We really do love the bridal lounge. Every time we have a wedding at the salon, it's like we are suddenly hanging out in the middle of a big old fashioned girl party (well, sometimes dads and brothers  crash...but whatever).

Music's playing, mimosas are  flowing, friends are in abundance and well, getting married is pretty happy stuff. It doesn't matter if the parties are big or small, wild or tame, as long as they are as fun as Kristen Appleby's entourage!

Kristen was an organized bride who booked New Leaf over a year ago. Brains AND beauty? Wow.

Pinning in the last few pieces are really the most important...

And of course, the lethal weapon, the most important tool in our beauty arsenal bag...HAIRSPRAY! A girl can't get married without it!

Kristen wanted a polished, but textured look...She found her beautiful comb on, you guessed it, Etsy, every brides wedding addiction. Etsy takes the "Yourself" out of D.I.Y., and it's fantastic! Etsy saves brides (and cooperative fiances) all over the country probably  thousands of hours of slave , er, I mean "crafting" labor;-)

Jenn curl, curl, curling away...

One bridesmaid was just as pretty as the next....

There's that potent can of hairspray again! Spray away Danielle, spray away...

The view from the back....

Amy G working her usual beauty wonders...

Amy G and Ashley making the world over, one person at a time...

These groomsmen aren't going to know what hit 'em!

SO Kristen is lucky enough to have younger sisters...who just happen to be twins! Can you imagine the kind of trouble that must have occured in the Appleby household?

We could never get them both in a photo together (wonder if Mom had that problem too....)

Blonde hair, blue eyes, great hair...what's not to love?

Pay no attention to the fire alarm...these girls are hot stuff (bad pun, we know).

All the flowers you see in the girls hair were found in therapy. boutique inside New Leaf Hair Studio. They double as clips and pins which can be worn again (on your shirt, handbag, belt, a little creativity goes a long way!)

The lovely Kristen...aren't her eyes just amazing? Amy G kept her make up dramatic enough for a wedding but soft and natural because let's face it, Kristen doesn't need much help!

The veil....

The whole gang...Thanks to Kristen and her ladies for inviting us to be part of your special day!

Some may say that the New Leaf girls might be a bit  'vertically challenged'...this was glaringly obvious when runway ready Jessica Long and her beautiful entourage of ladies breezed through our front door. Jessica and her  friends probably measured up at an average 5'9" (right in line with Tyra's Next Top Model requirements)...We aren't usually too insecure about the height issue at New Leaf but stand us next to these gorgeous stylish girls and we were feeling a bit on the short side;-)

Here is Jessica...Amy G 'enhanced' Jessica by keeping her skin flawless, her lips neutral and a just a bit glossy, and by playing up her exotic blue eyes. Just perfect.

Pam wove Jessica's hair into a smooth, sleek textured chignon that has a braided feel but still totally classic. A bride can NEVER go wrong with a simple white flower. Please notice the photo that looks like it was taken from a seated position...it wasn't.

Here are all Jessica's ladies, including Lorna (second from left), a New Leaf and Skincare by Yadira regular...Don't they all look beautiful enough to be walking down a runway in New York some place? Compliments of Pam, Amy G, Yadira and the New Leaf crew...

Jessica wasn' t working a runway, she was heading down the aisle at Bel-Mer...Natural and Newport, coastal cool and chic...the kind of bride that would make Tyra proud. Luckily, we don't think we are as ego-centric as Tyra, and we were just happy Jessica chose New Leaf to beautify her!

 Thanks Jessica, Lorna and all the girls for being such a breeze to work with!

Over the years, there are 'things'...wedding type tid bits we have learned from working with so many wedding parties. Here are 3 things NOT to say to a bride on her wedding day as she's getting ready...

1. "Well, your sister definitely got the great skin gene, didn't she?"

2. "God, your hair is just so fine and so FLAT."

3. "Don't worry, honey, it's good luck if it rains on your wedding day."

None of these things were said to our lovely and sweet bride, Erin Burns. It might have been raining, but a little drizzle didn't stop Erin and her parade of  fantastic ladies from having tons of fun and feeling pretty in the Bridal Lounge!

Meet Erin...

Wow, we just love the classic chignon and the naturally dewy, fresh make-up. Erin is so pretty, she looks like she belongs on theknot.com ( F.Y.I, a favorite for wedding hair ideas for brides and bridesmaids alike). Props to Pam and Amy G...Erin looks fab!

If we could sum up this bridal party in one word, it would be...NATURAL...(totally hot stuff is 3 words but would also work). Please don't judge the amateur photography while perusing our gallery of natural 'dos and fresh faces...

Um, yes, this is Erin's sister, in case you were blind:o) Wonder how many times these two were confused growing up?!?

Working the asymmetry...

Nothing says natural like some good ol' fashioned TEXTURE...you just can't go wrong! We hope soft and pretty is a trend that never fades...

Erin and her girls are proof that you can wear make up AND still look natural for a wedding. We understand you want to look like yourself, but who wouldn't want to be 'enhanced' a bit?

Erin's gorgeous look is already perfectly classic so how can it possibly get any better?

By adding two beautiful handmade flowers!

We could tell that Erin didn't need any help from the rain on her wedding day for good luck. Judging by her bridal party, she's already lucky. Besides, that's just an old wives tale to make brides feel better...but it would be fun to study wedding day rain vs. marriage success, right?

We thank our 'lucky' stars when a bridal party is this wonderful to work with...thank you, thank you THANK YOU to Erin and all her girls!

Are YOU afraid of heights? Well, you shouldn't be....

Meet Carly Sokol. She discovered Bristol during her days at Roger Williams Law School and decided to return to her roots to get hitched. A lawyer bride? Hopefully she loves her 'look'...We wonder if there is a law protecting brides from horrible hair on their wedding day...if not, there should be. Carly, get on that;-)

Isn't she so pretty? Carly is obviously smart, she survived law school and passed a bar exam, for pete's sake. But what sets someone apart in the smart department is always the ability to listen and take advice. What do we mean? Read on...

We created tons of texture for Carly's very fine, very straight hair. We wanted it to look like it was naturally wavy. Done.

We were all insane for Carly's accessories. Check out those earrings! There are many accessory junkies who work at New Leaf...some are worse than others but we all fall pretty hard on the spectrum.

LOVE the bracelet...so different, right? J. Crew!

Feather and sparkles, oh my!

Ooooo, another fun accessory! Carly's bridesmaids all wore fun hair ornaments in their hair...there were some black satin headbands, black flower pins and this fun black headband with it's pink cabbage rose...can YOU guess what Carly's colors were?

All these fun hair accessories were conveniently courtesy of therapy. boutique at New Leaf. Filled with fun stuff--everything from affordable jewelry and handbags, to tunics and flip flops --everyone should check it out!

Back to the original question...are YOU afraid of heights? You shouldn't be, and Carly is evidence. Check out the volume in her 'do...

Carly was very smart (and equally as beautiful) because she listened to professional advice. We  understand wanting to feel like 'yourself' on your wedding day. Yet, we are always promoting some more VOLUME on the big day. Why? Because  without enough of it, you might put on your wedding dress and feel too 'every day'. It's your WEDDING--if there is any time to go for it and feel a little more glam, it's now!

Here is Carly's trial photo from several months back (less volume)...

And here is Carly's wedding day (more volume)...

Va Va Voom, right? Hot stuff. I promised Carly that I would not steer her wrong on going for some more height. Height is always a plus, if it's in the right places, with the right amount of texture. Since every bride looks different, volume should be different--wavy, smooth, lots, a little, well, you get it....Amy G paired her soft, glowy (not glossy) skin with dramatic eyes and pink lip color. Carly's look is clean, natural, and sexy. A beautiful Blithewold bride:-)

Carly listened and it totally paid off. Now if we could only see that dress....

Thanks Carly for choosing New Leaf...you set a great example for all brides to follow!

Each wedding season at New Leaf, there is always a very popular name...2009's winner? Alison...2010's winner? Drumroll, please..................

Megan! There is Meagan, Meghan, Megan, Meghann...and we are lucky enough to be beautifying them all.

Here is the gorgeous Megan Morytko and her equally as gorgeous sister hanging in the bridal lounge. Meg (hope we have the correct spelling...) was as sweet as she is pretty and we just love nice brides.

Amy G kept their make-up luminous and fresh with Smashbox's Halo Perfecting Powder, which can be used over  or as your foundation. It's the first anti-aging powder that helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles in 10 minutes. Seriously. It's oil-free, talc-free and paraben-free. That's a lot of 'free'! Everyone needs to try this amazing product.

Amy G used soft black liner and neutral shadows to help their baby blues, well, be blue!

Creating flawless skin happens to be Amy G's trademark. Sometimes brides make Amy G's job very easy by showing up with a perfectly clean canvas to paint. Thanks girls!

Pam created this AMAZING soft asymetrical style for Megan...we were all insane for her flower! We love where Megan wanted the flower--a unique twist to the hair ornament.

Thank you Megan for choosing New Leaf...We always say that Bristol attracts the nicest brides...we really are so lucky!

Stay tuned for more (Megans:-)...

Think Newport...

Beaches...Sailboats....Adirondack Chairs...Anything Preppy (hey, it takes a real man to wear  pants with [insert favorite critter here] embroidered on them!)...Mansions...and our favorite: WEDDING SEASON!

Check out Caitlin Myles, our quintessential classic Newport bride...

We love to travel for weddings. It changes up the scenery. We see new things, meet new people, it's just fun. We packed it up for Caitlin's wedding and headed to the Newport Beach Inn & Suites.

We A little Rhody trivia for you....Newport Natives consider Bristol to be "off the island", (Aquidneck Island, that is). TRANSLATION: Bristol is too far.

Off-Season, Newport is only 20 minutes away. In-Season (or Wedding Season, as we call it)? Give yourself 45 minutes.  You better check Newport's calendar for anything that ends in -Fest too. Then add an extra 30 minutes. Chowder-Fest. Irish-Fest. Jazz-Fest....However, as New Leaf sees it, there is no distance too far when beauty calls.

Caitlin opted for the 'Marry Me' Package, which includes a hair and make up trial, a manicure and pedicure, and your wedding day hair and make up. Smart AND pretty? Caitlin's a total package!

Amy G kept her look flawless and natural, and highlighted Caitlin's beautiful almond shaped eyes...

Pam kept Cailtin's hair soft, smooth and polished, perfect for a Newport affair.

Thanks Caitlin for inviting us to Newport!

Need Beauty? New Leaf will travel. We love Newport, and some other places too...Hawaii, Fiji, Napa Valley....

Contact New Leaf for more information on in-salon or on-location wedding services...As always, stay tuned for many more wedding blogs to come...it's only June!

Theresa's wedding day at Linden Place was what people call a "Chamber of Commerce Day"--heavenly weather. Seemed fitting for Theresa...her dress was a Grecian goddess style gown that was so dreamy in a photo, we can only imagine was this long-legged beauty (she stood 5'11") looked like floating down the aisle toward her groom that day..

Grecian goddess hair means fantastic things for stylists--loose waves, ethereal texture, undone. Love it all.

Braids are big right now. The side braid is still a HUGE trend. I will preface this suggestion by saying, on the record, we love braids. Sincerely, we do. We rock them all the time at New Leaf. That being said, if you are a bride, just be careful. With Theresa, we incorporated a small, loose braid around her face to offer the Grecian feel, without screaming 2010. We all remember enormous, gigundo veils and french braids in the '80s right? Riiiiight.

P.S. Bridesmaids, go for the braid ladies, because you don't have to worry about staring at the photo on your mantle for the next 40 years. If Jennifer Aniston's doing it, so can you!

Theresa also had this fantastic sparkly comb and feather spray. Lots of brides bring hair ornaments--feathers, fancy combs, beautiful brooches, flowers. Confused on where to place them? We always ask, "Are you having a 'traditional' ceremony?" (The word 'traditional' is used very lightly, of course)...Does that seem like a weird question when discussing hair?

For most ceremonies, the bride stands on the left, with her RIGHT side exposed to her guests (and photographer). That being said, the hair ornament should go on the RIGHT side of your 'do. And well, because darn it, it just always looks so pretty in all the pictures from the ceremony. The important things, right;-)?

Thanks Theresa for letting New Leaf be part of your very special day! You and your mom were so sweet so stop by  any time!

Stay tuned for lots more...

A little rain never hurts, right? Well, it usually does for Newport brides considering they usually picture themselves looking out towards the Newport bridge watching the sun set. But this rainy Saturday didn't bother Kristi Williamson. Not one bit. She figured any expectations of a perfect day in April would be pretty lofty anyways.

New Leaf's  wedding team headed off to Oceancliff to beautify Kristi and her girls...We got to the room to find a California-kinda calm bride. We love that! Isn't she cute?

Amy G. makes sure all the girls are looking perfect...

Our rising wedding team star, Jenn, pins her half-up style...

We love when Snap! Photography shows up...They always capture such stellar shots, plus, their blog is a blast to read...Here is their version of Jenn making sure Delaney's hair looks juuuuust right!

So there is this game we play when we go out called "Celebrity Search'...it's fun to do while you are having a drink at the bar, waiting for your table at dinner, in a long line at  the grocery store or anywhere really. You scan the crowd for anyone who looks like a celebrity and say "Celebrity Search (insert name here)". Everyone decides if they agree or disagree and the person with most 'agrees' wins. It 's the honor system, okay?

Anyways, if we saw Kristi across the bar, I would say, "Celebrity Search KATIE HOLMES"! You can totally see it, right? Put Kristi's hand in Tom Cruise's tight grip, throw Suri in some sparkly high heels, and place them in a fancy mall and you have yourself a celebrity couple!

P.S. We're pretty sure Kristi is happy to be marrying James and not Tom Cruise....James seemed much more stable;-)

This Snap-periffic shot captured all the girls, their pretty dresses, flowers and, of course, hair and make up...Love how Delaney is laughing!

Kristi went with a soft half up style that still showed off her beautiful sapphire earrings...

Snap! Photography does this really cool photo booth at weddings...Guests 'snap' their own photos and then take the images home with them as favors. Genius, right? Glad the hair and make-up held up through all the drizzle!

Just love this photo...Plus it shows the delicate white flowers the florist surprised Kristi with. The flower ornaments aren't just for brides!

To see more of Kristi's wedding, check out Snap!'s blog...a big thanks to Kristi, her mom Jackie, and her entourage for spending the morning with the New Leaf crew. You made our jobs fantastically enjoyable that day!

Stay tuned for more wedding fun...