Will's Bridal Beauty » Blog

Sexy Bridal Concept Shoot with Lina Jang

williammiranda — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:05:57 +0000

A few weeks ago I found the time to do a sexy bridal concept shoot with photographer Lina Jang and her associates. I have worked with them a few times in the past at real weddings but this was the first opportunity we have had to play and push the boundares of bridal. Here are just a few images from that shoot.

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Sangeeta’s Wedding

williammiranda — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 03:39:49 +0000

On June 17th 2010, Sangeeta Nair became Sangeeta Nair-Colllins and I was there to prepare her and her bridal party for the event. When I met Sangeeta back in February one of the first things she said to me was that she wanted to look like Kim Kardashian on her wedding day. With a fashion and beauty Icon like Kim Kardashion as the inspiration how could I not be excited. Here are a few pictures from Mike and Sangeeta Nair-Collins wedding…

You were a pleasure to work With Sangeeta, thank you for letting me be part of your special day!

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A Guest Post from Sarah Logan of ASI

williammiranda — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 03:28:04 +0000

Achieving a Flawless Look for Wedding Photos
Wedding pictures hold some of the happiest memories of a lifetime, so be sure you consider all the angles when preparing to be photographed on the big day.

In the weeks and months leading up to the wedding…
Plan your procedures ahead- it’s easy to get caught up in the craziness of tastings, fittings and appointments and forget to schedule facial treatments until the last minute. Don’t be tempted to get cosmetic lasering or chemical peels within 10 days to a month of the event, depending on the exact type of laser or peel. Even something as simple as a facial should be given a solid week for skin to normalize, especially if any extractions will be performed. Call well ahead of time and discuss this with the technician.

Practice good skin health- stay hydrated and eat healthfully leading up to the event. Don’t try new skincare products, or anything that may irritate your skin. Anticipate your skin’s history, and treat it accordingly depending on changes your skin may experience in the climate or weather that’s expected at the venue.

For the big day…
Start with a good base- be sure that your foundation is the right color and formulation for your skin. You may feel like you should use a heavy cream or stick foundation since you’re being photographed, but heavier formulas will look caked on and are more likely leave a line of demarcation around the neck and hairline that’s tougher to blend away. Just stick with the liquid or powder that works for you, and be sure it’s properly matched to your color. No one wants to look washed out, but it can also age you a bit if your base is too dark for you. Color correcting concealers, like green or yellow for redness, and peach or yellow for undereye circles are a much better choice than simply layering on more makeup. Remember that redness will be easily picked up in photographs so take care to balance that out, and stay away from more pink based foundations.

Avoid the shiny look- glitter will reflect too much on camera, and shouldn’t be worn to a nice event like a wedding anyway. Radiance-enhancing or shimmery foundations make faces look too slick and shiny for photos, so if you must, only keep the sheen on cheekbones and the cupid’s bow for highlighting purposes. Always finish the t-zone with powder, which is especially important to balance any highlighting applied. If you know you’re more oily, pop pressed powder in your bag so that you stay shine free.

The eyes have it- keep in mind that darker eyeshadows and heavy liner make eyes look smaller. A matte or pearl shadow formula will be universally flattering and especially in warm, earthy tones. To keep eyes looking big and bright, highlight the inner corners and brow bone with an off-white, light pink or pale gold shadow or crayon. The older you are, the more important it is to stay fast to the no shimmer rule, as it tends to bring attention to fine lines. Black eyeliner can also look too harsh for older women (same goes for liquid liner) and fair blondes are more suited for eyeliner and mascara in the brown tones. Don’t forget to make sure brows are properly framing the face- everyone looks better and younger with defined brows. Fill the arches with powder or if using a pencil, blend with a brush. Brow color and size are important considerations here, so don’t forget to use a light hand and blend.

Consider your venue and lighting- do take the time to stop and think about if the event/ photos will be taking place indoors or out, and at what time of day. Indoor photos will be taken with flash, so it’s important to use powder to combat shine and to also be sure foundation is matched well. If outdoors, soften makeup a bit as it can easily look too heavy or harsh. Also adjust your makeup look for more formal locations, and later times in the evening. When considering these factors, you will want to use more color and definition over simply adding more makeup.

Keeping these ideas in mind, remember its always most important to look like yourself and feel comfortable on your wedding day. These techniques will help ensure you look flawless both in person and in photographs for years to come.

Content provided by Sarah Logan on behalf of ASI, which is a beauty school offering aesthetics certification classes and specialized coursework in cosmetic laser training, and microdermabrasion certification.

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Current Events

williammiranda — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:15:28 +0000

It’s been so long since I have written an entry — I’m sorry! In the time between my last entry and this one, a lot has happened. First I have done a ton of weddings already, I attended IBS New York at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, I worked at the MG Hair and Makeup booth at the Makeup Show NYC, and of course, true to form, I have done a ton of shopping. To name a few of my purchases:

The Obsessive Compulsive Compressor
Lip Tar from OCC
The GHD IV Styler
The Nalu Waver
Eve Pearl Moisturizing Primer

In just a few days I will be getting certified to do eye lash extensions with Novalash. This is something I wanted to do since I first heard of eye lash extension and I’m so excited!

Stay tuned for recent pictures from weddings over the past few weeks! I’m doing beautiful work, if I don’t say so myself, and having a great time!

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The Beautiful Melanie Photographed By The Talented Lina Jang

williammiranda — Thu, 28 May 2009 01:54:43 +0000

Just this afternoon I got an email from one of my clients, Melanie! She was gracious enough to send me some pictures from our time together before her wedding and I was stunned once again by her beauty. I had a hard time deciding which pictures I wanted to add to my portfolio and I’m sure you can see why. They are all gorgeous. Kudos to Lina Jang Photography for such beautiful work. I hope we get to work together again…

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Wedding Season 2009

williammiranda — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 21:27:42 +0000

It’s official — wedding season 2009 has begun! The race to get to every appointment on time if not early, navigating traffic in unfamiliar yet soothingly scenic locations, and making sure everyone looks great and knows it, is not just the goal but a requirement. I’ve been waiting all winter for this moment and it is finally here.

On Saturday April 4th I helped Rebecca and her bridal party of 5 get ready at Dolce Hotel and Resort in Basking Ridge New Jersey. I was shocked at how many wanted straight hair… I’ve been quoted as saying that 99.9% of brides and their brides maids wear their hair with some degree of curl in it. This group happily challenged that statement. No worries though, I did some fierce blow-outs that day. Pictures to come in a few weeks — I hope! Congratulations to Rebecca and her Mr.!

On Sunday April 5th I spent the day working with my favorite photographer, the lovely and very talented, Jordana Zeldin, doing head shots for young actors at Theater Row Studios in NYC. For some of the actors, this was their first time in hair and makeup and being photographed for head shots… I think it will be a day we all remember for a long time to come. Look for the pictures in my portfolio soon! Special thanks to Scott Calcagno, creator of NYC Actors’ Workshop for arranging this event, and good luck to his wonderfully talented students who participated in the shoot; Janki Patel, Simone Jade, Caroline Dowdle, Mirella Cortez, Adonas Morales, and Isabelle Doyle.

Monday April 6th was a marathon of bridal work for me. My Day started at 5AM when I washed-up and dressed to head to midtown and pick up my car rental. By 6:30AM I was on the road to DC to perform a couple hair and makeup trials for potential clients there.

I met with Allison at her parents condo in Falls Church Virginia at 1PM. Here is the back of her head in a rough of what we are going to do for her wedding. I’m going to add a few extensions for a ton of volume in her up-do… The finished look will consist of five swirly-swirls instead of two and maybe even a small boarder of braid. I’m So Excited!

By 4PM I was having lunch at Hunan Cafe on West Broad Street. I was so craving chinese food over the weekend and it really hit the spot, even though their egg rolls were very much like the frozen kind you buy in bulk at BJ’s. The beef with broccoli however, was seasoned to perfection and the broccoli was cooked perfectly al dente! Just the way I like it!

Back on the road by 5PM to be at Ishita’s apartment in Arlington Virginia by 6PM. It was such a short trip that I had time for a cat nap in the car before going up. Ishita will be having two weddings… An American wedding in DC, and an Indian wedding in Bombay shortly there after. I have to admit, I’m feeling a certain sense of competition with the Indian beauty team. Compared to Indian bridal beauty, American bridal beauty looks dull. It’s my goal to infuse a little flair from Ishita’s Indian heritage into her American wedding. I can’t wait to see what I do…

By 9:30PM I’m back on the road to New York. After Hitting a McDonald’s drive through in Maryland, a couple rest stops on the New Jersey Turnpike and returning my car rental in Midtown Manhattan, I finally got to bed by 5:30AM on Tuesday morning. It has taken me until now to recover from my weekend but I’m definitely looking forward to next weekend…

PS both of the clients I mentioned in this post have officially booked me for their wedding day beauty services! Woohoo!

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Bride Goes to the Bathroom

williammiranda — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 13:00:38 +0000

Really! Is this how it works? I’m so glad I’m a man…

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Wedding Thriller

williammiranda — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:00:15 +0000

I imagine the bride was too embarrassed to be anywhere near this…

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Trash Your Wedding Gown

williammiranda — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:42:19 +0000

At first I found this video incredibly disturbing but after seeing some of the pictures I think it’s a great idea. Who says all the pictures of the dress have to be so stuffy and formal. You are most likely never going to wear the dress again — why not immortalize it in photos!? The more unconventional the better. I tried finding the photographer featured in the video with no luck. If you are able to find her please forward her information to me at info@willsbridalbeauty.com.

If the thought of trashing your wedding dress is to traumatizing, maybe you can sell it… I was reading an article by Never teh Bride on one of my favorite blogs, Manolo for the Brides, and apparently there is a site the offers a simple and free means to buy and sell “pre-loved designer wedding gowns.”

Smart Bride… Check it out! I think it is another great idea!

Next week I will pick up where I left off on my six part series entitled Lifting the Veil on Bridal Beauty — we are up to bronzer, blush and highlighter — oh my!

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Don’t Forget the Shoes

williammiranda — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:00:19 +0000

Here comes bride
All dressed in white
Here comes the bride
With the groom by
Her side….

Here comes the bride and please, please, please tell me she is not wearing flip flops. I know this post can get me in trouble with a lot of ladies but c’mon… Flip Flops are for the beach you are probably going to for your honeymoon. Flip Flops are not for your wedding.

I know, I’m a man, and I may never know the pain of high heel shoes but I do know the excitement of seeing a woman in strappy stilettos. My label of choice, Christian Louboutin, followed by Manolo Blhanik and Jimmy Choo.

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