An important aspect of Bridal by Beulah is featuring and partnering with other Black-owned and minority-owned businesses. When I wanted a new and unique logo for Bridal by Beulah, I reached out to my sister’s fellow Lincoln University alum and friend Aaron Ray. He’s a freelance graphic designer in Philadelphia who makes flyers, logos, invitations, and more. I had seen some of his graphic design work, as well as some of his cinematography on Instagram and YouTube and was all-around impressed. After his incredible work on my logo, I knew that I wanted to kick off my Black Wedding Vendors series with a profile on Aaron.
When asked about his favorite part of working with brides and grooms for their big day, Aaron says his “favorite part of doing wedding work is the love in the air. Everything being done is within the spirit of love and true companionship.” This is one of my favorite things about weddings too, and I know this sentiment is universal. Who remembers the scene from The Wedding Crashers where Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson are trying to meditate a couple’s messy divorce and the negotiations are deteriorating fast, but when Owen and Vince remind the couple of the joy they felt on their wedding day, they’re able to come together for a fair resolution for them both! I think Aaron is 100% right.
When asked how he highlights diversity in his designs while working with the bride and groom to create their dream invitation, Aaron explained “I always try to make the event appear grand and spectacular when designing. I always try and treat the work like it’s my own.” I can vouch for Aaron on this. He worked with me one-on-one to create a logo that highlights who I am, what I want Bridal by Beulah to represent, and what I want to contribute to the bridal industry narrative. And my logo is indeed spectacular!
As a vendor catering to budget-conscious brides, I asked Aaron to talk about why hiring an artist to make your invitations can be a really worthwhile expense. He said:
the advantages of outsourcing instead of doing it on your own is the fact that you can REALLY deliver your vision. It eliminates the ‘If I had’ and ‘I should’ve done this statements.’
I wholeheartedly agree with Aaron on this. Everyone has to prioritize when budgeting for their wedding and decide what aspects they want to invest in. Your invitation and wedding stationary are things that every single guest will see, so this is one of those areas that could be really important to budget for.
Lets use our resources to help the whole team by supporting Black owned busineses y’all!
Something I highlight in this series is what makes Black wedding vendors unique, and Aaron emphasized that “What I bring that’s unique to black business owners is creativity and going beyond the design. I want to actually help my clients.” I know that in my case, branding is such an important aspect of making a small business succeed. In helping me create the visual aspect of my brand, Aaron went above and beyond to help me be a success. I know he’ll bring that zeal to every bride that he works with. And as a community, having a village mindset and a commitment to communal success is woven into the fabric of Black culture. This is something I’ve seen Aaron embody and it’s something I’m very proud to see Black owned businesses bring to the table.
You can check out Aaron’s Instagram here, and his YouTube channel here. He charges $60 to make custom invitations that you can print at home/at your local Staples! If you’ve ever been on Minted or Shutterfly, then you know this is a steal!
I had an awesome bridal consultation last week where one of the topics we focused on was wedding attire. Every bride needs to envision what they want the bridal party to look like on the big day. However, it is important to be flexible since you might be surprised at what you like and what looks best on you.
What’s your style? What’s your venue? What’s the vibe of your wedding? You need to consider all three when you’re dress shopping.
If you’re going to a salon to try on dresses this is important so that you can help your consultant help you.
If you’re going in without an appointment to try on dresses in a big national chain like David’s Bridal, you need the tools to make sure your dress search is fun rather than overwhelming.
And if you’re shopping online, you need to whittle down your options so you don’t get confused by everything out there.
One important rule that applies to all three modes of dress shopping is to buy your dress to fit the largest part of your body and get the rest altered to fit.
Tips and Tricks to Find Your Dress
Bridal Appointment You’ll have some help picking your dream dress, but make sure to help yourself!
Have an idea of what you’d like to look like. Even if it’s just some adjectives like elegant or glamorous
Before your appointment, take some wedding dress quizzes to select three dress silhouettes you’d like to try and think are flattering.
Try to identify some designers in your price range that you like, and choose a bridal boutique that carries all or most of your designers.
Remember that your bridal consultant is an expert so try to be open to her suggestions, even if you don’t think you’ll like a dress she pulls for you.
Select a boutique that can accommodate all the people you want to bring with you–some boutiques have space restrictions
Only bring people who can be kind, supportive, upbeat, and honest so that you can enjoy this big day.
Solo-shopping The three biggest rules of independent dress shopping are 1) have a plan, 2) have a plan, and 3) have a plan! The surest way to be disappointed in your dress shopping experience is to tell yourself that you don’t have any expectations and to go in totally unsure of what you want. Then you’ll try on twenty-seven dresses and realize that not only did you have high expectations and a vision of how you wanted to look, but that none of the dresses are meeting those expectations or fitting your vision.
Take those wedding-dress-finder quizzes!
Take several and look for consistency in your choices to identify trends you like.
Use theknot.com’s search tools here to find dresses in your price range and look for those designers in store.
Browse the inventory online and make sure the dresses you want to try on are in stock.
Trust your gut, you know what you want to look like better than anyone else can.
Bring your squad (or 2-3 people you trust) so they can help out and the experience feels celebratory and fun
If you’ve seen a wedding dress before, then it made an impression on you. Trust yourself in your wedding dress search, at the same time that you focus on choosing a design that is best suited to your shape and to your wedding.
Online shopping As a voluptuous woman, finding silhouettes that accentuate my figure, camouflage my insecurities, and still stay on trend is something I’m struggling with myself, but I’ve started to refine my skill set . To this end, keep all the same online shopping rules you normally apply in mind when shopping for a wedding dress.
Think about what normally looks good on you rather than branching out to try something new and taking a big, unnecessary risk.
Look for a retailer that has dresses in budget, and know that you’ll look beautiful no matter what you’re wearing.
I’ve seen incredible dresses on Amazon, Wish, and various international websites for less than $100.00.
And don’t forget about online retailers like ModCloth and ASOS with beautiful dresses in the $100-300 range.
Don’t forget about your accessories!
Good luck dress shopping, and don’t forget that I’m available for wedding planning and consulting services on a sliding scale fee. I believe event planning services should be accessible to everyone, and I’ll work with you.
Welcome to Bridal by Beulah! I offer three types of services to meet your event planning needs, and I’m really excited about helping every couple that I can on their big day.
Event Planning—You tell me your vision and I’ll take the reins in planning the perfect wedding at your budget. Together we’ll figure out what we want to prioritize in your dream event, and then we’ll make it a reality.
Event Consulting—I provide the guidance and tools you need to plan your own wedding (with feedback, input, and support from me) over the course of two – six consultation meetings. In these meetings we’ll cover a set of topics and nail down logistics that can be difficult to manage.
Day-Of-Event Coordinating—You’ve already planned your dream wedding but you need support on the big day to ensure everything goes smoothly. From organizing and paying vendors, to facilitating the flow of the big day (like the transitions between the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception), to averting the mini-disasters that can accompany any big event.
Don’t forget to check out my blog posts on all-things-events, whether I’m profiling Black-Owned wedding vendors, writing about finding the perfect venue, or sharing tips on having a perfectly executed girls night.
When I fell in love with wedding and event planning, I never thought I’d be lucky enough to help plan a close friend’s wedding. I thought I would only be able to live this dream vicariously when watching bridal shows on The Learning Channel (TLC) and imagining what I would do differently. So, when my friend mentioned that he and his fiancée were looking for the perfect venue to fit their vibe and timeline, I had my chance! For my first soiree into wedding planning I needed to find a venue for my friends that fit their logistical needs, their vision, and their budget.
The tactics I used to find potential venues for my friends are applicable to anyone planning an event and I’ll take you through them step by step: ask, search, reach out.
Does your dream venue have options for both indoor and outdoor space? What about square tables?
Ask yourself the right questions to narrow down the list of potential venues to ones that fit your needs.
Big Picture
Where do you want to get married?
What is your maximum budget?
How many guests will you have?
Do you want to have your ceremony and reception in the same space?
Does the venue have mandatory or preferred vendors?
Do you want a venue that provides food, or do you want to cater yourself?
How early can you come in and set up?
Will the venue negotiate with you and let you set up the day/night before? (This will make your life so much easier!)
Coordinating the Big Day
Who will be your contact person at the venue in the time leading to your wedding?
Will anyone from the venue be on-site to handle issues during the event? If not, who is the contact person off-site?
[If applicable] is there staff to help with the transition from ceremony to reception or are you supposed to do that yourself?
Dining
Does the venue come with serving staff?
If you’re self-catering the event or hiring caterers, is there a kitchen available?
Are tables and chairs provided? What kind?
Are linens provided?
Are chair covers provided?
Music
Is there room for a dance floor?
Does the venue have a sound system?
Do they provide microphones for speeches?
Cleaning
Does the venue clean the event space for you, or do you clean it yourself?
Is there an additional fee if the room isn’t cleaned to a certain standard?
If you have to clean up, who will be in charge of this (so the bride and groom can head off to their honeymoon)?
Who will oversee taking gifts and cards home for the bride and groom?
Determine the right search terms/buzz words that result in a short enough list of venues to reasonably research and contact.
If you want an industrial space with a largely blank canvas, use loft; if you want a catering hall so you don’t have to worry about the food or waitstaff, narrow it to your preferred area by including the zip code and search catering hall 12345; if you want to keep it general within a specific area and figure out what you want by what is available, search wedding venue 12345. And don’t forget about search terms like all inclusive, lighting, and service entrance.
Would your ideal venue be able to handle a huge party, like a New Year’s Eve wedding?
Finally, reach out and see if the venues that looked good on paper can actually meet your needs and see if they’re willing to negotiate to meet your needs.
I recommend setting up a wedding email for this purpose, so your main email doesn’t get spammed with wedding planning related emails.
Leave comments and questions about your own venue search below, and if you want someone else to do the search for you, I’m available for event planning and event consulting 😊
This past August I planned my first wedding and I’m so grateful for this wonderful learning experience. Keep reading for some takeaways you can apply to your own big day!
The beautiful bride and groom, Lisa & Addo!
Working your budget!
Because we had a major venue change and a guest list increase from 70 people to 240 people in the middle of planning, I learned about adapting plans and event design on a short timeline. With respect to expanding the scale of an event this much, it’s important to understand how this will impact décor. Even with a significant budget increase, there will be less resources to go around. Think about supplementing flowers with more candles, and doing mixed centerpieces to stretch your dollar. DIY and crafting can make a huge difference when you’ve got this many people and still want your event to look grand. And don’t forget to recruit family and friends to help with set up!
You can have a beautiful table scape and room décor at any budget!
Bridal by Beulah Wedding Crew!
My mom and my best friend were crew for this wedding and they let me pay them with love and gratitude instead of cash. When you’re starting a new business, much like when you’re planning a wedding, you’re investing money, time, and elbow grease and hoping for future returns. When you are planning your dream wedding on a budget, it’s time to call in all the favors you can and to ask your loved ones for their support in making your dream wedding a reality.
Cross cultural communication!
I was really honored to take part in such a beautiful and rich cultural tradition. When you’re planning a wedding that honors cultural heritage, and you have guests and members of the bridal party from all backgrounds, practice makes perfect. It’s really important to have a script/program that everyone involved understands, and to run through it at least once to minimize surprises. This is especially important if ceremonial aspects will be performed in another language. A printed program for guests with translations and a guide to the traditions is also a nice touch.
All of Lisa’s beautiful bridesmaids!
Don’t forget to have fun and go with the flow when you can!
Naturally, I wanted my first wedding to be perfect, but that’s not how life works. Sometimes the DJs equipment will glitch for a little while, or the emcee will forget his glasses and go off script. However, challenges (within reason) give your wedding flavor. As long as the bride, groom, and guests are enjoying themselves, then everything is alright. Remember that a wedding is a celebration of love and the joining of two families, so try to keep it in perspective if a fork isn’t exactly where you wanted it in your table setting.
Don’t forget to have fun!
Best friends forever!
Traditional Ghanaian Money Dance!
True Love!
What an amazing event!
Some key takeaways for everyone who made it to the end of the post:
Work your budget by using your resources: DIY, recruit your community, and choose cost effective décor
Practice makes perfect: have a rehearsal where you run through the program so your event looks polished.
Help make sure the wedding party and the guests understand what’s going on with a printed program.
Keep everything in perspective and don’t forget to have fun!
Thanks for reading and for supporting Bridal by Beulah! Every visit to my blog, like on an Instagram post, and referral for my business helps support my dreams.
Sophie of Sophie Marcs Bridal & Esthetics was one of the first people I met as an undergrad at Columbia University during the New Student Orientation Program, so when she reached out about partnering with Bridal by Beulah as one of our official vendors, it was a no-brainer. I had gotten to see her skills as an esthetician develop in real time, and I knew about her commitment to working with a diverse range of skin tones to create beautiful make up looks. Sophie offers highly customized makeup, hair, and skin care services. Her bridal services include multiple packages, customized routines, and lessons on cosmetic application. Check out Sophie’s website here for the full range of services she offers, but I’ve highlighted two areas that I think would appeal to any bride: bridal services and customized beauty routines/lessons.
BRIDAL SERVICES:
Bride’s TRADITIONAL Hair and Makeup Package for Wedding Day: $350
BRIDE’S LUXURY HAIR AND MAKEUP PACKAGE FOR WEDDING DAY: $425 Includes airbrush makeup, false lash application, and NuFace Lift
CUSTOMIZED BEAUTY ROUTINES/LESSONS:
These lessons and routine revamps run from $35-$225 and Sophie explains that she’ll have customers “Dump out [their] cosmetics bag, and we’ll tell [them] what works and what doesn’t!” Sophie and her team will help you get your skin on track in time for your wedding through expert advice—and teach you how to do your makeup for every day, while you’re at it! All Customized Routine Services include a formal assessment of your collection, and a product shopping list based on your needs and budget. Customized Makeup Routines/Lessons include a hands-on application lesson.
When I asked Sophie what inspired her to get involved in the wedding industry, she told me “I love people and all things beauty— so when I realized that brides were the clients with whom I created the most meaningful relationships, it just made sense. As an Esthetician, Makeup Artist, Custom Blend Makeup Technician, and the person who makes sure hair and makeup goes smoothly the day of the wedding, I enjoy wearing multiple hats throughout the process and making sure my client’s total desired look and feeling is achieved. My aim is to help individuals feel like the strongest versions of themselves, especially on their wedding day!” I know how good I feel about myself when I have the extra boost from a perfect cat eye and great mascara, and I agree with Sophie that every bride and every groom should feel that good on their big day.
Some of Sophie’s fabulous work on a fabulous model! #glowup
Since Bridal by Beulah seeks to showcase brides of color and contribute to a more diverse bridal narrative, I asked Sophie how her business highlights diversity when working with brides and grooms to create their dream event. She explained, “my team has experience working with a diversity of clients and providing services for multicultural weddings. Beauty standards and techniques contribute to a broader diverse bridal narrative. The intention to highlight diversity informs everything I do in my business— from being prepared to accommodate a multitude of skin tones and hair types, to researching trends and techniques across cultures, to highlighting my clients’ opinions of beauty and self-expression on social media. Lastly, if you look at photos of my brides, they all look DIFFERENT, in style, skin color, and age. As an artist and member of the LGBT community, recognizing a broad definition of beauty is both enjoyable and a must!”
Check out Sophie’s work on women of different skin tones
One of the reasons I wanted to partner with Sophie Marcs Bridal and Esthetics was because I could personally vouch for her skill in working with women of color. When we were planning Columbia University’s annual Black History Month Fashion Show, my co-chair and I reached out to Sophie to do the makeup for our models and she did a wonderful job customizing the makeup for women in every shade of brown. Knowing that Sophie had committed to learning to do makeup for women of color back when being a makeup artist was still largely a hobby for her, showed me her commitment to diversity early on, and that’s the type of business that Bridal by Beulah partners with.
Whether you want a dramatic look or a natural glow, Sophie and her team have you covered.
Part of Bridal by Beulah’s mission is making wedding planning accessible to people at all price points, so I asked about Sophie’s budget friendly options. She let me know that “large groups will receive complimentary eyelash applications and touch up kits. I also have a special rate for masculine-presenting brides who would like to look well-groomed and polished without having to opt into the full glamour experience. These bonuses apply whether opting for a traditional package or a luxury package with all the upgrades. That being said, any service or package you pay us for is jam packed with value!” Knowing how much quality makeup costs, and how hard it is to find a MUA that can work with all types of people, this service is a worthy splurge if you can make it work.
You might want a bold lip on your big day, and for that, it’s time to call in the professionals so that you can have the flawless finish you deserve!
Every part of your wedding budget is important, and you’ve got to prioritize while you are planning. Hair and makeup could be one of these areas where you want to devote some resources. I asked Sophie about the advantages of hiring a makeup artist instead of trying to do it on your own and she said that one of the biggest draws is being taken care of and having a stress-free experience on your big day.
Would you want a matching mani & lip? Sophie’s team has you covered with custom lip colors!
We’ve all been through a last minute make-up dash before a night out, feeling rushed and anxious, and then accidentally gluing our eye shut when putting on our lashes (or maybe that’s just me hahaha 😊), and that is not how I want to feel on my own wedding day somewhere down the road. In hiring this business, you know that the Sophie Marcs Bridal & Esthetics team of practitioners is highly technically skilled, sanitary, professional, and knows which questions to ask to help you achieve your desired look. Sophie explained that “Having a team of trained cosmetologists and estheticians means that we have a deeper understanding and prioritization of best practices for client safety when working with different products and techniques. Also, while many clients know or have friends who know how to apply makeup beautifully, advantages to hiring a trained makeup artist are that the makeup will photograph well, last throughout the day, and be applied beautifully and efficiently on the entire bridal party, all of whom have different faces!”
Sophie clued me in that “[her] other priority is to make sure that brides and grooms are prepared for the day of with as little stress as possible, by way of streamlined yet highly personalized systems of communication that ensure full transparency, honest recommending of services, and preparedness.” And when she says prepared, she means it: Sophie has questionnaires, bridal checklists, and reminders set up for all clients and artists/stylists involved in wedding! Sophie Marcs Bridal & Esthetics offers several services that set them apart:
Beauty assistance throughout the
whole process of preparing for a wedding
skin care
eyebrow shaping
makeup wardrobe
NuFace lift
Water-based airbrush for
long-lasting, weightless coverage
Custom Blend Makeup
Practitioners who will wear multiple
hats throughout your process- friend, esthetician, makeup artist, hairstylist
Get the look of your dreams!
I think Sophie explained it perfectly when she said : “With us you’ll receive the luxurious experience that is having your hair and makeup done, without any of the judgment or pretension that often comes with being the average consumer dealing with a beauty professional!” and that’s why I’m happy to partner with her as a wedding and event planner.
Sophie Marcs is a Team Leader, Makeup Artist, Licensed Esthetician, Custom Blend Makeup Technician, who works in New Jersey, New York (Including NYC, Long Island, Staten Island, and Westchester County), Connecticut & Pennsylvania. Check out her website here, her Instagram here, and her facebook here.
Bridal by Beulah 