All's Hair in Love and Aura - Bridal Hair Competition

A few weeks ago, I was super kindly invited along to judge a Bridal Hair competition at Aura hair salon, Aigburth, South Liverpool.  Aura’s proprietors, Janet and Vicky, host an annual in-house competition amongst their stylists, awarding each winner with a motivational cutting course prize to TIGI International.

Celebrating Aura’s tenth successful year, this year’s theme was, ta- dah, weddings, meaning I got the chance to play judge for a day! Honoured by this wonderful task, and imagining myself as a Super Scouse Danni Minogue, on arrival I realised I was to be Danni, Cheryl, Louis and Simon all rolled into one! Such a very hard task was ahead of me as entering the salon was like walking onto a page of a very elite bridal magazine!
There were seven stylists with their seven muses, all dressed in the latest wedding designs, from Ian Stuart to Amanda Wyatt, supplied by Cloud 9, Liverpool. Simone the makeup artist had just finished working her magic and the model brides were happily sipping bucks fizz, awaiting the photographer’s arrival. Right on cue, husband and wife photography team Sarah and David Jones arrived and transformed Aura’s hair salon into a very elegant wedding set. Passion for Flowers of Aigburth Road provided the girls with an array of beautiful contemporary and classic bouquets. I think I felt more nervous than on my own wedding day! Each model looked beautiful and I wish there could’ve been seven winners. With not an inch of Cowell’s callousness, a glass of fizz put my nerves at ease as I set about scribbling my notes, watching each model bride enjoy 15 minutes of fame with the photographers.


And so here are my scribbles!

1) Liz (Stylist) and Kate (model)

Classic Floral Romance

Structured and chic, Kate’s low classic chignon style with a modern twist flattered her collar bone, shoulders and low backed dress beautifully! The floral hair accessories complemented the floral appliqué on the fairytale gown.

2) Lauren (Stylist) and Kim (model)

Dramatic Romance

Kim’s dramatic half up/down ‘do’ set off her Ian Stuart gown perfectly. The volume added drama and glamour, and her soft curls added overall romance! The braid enhanced Kim’s youth and gave a touch of ‘fashionista’ to this look.

3) Billie (Stylist) and Kate (Model)

Extravagantly Chic

Kate’s structured high bun complemented the ‘Senorita’ ruffles on her gown, a big look for 2011 brides. This look screamed glamour and the flower hair accessories gave our Baby Bride a playful look too. Although structured, this style is quite versatile and could easily transform into a romantic Ballerina Bride, also hot for 2011.

4) Cathy (Stylist) and Jackie (Bride)

Art Deco Bride

Jackie was the epitome of vintage glamour! Rocking the Vintage Bride with her glamorous wavy bob, the antique-esque slide and vintage lace completed the striking look. A look that’s here to stay!

5) Sandra (Stylist) and Jodie (Bride)


Sunkissed Pretty Romance

Perfect for a beach wedding, Jodie’s soft-around-the-face look was reminiscent of casual beach waves and the detail of hair decoration and braids gave the look a mermaid feel! Beach Chic!

6) Ashley (Stylist) and Toni (Bride)


Classic meets Modern

LOVED how the loose braiding framed Toni’s face giving her an edgy look. The use of the necklace as an alternative to a tiara gave a new freshness whilst the loose curls ‘married’ up to her romantic, fairytale dress.

7) Helen (Stylist) and Lesley (Bride)

Old School Glamour

Lesley so worked the 50’s inspired look! With her deep parting, front roll and hairpiece to add volume, there was nothing shabby about this 50’s chic! The feathered accessory gave a fun, feminine feel.

Sophisticated Bride

One dress change later, we were amazed how versatile Lesley’s hairstyle was, shifting from 50’s to Sophist-ies! The jewels and slinky dress gave Lesley a real Regal look, a contender for Princess Catherine perhaps?! The low chignon and deep side part added a splash of sophistication.

And without further ado, the winners are:

Winner
Billie (Stylist) and Kate (Model) Extravagantly Chic – Senorita/Ballerina

Runner Up
Cathy (Stylist) and Jackie (Bride) Art Deco Bride

Congratulations to ALL who took part, you were all amazing!


Happy Birthday Aura

With Love x

Aura Hair Salon
204 Aigburth Road
Liverpool
Merseyside
L17 9PE

0151 222 0820

A Right Royal Promotion of Romance in Chester

A Complimentary Honeymoon up for Grabs for Three Lucky Couples!

To honour Kate and Will's Royal nuptials in April, the DoubleTree by Hilton Chester is offering complimentary romantic honeymoons to a select group of couples who celebrate their commitment of love at the upscale hotel next month.

The first three couples to book and confirm a wedding package at the DoubleTree by Hilton Chester (subject to minimum numbers & availability, terms and conditions apply) during the month of April will be eligible for this exclusive promotion. The complimentary honeymoons will include airfare for two plus six nights/seven days of hotel accommodations at an U.S. or European DoubleTree by Hilton hotel or resort of the couple's choice.

DoubleTree by Hilton has a fine collection of more than 240 hotels and resorts worldwide with honeymoon destinations fit for any prince and his princess. Lucky newlyweds could find themselves jetting off to destinations from Milan to Miami and Greece to California.

General Manager Tony Wright says: "Royal weddings don't come along very often, so we really wanted to do something different to celebrate this romantic occasion. DoubleTree by Hilton hotels are renowned throughout the world for fantastic destinations that are ideal for couples celebrating romance - whether it be with family and friends on their special wedding day, the dream honeymoon getaway or the anniversaries that last a lifetime."

Set on the outskirts of historic Chester and surrounded by 12 acres of landscaped gardens, the elegant Doubletree by Hilton Chester hotel provides luxurious accommodation only a few minutes from the city centre. This carefully restored 18th century manor house beautifully combines the past and the present, offering modern comforts and conveniences with traditional styling and decor.

The DoubleTree by Hilton Chester presents outstanding wedding facilities for both modest and grand celebrations including a Grade II English Heritage listed conservatory, a grand ballroom and several smaller event rooms, an outdoor wedding pavilion and a full-service luxury spa. Well connected to the city, the hotel is only a 40-minute drive from both Manchester and Liverpool airports, which is very convenient for out-of-town guests.

The DoubleTree by Hilton Chester is operated by Sanguine Hospitality Ltd and is located on Warrington Road, Chester CH2 3PD, seconds away from junction 12 of the M53.
 
For further information and availability of this promotion, please phone the catering and events team at +44 (0)1244 408 800. To place a reservation or to find out more information on the DoubleTree by Hilton Chester, please visit www.doubletree.hilton.co.uk/chester or contact your local travel professional.

Be the Sunday Times Dream Bride 2011

Want the ultimate fashion wedding? Well, now you can have it. Enter The Sunday Times competition and you could be their Style Bride 2011

 

With wedding fever in the air, The Sunday Times have put their heads together to come up with the ultimate fashion wedding — and you could win a part of it. They've thought about the dress, the flowers, the lingerie, the cake, even the honeymoon luggage, and scoured their address book to find you the pick of the bunch.

One lucky winner will be walking down the aisle in every girl’s fantasy wedding dress: a Vivienne Westwood couture wedding gown, up to the value of £15,000, made to your liking by the fashion designer’s bridal team. And 10 runners-up will each win an equally covetable prize towards their big day.

So, could it be you? If you are due to marry in the next year, they want to hear from you. Why do you think you deserve to be Style’s Princess Bride 2011? Write to them, or email, with a full-length picture of yourself, telling them, in no more than 250 words, why you deserve to win. It could be for reasons of pure romance, for triumph over tragedy, or simply for a love of fashion.
The Sunday Times will publish all the runners-up’s stories in Style, and the winner will be photographed in her dress by a top fashion photographer, and featured in the magazine in May. The winner must be available to come to London for four fittings, between February and April, and again for the fashion shoot in April.
Aside from the dress, there are also 10 runner-up prizes:

— A pair of shoes up to the value of £600 from every girl’s shoe designer of choice, Christian Louboutin.
— Anya Hindmarch luggage trolley for the perfect start to your honeymoon.
— Full-day passes to the spa at The Berkeley hotel in Knightsbridge, for the bride and three of her hens, including smoothies and a light lunch, plus a facial and massage for the bride.
— A bridal hair consultation and goodie bag from celebrity hairdresser and bridal expert Richard Ward, to ensure your hair is salon perfect on your wedding day.
— A set of bridal lingerie worth up to £500 from Agent Provocateur, the ultimate name in naughty negligées.
— Guilty Pleasures personally DJ-ing at your reception, making sure the dancefloor stays full all night.
— Flowers for the bridal party from the fashionable florist, McQueens.
— The wedding cake of your dreams from bespoke cake creator Eric Lanlard, up to the value of £1,000.
— A wedding planner from the stylish stationer Smythson, a must-have for every bride-to-be.
— A day with Trevor O’Keefe, global make-up artist for Laura Mercier, for a consultation in preparation for your big day and a goodie bag of products to re-create the look.

To enter the competition, either write in to Style Bride Competition, 3 Thomas More Square, London E98 1ST, or email stylebride@sunday-times.co.uk 

Don't forget include a full-length photograph of yourself. The winner will be announced in the April 10 issue of Style

Terms and conditions

Entrants must be over 18 and a UK resident. If you are entering on behalf of someone else, you must get their permission. Entries must be the original and unpublished work of the entrant and will be judged on emotion, storytelling ability and best fit for the Style magazine cover image. The wedding must be planned for before February 28, 2012. One entry per person. One first prize and 10 runner-up prizes. See full terms and and conditions. The editor’s decision is final.