Pillo Hotel Ashbourne Birdal Event

Image from Pillo Hotel Facebook Page

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On Thursday 26th May, I went along to the  Pillo Hotel Ashbourne Birdal Evening. The lineup for the evening included the fabulous Michelle Regazolli also known as Mrs Makeup, and Sara from the Irish Wedding Blog also shared her tips on trends. Of course I am going to share what tips I picked up from the two of them and any suppliers mentioned in the post are linked directly, so just click on their name.

Upon arrival I entered  the hotel reception and I was met by a red carpet that was decorated with lanterns and a flower arch. This lead into the reception area, which is a perfect space to serve canapes to your guests before they enter the main room.

There was a beautiful singer located in the reception area, I actually thought it was a CD playing. She was that flawless, so definitely check out at My Wedding.ie.

The room was stunningly decorated by Event Dimensions and Lovin Letters. Event Dimensions had the tables decorated in two different themes, they were, classic and cocktail. Their chair covers were fab as they moulded to the shape of the chair. They do not move about, like the loose fitting fabric chair covers.

On the evening, they also showcased their beautiful underlit dance floor. It was the first night it was laid out and it really lifted the room. Lovin Letters supplied the signage you see in the image below. I only wish they had of been around for my wedding 5 years ago. Their signage definitely has the WOW factor and who doesn't love a name in lights.

Image from Pillo Hotel Facebook 

Image from Pillo Hotel Facebook Page 

Tips I picked up on the night from Sara and Michelle:

Sara spoke about trends and tips, firstly the colour theme for 2016 is Rose Quartz and Serenity. The colour for each year is issued from a site called Pantone so if you're a bride who wants to be on trend, then keep an eye on this site. The colour for 2017 is set to be blood red!!

Panel for 2016

When it comes to decor, the most popular are metallics, rose gold, sequin, metallics. Themes included films, and these lend themselves to high drama, like the Great Gatsby and now Alice In Wonderland will be high up, e.g. the mad hatter theme. 

The classic theme taking in black and white, think James Bond or awards style. The Men will be wearing tuxes and Women go super glam with floor length dresses.

Romance Theme (from Pinterest)

Romance is another theme, and this is the one I would be drawn to. For this theme you need to think florals, softness, floaty and soft. Barn Yard is also a big theme, literally think of a barn wedding that would see on Pinterest, it's rustic, d.i.y, woodland and lighting. 

Barn Yard theme (from Pinterest) 

If you have a theme, think about having it running through your whole wedding, from the church, venue decor to the food. Street food vendors & quirky food are becoming more of a thing in weddings e.g. fish & chips in the evening or an ice cream van at the venue on arrival. 

Mad Hatter theme (image from Pinterest)

Sara also made a really good point, she said to not be afraid to ask for what you want, whether it be food or set up. When it comes to themes and what is "In", remember to not be pushed by that, always go with what you like and want as a couple.

Another popular option is having a dessert table, as opposed to individual desserts being served. What came to mind for me was being in an all inclusive hotel and they display desserts on a large table so you can pick what you want.

For room decoration, do not go with the cheap option, always use a reputable supplier. Go and see their work before booking. Any company that is worth it, will always showcase at a wedding fair.

Etsy is also fast becoming a very popular search engine for wedding inspiration.  

When it comes to dresses, the looks coming from the catwalk and bridal shows were the following. Feathers, cut out dresses (think of Kim K dress), off the shoulder, anti dresses e,g trousers, jumpsuits etc. Also, dresses with a big bow feature & colours, e.g. champagne, rose gold & blush. For bridesmaids looks a mixture of dress styles and colours.  

Makeup:

We were treated to a makeup demo from Michelle. While she did her demo she spoke about what to do when it comes to makeup for your big day. 

The finished look

Some tips I picked up were around the following.

Skincare is so important leading up to your wedding day. Get your facials done and look after your skin. Michelle spoke about serums being a product to invest in. I adore serums myself and Michelle also mentioned the Vital C serum from Image. This is so good you could eat it, seriously.  Jule Beauty  is located in the Pillo Hotel and it is my spa of choice for facials and spa packages, as they always have great offers on.

Michelle doing her thing (image from Pillo Hotel Facebook page)

When it comes to foundation for your wedding day, Michelle recommends  Estée Lauder double wear light and Mac Studio Fix. These ensure your skin is looking flawless for your pictures and they are long lasting foundations. 

The look of choice when it comes to makeup is brown tones. Some brides do go bolder, with some adding a pop of colour on the lips. As Michelle said, stick to what you know and love when it comes to your makeup do not try and change it up too much. 

Another good tip was around powder, do not over powder as this shows up on photographs and it cannot be removed after from your photos. Over highlight! watch out for it, but this can be edited from your photos after. It takes up to 3 hours for the photographer to do, so be mindful of that highlight. 

When it comes to contour on your wedding day, it should be sun kissed looking and not fierce or heavy. So this look would be where the sun hits naturally on your face.

Most importantly, Invest in a good makeup artist, get a trial and book in advance. When you go to your makeup artist, have an idea of what look you are going for, they will tie your look your into your overall theme and dress. 

Wedding Photographer showcasing her work on the day was Elaine Barker . Check out her work, personally I loved it and as a women, she knows how to get just the right angle to capture you in your dress. 

Love & Sparkle
xxx