We're all a little weird.  And life is a little weird.  And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness - and call it love - true love. 

~Robert Fulghum, True Love

We're delighted to announce that the winning entrants in our free wedding photography prize draw are Hannah and Alastair.

Hannah and Alastair have chosen 29 Private Members Club in Glasgow for their wedding venue, which will take place in November this year.

Congratulations!

We're very much looking forward to working with you.

"Begin at the beginning," the king said, very gravely, "and go on until you come to the end: then stop"

~ Lewis Carroll

The most striking feature of ladies from middle-eastern countries is their beautiful dark eyes. 
A make-up artist can really go to town making up those eyes as they can handle stronger colours well.

Black khol  eye liner is an important tool when making up the eyes - line both top and bottom of the eye area and in the waterline just inside the lower and upper rim of the eye.

Lining the eyes this way can really set them off by brightening the whites of the eye and giving a sultry look.

It can be quite daunting when you first attempt to line the waterline but with practice it soon becomes second nature – I wouldn’t leave the house without mine.

There are two ways to line the eyes with kohl – a kohl pencil or powdered khol.

The powdered version is the more traditional way but can be a little messy until you’ve mastered the art. 
My favourite is Guerlain loose powder kohl which comes in a beautiful presentation tube with an application wand. The powder is highly pigmented and gives a deep black lasting hold.

Tap excess powder on to a tissue before applying to the rim of the eyes. Some well practiced ladies can even apply it with their eyes shut – hold the stick horizontally along the rim of the eye, close the eye on to it and draw it along lining both top and bottom at the same time.

If you’re looking for something a bit easier and less messy then a waterproof pencil is best. Make sure it’s a soft pencil and not too thick such as Revlon colourstay waterproof kohl pencil.

Below are two Persian beauties I make up for a photo shoot.

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank all our clients who booked our services for photography and make-up artistry this year. It was a pleasure working with you.

Looking forward to an exciting year ahead with some new wedding venues and some more familiar ones.

Continuing my blog on make-up for different skin tones, we’ll turn to ladies of colour.

Darker skinned ladies have historically had a difficult time finding make-up to suit their colour. Not many cosmetics houses made foundation dark enough or eye shadow that had stronger pigment content.

Things have improved over the years with new brands coming on to the market and the well known cosmetics brands catching on.

You might think that because skin is darker, it doesn’t need foundation.
The purpose of any foundation is not to add colour to the skin but to provide an even toned base for make-up application so preparing the base is just as important for darker skin as lighter skin.

Foundation should be a near match to your skin tone, one that blends seamlessly around your jaw line and neck area. Darker skinned ladies sometimes have pigmentation patches on the skin and any discolouration can be adjusted by using first an orangy/red based corrector followed by a concealer to match the foundation.

Coloured skin ranges from a light tan shade to deepest ebony but all tend to have an orangy/red undertone.

For a natural make-up, warm tones such as gold and toffee colours will work well but darker skin can also carry off bright and bold colours very well.

Have a look at my three models.

Nikki has a lighter golden complexion. I evened her skin tone with Estee Lauder Double Wear in Chestnut and used shades of gold and plum on her eyes, coppery coloured blush and neutral toffee coloured lip gloss.

Jay also has a mid brown skin tone and I used the same shade of foundation and lip gloss but gave her a stronger eye using shades of coffee and cranberry with black liner and a deep pink blusher.

Sinotile in a Nigerian beauty with ebony coloured skin. Her base was Jane Iredale mineral foundation in Mink – the darkest shade.
Her first look was a natural golden bronze but she also carried off stronger fuchsia lips with gold and purple shimmer shadow.

During my time as a make-up artist I’ve worked on a variety of different face shapes and skin tones so I thought I’d write a little about the different ethnic skin tones I’ve made up.

We’ll start with the Oriental ladies.

At this point I have to take a side step as I do hope I’m being politically correct here in calling Chinese/Japanese/Philippine ladies oriental. I know in the USA Asian is the accepted word whereas in the UK ladies from the likes of Indian and Pakistan are known as Asian so do forgive me if I’ve offended anyone.

Oriental or Asian skin tone can vary from very light to golden brown but all have a yellow undertone as we can see from my model Helen.

It’s important when choosing a foundation to find one with a yellow undertone to it. Don’t try to counteract the yellow of the skin with a pink shade of foundation as it will just look fake and not very flattering. As always, match the foundation as best you can with the actual skin tone.

I’ve worked with a few Chinese and Japanese models and brides and love their almond shaped eyes but it’s the eyes that can be the trickiest to get right.

The Chinese lady tends to have a flat lid with no visible crease as the European ladies have.
It can be tempting to try to make a fake crease by using a darker shade where the crease should be but I would tend to avoid doing this as it can look too obvious.
It’s much better to add depth and accentuate the eye by layering shadows in light ,medium and dark shades from the lash line up to the brow bone keeping the darkest shade nearest the lashes.
Blending is key so there are no obvious borders.

Lining the eyes with a dark smoky liner both above and below the eye gives a lovely emphasis to their shape.

See the results after Helen's make-over:

Lashes can be short so mascara has to be applied carefully or false lashes can give that little bit of oomph.

The brows also tend to be more sparse with hairs growing downward compared to European brows so it’s even more important to define them to make them more expressive.

Rather than heavy pencil it’s best to use a brow powder that gives more subtle results.

The look can be stepped up for evening with slightly stronger shades.

Below are another couple of ladies I’ve had the pleasure of working with.

Where did the "never wear blue eye shadow" rule come from?

The trend started in the Victorian period when a bluish tinge to the eyelids was considered beautiful (the sign of a weak & innocent heart).

The history of  blue shadow is full of ups and downs. Firstly people adored it, but later hated it.

Its tarnished reputation came as a backlash from the 60s and 70s strip of pastel blue on the eyelids. Blue was at its peak in the 80’s where everything was blue - blue eyeshadow, blue mascara, blue eyeliner.

Wearing bright blue eye shadow isn’t always the most sophisticated look (it can make some ladies look approachable for the wrong kind of date).

However, don’t dismiss it altogether, it can be worn well. It all depends on the shades and tones that you choose and how it’s applied.

So who can wear blue eyeshadow? Make-up artists often use the colour wheel as guidance for choosing colours that match and contrast with a person’s eye and hair colour or outfit.

Blue is opposite brown in the colour wheel and blue eye shadow does work well with brown eyes.

Take Penelope Cruz for example, the navy blue shadow complements her stunning dark brown eyes.

Dark skinned ladies can also carry off brighter and bolder shades.

Wearing the same colour of shadow as your eye colour tends to look a bit bland.
Instead of making your eyes pop the colours cancel each other out.

So can you wear blue if you have blonde hair & blue eyes? 
Yes it can work, just refrain from perfectly matching the shadow to your eye colour. Use deeper tones or a smoky grey/blue or one with a purple tinge.

To help define the eye use a charcoal or dark grey liner near the lash line to break up the blue and off - set with black mascara.

Instead of wearing all blue on the eyes complement it with other colours in the socket area – greys, silver and purples work well as will golden brown but do make sure to blend well (as always).

This is important if your dress is also blue.

Try to keep the rest of your makeup light - add a touch of blush and light gloss...too much colour everywhere else will add the wrong kind of intensity

Make-up is also about experimenting.

There’s no harm in trying different styles, and you’ll never know how they look unless you give them a test run.  Be honest with yourself in assessing the results, though; if you don’t look good in a particular shade, don’t wear it.

“It is more important to click with people than to click the shutter.”

~ Alfred Eisenstaedt

We've just heard the news from our wedding album supplier that the Royal Wedding photographer for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge chose to present their wedding images in one of their Bellissimo albums.
These luxury albums are much favoured by our clients too - nothing but the best for our brides and grooms!

Everything was so cool, calm and collected when I arrived at Leigh's mum's for make-up - well the girls were anyway.

Dad was very excited in the nicest possible way.
Always a smile on his face, offering cups of tea, running around organising things - I'm sure at one point I heard him say something about going out to trim the hedge and cut the grass!

Anyway, it was a pleasure to work with such a lovely bride.

Leigh booked her make-up with me several months ago after having a trial at her mum's house. She lives south of the border so everything had to be planned round her visits home.
We decided on quite neutral shades of taupes and browns that emphasised her striking dark eyes.

When we were chatting she told me about her bespoke headdress made by the Humming Bird Boutique. It incorporated part of her wedding dress with pearl detailing and netting - a mini birdcage veil that complemented her dress beautifully.

Although I saw her dress hanging up, unfortunately I wasn't able to see Leigh in her dress before I left.
Luckily her photographer Mike Cook of MIKE COOK PHOTOGRAPHY kindly forwarded some images for my portfolio.

As a make-up artist being able to show images of my work is all important so when I'm not working with my other half it is much appreciated when photographers give their permission to use their images.

Below are a few of my favourite close-up shots.

When it comes to make-up every bride is individual, some like subtle and natural while others like their make-up to be more noticeable.

While looking back at trends in make-up style over the past year, one request that has cropped up fairly often is for red lipstick – not necessarily the pillar box, Gwen Stefani red but something other than nude or baby pink.

For some, it's a make-up trademark but a lot of women shy away from red lipstick as they feel they just don't suit it or it's too much of a statement.

I'm not really a red lipstick kind of girl myself so I understand these concerns.

In reality, anyone can carry off red lips, it’s just a matter of picking the right shade, strength and depth of colour for your skin tone and of course your style even if it’s just a subtle strawberry tinted sheer gloss.

All reds are not created equal - one colour doesn’t fit all – so finding the right one for you and wearing it properly will make all the difference to your confidence in wearing it. 

Red lipsticks are divided into two basic categories:

Cool blue-based shades (such as cranberry or wine) which flatter women with rosier skin tones and complement the autumn and winter seasons.

Warm orange-based shades (such as brick or fire red) which flatter women with golden tones and are well suited to the spring and summer seasons.

If your teeth aren’t the pearliest of white, wearing a red shade with blue undertones will be more flattering.

The best way to find the red that suits you is to experiment with some of the more economical brands until you find the one you’re happy with.

Here are some of my favourites:

"Always be a first rate version of your self instead of a second rate version of someone else."

In preparation for our up-coming wedding fayres we thought we'd re-post a blog on the various photography styles, their pros and cons and what to expect from each:

We’re often asked by wedding clients to explain the difference in styles of wedding photography.

The way weddings have been photographed has evolved over the years but all these new trends, styles and buzz words can leave clients a bit bewildered.

Here we’d like to give a general guide to help give you a better understanding.

Contents at a Glance

Less

Traditional Wedding Photography 

This can be described as a “timeless style” that most people would understand - a mixture of bridal portraits, family groups and shots of the couple in familiar poses. It tends to follow a set structure of formally posed photographs at certain stages of the day. 
Some may consider this style to be “old fashioned” rather than timeless but this style has moved on from the rigid “stand to attention, look at the camera and say cheese”.

There are however disadvantages; the photographer is almost like a "wedding official," directing the wedding party and guests according to a check list, which feels a little regimented for some couples.
The Traditional style of wedding photography is usually time consuming; the bride and groom end up spending more time stationary in front of a camera and less time with guests.
The completed images can look visually pleasing, but predictable.

Reportage/Photojournalism 

Reportage - the buzz word of wedding photography.
For some, the most sought-after style, especially for those who don’t like having their photo taken, but it’s also the most miss-understood and miss-represented.

The 'Reportage' style of wedding photography grew out of the journalistic style, 'photo journalism' where the photographer records the events of the day as they happen much like a fly-on-the-wall documentary.
Subjects are un-posed and typically captured without the subject being aware, producing natural and emotive images.
The photographer remains as an onlooker rather than directing the proceedings.
The way in which the wedding is captured without interference is what makes reportage wedding photography very popular BUT the resulting images can be unpredictable.

There are of course times throughout the day where this works well, capturing children at play for example and of course it is the only option during the ceremony (if allowed) or during the first dance but to leave the entire day to a random set of images is a risk.

People often use the phrase “candid” photography when speaking of reportage. In plain English this means “open”, “honest” “blunt”, “forthright” - you may well find that you or your guests have been captured unawares in a less than sympathetic way. Not having the direction of the photographer to place you in good lighting or turn the body to show you in the most flattering angle may be something that you later regret.

Contemporary

This simply means a modern-day fashionable style of photography and can encompass a mix of choreographed/stylised images with natural candid shots.  Characterised by a far greater degree of informality and a more relaxed approach by the photographer, this can result in a greater level of spontaneity and is capable of capturing the spirit of fun.

The photographer provides direction and the couple together with their bridal party are encouraged to interact which results in a more natural and spontaneous feel.
Sometimes it can be as simple as asking the couple to go for a walk hand in hand while still keeping structure.  
It can bring out the photographer’s artistic, creative and compositional skills rather than simply capturing a series of moments.  
Placing subjects in the best light and location the photographer can prove his/her interpersonal skills and artistic ability to create a photograph. This could be quite obviously staged and stylistic without being contrived. 
It can also be enthusing subjects in to natural expressions.

Couples often mistake contemporary wedding photography for reportage photography as the photographer has created a picture that looks natural and spontaneous.

Digital Enhancement.

The digital age has opened up a multitude of possibilities in the image processing stages.
Digital enhancement is a boon to the photographer who strives for the perfect image.
There are also fads that come and go.

You may have seen photos in wedding galleries where the image was part colour, part black and white. This was in vogue a few years back (we did it ourselves) but now it’s a bit passé. Depending on how it’s done it can either look quite tasteful or brash and garish.

Adding radiance or soft focus to an image can give artistically impressive results if not overdone.
Of course it’s a matter of taste and everyone thinks differently in what they perceive as good or bad taste. 
A little airbrushing on a bride to perfect the skin from unwanted blemishes is often a welcome gesture without the need to make it look artificial or alter the image beyond all recognition.
Adding fake confetti on the other hand, especially when it suddenly stops horizontally above the head is another matter!

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.
 Art is knowing which ones to keep"
~ Scott Adams

Well I suppose it had to happen – rain on a wedding day.
Everyone prefers if it doesn’t but I’m afraid it’s one of the things we have no control over and ...well it is Scotland!

We just have to make the best of it.

But what if it rains and you are getting married in the local registry office and your reception is held at the local social club, does that mean you can’t expect beautiful wedding photos? Not at all!

There are always ways and means when your photographer does his research and has a keen eye for a good photo. You just have to think outside the box.

It’s surprising what great shots you can get under cover in a town centre shopping precinct or next to the local Sheriff’s office – a bit of a shoot in the city feel!

We were put to the test last Friday at Gillian and Mark’s wedding. The forecast was for showers and sure enough it was on and off all day.

Valerie spent the morning with the girls for make-up then we headed over to Motherwell registry office to catch the guys.

There is a lovely sunken garden area below the registry office that we planned to use.  It did stay dry for a short time so we took the guys down for a wander.

We didn’t have long before we had to take cover next to the Sheriff court but we just had some fun with it.

Then it was time for the bride’s arrival - and doesn't she look stunning!

Again the skies cleared to allow Gillian and her dad to walk to the registrars. A reading was given by one of the flower girls, which gave their ceremony a personal touch.

Gillian made sure Mark new exactly where to sign on the dotted line to make it all official.

We managed to gather the guests in the garden area for a large group shot...

...before we put the brollies up again.

Outside the Sheriff’s court proved to be a very useful shelter where we took the traditional family shots.

We’d spotted a lovely area round the other side of the building next to some shops so we moved round there with the bridal party and stayed mostly dry.

Gillian was up for a bit of posing before we headed off to the Cambusnethan Club.

Their cake was in keeping with their blue and ivory theme and we got the traditional cutting the cake shots and some additional family photos before it was time to leave.

Yes it would have been nice to make more use of the garden area but then again we might have missed out on some of our urban themed shots that we had such fun with.

Since booking us for their wedding Tony and Lisa had made a few changes.
Firstly they decided to bring their wedding forward from their original date in October.
Then, due to an increase in numbers, they changed their reception venue from The Bently Hotel in Motherwell to The Strathclyde Hilton, Bellshill.
Luckily we were able to accommodate their new wedding date and managed to secure a booking for their original date so everyone's happy.

Tony and Lisa chose to marry at St Francis Xavier chapel in Carfin.

The chapel is very light and airy with a modern feel.
Father McGachey was very accommodating, allowing photographs to be taken during the service.
Allan was down by the alter while Valerie set up at the back of the church so we could photograph from different angles.


































































There was plenty room in the vestry too for taking shots of signing the register - the official bit.






















The weather had been fine but as soon as Lisa and Tony stepped outside the church door the grey skies drew over and there was an enormous clap of thunder.












































We still wanted to get some shots in the garden at the Grotto, which is lovely. so we hurried the bridal party down the stairs for some group shots, brollies in hand.
Luckily the threat of rain didn't come to anything and we managed to spend a good while in the gardens.






















































































The garden has some lovely quirkie areas - stairs, bridges and tunnels that make for some amazing backdrops.
We love these more intimate shots of the groom and his beautiful bride.














































































































The girls did a bit of posing....






















and the guys were up for some fun








































Then it was time to head off to the Hilton for Lisa and Tony to join their guests.

We took some shots of the tables, cake and favours while they were mingling with their guests.












































































We couldn't miss out this image of the gorgeous flower girl...








































The Hilton has a beautiful private garden area that we used for some final shots.














































































Many congratulations to you both.

What a stunning Bride Lisa made on her wedding day.

It was all go at her mum's house early in the morning with hairdresser, bridesmaids and the phone ringing.

At Lisa's make-up trial we went for some pink/plum tones for the eyes but a couple of days before the wedding she emailed to ask if we could stick with her usual shades of brown.
No problem and it gave me an excuse to use my new Chanel colour pallet.
I think she made the right choice.

There is no such thing as a “Bridal look” when it comes to wedding make-up.

Each person has their own individual style, likes and dislikes. The important thing is to be happy and comfortable with the way you look on the day whether that’s very natural, ultra glam or Goth!

Whatever your style, make-up expertly applied with quality products does make a difference.

Although it’s nice for the bride and bridesmaids to coordinate their make-up look everyone doesn’t have to be the same either, especially if one bridesmaid likes very natural and the other likes full make-up.
Sometimes the bride likes her girls to compromise either stepping it up or toning it down but if the bride is happy for her girls to look like themselves then there is no rule against it.

One example is Lisa’s bridesmaids.

One wanted a very natural look while the other loves her smokey eyes, bronzer and blush and had very specific requests when I did her make-up – black all over (the blacker the better), lots of black liner and mascara, lots of blusher and bronzer to complement her tan – I was happy to oblige.

Both were in aubergine coloured dresses and both looked equally good in their make-up.

Pamela and Ian were married at Park Circus registry office in Glasgow followed by a reception at Oron Mor.

Both venues are stunning and as far as registry offices go, Park Circus has to be the most unique with its beautiful internal architecture.

Pamela and Ian wanted a very small intimate wedding with close family and friends so their choice of Park Circus and the Private Dining Room at Oran Mor was perfect.

After Valerie finished the girls' make-up we set off for Park Circus to take some prep shots.

We mentioned in an earlier blog that we were not permitted to do our usual venue checks for lighting and photo opportunities and the first we saw of the stunning gallery area was after the ceremony with the bride and groom.
We were looking forward to spending some time making the most of the setting, little did we know that we were only allowed 5 minutes for photographs!
Lighting tests, setting up and organising the shots in that time was a bit of a challenge to say the least but every wedding has has its own challenges which we have to meet - and it always gives a story to tell.

Weather was kind so we headed off to the Botanic Gardens for some family group shots and casual photos of the bride and groom.
When we visited the gardens last we did some test shots in Kibble Palace and we were looking forward to capturing some amazing images there so imagine our disappointment when we were told that wedding parties could only gain access to Kibble Palace if it's raining!
Skies were turning a bit grey and we hoped for a short downpour but it wasn't to be.

We don't usually hope for rain on a wedding day but next time we shoot a wedding there we'd happily deal with it.

We did get some lovely shots in the park though and passers by were so kind with their good wishes to the bride and groom.

Next we headed over to Oran Mor for a few final shots before leaving Pamela and Ian to enjoy the rest of their day.

Here are a few of our favourites:

Prep shots








































The stained glass is beautiful




















The Bride arrives




























































Pamela and Ian make their entance together.









































The registrar didn't allow photography during the ceremony but we managed to catch the exchange of rings....






















 and signing the register















































The upstairs gallery and stained glass windows are just amazing





































































































The new Mr & Mrs and the wedding party
























































Over in the park








































































































































































Oran Mor prepared the dining table beautifully
































Our favourite cake - M&S...

Allan has been awarded Bronze in two categories for images submitted to the SWPP competition.
He's disappoined not to have got the Silver or Gold but competition and judging was fierce with some well respected photographers whos work we admire only achieving Bronze in their categories.

There's always next time...

Image awarded Bronze in Wedding Contemporary category
























Image awarded Bronze in the Wedding Photojournalism category

"The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra."

Today was Pamela and Ian's wedding. They booked us for both our photography and make-up artistry services.

We're just putting the finishing touches to their images and we'll share some snippets of the day with you shortly but wanted to show off the beautiful bride first.

Pamela, her bridesmaid and her mum had their trial several weeks ago.

Pamela and her bridesmaid were the total opposite both in colouring and make-up style. Pamela is blond, fair skinned with green eyes and wanted a fairly natural look. Lorraine is dark haired, tanned with dark brown eyes and likes to go a bit more glam.

Valerie used the same colour pallet of pinks, plum and mauve on both girls but toned it down a little for Pamela while stepping it up for Lorraine. Both decided to go for false lashes on the day which they suited equally well.

Pamela wore a stunning diamante headresss and matching choker. Her dress was pleated organza that skimmed her slim figure perfectly.
























Lorraine wore a deep purple gown complemented by an amazing multi-coloured neclace.




































Both girls looked fab.

Today's bride was Heike and the wedding venue was the Leepark Hotel in Grangemouth.

It was Heike's daughter Janet (and bridesmaid) who booked make-up for the bridal party and they all had their trial several weeks ago.

Heike wanted to go for dark browns and copper shades while the girls opted for purple tones. Janet loves the glam look so false lashes were a must. She decided on the day to tone it down a little from the smokey deep purple/black we'd gone with at the trial to a lighter smokey eye.

All the girls were getting ready at the hotel so it was a full house with bride, hairdresser, bridesmaids, flower girls and photographer all chatting in a mixture of English and German. Luckily they had a large room with dressing area.

Heike was joined on the day by friends and relatives from Germany.

They kindly let Allan take a few shots before we left.


Heike




























Janet






















Hayley

Yesterday was another day for make-ups including a lovely lady who was a wedding guest.
It's becoming more and more popular for guests to book a professional make-up artist to help them look their best for the wedding day.

Today we were out and about. We met up with one of our future brides and her fiance to discuss their wedding plans/timings/photo list.
Tracy Ann and Frankie are getting married at the Parkville in Blantyre in October so we caught up with them there and had a sneak peak at the function room that just happened to be set up for a wedding.

The Parkville has had a refurbishment since we last photographed there and it's looking really good.

Tracy Ann and Frankie have chosen one of our Bellissimo Albums to tell the story of their day. It will be an early start on the day at 8 a.m. as Valerie will also be doing the make-up for the Bride, 3 Bridesmaids and mum and perhaps the hairdresser who will also be attending the wedding as she's Tracy Ann's cousin.

Tracy Ann and the girls had their hair and make-up trials a couple of weeks ago and they were all looking fab.

After our meeting we had a trip to East Kilbride to hand in a completed wedding album. Stuart and Louise were "chuffed to bits" with the finished result.

We've got a mini photo shoot to do this afternoon then that's us finished for the day.

I received a lovely thank you card from one of my recent brides.

Kerstin wanted a certain look that wasn't too natural yet not overdone - a flawless bridal make-up look.
To complement her colour theme we used pinks and cranberry tones which made her blue eyes pop.
Her bridesmaids were given a similar look, slightly toned down.

They were a joy to work with and Kerstin and the girls look simply stunning in their beautiful gowns.

There are lots of important decisions to make when organising a wedding and with so many different - and very talented - wedding suppliers available, choosing the one for you can be a difficult task.
Brides often look for recommendations from family and friends to help make a decision and we were so delighted to see some lovely recommendations from clients on a wedding forum.

We love a happy client and here's what a few had to say:

“I can highly recommend Valerie, so much so I recently used her services again for a wedding I was attending and my Mum will be having her makeup done in a few weeks for a wedding. Valerie is lovely, professional and passionate about what she does, which I felt makes a difference. She knows exactly what you are looking for. Each time I have used Valerie my make-up has been perfect, exactly what I wanted and stayed on all day. Not sure if you have had a look at the web site, however I recommend you do to see the extent of her work and the comments on her blog. As an aside I have also used the A part of this team, A being Alan her husband, his photography is excellent.  I wouldn't hesitate to use them again.”
T

“I have booked Valerie from V and A creative moments to do my makeup for my wedding in October. I had a makeup trial with her and was really impressed, she really listened to what I wanted (not too overdone a look!). I had trial with another makeup artist and felt like the makeup that Valerie did lasted much better.”
L

“ I just read your query about V and A Creative Moments and I felt I should send a reply. I got married yesterday and Valerie did the makeup for my big day. She is absolutely fantastic at what she does, I can't recommend her highly enough! She was very punctual and professional. She did the makeup for me, my mum, and my two bridesmaids, and we all looked stunning! Alan (the photographer) also came along and asked if he could take some shots of me [even though I had not requested this service] and they sent me copies of every photo he took. They have been in frequent contact with me since I booked them last December, and they are very good value for money! They are definitely worth it. Weddings are very stressful, but I felt in very capable hands with Valerie and Alan.”
L

“I cannot recommend V&A Creative Moments enough!

I just wanted to post another recommendation for Allan and Valerie.

My sister got married on 9th July and used V&A Creative Moments for their photography and make-up services. I cannot recommend them enough.

My sister, mother and I used Valerie for our Wedding make-up and found her to be extremely professional, yet friendly. She listened to exactly what we liked/wanted and provided us with advice and I have to say that we were all very, very impressed with the end results! Our make-up stayed on all day and we received many compliments. You only have to take a look at Valerie's own make up to realise that she knows what she is doing

Allan and Valerie were just fantastic on the day and surpassed all expectations. Getting your photographs taken at Weddings can often turn into a chore (in my opinion) but Allan and Valerie made the whole experience enjoyable and it was evident that they have a real passion for what they do. My sister and brother-in-law cannot wait to return from Honeymoon to choose their final photographs for their Wedding Album.

The photographs on the V&A Creative Moments website speak volumes regarding the quality of Allan and Valerie's work and I would most certainly recommend them to anyone who requires photography and/or make-up services.”
K

“I’m getting married in four weeks time and have booked V&A Creative Moments to do my make-up and photographs. I did a lot of research before booking them. I couldn’t believe how expensive getting make up done was. I was a bit apprehensive as I don’t wear much makeup. Valerie is absolutely lovely and knows her stuff. After my make up trial I felt a million dollars. Valerie and Alan put you at ease and are very professional. What I also like is that Valerie used good quality products. I am not nervous at all about my big day as I know Valerie will make us look fabulous. I would highly recommend V&A Creative Moments.”
P

“I used Valerie for my wedding make up and for my 2 bridesmaids and my mum. She was fab! I couldn’t believe how great we all looked and I felt like a princess!
Valerie is lovely and very friendly and I can certainly highly recommend her.”
K

Many thanks indeed everyone.

It's time to renew the mascara for my kit so I thought I'd have a browse in the shops to see what goodies I could find.

Mascara is the one item most girls just can't do without. Even if you normally only wear minimal make-up it's the one item we all reach for.

There are hundreds of mascaras on the market ranging for the inexpensive drugstore brands to the more luxurious (and expensive) brands all claiming to do this that or the other.
I have to say of all the mascaras I've tried over the years I haven't found the one I just wouldn't be without. I have my preferences but I'm still keeping an open eye.

I'm a bit of a make-up snob (in the nicest possible way) and I do prefer to go for the more upmarket brands, especially for my brides although there are some bits and pieces from the lower price ranges that have made their way into my kit, having ticked all the boxes.

I have been using Christian Dior Blackout - waterproof of course, what else - but I was reading up on Chanel's Inimitable Waterproof Multi-Dimensional Mascara (say that after a few glasses of wine) which did receive some good reviews.

It claims "Spectacular volume. Infinite length. Extreme curl and separation. For eyes ever so wide, ever so entrancing".

Like the sound of that so off I went to the Chanel counter for my new purchase and oh my eyes just lit up when I saw their Limited Edition Byzance Collection.

The colours are very rich but can be used on any skin tone, any colouring either subtly or daringly bold. As Chanel describes them "...magnificence of a luminous gold combined with a gradation of satiny dark brown and metallic copper and taupe".

The coral pink blush is not for the faint hearted if you're used to subtle pastel pinks but
not all brides have a fair porcelain complection.

"The sparkle from Byzantine treasures caress the cheeks with this shimmering red blush" so this one is ideal for those with tanned or  darker skin tones and a light application goes a long way.  I love it so much I might just have to get one for my own personal kit!

I came away a few pounds lighter (£s not lbs unfortunately) and I'm looking forward to trying out my new buys on my next clients - 5 trials tomorrow and 5 on Sunday so should be good.

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."
~ Walt Disney

This week we were out and about looking at wedding venues and doing some test shots for a couple of up-coming weddings.

Pamela and Ian will be getting married at Park Circus Registry Office. They've also booked the Botanic Gardens and Kibble Palace for their photo session before heading across the road to Oran Mor for their reception.

We always like to check out venues beforehand to test lighting etc but unfortunately we weren't allowed to view any of the rooms at Park Circus. I have to say this is a first for us as in our experience venues, including registry offices have been very obliging when it came to allowing us to look around.
It is a lovely venue but they are quite sticklers when it comes to their rules, including no photography during the service until signing the register.
We'll just have to wait til the day to see inside for ourselves.

Oran Mor on the other hand couldn't have been more helpful. Their wedding coordinator was keen to show us round and go over timings for the day.

When we visited there was a wedding being held in the main auditorium so we couldn't have a look but Pamela and Ian are having a small wedding with their reception being held in the private dining room which is lovely and full of character - what a lovely view they'll have of Kibble Palace from the window.























We headed over to the Botanic Gardens for a look round. The gardens are stunning at this time of year and Kibble Palace is just amazing. Good thing about here is we can get some shots amongst the greenery even if it rains (fingers crossed it won't though).

































































We'll also be shooting Lisa and Tony's wedding at St Francis Xavier chapel in Carfin and the Grotto.

The chapel is lovely and bright and very spacious.












































It's been a couple of years since we photographed at the Grotto. The gardens are well maintained and their are some lovely spots for photos.

We had a great day today.

In the morning we headed over to Helensburgh where today's bride was getting married - a wee trip to the seaside.

We were a little early in arriving so we stopped off at the Rhu Cafe for some morming coffee then walked along the marina where Allan was busy picking out his boat!

When it was time we headed over to Rosslea Hall in Rhu where the bride Lindsay and her bridesmaids and mum were getting ready.

Lindsay had her trial a few months ago and wanted to go for pale pink shades on the eyes and stronger pink lips.

The bridesmaids hadn't had a trial so we made sure we set some extra time aside to go over their likes and dislikes. Both have very different colouring but both wanted a more natural look with neutral shades of taupe for the eyes.
The girls were wearing navy blue dresses so this was an option that would complement any colour of dress and any skin tone.

Mum was in lilac and although she prefered a fuller make-up, again she opted for the neutral tones.

When make-up was done we left the girls to get ready and they very kindly invited Allan to take some photos before they left for the ceremony.
Lindsay looked absolutely gorgeous in her white dress with gold embroiered detail and the girls looked beautiful in blue.





























































































































































































































After we left the wedding party we headed over to our album suppliers to pick up a few orders then paid a visit to the Strathclyde Hilton where one of our August weddings will be taking place.

We have another busy week ahead with make-up trials and visits with clients - it keeps us on our toes.

Today Valerie was in Milton of Campsie doing the make-up for a bridal party.
This was slightly different from the norm as the bride Louisa didn't know anything about it.
Louisa was coming over from Canada where she's lived for the last few years and one of her bridesmaids arranged for her make-up and hair to be done as a special surprise.
There have been many times where Valerie has made-up the bridal party without them having a trial first but she usually goes over details with them beforehand, asking them to fill in a questionnaire about their make-up preferences and their colour theme and going over ideas.
This time, info was a bit more sketchy so we allowd a bit more time on the day to go over things.
The bride wore a lovely white gown that she had brought with her from Canada and the bridesmaids and mum were in purple.
We decided on a soft smokey look using deep purple shades, slighly lighter for the bridesmaids and mum.
They very kindly allowed Allan to take some photos before they left for the church and their reception at Kincaid House.


The Bride


































Mum and bridesmaids

We've finally finished editing the photos from Louise and Stuart's wedding.
Our previous post gave you a look at the make-up style for the girls so we thought we'd share some of the day's events.

The lead up to the wedding day really had us on tenterhooks as every day we looked at the weather forecast it was rain, showers and black clouds but just to prove you can never predict the weather in Bonny Scotland, low and behold... the sun shone (and shone brightly).
(We took the brollies with us just in case).

We captured a mix of photographs on the day, including some family group shots but Louse and Stuart have a fun-loving nature and asked to include some fun, quirky photos. We were certainly up for that especially when they told us Louise would be arriving in a Camper Van and Stuart in a VW Beatle (courtesy of  Dubz4hire).

Allan started with some shots of the dress and bits and bobs while the girls were at the hairdresser's.
Louise chose an beautiful ivory dress with diamonte detail.
































If you're a follower of our blog you'll recall we wrote about one of our pet hates - beautiful bridal gowns hung up with white or black plastic coathangers!
Louise took note and as a surprise, her sister ordered a coathanger specially for the occassion, engraved with the wedding date and venue - a big thumbs up from us.













Allan then left to take some shots of the guys where everyone was up for a laugh...


















































...before we headed over to the university.

We couldn't resist the telephone booths...






















Everyone was ushered in to the chapel just in time for the bride's prompt arrival.








































The chapel has to be our favourite wedding ceremony venue to date.





























































We were given permission to photograph during the ceremony but unfortunately we had to stay in one position at the back of the church so we weren't able to get the close-up shots of the exchange of rings.
Their videographer Leven Films was better positioned for that so hopefully the moment was caught on film. (John is a great guy to work with by the way.)
We did manage to zoom in for a shot of Louise and Stuart's first kiss as husband and wife.




















The rings













After the family and group shots we headed round to the cloisters for a photo session. We'd done some prep and had planned out some shots we wanted to take but things don't always go to plan on wedding days. The time we thought we would have had to be cut short as the wedding after Stuart and Louise's were holding a champagne reception in the cloisters. We did get a few nice shots though and some fun ones round the pillars.








































































Louise had mentioned that she liked one of our silhouette images she'd seen on our gallery so we found a spot we thought might work.
































Then a quirky one in the courtyard...






































before heading off to the reception at Eglinton Arms Hotel in Eaglesham...






































where we finished with the first dance.
























































We're looking forward to seeing Louise and Stuart after they return from honeymoon in Cuba. Hopefully they'll be pleased with their photos.

What a glorious day it was yesterday and where was the rain that was forecast? Certainly not in Glasgow - not a drop in sight and sun splitting the trees.

It was a lovely day for Stuart and Louise's wedding at Glasgow University Chapel.
There are lots of photos to edit - it was a full day shoot - but I thought I'd give you a taster and blog about  the girls' make-up.

Louise, her sister Kirsty (bridesmaid) and mum Dorothy were all having their make-up done in the morning.

It was a reasonably early start and we arrived at Louise's mum's at 9.45 a.m .  Allan started with some shots of the dress etc and Valerie set up ready for the girls.

All the girls were at the hairdressers and there was a little bit of a panic as there had been a mix-up with the hairdresser's timings. Girls thought it was 9 a.m. for hair but the hairdresser said 9.30 a.m.

As anyone who has been involved in a wedding knows, timings are all important on such a busy and hectic day but we always allow some leeway for such eventualities.
When the girls arrived back, all make-up was done ahead of schedule.

The colour theme for the day was ivory and teal so at their trial we decided on neurtal colours.

Louise's mum was first. She doesn't usually wear much make-up so it was a very natural look she went for using a light application of Bobbi Brown foundation.

Shades of taupe and olive/gold were used for the eyes and finished with a light dusting of Sunblushed blusher and Illamasqua lip gloss in Enchant.

Louise again wanted a fairly natural look but we went a little stronger on the eyes.

We used shades of Rose gold, dark suede (a chocolate brown) and a hint of sparlky bronze for the eyes.
Blusher was again Sunblushed and lips were kept nude with a hint of peachy gloss.

Kirsty applied her own powder foundation and we used the same shadows that were used for Louise but made the eyes a bit stronger and darker.
We added the same blush and gloss that was used for Louise for the finishing touch.

The girls looked radiant but I think it's fair to say that Louise was a stunning Bride and all eyes were on her.

The Beautiful Bride:







































































































Bridesmaid Kirsty:















































Louise and her sister:





























Louise and her mum:

What a gorgeous sunny day today. A day for sitting in the garden chilling out but as they say - no rest for the wicked.

Valerie was over in Falkirk today for some make-up trials.

Heike is the bride-to-be and Janet and Hayley are bridesmaids.
They all have very different likes and dislikes when it comes to make-up and all wanted to look like themselves on the day. There's no such thing as a "Bridal" look as everyone is different.
It's important that a bride and the bridal party is comfortable with the way they look. There's no point having full-on make-up if  that's not your style and the same goes in reverse.
Everyone doesn't have to look the same either, what's important is everyone is happy.

Heike opted for a light foundation coverage so we used Chanel Pro Lumier.
Stronger eyes in chocolate browns were her style so we used a combination of dark browns, cappuccino and bronze shades to achieve a subtle smoky look.

Lips were a nuetral shade, Estee Lauder in Tea Rose and a light application of blush in sunblushed.

Janet however likes full foundation coverage and a dark smoky eye with nude lips.

Foundation had to be doublewear and we tried out a more subtle mauve coloured smoky eye to complement her purple dress but this wasn't working for her. We stepped thing up a little until we eventually settled on her full-on black smoky eye finished off with the largest set of false lashes I carry in my kit - Ardell No 117s. (She loved them but this was still tame in comparison to her usual double decker combo. That's what trials are all about though.
Lips were a very neutral pink with Illamasqua gloss in Electrify.

Hayley opted for something in-between, Chanel Pro Lumier foundation and a lovely lavender/mauve subtle smoky eye. Lips were a slightly stronger rose pink with Illamasqua gloss in Enchant, which she carried off very well.

All notes are written up ready for recreating ther looks on the big day, 19 August 2011 at the Leepark Hotel in Grangemouth.

Hope all you lovely Brides-to-be have your latest copy of the Scottish Wedding Directory.

You know how we love all things wedding.

Valerie has her usual ad in there plus there she is on p187 giving some hints and tips titled Be cheeky:

"Cream blusher applied to the apples of the cheeks over foundation or tinted moisturiser gives a natural rosy glow. Finish with translucent loose powder applied with a velour puff for staying power."

"Life is a ticket to the greatest show on earth".
~ Martin H. Fischer

We love it when potential clients contact us about our services.

We have had several enquiries for weddings - photography and make-up - that are due to be held on a Friday.
Unfortunately we've had to turn these down due to other bookings.

As we provide both photography and make-up artistry services our weekends can be booked for either photography or make-up artistry or both and we only commit to one wedding on any one day.

We thought it best to let everyone know that we have no availability for Friday weddings until May 2012.

We do however, still have some Saturdays and Sundays available in November 2011 through 2012.

We'd love to hear from you if we can help out with either make-up or photography or both.

It's that time of year when certain bills start coming in.

First we have our tax returns to complete along with our Partnership declaration form.
Although it doesn't cost any money (apart from the tax) the paperwork is time consuming and monotonous- we'd much rather be photographing a wedding or making up the bride.

This is also the time of year when renewals are due - Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurance is one.
We pride ourselves in giving a professional service and this is an absolute must for our business.
We hold this type of insurance both for our photography and make-up artistry services.
It gives us and our clients peace of mind.

Did you know we are also members of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)?
The FSB is the major organisation and voice in the UK representing the interests of small businesses and the self-employed.  It is non-profit-making and non-party-political.  We believe our membership shows that we take our business seriously, that we set high standards for our services and value our clients.

Well, that's enough of the serious stuff for now. Brushes have to be washed and kit organised for next weekend's bridal make-up - a trip to Falkirk for a change.

We carried out our test shots inside the Chapel at Glasgow Uni.
What a fantastic setting for a wedding and good lighting too.
Now all we need is the bride and groom.

We’ve been tinkering about with our website, tidying things up a bit and one thing we’ve always meant to get round to is designing a logo icon.

We like to keep things simple (KISS is always the best policy) we’re not into swirls or starbursts and we wanted to keep our “corporate colours” of black and red. So after playing around with a few ideas we came up with this.

It’s a simple sign made up of the letters  V and A but we like it.

We had to be careful not to emulate another famous V&A logo (Victoria and Albert) but I think we can get away with this one ok.

We'd love to hear your thoughts.

It's only 6 weeks until Louise and Stuart's wedding at Glasgow Uni. We're really looking forward to this one as the university is such a beautiful building with many backdrops for photographs, not least the Cloisters with their iconic arches.

We've had our pre-wedding meeting with Stuart and Louise to discuss photos and timings and Louise and the girls had their make-up trial last Sunday.

All that was left to do was pay a visit to the uni for some test shots and inspiration so we headed off, camera in hand..
As usual there is so much we want to do with so many ideas in our head - we could easily spend all day there.

We're not quite finished with the prep and ideas but thought we'd post a few of the shots we took during our visit.

Entrance to the chapel































The Cloisters

"Life has taught us that love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction."

~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

We were back in the studio again for a photo shoot with a couple of young musicians.

Carissa contacted us to ask if we would take some images for her website and brochures.
She brought along her clarsach (celtic harp) and fiddle and was accompanied by her partner James with guitar.

It was great to be entertained by the very talented musicians while we worked.

Check out their web at HOOLEY FUNCTION BAND

Here are a few of the images we captured on the day:

Clarsach and Fiddle
















The lovely Carissa - love the sparkly gold shoes!































































































Carissa and James




















































James on guitar


















Carissa and James - in concert

It's been a busy week delivering albums, visiting up-coming wedding venues and giving make-up trials.

It does give us a lift when an enquiry turns into a confirmed booking - 10 for make-up services in the coming months and a new wedding for April next year at the lovely Avonbridge Hotel in Hamilton.

Looking forward to them all!

It's an early start tomorrow. Heading off at 7 a.m. to Stirling for Kerstin's Bridal make-up - Bride, 2 bridesmaids and mum. Pink is the colour theme of the day. Just hope the weather brightens up.

I love weddings and I must admit I was one of the many thousands of people watching the Royal Wedding on Friday 29 April.

It was a lovely ceremony and what a beautifully stunning bride. Everything was just perfect.

I know of a few house parties where friends and relatives got together to watch the proceedings, champagne at the ready and all dressed in their finery, some with their tiaras on.
I didn't go quite that far but it was lovely just to relax in front of the screen and feel part of the celebrations.

By coincidence, we've just added a link on our useful contacts page to a new supplier Weddings Live.

They offer a slightly different twist to the normal videography - they stream weddings live over the internet!
Friends and family from all over the world can tune in and watch your wedding ceremony as it happens.

We've had some experience of this type of service before at one of our weddings.
The groom's mum unfortunately was quite poorly and unable to attend the wedding but the bride and groom had arranged to stream a live broadcast to her house.
After the service we went to her house for some family photographs. She was all dressed in her mother of the groom outfit and had been tearfully watching with some friends.

We think it's a brilliant idea for those who have friends and family abroad or who can't make it for one reason or another, perhaps housebound or in hospital.

It's not just for weddings - birthdays, christenings and corporate events can all be captured live.

You can find more details at www.weddingslive.co.uk

"Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do."
~ Pele

We received a lovely email from a bride-to-be who recently booked us for her wedding photography and make-up:

" Hi Valerie
It was great to meet you both. I love all the albums so will need some time to make my mind up....I wasn't very excited about my wedding but after meeting you and Allan all of a sudden I'm excited and looking forward to it..."

That was so nice to hear and we're certainly excited about their wedding as they've chosen some fantastic venues for the day - ceremony at Park Circus in Glasgow, photos at the Botanic Gardens and Kibble Palace then reception across the road at Oran Mor.

As you can see from her email, although they've booked us for the day they haven't decided on which album to have as yet. There is quite a choice of different styles and there is no need to make a decision right away.
A booking fee secures your date in our diary and you can take your time to make up your mind about albums or extras before the day.
Whichever style they choose we look forward to capturing their special day.

Another wedding make-up for Valerie today but this time it wasn't the Bride or the Bridesmaids or Mum, it was one of the guests - and why not!
Guests want to look their best for a wedding too.
Often you spend money on a new outfit and accessories, have your nails manicured and hair done and having your make-up professionally applied to finish the look is one more special treat for yourself.
Terry had bought a lovely silver grey dress and sparkly silver sandals so to complement the look and bring a little colour we chose shades of lavendar and mauve for the eyes. It really made her blue eyes pop.
The wedding was being held at Ayr Racecourse and what a lovely day for a wedding it was.

It's been a busy few days edition images from Erin and Matthew's wedding on Saturday.
It will be a little while before they're all ready to view (there are rather a lot!) but we thought we'd give you a sneak preview to be going on with.

Erin and Matthew booked us for their wedding back in 2009, or should I say super-organised Erin did.

After Friday's weather we had our fingers crossed that the weather would hold and sure enough we had a lovely day - all seasons mind you but the rain was over and done with early morning.

As soon as we arrived for the getting ready shots we knew it was going to be a fun day!

Hairdresser and make-up artist were at work and the champagne was flowing.

We moved upstairs for some shots of the little details and the finishing touches to the hair.



































We then walked across the road (literally) to the church to set up and meet the guys.
I mentioned Erin was super-organised; there were certain things Erin wanted done and she had requested some family group shots.
We always advise couples to enlist the help of the best man and ushers when organising group shots so sure enough, each of them arrived with the to-do list in their sporran. Before we even said hello, the check lists were out. We admired their dedication - maybe it has something to do with Erin being a school teacher of primary 1s!










































After the guys we had time to run across the road for some photos of Erin and the girls. 
What a stunning gown Erin wore that suited her tall slim figure perfectly.





















The colour theme for the day was black and ivory.























The wedding ceremony was beautiful.