POP, FIZZ, CLINK!

It's kinda my thing. So any chance I'm extended the invitation to curate a party, well you don't have to ask, the answer is already, and always, YES!

And so the adventures of planning The Handmade Bride's grand opening of their gallery inspired flagship store began. Our main goal was to throw a chic party without the fuss and logistics of dealing with caterers, serving staff, bartenders, crazy rentals  etcetera, etcetera. But we needed to keep in mind not only what these fashion attendees would expect, but the fun factor, creative factor, charitable factor and the wow factor!

We decided to stay classy with a simple champagne bar, live mannequins - fun factor, a floral accouterment- the wow factor, a "Beyond the Veil" photobooth- fun factor  and an interactive painting station- the charitable factor,  where guests could, for a donation paint a live mannequins dress in support of Unicef's campaign against child labor.  

The evening was flawless. Over 40 attendees in the fashion & wedding industry perused our gorgeous live models, sipped champagne and left with a Beyond the Veil snap from MDNR photobooth.

Meaghan Brunetti, Owner of The Handmade Bride 

PHOTOGRAPHY: Jonathan Kuhn Photography

MAKEUP: Klava Zykova

HAIR: Top Knot 

GOWNS: The Handmade Bride

FLORAL ACCOUTERMENTS: Presh Florals

PLANNING & STYLING: Toast Events

PHOTO BOOT: Modern Photo Booth

CATERING: Gourmet Cuisine

RENTALS: Mastermind Events

WINTER MAKEUP GUEST BLOG: WITH KLAVA ZYAKOVA

“Klava Zykova, my personal fave, is the Lead Makeup Artist for Burberry Beauty in Ottawa, previously representing Giorgio Armani and MAC over her 10-year career. She has given more than 200 brides their glow and created looks for countless special occasions, runway shows and editorials. As an Educator, Klava contributes to a few publications and leads seminars on makeup techniques and emerging beauty trends. She is also available to private makeup lessons, group seminars and masterclasses. Needless to say I’m thrilled to have the stunner on my side and available to my clients. Don’t be shy, follow her on Instagram @klavochka . You know you want too ;) ”

— Elise Schmitz

The busy wedding season is over for most, unless you have been invited to a winter wedding, which are becoming more popular lately. Weddings are always a very special occasion but there is something extra magical in a winter wedding, so I can certainly understand why more brides are choosing the sparkly white backdrop for their celebration.

Each season dictates its own prefect color palettes and dress code and the same goes for makeup. When it comes to winter wedding beauty there are a few classic tips to keep in mind and also current trends to consider.

Skin

Take extra care of your skin that tends to get more dry and flaky during the cold season. The other side effect of winter is the dreary light that deepens dark circles and red blemishes. Pick a foundation that is creamier, more moisturizing, has light-reflective particles to add luminosity to the skin and provides more coverage to hide flaws accentuated by the winter light.

We are also at our palest, and though I love me some fair-skinned beauties, if you are not a fan, an all over self-tanner is great to impart a gentle warm glow on the face and body. You can use a powder bronzer too, but be careful not to go too dark as the contrast between your face and the rest will stand out not in your favor.

Sparkle

It's the holiday season as well so many of us stock up an all sorts of sparkly and shimmery makeup goodies. Here is another great excuse other than holiday parties to use these products! To avoid looking like a Christmas decoration that wandered off to a wedding celebration, use sparkle sparingly and limit to one feature: eyes, or lips, but not both. The most elegant way to do this is to press a bit of silver or gold fine glitter on top of the eye-shadow concentrating in the middle of the lid and inner corner. 

Bright Lips

This seasons biggest trend is dark lips, so take your inspiration from that but brighten or lighten them up a bit to avoid looking too serious. Choose bold and fun colors to male your face pop, like red, fuchsia or burgundy. Flawless untanned skin is a perfect canvas for this look. Complete your makeup by defining the eyes with mascara and strong brows. Using lip liner is a personal choice, but the look will be more modern without it. The important thing to consider when choosing a bright lipstick is its longevity, because a messy pout is more obvious. There are many great long-lasting formulations available these days like matte textures; liquid lipsticks and stains to choose from.

Smokey Eyes

Since days are shorter in the winter and wedding celebrations will most likely be happening when its dark outside, it's okay to go a bit darker with your makeup then you would for a summer wedding. This timeless look reinvents itself every couple of years and this season it's not overly done and more effortless. it can be as easy as doing a thick dark eyeliner all around the eyes and then smudging it with an eye shadow a few tones lighter for that faded effect on the edges.

Winter is a perfect time to experiment with more dramatic looks so don't be shy to give it a try, but remember who is the star at the event!

xoxo Klava

 www.klavazykova.ca 

Credits: winter wedding Kristin Staal Photography, Sarah Freemark photos - Lindsey Gibeau Photography & makeup by Klava Zyakova

Comfy & Cozy Boudoir

Recently I've been doing a lot of styling. I just can't help myself - I love beautiful things, sprucing up areas and just all around refreshing everything and anything. So when Meg from the Handmade Bride told me she was doing a Boudoir shoot, I just had to get involved. 

The thing I liked most about this particular shoot was the emphasis on building a "comfy and cozy" environment to allow participants to feel more at ease and among friends. There was champagne, fruit & croissants upon arrival, with a professional makeup artist Klava Zykova, jewelry and lacy embellishments to enhance their experience from The HandMade Bride and of course the lovely Katie Soulier or KJS Photography.

Fingers crossed that The Handmade Bride will be hosting many more of these!

Photographs provided by KJS Photography