Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Please don't foget your Moms!!-Thoughts by wedding makeup artist Aaron Ellerbrock



Lately I have been getting a lot of questions from "brides-to-be" about whether or not to include the MOB (Mother of the Bride) and MOG (Mother of the Groom) for makeup services. I think this is an excellent question and I would like to put in my two cents here. Mind you, this is just my opinion, but as weddings are what I eat, sleep, and breathe, I think my thoughts have some validity.

First of all the MOG. Uh...YES!!! Please include her. This is the perfect way for you to show your Mother-in-law-to be that you care and want her to be a part of your life. Imagine how she must feel if you do not invite her yet she gets to see all the great photos of you getting ready with your maids! And, especially of your MOB is going to be there, it is important for the in-laws to get a chance to have some time together. By extending the invitation your future Mom knows that she isn't losing a son, but gaining a thoughtful, considerate, and caring daughter.

For the MOB, Uh...YES!! This is a must to do! Now, if your Mom is anything like mine she will probably say, "Don't go to the trouble" or "I really don't wear much makeup" or "Please don't spend your money on me" which in all reality means "I might just die a little inside if you don't ask me to get my makeup done with you on your most important day!!!" Most of our Moms don't want to burden us and they want to make sure our wedding day is perfect. Moms take a back seat to our happiness and this is our chance to let her know how important she is to us. Most of the time, it is not even about getting glammed up. It is just about having one last chance to spend some quality time with you before you begin a new family. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, make every effort to let your Mom know she is special and that you want her to enjoy the day as much as you do, and there is no better way to do that than to pamper her for a bit.

This is a very easy thing to do, at very little cost, and a gesture that will go miles with the MOB and MOG. Plus the added bonus is they will look stellar in your photos! Don't forget the Moms. They do so much for us and we can give just a little back!

And those are my thoughts!

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Beautiful Fall Palettes-Product Review by Makeup Artist Aaron Ellerbrock




Yummy! That is the best word I can use to describe these two palettes I recently picked up. The Kat Von D palette "Ladybird True Romance" is the top one and Urban Decay's "Naked Basics" is the lower one.

Let's start with the Urban Decay. At $27 the price is just about right. I would have preferred to have the shadows a little bigger, but size isn't everything! The payoff of the shadows is what makes this a great deal. I have found lately that with a lot of "luxury" lines I have to work super hard to get any color to show up. With these, you do not need much at all. So even though the shadows are smaller, I will be able to use them for a long time. The other thing about this palette is that they are all flat, no shimmers! I am so excited about this because we are seeing that trend in makeup for the fall. A matte look, but not a flat look. All of the shades in this palette are very wearable ranging from a soft buttermilk color to a rich taupe all the way to a deep grey/black. This is perfect for a quick 5 minute look or you can smoke the eye up for going out!

Next, is the Kat Von D. At $36 it is a bit more expensive than the Urban Decay, however you get 8 shadows (instead of 6) and a beautiful chocolate brown eye liner pencil. The colors in this palette are gorgeous! I especially love the shade, "Cleopatra". It is a warm pumpkin shade and in my research, we are seeing this shade crop up on every runway show at NY Fashion Week. At Sephora, they told me the shade looked amazing on blondes. I however used it on my beautiful brunette model for a recent photo shoot with Richmond Magazine and it blew us all away. The stylist actually wanted me to put more of it on the model as it was sooooo beautiful. With this palette you again get all matte shades and they range from a soft skin-toned pink, to warmer browns, to a deep eggplant and dark chocolate. They glide on like velvet and have a TON of pigment. I love these because often I need a flat shade for a lid that is a little more "mature" and these go on like heaven. I really have not used the pencil, but from playing with it on my hand is very user friendly and easy to apply. It almost feels like silk and it is a long wear pencil!

If you want a quick pick-me-up and want to stay on trend, without having to look too "made up", either of these would be a great choice. I purchased them both at Sephora. I rate the Urban Decay at an 8 and the Kat Von D at an 9. They are both truly spectacular and would be great additions to your makeup wardrobe!

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Verlee is Married!!-BRIDEface Richmond Wedding Makeup Artist Aaron Ellerbrock

I am not even sure where to begin with this wedding. I think it is one of the most beautiful I have seen!! The outdoor setting was simple yet elegant. The dress was classic yet retro. The bride was gorgeous AND stunning!!

The below photos are of one of the sweetest and most genuine people you will ever meet; Verlee. I must admit when I posted her engagement photos that we did in April, my mother asked me, "Is she a model?". Now Verlee is not a professional model, but I think you can tell from the shots below she could be! I also want to give a big thank you to Annamarie Akins of Annamarie Akins Photography for these amazing pictures!

Verlee's grace and beauty flow from the pictures and you can see she and Doug are truly in love. I was thrilled to work with Verlee on three separate occasions; her engagement session (where I met Doug and had a blast chatting with him), the wedding, and then a class for Velee's 13 year old sister. Every time we got together, I felt like I was with one of my long time friends.

Another reason why this wedding is so special is because it was the last time I got to work with the very talented hair stylist, Daniel Scate of J Daniel Studio. Daniel very unexpectedly passed away a couple of weeks ago and I will always remember the fun we had working and playing together. He was a passionate artist and a wonderful friend.

I hope you enjoy these photos. They are truly special!



Verlee's attendants all wrote little notes on the bottom of her shoes!



Her eyes seem to tell so many stories.
 




I don't think Doug's eyes ever left Verlee the entire day.








All I can say is wow!!!
 




True love!!
 

Makeup: Aaron Ellerbrock BRIDEface Richmond

Hair: Daniel Scate J Daniel Studio

Photos: Annamarie Akins  Annamarie Akins Photography