe_angel

January 15, 2015 by Natalie Willingham/Weddings Tags: beautiful, bridal, bridal hair, bridal makeup, bride, bridesmaid, bridesmaids, wedding, wedding hair, wedding makeup, West Yorkshire Leave a comment

Wedding dress shopping – a whole new world for The Wardrobe Angel (Part One)

My brilliantly funny friend Steph is The Wardrobe Angel.  She has a thriving fashion business and has even been on TV.  But this year she has stepped into unknown territory.  She has become a bride to be and now has the task of going wedding dress shopping.  I asked Steph to write a couple of blog articles for me about how she felt etc not just because she was in an unusual position for herself but also because this was an experience that every bride to be shared.  I’m sure you’ll enjoy this funny and insightful start to Steph’s wedding dress search.

Shopping for my weddings dress part one…

This is already hilarious for me. Much as I love clothes I have never dreamt of my dream wedding dress. You read that correctly. I have dreamt of Mulberry handbags and mid heeled court shoes, of wardrobes with magnificent sliding doors and clothes all neatly organise inside. I have dreamt of holidays in Ibiza, the ultimate red lipstick and of the perfect brew and the accompanying wheat free biscuit. But I have never dreamt of my dream wedding dress.

I’m a stylist and image consultant and love clothes, but this wedding dress malarkey is a whole new, terrifying, other worldly ball game for me. Here are some wedding dress shaped facts about The Wardrobe Angel:

• I have never tried on a wedding dress before. NEVER. NEVER EVER.
• I fell out with maxi dresses last year and have never worn a floor length gown so I don’t know if I’ll like that wedding dress material swishing around me.
• I think I have wedding dress blindness – I bought a bridal magazine and after a few pages of flipping through I couldn’t tell the difference between one dress and the next.
• I’m scared of the weight of the dress; I’m hardly a body builder and carrying around all that tulle and lace for a whole day seems out of my bodily reach.

We’ve set the date, booked the church and the venue and now there is this HUGE gaping hole in the organisation of our wedding – my missing dress. And time is ticking. I get married in under 9 months. I rang the very wonderful Natalie Willingham to book her as my make-up artist on the day and she gave me some very sound advice,

“You’ve never tried on a wedding dress before and they are a different breed of clothing altogether so when you enter the shop take off your stylist hat and be guided by the shop assistants.”

Except here we are – the first day of wedding dress shopping is tomorrow. I don’t know what pants to wear, I am plucked, waxed and shaved within an inch of my life and I have NO IDEA what to try on first. I don’t know what I like. I can feel a huge panic rise in my chest and it does not subside. My Mum is clearly loving this and I am trying my very best to go through the motions but I NO IDEA what I am doing.

And I am TERRIFIED.

For more updates on The Wardrobe Angel finding her wedding dress follow her blog:

http://thewardrobeangel.blogspot.co.uk/

Website:

www.wardrobeangel.co.uk

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/wardrobe_angel

January 13, 2015 by Natalie Willingham/Weddings Tags: beautiful, bridal, bridal hair, bridal makeup, bride, bride to be, Hair, image consultant, Leeds, makeup, makeup artist, mr & mrs, Natalie Willingham, red lipstick, shopping, Stylist, The Wardrobe Angel, wedding, wedding dress, wedding hair, wedding makeup, West Yorkshire, yorkshire 1 Comment

Brilliant Bridal Trials

Getting married is a hugely exciting time in the life of any lady and your bridal trial should be a fun and joyous occasion. Want to make sure that your bridal trial goes brilliantly? Then read on..

Timing is everything. Too early and you may change your mind, too late and you may not be 100% certain of your choices. I recommend scheduling your trial 6-12 weeks before your wedding day. By this point you should have a good idea of what styling you would like and have all of the accessories to complement this. Where possible schedule your trial before your dress fitting so you can see how the whole look works together.

Choosing a hair and makeup style is a very personal thing and needs to incorporate aspects of your personality so that your groom recognises you at the end of the aisle. There are so many images out there, I could get lost in Pinterest for hours, and sometimes it can all feel a bit overwhelming. In that case ask me what I think. I have a lot of experience working with different brides and I keep an eye on the catwalk to ensure I keep up to date with current trends, which can then be incorporated into stunning bridal looks.

Bring images of hair and makeup styles you like and those that you don’t along with a photo of your dress to your trial. It is so much easier to communicate to me what you like and don’t like if you are able to show me a photo, as your version of natural will be different to that of another bride.

I usually suggest that you wear a white or light coloured top to your trial.  The combination of light and the white will provide the most accurate example of how your makeup and hair will look on the day. If you don’t have a white top then a white towel or pillowcase will work just as well.

Lighting is really important, so I prefer to schedule my trials during day light hours to ensure that I get the best from our appointment. Lighting at home or in hotels can cast shadows, and yellow tones, which can change the look and colour of your makeup.

Bring any accessories with you to your trial as these can also affect the look of your hair and makeup. Strong accessories may need fuller lashes or stronger colours to emphasise your look. Still haven’t decided? Then bring a couple of options with you so you can see which works best.

And finally, be honest and open to ideas. Before I start any trial appointment, I spend time building a relationship with you. I ask lots of questions to learn more about you, your usual hair and makeup style, your wedding plans etc. This helps us get to know each other better, after all having your makeup done can be quite intrusive and requires a lot of trust between artist and bride.

Hopefully, this short guide will help you understand what to expect at your trial to ensure it goes brilliantly.  But if you still have any concerns then don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Happy wedding trials everyone! x

October 22, 2014October 22, 2014 by Natalie Willingham/Weddings Tags: accessories, beautiful, bridal, bridal hair, bridal makeup, bridal trial, bride, bridesmaid, bridesmaids, catwalk, chanel, east yorkshire, eyelashes, false eyelashes, fun, harrogate, illamasqua, lashes, laura mercier, Leeds, lighting, love, mac, makeup artist, mother of the bride, nars, Natalie Willingham, nerves, north yorkshire, personality, pinterest, south yorkshire, trends, vogue, wedding, wedding hair, wedding makeup, wedding planning, West Yorkshire, york, yorkshire Leave a comment

Louise & Tony’s Private Affair!

The weather may not have always been on our side this weekend but that didn’t matter as Louise was buzzing with excitement from the minute I arrived at Yorebridge House.

Louise and Tony chose Yorebridge House as their wedding venue as they wanted as much privacy as possible whilst enabling guests to stay overnight.  It was my first visit to this venue and I have to say how delightful a place it is.  Not only was it a really lovely light hotel but the staff were wonderful.  Even though they were busy getting ready for the breakfast service and Louise and Tony’s wedding they took their time to make me feel really welcome and regularly stayed in touch with the bride to ensure she had everything she needed.

Louise had chosen a beautiful and sparkly Justin Alexander mermaid style gown in ivory and gold, with a pair of gold Jimmy Choo’s to compliment.  Originally I was only meant to be creating Louise’s bridal hair style but was also asked to create her wedding makeup too.  We kept everything simple and soft.  Louise chose golds and browns for her eyes to emulate the colours in her gown and I created tousled waves which I twisted and pinned to the side in a loose romantic updo.  Having her hair in an updo meant that Louise was able to show off the gorgeous neckline on her gown.

Ably assisted by her sister in law and cousin both of which looked ultra glam in cream and gold cocktail dresses.  Mum also wore a cream dress and looked fab.

All of the flowers were provided by Sharon at Blush Bespoke Flowers and matched the brides theme of cream and gold perfectly.

Ian of Scarlet Ribbon Photography was on hand from the very first minute to capture as much of this couples special day as possible.

A relaxed and fun morning of wedding prep led to mum and maids excitedly helping Louise into her dress ready for her walk down the aisle.

Congratulations Louise and Tony!  Enjoy your honeymoon x

 

 

May 13, 2014May 13, 2014 by Natalie Willingham/Weddings Tags: beautiful, Blush Bespoke Flowers, bridal, bridal hair, bridal makeup, bride, bridesmaid, bronzer, brush, chanel, eyeshadow, Leeds, love, makeup, makeup artist, mother of the bride, mr & mrs, Natalie Willingham, pixiwoo, Real Techniques, scarlet ribbon, wedding, West Yorkshire, Yorebridge House Leave a comment

Ellie & Andy

On Friday I had such joy in helping Ellie look beautiful for her trip up the aisle to marry her love Andy.

Ellie originally booked me to create her wedding makeup only, but when she realised I also did hair she asked for a trial as she’d had 5 trials elsewhere and wasn’t happy with any of them.  On the day of her trial Ellie wasn’t going to have a hair trial as she had resigned herself to not being able to have the look she very much wanted.  After listening to her tale and asking a few relevant questions, Mum Jackie stepped in and asked if I could do a hair trial then and there.  Of course I could so I set about translating what I thought Ellie wanted.

Several hours later hair and makeup complete with the addition of her veil we went to look in the mirror.  Tears of joy from Ellie and a sigh of relief from mum.

I was delighted as I knew Ellie would now be looking forward to her wedding as any bride should, with excitement and joy at being able to look as beautiful as she should.

Ellie’s wedding preparations were very relaxed.  We had a quick hello from my mini schnauzer puppy Buster (Mum, Jackie loves dogs and asked me to bring him into the house), Buster comes to work with me as much as possible and loves all the attention he gets.  Mum was first in the makeup chair and then popped out to the hairdressers.  The the rest of the morning was spent getting Ellie ready.  When it was time for Ellie to step into her dress, we had to wriggle the dress over her head trying to avoid disturbing her hair and makeup – her bridesmaids did a sterling job and nothing needed to be touched up – phew!

Whilst photos were being taken I helped peel labels off shoes and tie ribbons on cars.

Then it was time for me to say my farewells.  Ellie looked so pretty in her high necked dress, ready for her drive in the sunshine to Holdsworth House in Halifax where she would be marrying the man of her dreams.  Congratulations Ellie & Andy and have an amazing time in America on Honeymoon xx

 

 

April 14, 2014 by Natalie Willingham/Weddings Tags: bridal hair, bridal makeup, buster, hair makeup & hair artist, halifax, holdsworth house, makeup, makeup artist, mini schnauzer, Natalie Willingham, sunshine Leave a comment