Tips and Tricks – Polished Makeup & Hair

Why an Arcade Wedding in Downtown Houston is a Great Idea!

Team Polished — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 00:15:34 +0000

If you’re looking to break away from tradition and inject some fun into your wedding day, consider saying “I do” in an arcade! Our bride, Jodie, chose to tie the knot in downtown Houston, opting for a fully rented-out arcade for her celebration. It was a day filled with laughter, joy, and a touch of nostalgia.

What did Jodie's wedding day look like?

1. Setting Up at the Hotel:
At 10:15 am, Team Polished arrived at Jodie’s chosen hotel to set up our beauty stations. Lucky for us, the room boasted a large window, flooding the space with that coveted natural light. And let me tell you, natural light is every makeup artist’s dream!

2. Getting Glam:
By 10:30 am, our two Polished Artists were in full swing, beautifying the bridal party. One artist focused on makeup, while the other focused on the hairstyles.

3. The Finishing Touches:
After about four hours of pampering, it was 2:30 pm, and everyone was feeling fabulous. As the final strokes of lipstick were applied and the last strands of hair were pinned in place, the bridal party was buzzing with excitement.

4. Pre-Ceremony Fun:
With hair and makeup complete, it was time for the bridal party to indulge in some pre-ceremony festivities. They snapped selfies, shared laughs, and toasted with champagne, while the photographer catches it all. It’s a vibe in here.

5. Mission Accomplished:
With our job done, it was time for us to pack up and say our goodbyes. Seeing the bride and her besties radiating confidence and beauty is always the ultimate reward for us.

6. Off to the Arcade:
At 3:00 pm, it was time to say adios to the hotel and hello to the arcade, where Jodie and her love were about to embark on the next chapter of their journey together. And what better setting for a wedding than amidst the flashing lights and nostalgic charm of an arcade?

Jodie’s wedding day was a testament to the idea that weddings don’t have to fit a mold. By embracing the unconventional and infusing their day with personality, Jodie and her groom created an experience that was uniquely theirs. So, if you’re dreaming of a wedding that’s anything but ordinary, take a page from Jodie’s playbook and consider thinking outside the box. After all, love knows no bounds, and neither should your wedding day!

Credits

Hair & Makeup: Polished Makeup & Hair

Photographer: Kaysa Elise Photography

Hotel: The Westin Downtown Houston

Arcade: Joystix

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10 Things I learned from my Fusion Hindu – Christian Destination Wedding

Team Polished — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 03:27:00 +0000

Are you in the process of planning your destination wedding? Is your wedding a fusion of cultures? Mine was! I learned so much from my 3-day Indian wedding, I have to tell my fellow brides in planning!

Here are my 10 tips to keep in mind when planning your destination wedding.

At a glance:

Choose your outdoor ceremony time wisely
Have an unplugged ceremony
Fake flowers vs real flowers
Hire vendors you trust
Make a photo list
Schedule private time
It’s all about what the couple wants
Don’t stress about the small stuff
Divorced parents
Getting the bill

1. Choose your outdoor ceremony time wisely

I really wanted to soak up all the beautiful sun and lush jungle around us, so I wanted to have as much of the wedding festivities in the sun as possible. But wow did that come at a cost.

We started our wedding day events with The Barat at 2pm, and wow was it HOT!

I knew it would be hot but I didn’t think it would be that hot! It seemed alright in the shade but unfortunately there weren’t many shaded areas where my hubby has his Barat.

Then we moved to the garden where we melted in the sun under our mandap. Our guests were melting.

That was rough, especially draped in all of of our heavy traditional Indian Bridal attire.

Luckily, we were in a garden area that had a little shade move in after some time. Our guests could move into the shade and have some ice cold water, watermelon and strawberry infused waters, it was delicious. Our wedding coordinator also brought a few umbrellas to the mandap to give us shade.

Thinking back, I think it would have been great to give our guests some kind of cold treat during our Hindu ceremony to cool them off.

Thank goodness for the team of people at our resort, they made it a truly seamless and beautiful experience.

2. Have an unplugged ceremony

We had an unplugged ceremony because we didn’t want everyone with their phones out in our photographer’s photos.

I recommend having a designated friend or family member to hold your phone (or use their phone) to sneak some photos and videos during the ceremony. You’ll be so happy you did!!

3. Fake Flowers vs Real Flowers

You wouldn’t be able to tell by just glancing at the photos, but most of our flowers were fake!

This was a recommendation from our wedding planner and florist.

The Bougainvillea flowers we wanted were super fragile and would quickly wilt in the summer heat.

So we went with fake flowers for the mandap, photo area and bride and groom table.

We used real flowers for the centerpieces, our Varmalas and bouquets.

4. Hire vendors you trust

Hire vendors that you trust and vibe with. I cannot tell you how important this is. Our 90 person destination wedding was a seamless dream all thanks to our amazing wedding vendors.

Our wedding planner and coordinator was provided by the resort and did an outstanding job. From the planning process to the actual events, it was all a wonderful experience.

We got to indulge in it all.

Picture this: Its your wedding day and your getting ready in a beautiful tropical paradise. When your ready, all you have to do is leave your bridal suite, walk down to your wedding event space and enjoy every moment with your closest friends and family. That’s what it was like and we couldn’t have done that without our coordinator guiding every thing for us.

The other most important vendor we hired was our travel agent, Vagablonde Travel. Let me say, my head probably would have exploded if I didn’t have Jen and Josh taking care of our guests travel details.

Vagablonde created a web page for our guests where they could choose their room and book their stay at the resort where our wedding was. They kept in contact with each guest to make sure they had their airfare booked, transportation to and from the airport, passport details and anything else they needed in regards to their travels. Did I mention we had a total of 90 people traveling for our wedding in Mexico?!

They didn’t stop there, Vagablonde also has an app that all of our guests can download that will keep them updated on their flight and transportation details, and a schedule of all 3 days of our wedding events. All these details right at the tip of our guests fingers, what a fantastic system! This made sure our guests were lounging around on the beach when they are supposed to be at an event and it kept everyone from asking us a million questions.

Thank you Vagablonde!

5. Make a List for Group Photos

Our Hindu ceremony, Christian ceremony and reception all had to happen simultaneously. Everything outside had to end at 11pm to respect the other guests in the resort. That meant we had to stay on schedule because the sun was going down.

One things I heard from my sister in law was that photos look quit a long time and cut into the reception so we wanted to make sure we were efficient in getting out photos with our guests.

Give your friend or MC and photographer a list of groups for photos and have them call out the names to keep the timeline moving.

This worked super smoothly with our 88 guests.

We also met with our photographer and planner before the events started so we could give them a list of the photos we wanted, like a group photo at each event, candid photos, getting ready photos, first look photos etc.

6. Schedule in private time for the couple

A piece of advise a lot of our married friends and family told us was to make sure we schedule in private time for the couple.

We scheduled in 3 private times on the wedding day.

1. 1st look before our Hindu ceremony

2. 2nd look before our Christian ceremony

3. Our private vows before going to our reception

My husband and I both have talked about how special those moments were to us, because outside of that we were surrounded by our loved ones at all times of the wedding day.

7. It's all about what the couple wants

Do what you want, and I really mean that. For example, we did 2 religious ceremonies back to back, 3 first looks after each outfit change on our wedding day, did our vows privately, we didn’t cut the cake and we had no bridal party. It was awesome.

Call us crazy but we wouldn’t change a thing.

8. Don't stress about the small stuff

Don’t stress about the small things like a wedding Playlist

I stressed about the music list for each event because we didn’t want to play things like YMCA, Cupid Shuffle and other songs like that. We have a different style, plus we had 3 events we needed songs for so we needed a lot.

We created the playlist in a short amount of time, having it ready like a day or 2 before the wedding. And then? The DJ didn’t even play our playlist!! He played very similar songs in the same genre but looking back I remember there are specific songs he didn’t play.

Moral of the story, I wouldn’t have stressed about it had I known he just wanted to know our vibe and didn’t necessarily want an exact playlist to play at each event.

9. Divorced Parents

A big stresser for me was thinking about who would walk me down the aisle, my dad or step dad? I imagine there are a lot of people that deal with anxiety related to this in some kind of way and sheesh, it sucks.

You love them both and don’t want to hurt any feelings or make anyone feel left out. I get it. But just do what makes you happy.

I had one walk me down the aisle for the Hindu ceremony and the other walk me down the aisle for the Christian ceremony. Worked out great!

10. Getting the bill from the resort

If your having your wedding at a resort, be prepared to wait for the decor bill until a week or 2 before the actual wedding.

I will give you some information I would have found super helpful when planning my destination wedding at a resort when it comes to the bill.

Its not always going to be cheaper than the US
Be prepared to wait until a week or 2 before your wedding to get a close estimate for the decor, flowers and set up details you set up with your planner. I asked for the quotes at least 2 months before the wedding but we didn’t get them until about 2 weeks before our wedding. That was pretty stressful. This happened to us and a another couple we know that had an Indian wedding in Mexico.

Our Wedding Vendors

Bahia Mita Resort took care of the majority of our wedding from the planning, food, decor including most flowers, guest accommodations, photography and videography.

Ximena was our wedding coordinator at Bahia Mita

Cecilia was our photographer with Adventure Photos.

Vagablonde Travel took care of our travel details and room bookings for our 88 guests.

Floreria Bloom made and delivered our Varmala’s and center pieces.

Lemon’s and Mehdni took care of my bridal Mehndi on my hands and guests and my bridal hair and makeup for all 3 events.

Polished Makeup & Hair took care of family members hair and makeup.

Paisley’s and Swirls did my henna on my feet in Houston.

Dresses:

Orange Lehenga, Blue Lehenga is from Pahlki Fashion

Red Bridal Lehenga & Jewelry is from Roop Sari

White Wedding Dress is from Marry Go Round

4 Tips to Go by When Getting Hair & Makeup Ready for Your Destination Wedding

Team Polished — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 10:07:00 +0000

A destination wedding is the ultimate way to combine adventure and romance as you tie the knot in a stunning locale.

Now, let’s talk about something crucial – your bridal beauty game, specifically your hair and makeup. You want to look and feel fabulous on your big day, right?

Well, it takes some planning, especially when you’re getting hitched far from home.

In this guide, we’re going to give you 4 essential tips for nailing your getting ready process for your multi-cultural destination wedding.

Whether you’re jetting off to a tropical island, a charming European city, or some other dreamy spot, these tips will help you shine as you say “I do” in paradise.

1. Getting Ready for each wedding event

Give yourself more time than you think you need – be ready early so you aren’t stressed and pressed for time.

I made sure my hair and makeup were completed with about 3 hours before each event.

Then I had time to eat, put on all of my jewelry, drape my veil, get shoes on and enjoy all of those special moments with my family leading up to the wedding.

My goal was to not feel rushed in getting to each of our events and I feel like I achieved that goal!

2. Ask your seamstress to make your top (choli) clip-able in the back

I really wish my wedding day lehenga choli clipped in the back.

We had our Hindu ceremony at 3pm then we ran off and changed into our Christian ceremony outfits. After baking in the hot sun it was so hard to get my Lehenga top over my head without messing up my hair and makeup.

If I would have requested my seamstress to make it clip able in the back, changing would been so much easier.

I highly recommend you ask your seamstress to make your Choli clip-able in the back!

3. Make sure your Bridal lehenga isn't too long

I had all of my lehenga’s altered but they were so heavy! Once I had everything on and I had to hold my skirt up as I was walked around.

I wished I had gotten all of my skirts shortened just a little bit more.

I was also wearing flats the entire time, my feet didn’t show so I wanted to be comfy!

4. Try on your jewelry and hairstyle before the wedding

I chose to add in hair extensions for my wedding day hairstyle. I went with a Rapunzel like side braid so I needed the extra length and thickness.

What I didn’t think about was trying on my earrings and necklace with my desired hairstyle.

On my wedding day, my earrings kept getting stuck to my braid and I couldn’t get it unstuck gracefully. My earrings were just long enough for the bottom of them to get caught on my braid without looking like its caught in my braid.

I just had to ignore it and keep my cool, I was afraid if I pulled my earrings off that it would mess up my hair.

If I had tried it all before the wedding, I would have chosen different earrings. But this is the type of thing you might not think of in the midst of all the wedding planning.

Our Wedding Vendors

Bahia Mita Resort took care of the majority of our wedding from the planning, food, decor including most flowers, guest accommodations, photography and videography.

Ximena was our wedding coordinator at Bahia Mita

Cecilia was our photographer with Adventure Photos.

Vagablonde Travel took care of our travel details and room bookings for our 88 guests.

Floreria Bloom made and delivered our Varmala’s and center pieces.

Lemon’s and Mehdni took care of my bridal Mehndi on my hands and guests and my bridal hair and makeup for all 3 events.

Polished Makeup & Hair took care of family members hair and makeup.

Paisley’s and Swirls did my henna on my feet in Houston.

Dresses:

Orange Lehenga, Blue Lehenga is from Pahlki Fashion

Red Bridal Lehenga & Jewelry is from Roop Sari

White Wedding Dress is from Marry Go Round

6 Beauty Secrets From Professional Makeup Artists

Team Polished — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 08:45:00 +0000

Hey girl,
It’s wedding planning time and that means hair and makeup planning!

You might be hiring a professional for your wedding but what about the honeymoon?! You want to have the right products to make your makeup application a breeze in any situation.

So, what are the secrets that professional makeup artists use to make brides look their best? Here are six of our favorites:

Prep the skin! Before applying any makeup, it’s important to properly prep your skin. This means cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing your skin. This will ensure your makeup goes on smoothly and increases the lasting power of your makeup.
Our favorite moisturizer is Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre and CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

2. Invest in the right brushes for you. The right brushes can make all the difference when it comes to applying makeup. If you’re not sure what brushes are best for you, try heading into a makeup store and ask the artists, they can guide you on what brush goes where. Our favorite place in Houston is in the same place as our studio! If you’re in Houston, come stop by The MUA Project for all your makeup needs.

3. Use a setting spray. To keep your makeup looking fresh all day. It helps to lock in your makeup, making it last longer and it keeps it from melting off in this Texas heat! Be sure to use a setting spray that is right for your skin type, if you have dry skin try a hydrating setting spray. If you’re on the oily side, try a mattifying setting spray to hold back the shine.

Here’s a few great ones:

Cinema Secrets Super Sealer – Great for oily skin, or if you’ll be crying or sweating
Skindinavia Bridal Spray – Perfect for that hydrated, more glowy skin finish
Ben Nye Final Seal – A Pro favorite, also used by the Houston Ballet for its lasting power. This one smells minty, so if that’s not your thing, I would skip this one.

4. Before your wedding day, schedule a preview with your hair and makeup artist to test out the look you have in mind. This helps make sure you’re happy with the final result and we have the chance to make adjustments if you’d like to try something different. This will also give you an opportunity to discuss any special concerns you may have before the big day, not to mention, it totally helps you stress less.

5. Go with the theme. Your wedding theme should be reflected in your hair and makeup choices! If you’re having a beach wedding, a natural and effortless look may be the look for you, while a formal, black-tie event may call for a more elegant, and formal polished look. Consult with your artist if you need help deciding what could look good with your dress and theme.

6. This is always on our recommendation list! Pamper yourself. In the weeks leading up to your wedding, take care of your skin and hair. Drink plenty of water and get plenty of rest to ensure that your skin and hair are in the best condition possible. Get a facial, massage, and try to relax. This is your time to pamper yourself because, with all this wedding planning, YOU DESERVE IT!

At Polished Makeup & Hair, we understand the importance of looking and feeling your best for all of your special moments in life. Knowledge is something that no one can take away from you so now you’ll always be prepared if you need to do your makeup! Pick up that makeup brush with confidence, because girl, these tips are gold!

Now, get ready to conquer that wedding checklist!

PHOTOGRAPHERS

The Bledsoes Photography

Leighanne Herr Photography

Amy Maddox Photography

2023 Guide to Hiring the Right Hair and Makeup Artist for Your Wedding

Team Polished — Tue, 16 May 2023 06:45:00 +0000

Make sure you’re picture-perfect on your wedding day by securing the best hair and makeup team in Houston!

Don’t wait until the last minute, make your life less stressful by starting your search early, trust me, you’ll be happy to check hair and makeup off the list. Another plus with booking early is not having to worry about your favorite artist being unavailable on your big day.

At Polished, we’re all about making your wedding journey as enjoyable and unforgettable as can be! To help keep the planning process stress-free, we’ve put together some tips for finding the perfect beauty artist for you.

So go ahead, have a look, and keep the fun going strong!

1. Start early: As mentioned in our other blogs, popular wedding dates tend to fill up quickly, especially during wedding season which here in Houston is almost all year round, so it’s best to start your search early. This will give you more time to research and find the right hair and makeup artist for you. You’ll also have more time for a bridal trial!

If you are having your wedding on a holiday weekend or a day like 11-11, start even earlier since those dates usually get booked quicker than other dates.

2. Ask questions: When you’re talking to potential hair and makeup artists, don’t be afraid to ask all the questions that come to mind. A great artist will be happy to answer all of your questions and put your mind at ease.

Find out in detail what services they offer, do they offer on-location services? Do they do airbrush makeup or traditional makeup? Is their style of makeup natural or dramatic? Ask what products they use, and if they have experience with your specific hair and makeup needs.

If you have any sensitivities to makeup or hair products be sure to let your potential artist know so they can determine whether or not they can accommodate you.

Here’s a fun little story for you. We once had a bride who had a specific request for her wedding day – no aerosol sprays! You may or may not know, most hair products come in an aerosol can. But luckily, she let us know well in advance and we were able to bring all the right products to create her desired look and keep her comfortable. And that, my friend, is why communication is key!

The best artist for you will make sure to have an open line of communication with you, to understand all your needs and wants. So don’t hold back, ask those questions and let the artist know about all your special requests.

3. Look at the artists portfolio: A hair and makeup artist’s portfolio is a great way to get a sense of their style and see if it aligns with your vision.

Make sure to look at a variety of their work, not just their bridal portfolio. Look for photos of clients that look like you or have a similar skin tone as you to help you visualize what their makeup could look like on you.

When it comes to hair, look at examples of clients with a similar hair color and texture as you, a specific hairstyle can look totally different on blonde hair vs black hair.

4. Read reviews: Look for reviews from past clients to get a sense of what it’s like to work with a particular hair and makeup artist. You can find reviews on Google, Facebook, and other places like The Knot, Wedding Wire, Thumbtack, and Yelp.

This can give you valuable insights into their professionalism, communication, sanitation and attention to detail.

5. Book a bridal trial: Once you’ve found a hair and makeup artist you’re interested in, book a trial. This gives you the opportunity to see their work in person and make sure you’re comfortable with them.

Not all makeup looks as amazing in person as on the internet, remember, some artists use filters and editing so a trial will help you dodge a bullet if the artists work is not what you hoped for.

It’s also a great chance for you to try out your desired look and have time to make any necessary adjustments before the wedding day. A great artist will also give you tips on how you can properly care for your skin and hair in the weeks leading up to your wedding.

6. Enjoy your wedding experience: Remember to relax and enjoy the entire experience.

You’ve put in the time and effort to find the right hair and makeup artist for you, so trust in their expertise, enjoy being pampered and enjoy your wedding day.

When it comes to your wedding day, the last thing you want to worry about is how you’ll look. That’s why it’s essential to find the right hair and makeup artist for you.

At Polished Makeup & Hair, we pride ourselves on our natural-looking airbrush makeup and hair styling that will make you look and feel like a natural born goddess on your big day.

We understand the importance of a stress-free wedding day and we strive to make the process as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

4 Simple Steps to Clear Skin on Your Wedding Day

Team Polished — Sat, 18 Dec 2021 01:59:42 +0000

Cleanse

Keep it simple, don’t sleep in your makeup and wash your face with your favorite cleanser.

Tone

This will probably be the cheapest item in your skin care regimen, but don’t skip it! Toner balances the PH in your skin after you stripped it with your cleanser.

Serum

Serums are great for getting that extra hydration locked in to your skin. Yes, even if you have oily skin.

Apply it to freshly washed skin and your serum will go much farther.

Moisturize & Protect

Use your favorite moisturizer on a daily basis to keep your skin fresh and hydrated.

Eye creams are great for combating a dry under eye area.

SPF is a must for protecting your skin against damaging sun rays.

Don’t just moisturize your face, hydrate your body by drinking water every day, your skin will thank you.

Tips and Tricks – Polished Makeup & Hair

Why an Arcade Wedding in Downtown Houston is a Great Idea!

What did Jodie's wedding day look like?

Credits

More on The Polished Blog

10 Things I learned from my Fusion Hindu – Christian Destination Wedding

1. Choose your outdoor ceremony time wisely

2. Have an unplugged ceremony

3. Fake Flowers vs Real Flowers

4. Hire vendors you trust

5. Make a List for Group Photos

6. Schedule in private time for the couple

7. It's all about what the couple wants

8. Don't stress about the small stuff

9. Divorced Parents

10. Getting the bill from the resort

Our Wedding Vendors

4 Tips to Go by When Getting Hair & Makeup Ready for Your Destination Wedding

1. Getting Ready for each wedding event

2. Ask your seamstress to make your top (choli) clip-able in the back

3. Make sure your Bridal lehenga isn't too long

4. Try on your jewelry and hairstyle before the wedding

Our Wedding Vendors

6 Beauty Secrets From Professional Makeup Artists

PHOTOGRAPHERS

2023 Guide to Hiring the Right Hair and Makeup Artist for Your Wedding

4 Simple Steps to Clear Skin on Your Wedding Day

Cleanse

Tone

Serum

Moisturize & Protect