Hello June! I don't know where the time has gone, but I've been MIA with good reason(s)...one reason being the focus on the many amazingly gracious (and gorgeous!) 2010 brides I have had the pleasure of working with so far.

Jess pictured above is just one shining example - an obvious beauty and total sweetheart. For her Big Day look, she wanted something more intense with her eye make-up than we had done at her trial, so I played up the intensity of the eyeshadow using soft greys and purples. The end-result was glamourous and camera-ready, but definitely not overdone...and Jess carried it all off beautifully!

See more of Jess + her bridal party on artistrhi weddings!

More with the lovely Amelia! Check out Geehae's blog and site for more with the wonderful Amelia. Amelia and her now-husband, Dan, celebrated their Big Day at the AGO (thanks Fiona!) in Toronto and Geehae captured the happy couple, the day and all its details beautifully.

Oh Amelia! I love this lady's smile...and her laugh is sooo contagious. You can just see from these pics how much fun I had getting her ready for her Big Day. :)

See more from Amelia's prep for the Big Day on artistrhi weddings!

Congratulations, Amelia! xo

Here are my favourite shots of gorgeous bride Jenna as we get her ready for her Big Day! Can't believe it's already been two weeks that she's been married (yes, I'm a little behind in posts, but hopefully I can have a productive couple of days with the weekend and Monday being a holiday!)

Jenna - candid and glowing

Jenna has great skin as it is, but I love how the pic above shows her glow (with a little help from MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle). Flat, dull skin is passé for today's modern bride (thank goodness!). Just make sure you're shining in the right places - the temples, areas above the cheekbones and atop the browbone are all ok, but the T-zone should still be shine-free!! See this oldie-but-goodie post for more tips.

Another random shot - I love the glamourous feel to this one.

and here's a sweet little e-note from Jenna that made my day (well, 7 days ago...but still makes my day whenever i re-read it. My brides are the best.)!!

Congratulations, Jenna!! Thank you for a wonderful time and all the best! xo

To see more of Jenna's behind the scenes, check out artistrhi weddings!

It's been a while since my previous post, and I swear it's been for a good reason! I've been getting reacquainted with my 2010 brides, meeting new ones for 2011, doing e-shoots, creatives, an entrepreneurial workshop and oh yeah...still working full-time! Can't believe we're so far into May - where does the time go?!

Until I can post something a little more, check out some of my gorgeous brides on the blogs of some seriously talented photographers:

Photo: Geehae Jeong

Photo: Claudia Hung / Geehae JeongPhoto: Kumari Photography

More artistrhi brides to come! xo

We're heading into mid-May and you know what that means...wedding season is in full swing! I'll be posting regularly about the wondeful brides that I'm fortunate to work with so stay tuned for that! To kick things off, meet the stunning bride Linda who was married last Saturday. Linda wanted a fresh and simple bridal look, so we kept the colour focus on the lips and the cheeks while lightly defining the eyes.

Here are some of my favourite behind the scenes pics of her Big Day:

Aerial view of Linda's make-up (getting her falsies on!). Random pic I know, but I love it. Also realizing that I should get my nails done more often when taking pics like these lol!

One of Linda's gorgeous bridesmaids. I love the way this shot is framed. Yes, another random.

The blushing bride-to-be! When the make-up's done, that smile is just one of the many reasons why I LOVE what I do.

Check out more from Linda's Big Day on artistrhi weddings!

Side note: I seeeriously have the best brides. So thankful! Congratulations Linda! xo

A couple of behind the scenes photos from this past Saturday - had a great time with Karen + her bridal party of sisters! Such gorgeous ladies and all with naturally glowing skin! Just call me jealous.

See more from Karen's Big Day on artistrhi weddings! Congratulations Karen! :)

This past Saturday was a beautiful day for a beautiful bride! I spent the morning helping to get Andrea and her lovely bridal party all dolled up for the Big Day.

Here are a few snaps from the day....more are available on artistrhi.com.

A huge special thanks to Joy (a.k.a Make-up Junkie) for her assistance in beautifying the ladies! To contact Joy and to see more of her stunning artistry and bridal work, check out her site Make-up and the Bride.

Andrea the bride - getting her lash on!

Make-up by Rhia

Joy adding some gloss

me doing the MoH's make-up
(with my 'desk' pictured in the forefront! ..which actually looks pretty neat here)

More weddings and awesome brides to come in May! :)

Before I headed off for the week, I had the awesome opportunity to work with lovely bride, Nancy. The morning was filled with laughs and amazing energy - and that's always a good start to any day - especially the Big Day! Here's a sneak preview of some images courtesy of her wonderful photographers, Elementz of Fotographie.
See more of the beautiful bride and all the gorgeous details of her Big Day on the Elementz blog!

Thank you Nancy for letting me share in your Big Day! All the best to you + Derek!
xo

Check out the following wedding photographer's sites for inspirational pics, and of course, some of my bridal make-up work! :)

Side note: I'm really lucky to come across such amazing photographers/fellow artists in my line of work. Their talent, hard work and dedication to their craft is a definite inspiration to me!

Claudia Hung (www.claudiahungweddings.com)
One of WeddingBells.ca's Top 25 Inspirational Canadian wedding photographers, Claudia's talent never ceases to amaze me! I've said it many times before - her work obviously speaks for itself - but she's simply an awesome person to work with.

artistrhi Bride: Anna

Geehae Jeong (www.geehaejeong.com)
Geehae works frequently with Claudia, and you can easily see how their individual styles complement each other well. I love the feel of her clean, editorial style....simply gorgeous!

artistrhi Bride-to-be: Nicole

Union Photography (www.unionphoto.ca)
Union Photography, led by main photographer Jon, is also on WeddingBells.ca's Top 25 hot list! I love his creative approach to capturing the Big Day - exquisite!

artistrhi Bride: Mary

Anna - she's simply as lovely a person as she looks! What an absolute pleasure getting her and her wedding party all dolled up last Saturday.

Check out artistrhi.com for more photos from her Big Day - the gallery includes the good ol' before and after shots (always a crowd fave!), along with stunning pro photos courtesy of Claudia Hung (see one example pic below). Mind you, it never hurts that we have always such gorgeous subjects to work with...right, Claud?! :)
A heartfelt thank you to Anna for letting me take part in your Big Day, and for the many laughs during our make-up dates! All the best to you and Andrew, xo!

Check out just a couple of the highlights from an artistrhi beauty-filled weekend!!

Credits: Konrad Czystowski, Cinematographer

First off, congratulations Anna & Andrew!! Awesome couple. You'll recognize Anna & Andrew from the first e-shoot with the amazing Miss Claudia Hung earlier this year. Saturday was their Big Day, and a summary of it all was captured exquisitely on video by Konrad Czystowski (see above). It was my first time meeting Konrad, but I've seen his amazing work numerous times on the wedding circuit (I'm a good little wedding vendor stalker - have to know who to recommend to my brides after all!). Konrad had to correct me that Saturday morning we met - when I saw him setting him up his seeerious artillery of camera lenses and rigs - I curiously asked "so, are you the videographer?" He politely corrected me saying he was the "cinemaphotographer" for the Big Day. Just click the link to see his breathtaking work and you'll easily understand why there's such a distinction! :)

You'll be seeing more of Anna and Andrew, as I have my own behind the scenes photos to post and hopefully some from lead photographer for the day - Claudia! Konrad turned the above video around in one day - as a same day edit - talk about making the rest of us look like slackers!!!

Side note: I should prep my own face better for 6AM call times...you just never know when there will be a camera around...and in HD!

----

Later that day, I met with lovely bride-to-be, Christina, for a bridal trial. Here's my fave shot from our session. Gorgeous lady! (Look at those lips!)

Credits: Photo and Make-up by Rhia Amio, artistrhi

...and so it begins!!

WEDDING SEASON!

Many thanks to beautiful bride Mary and her stunning bridal party (some of whom are pictured above) for an absolutely fun-filled morning!! Gracious people like you guys are why I do what I do...and why I love it so much! Thank you, and of course, congratulations Mary!

Looking forward to more Big Days with my brides this year and in 2011! :)

Click the pics above to see more from Mary's Big Day Prep!

Attention brides-to-be!

If you're still on the look-out for a make-up artist and/or hairstylist for your Big Day, here are some more tips on how to prep (and make the most!) of your trials to ultimately pick who (or what's) best for you!

1. Trials. Do them.
It's always best to go for a consultation with your prospective artist. After you've deduced your choices from viewing portfolios and/or sorting out referrals from trusted sources, you'll want to meet with the person you'll be entrusting your Big Day look to. You'll be working with them closely on such an important day as your Wedding, so it's essential to make sure you're comfortable with them! The prospective artist should be listening to what your preferences are and should also be making the effort to build rapport with you.

2. Look through magazines and bring pictures with you.
Start thinking of looks. A make-up artist is not a mind reader (I wish!), so having a good sense of what you want will help your artist produce that look for you.

Choose from looks in magazines, on the Web, or what drew you to your Artist's portfolio. Show what you love and even show what you hate to your make-up artist! Pictures (versus words) will better convey what look you're after. I always remind my clients to remember to be realistic about skin tones and eye shapes when choosing pictures and looks! In the end, you'll get better results when you can predict outcomes.

3. Wear white (or off-white, depending on what your wedding dress colour is).
Lighter colours reflect light off the face and make it appear brighter, which in turn can affect how your make-up appears. Wearing a colour that mimics your wedding dress will help you see what amount of make-up you feel best in ...and if that dramatic smoky eye look may feel like too much make-up when paired with your white dress!

4. Take pictures and evaluate the make-up in different lighting.
Flash photography tends to wash out colour. Be sure the make-up still has impact (and that you like how it looks) in both natural and artificial light. See Mary's example below:

Mary's before - natural light:

Mary's after - in natural light:

Mary's after - with camera flash:
5. Invite one to two trusted people to sit in on the trial.
Opinions from others you trust can help with your decision, but too many opinions can also lead to confusion and stress. Limit your audience to a couple of people you trust, but have an idea of what you want too!

6. Schedule your hair trial on the same day. If possible, schedule a dress fitting on the same day.
There's nothing like putting the look all together that can lead to one of those 'a-ha' moments! Pairing the finished make-up and hair with a dress fitting will help you visualize if all the pieces fit well together, or if it's back to the drawing board!

..that is why they're called 'trials' after all!

Good luck and hope this helps!

Check out some pics from the first wedding of 2010 featuring beautiful bride Chrisie! I had such a good time with Chrisie and her ladies during her Big Day in January....and I'm definitely looking forward to more girly good fun with all the upcoming weddings this year!

Thanks Chrisie for an awesome start to the year! xo

Congrats to Claudia for being featured on weddingbells.com (the official site for WeddingBells mag!) as one of Canada's Top 25 Inspiring Wedding Photogs! That's maaajor and truly well-deserved!

Can't wait to start the e-shoots up again with Claud! (In fact, can't wait for the warmer weather that accompanies it!!!) The main pic of Claud's above is one of our e-shoots from summer 2009 with Flora + Daniel, where I did the make-up for the engagement shoot from the trunk of a car! True story :)

If you haven't checked out Claudia's site, what are you waiting for?! Click here or on the logo at right.

NOTE:
For any brides-to-be that are in the midst of planning right now, read up on more details of the ongoing artistrhi make-up x claudia hung collaboration and how to get a complimentary mini make-up session, courtesy of yours truly!! Be sure to book early with Claudia...if you haven't already!! :)

Lisa's Toronto reception this past November was the perfect way to cap off a wonderful (and super busy!) year of weddings! Check out artistrhi.com for more pics of her day :)
NOTE:
p.s. Sorry for the lack of posts! I try to blog each weekday, so you can imagine I've been going through blog withdrawal! I took an impromptu break from blogging to catch up with my (amazing and supportive) family and friends over the holidays. Hope your holidays are being well spent with loved ones as well!!

It's amazing how fast time flies...it seems like it was only yesterday that Jaymee and I were talking in 2008 about her upcoming wedding...or maybe it was 2007?! Either way, now fast forward to 2010, Jaymee is an awesome person and oh yes, an absolutely stunning bride!

I've known Jaymee and a couple of her bridesmaids since high school, and it's seriously always an amazing feeling to work with and be able to share this thing you love to do with the people you know. Jaymee has been one of my most supportive friends from the beginning of my freelancing career and it was an honour to partake in her Big Day!

Thanks Jaymee and of course, congratulations! I can't believe it's all done!! xo

See the pics of stunning Jaymee and her gorgeous bridal party on artistrhi.com!

artistrhi weddings update! Here are the gorgeous pro pics of Heather's wedding courtesy of kieleyphotography.com. Heather is the perfect combo of bridal babe plus sweetheart, as you can tell from the pics. It's always great to catch up with my brides a few months after things have settled down and hear how everything is going so well....and that the Big Day was everything they dreamed of. This is what it's all about.

Thank you Heather for letting me share in your Big Day! xo

See more from Heather's wedding day here.

See the original post on Toronto Wedding Professionals - your e-source for all things wedding!
It may be wintertime and wedding 'off-season', but if you're planning for your Big Day next year, now is the time to get a jumpstart on your skin care and beauty routine! Try these tips to get your skin Big Day ready:

Think and live healthy.
Drink more water, get as much rest as possible, eat well (limit your intake of high-sugar foods, caffeine and alcohol) and be more active.

Don't sweat the small stuff.
Some breakouts are stress-related. Remember to ask your bridal party for help when planning your wedding - they're your support group!

Follow a daily skin care routine.
Wash and moisturize your face 2 times daily - once when you wake up, and then again before you go to sleep. Make sure to thoroughly remove the day's make-up before you sleep and exfoliate no more than two times per week. If you're trying a new skin care routine, start it at least 6 months in advance of your wedding day to ensure your skin has time to adjust. Meet with a dermatologist or skin care consultant if you're unsure how to get your routine started.

Everyone's skin tends to feel dry and tight in the winter - so opt for a richer moisturizer for the face (i.e. add a night cream or a serum to your routine). Avoid taking long hot showers/baths as these can actually dry out the skin, reducing the production of the body's natural oils.

Something old, something new...
The wedding day or even the week leading up to the wedding is not the time to experiment with a new product or a completely different hairstyle, etc. Your skin needs time to adjust to a new product and cut hair won't grow back overnight!

Facials, Waxing and Threading.
Depending on your skin sensitivity, have your last facial at least 1-2 weeks before the Big Day. Facials lead to temporary bumps and redness that may or may not subside before your wedding day. Go for any waxings at least 3 days before the Big Day to make sure your skin has time to heal.

Remember, great wedding make-up always starts with a great base, so take care of your skin now and you'll have less to worry about as you near the Big Day!