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!

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!

The New Leaf girls are ready for wedding season...bring it on!

Pam, Danielle, and Ashley kicked it off  in Newport by hopping into the hair mobile and heading to beautify Sarah Lange and her girls.

Check out this spacious set up and food spread...For on location weddings, we could always use more of these 3 things--1. Outlets 2. Mirrors and 3. Ventilation. The New Leaf wedding team was getting spoiled at  the Newport Harbor Hotel . Don't get too comfy ladies...next you are going to be asking for some palm leaf fans and a cabana boy feeding you grapes!

Check out Danielle's beautiful chignon...

We were just LOVING these black flowers--so pretty...

Look familiar? She wouldn't to you, but Allison sure looks familar to us! Her sister, Katie Armstrong, was our first wedding of the season LAST year--oh, the irony. Not really, but a coincidence anyways. We love referrals:o)

Another one of Danielle's masterpieces--Allison's hair is looks like a beautiful woven puzzle...

Oh so soft...

We love highlights in updos--they just look so beautiful...

There were 7 ladies to get photo-ready and all of the make up was done by none other than our multi-talented Ashley. She rocks at both hair and make up, plus she's really fun! Not a bad view, I'd say...

Here's Pam, working out, er, I mean working on Sarah, our radiant bride. Clients always ask if our arms get tired blow drying all day. It's not our arms, it's the feet, especially when we don't wear our sensible shoes. The rule, "Fashion over function" is tempting for hairstylists but ALWAYS regretted if not followed!

And ACTION!

Danielle working on Donna, Sarah's mom...

Could our bride BE any cuter? We love a bride who smiles...No matter how talented your beauty entourage is (ahem, New Leaf), a happy bride always photographs the best.

We always love to place the veil--it's my favorite!

Our special thanks to Sarah Lange and her girls for making our wedding season kick off a good one! Stay tuned for much, much more of our wedding antics...

Once upon a time, Sue Austin gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Anne. She dreamed of planning her wedding one day. She pictured her daughter wearing a gorgeous gown and long, flowing veil, fit for a princess.

All of Sue Austin's dreams came true for Anne.

Sue booked Anne's wedding over a year ago so we were dying to meet Anne. We got a sneak peek of her on Snap! Photography's blog, wearing the sassiest skirt and heels, skipping around Castle Island in Boston with her fiance, Tony. We were not disappointed when we met her.
Anne is one of the sweetest, nicest brides we have ever met. She has a smile that lights up any room, the cutest giggle, and was super easy to please. It is no surprise that Tony is smitten with his princess.

Many girlfriends, wives, sisters and mothers across America might agree on one thing--the stupidity of Fantasy Football. Why does it need to take so much time? My husband's answer is that you need to scout, draft, follow stats, blah, blah and blah.

I don't mean to stereotype the female gender in assuming that women do not participate in this league (even though it's a pretty good assumption considering we typically possess much better time management skills). That being said, the girls at New Leaf are approaching our own 'off-season' of weddings. We have a few more parties left but now is the time for some hardcore wedding hair training.

Anyways, we are always 'scouting' out upcoming trends. My prediction for 2010?
I am 'betting' on sleeker, more polished updos and sparkly headbands and Audrey Hepburn hair.

Cristina Northcutt had a fantastic bunch a girls surrounding her on her wedding day. All 8 of them decided to get "celebrity treatment" at New Leaf...hair and make up for all--yipee! We love when that happens because everyone seems to look and feel so good when they leave. You can always seem to tell when a woman feels pretty...it's that whole confidence thing. It's amazing what some lip gloss, hairspray and a few bobby pins can do for a girl. The best is when you don't even have to stress out about doing your hair and make up yourself, then you really feel like J-Lo in the chair!

With a hurricane on it's way, Megan O'Brien sure had luck on her side. The day was sunny, crisp and fall-ish...not what you'd expect for an August wedding! Megan had a vintage-theme in mind for her hair and make up. She brought in a Jessica Simpson image to inspire me:

I urged Meg not to be horrified as a teased and curled her hair. I told her that a New Leaf bride would never walk out the door with "pageant hair"...GASP!! I just needed to make sure it lasted all day and night and this is how the magic happens...