Put Your Dancing Shoes On!

Sometimes it's harder to find the perfect shoes than the dress! At Smart and Chic Beauty Lounge, we have the perfect "have your cake and eat it too" solution for lovely shoes the whole night through!

Introducing: Hollywood Fashionista Flats by Hollywood Fashion Tape Collection.

$19 allows your weary feet to rest in cute dancing flats! The best part - the bag turns into a tote to store your heels!*

This is not only smart for the Bride, but a chic gift idea for the maids!

Buy these and other Bridal gifts at our Minneapolis boutique:

Smart and Chic Beauty Lounge

20 University Ave NE
Minneapolis, MN 55113

Enjoy! XoXo,

Kira McCarty

Your S&C Artist

Create a Tradition

In this day & age, there are so few surprises - we know whether we're having a boy or girl, we have looked up our BFF's new beau on facebook before we've met, etc. How about we put some tradition ( and a little surprise ) back in our lives?

It is always so lovely when a Bride has a " something borrowed " from a loved one's own wedding - sometimes it's a hanky, or a purse, or jewelry. Often, the Bride has a fond memory of seeing it used in the past ( at a dinner, in a photo, etc ) My Wedding challenge for you, my modern Bride is to find something to create a legacy with...

There comes a point in some weddings where the term " what's another hundred dollars? @*@%#!!! " comes to play a major role - to remedy this, let's remember that we can now " re-use " some of the bought items - for tradition sake! For instance: Take the lovely sash you wore with your dress, and at every anniversary, where it again! This goes for hair pieces too - turn them into a fun pin that you wear to your anniversary dinner(s) , or turn your sash into a headband for your hair! I wore my gorgeous wedding heels to my anniversary dinner and I was SO relieved that they weren't sitting in the closet anymore! Think of all the possibilities and make it fun!

**Follow this link to see more of Nelle's designs (pictured above) http://shop.nellehandbags.com/

or stop in the Minneapolis S&C Beauty Lounge to see her designs in person!**

Enjoy! XoXo,

Kira McCarty

Your S&C Artist

#1 RULE: Fire sprinklers are not for hanging dresses on!

It never fails - Just about once a week I will witness a Bridal party frantically dashing about their hotel suite trying to find a high spot to hang the Wedding dress.

My discoveries:

1.The closet is out - they are not tall enough for the dress to remain wrinkle free.

2.Hotel draperies are often anchored to the ceiling,

3.The last choice ( which is always at the right height ) is the fire sprinkler system - let's use our imagination and think of all the things that can/will go wrong with this desperate choice!

I offer you the solution! I wish I could take credit for this clever idea, but the truth is that I accidentally discovered someone else's guinuess while on location - the answer: A 3M Removable Hook.

These hooks can be bought to hold various weights and need about a half hour for the "tape" to set up. When you are done, simply pull a tab and they will come off in an instant ( or leave them up for the next Bride! )

Follow this helpful link to learn more about the removabl hooks:

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_WW/Command/home/us_en/products/

Enjoy! XoXo,

Kira McCarty

Your S&C Artist

Do you need to b-inspired?

Anyone who has worked with an event coordinator will tell you how invaluable they are! I recently got to interview Nicole Walesch, the director & owner of b.inspired events.

Nicole has owned b.inspired for 6 years. She confessed that her love of (everything) weddings went back to the first one she attended - at age 7!

Nicole has 2 goals for Wedding Couples:

1. She wants them to ENJOY the Wedding process.

2. The Wedding should be a true reflection of the couple.

She meets these goals by staying "ultra organized." Nicole starts off with a clever questionnaire that lets her know important details about the Couple - including "what have you liked/disliked about previous weddings, what are your favorite stores, and your preferred method of communication?"

Nicole strives to have her Bride and the entire Wedding party feeling pampered - she's been known to toss in something fun & unexpected for her Wedding Party as a token of her commitment to go above and beyond.

To contact Nicole and see her work, visit her website www.b-inspiredevents.com

Awesome photography showcasing Nicole's work were done by Kelly Brown Weddings

Romantic!

After working with Photographer Melissa Oholendt on her last (J Crew/Jane Eyre inspired) photo shoot, I realized that she had captured the feeling of romance & leisure - 2 of my favorite topics!

Stage 1: Our gorgeous model wore her hair down with "natural-looking" waves. I enhanced her natural coloring with champagne shadows on her eyes, S&C lip creme in "burlesque pink," peachy/pink blush, air brushed foundation and a few lash clusters at the outer corners.

Stage 2: In 20 minutes I took the model's long hair and swept it up into a "Mad Men"/60s inspired bouffant with pin curl accents - I switched her light pink lips to a dark raspberry, and VOILA!

To see more of Melissa's work, visit her website www.melissaoholendt.com

Enjoy! XoXo,

Kira McCarty

Your S&C Artist

S&C Makeup Must Haves

Our Artists pick the finest professional products to use on our bridal clients. We are so committed to the belief that your makeup should last the day through and look incredible in photographs, that Smart & Chic Founder, Julie Swenson, went to great lengths to formulate our own makeup and skin care line!

“This is a cosmetics line that works for all types of women who are on on the go. A woman’s wedding day is full of joy, and sometimes stresses, her makeup needs to be able to stand up to this. All women can benefit from the Smart and Chic line,” says Julie.

The line includes everything from shadows, blushes, and lip colors to primers, powders, and blotting sheets.

An absolute MUST for makeup to stay all day ( & night ) is a primer. I use primers on every makeup client, and what a difference it makes. Remember a few blog posts back, I wrote about a Bride who said her makeup stayed on all day, even after wake boarding?! My secret was using makeup primers! [Read previous post here. ]

Our online store features these amazing products - and if you don't know where to start, we have kits put together to go from start to finish! Our few of our newest include:


KIT #1 ~ Prime and Prep Kit
Before Makeup Essentials
Face Primer – weightless, oil free primer that minimizes fine lines and refines the surface of the skin. Combats rough patches and excess oil too.
Lid Primer – Lightweight, smoothing primer that prepares lids for shadow, making color stay vibrant and last all day.
Lip Primer – Nourishes, smooths, and refines lips, preventing feathering and fading.

KIT #2 ~ Finish and Seal Kit
After Makeup Essentials
Makeup Setting Spray – Refreshes and hydrates the skin while setting the makeup. Prevents melting, caking, and cracking, while quickly refreshes the skin.
Colorless Setting and Blotting Powder – Color-free pressed powder sets makeup and absorbs excess oil. Will not cake, dry out, or alter foundation shade.
Double Sided Blotting Papers – Thin, absorbent sheets that eliminate oil and sweat quickly.

To shop online, visit:
http://sacboutique.myshopify.com/

Or send an email to ask a stylist what is the best fit for you!
smartandchicbride@gmail.com

Enjoy!XoXo,
Kira McCarty
A Hit With Makeup Artists

NEW FAVE!

Do You Want A Great Wine For Your Event?

SCB's Julie Swenson's new favorite celebratory sparkling wine! Risque by Toad Hollow can be purchased at the Wine Thief, St. Paul and local liquor stores.

www.winethief.net

Enjoy, XoXo!