Archive for the Local Love Category

Photo by Uryelle Dimailig

This month, I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Meghan of Makeup and Meg. Aside from being super sweet, she has been a professional makeup artist since 2005, creating beautiful looks on hundreds of women for weddings and photo shoots. She also specializes in lash extensions and manicures! So perfect for bridal parties (see note about a discount below!) or even a girls night in.

How long have you been doing makeup?
I started MakeupandMeg in 2005. However, I remember doing my first ‘nude lip’ with my Mother’s concealer before elementary school, and charging my friends a Toonie for Dr. Pepper Lipsmacker application at my 10th birthday.

What is your favourite style of makeup?
My favourite style of makeup is unquestionably romantic and soft. Think a more natural Victoria’s Secret.

Do you have any favourite products or must haves for your brides?
Brides need a lip gloss (try a YSL Glossy Stain ; Won’t kiss off, and looks effortless), powder to reduce shine ( Laura Mercier Invisible Pressed Setting Powder ) and lash glue (Duo), for the big day.

How do you come up with new looks for your clients?
I create makeup looks for my clients based on their own personal style/desired look, coupled with makeup that naturally flatters their features.

What is your favourite technique or trick?
My favourite trick is powdering black liquid liner to get the most perfect line: No more wiggles or imperfections… Plus powder sets products and makes it last!

What additional services so you provide that wedding couples should know about?
We offer shellac manicures and lash extensions, too. Bridal parties receive 20% off makeup trials and all services. There is more than one makeup artist on staff, so we can do a wedding party is half the time. We do makeup parties as well, where we educate clients with how-to printables, and live demos. Makeup Parties are the most fun!

What is your top 3 wedding makeup tips?
My top 3 makeup tips for brides are:

1. Book a trial. This will save time as the artist knows exactly what you’re expecting, and provide the exact look the client has in mind.
2. Powder the skin, and use a water proof setting spray.
3. Apply more makeup than usual. Photos reduce the appearance of makeup by at least 20%.

What are the wedding makeup trends for fall/winter 2014?
Clients are all about contouring the skin this year! I think Pinterest info-graphics have influenced the trend, and Kim Kardashian!

You can find more of Meg’s stunning work on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter , or Pinterest .Or tune into #yegweddinghour on Wednesday nights at 7 pm to chat more with Meg and other wedding industry professionals!

When Laura Carter and Kirsty Wilson were approached by a friend last summer to rescue her from wedding stress, they were only too happy to help.

Through this, the pair discovered their shared passion for coordinating wedding details and stage managing a couple’s big day. Soon, Kay&Elle was born.

“Before this, we didn’t know that wedding coordinators existed,” says Kirsty, “But it’s becoming quite a big thing.”

As she and Laura explain, coordinators differ from the wedding planners many of us are familiar with in several ways. For one, they usually don’t start working with a couple until later in the planning process, once signed vendor contracts are in place. This makes them ideal for budget-conscious couples.

“We find the couples we work with are the ones who can do it all, but then they get overwhelmed at the six week mark,” says Laura.

Often these DIY couples know right off the bat that they’ll want help near the wedding date, so book Kay&Elle ahead of time.

“They say, ‘We’re probably going to need you eventually so let’s book now’,” laughs Kirsty.

For a full wedding day management package, they meet with couples several times in the six weeks leading up to the wedding, and often attend rehearsal events. Then, the day of, they stay for ten hours of on-site management to make sure everything goes perfectly.

In the past, this has included everything from writing an MC speech at the rehearsal dinner for someone who was going to “wing it” at the wedding reception, to making sure the bridal party got to the limo on time.

Friends and family members of the bride and groom also appreciate their services, as they are often asked to contribute a lot of effort to wedding preparations.

“We think family and friends should be able to enjoy the day as well,” Laura says.

For couples who just need some advice, they are happy to chat for an hour or two as consultants and share some of their favourite hidden gems in the city.

No matter the level of assistance, Kay&Elle’s creativity, care, and ability to handle crises will help keep your wedding on track, and your enjoyment front and centre.

Oh and did I mention that they were just named Edmonton’s most popular new wedding planner by Wedding Industry Experts Awards. For more information, please visit www.kayandelleweddings.com . And check out their feature on the Special Event Rentals blog .

We recently caught up with Michael to find out how his craft can help turn out your one-of-a-kind wedding stationery. Invitation suite to the left was designed by Cameron Wakal and printed by Fort Heavy.

Glossie: On your website, you say you focus on “bespoke letterpress” – what does that mean?
MW: Letterpress is one of the oldest forms of relief printing. Basically, you have a negative plate that gets inked and that directly prints on to the paper in positive form. It used to be printed from wood type and lead type in the past, but we use an antique press (they don’t’ actually make them anymore) in a modern way.

“Bespoke” just means that it’s custom. We only work to your specifications – not from templates.

Glossie: Do you usually work directly with clients?
MW: I would say it’s 50/50: half the time I work directly with customers, and the other half I work with designers and wedding planners.

Designers know the technical things, like file set up, and they have an understanding of the print process. There are lots of [other] people who have a good handle on it too, but sometimes there’s a bit of explaining.

Glossie: Why do people choose letterpress?
MW: Letterpress has a different quality to it – a tactile feel. We generally print on cotton paper, so that has a nice fluffy sensation. It also provides an impression – each letter and image almost has a sculptural feel to it. It’s a bit different. It’s not all super glossy, it’s a nice matte finish. It looks expensive and it is generally a bit more expensive than a standard printer.

Glossie: Are there any limits to letterpress clients should consider?
Letterpress doesn’t necessarily work the way a digital printing process does. With digital printing you can print as many colours as you want. You can with letter press too but we usually try to stick to using one to three colours, and using more solid colours because it’s not as smooth as digital and offset print for variation in tones.

Letterpress works in spot colours from Pantone – it works best with a 100% of the colour.

Glossie: Any tips for clients or designers who’d like to use letterpress?
MW: Keep things simple – don’t overdesign things. It might seem plain on the computer but once it’s printed the texture and all that helps them stand out.

I’ve been getting a lot of classic designs lately – nice bright paper and darker text – and golds and greys, which works well. For more information or to get an estimate, please visit: www.fortheavy.com

Details Vintage Decor Rentals may be a new kid on the Edmonton wedding block, but people have gotten really excited about their love of old things.

The company, run by friends Kira Ogar and Katie Shaw, provides couples and wedding planners alike with affordable one-of-a-kind vintage finds for that special day.

Ogar is an interior decorator with a passion for all things vintage, and Shaw has a background in marketing. The two knew they wanted to work together, and in the fall of 2013, while planning a wedding for a mutual friend, they hit on the idea.

“She wanted a vintage feel and had all these different ideas but we couldn’t bring it to fruition for a price she could afford,” says Shaw. “She wanted a birdcage for cards, lace linens and old mason jars, and we couldn’t really find anything without having to buy it.”

Shaw and Ogar realized that it was next to impossible to find vintage rentals in Edmonton.

“You’d have to put a huge outpour of cash for decor that you’re never going to use again,” Shaw says.

Details Vintage specializes in those unique touches that personalize a wedding – the kind of things Pinterest and DIY-ers covet. People come to them for table numbers, chalk boards, window frames, old lanterns and Pepsi Cola crates.

“Our suitcases are huge too,” she says. “We’ll make a little bunting sign and then put all their wedding cards in there.”

The most popular rental item is the company’s whisky barrels.

“You can use them as a cake table – with two barrels and a slab across them,” says Shaw. “We had such a hard time finding them in the first place, now we cannot keep them on the shelves.”

Details Vintage embraces all eras, and has items on hand right through the 1970s, with many from the 1940s and 1950s. And if they don’t have it in stock, they are happy to source it for you.

“If brides are interested in something we’ll go look for it,” she says. “One couple wanted forty different eclectic pieces – old cameras, old airplanes – for their tables. Now we’re on a hunt to find all these pieces!”

They are also happy to make suggestions on which vintage pieces will suit your event, or even come out and style them for you. So if you’re feeling like going a little Downton Abbey , Great Gatsby , Mad Men , or even American Hustle , look no further.

For more information, please visit the Details Vintage Decor Rentals Facebook page.