It's Time to Think About Hair

Hair is everything to me! I had to have good hair for my engagements. Thanks to my friend Maddi my hair looked great! As you can see from my picture she did an amazing job with the coloring! Check her out! Her technique is amazing, she's thorough, and she is so reasonable!


                               Maddi's Hair Studio
Hi my name is Maddi. I've been doing hair for almost 4 years now and I love it! I attended the MATC Hair School program while I was still in High School and loved every minute of it! I'll hopefully be able to instruct there one day. I specialized in extensions. The main method I use is called Micro-beading with wefts. I also do single strand as well. Along with eyelash extensions, styles, cuts, and colors. I do not do perms or chemical relaxers mostly because I hate them. So I can totally refer you to someone for those!  Doing hair, is the one thing that I've always wanted to do which makes it one of my biggest passions. Currently I work at a home salon in Alpine, Utah and would love to do anyone's hair!

Give me a call/text if you have any questions or would like to set up an appointment!
 801-836-0735

Price List:
Woman Haircut: $25
Men Haircut: $10
Kids Cut (under 10): $10
*Side Note: I always cut on dry hair. So if you prefer coming with your hair already wet I can blow it out for you before we cut or if you prefer coming with it already dry and straight then I can cut it from there as well. Prices do drop a little if I don't wash and style it.

Colors:
Strip Weave (10-15 foils): $30
Half Weave: $50
Full Weave: $70
All over Color: $45 and up
Root Retouch: $40                          *If you plan on getting a color and a cut. The cut is only $10.
Panel: $10
Window: $25
Mens color: $15 and up

Wash and Style: $15
Style(Comb out) : $20

Extensions!
*Consultation is free. There we would discuss type of extensions, type of hair, prices, and order the hair, Etc.
*I use Bohyme hair which I believe is the best quality out there. If you have a different type of hair you  would like to use that is fine as well.
*After I sew in your extensions, I blend them for free!

Wefts: $40 a row. 
Single strand: Varies depending on thickness of your own hair. So call me if your interested in those.
Full head starts at $150 but can go up and down from there.

Eyelash Extensions:




Full Set: $75
Fill: $40

Engagement Photos: My story

Getting ready to take engagement photos was so nerve-racking for me! I was so worried about what I was going to  wear! I went to the mall countless times tying to pick out the perfect outfit. In the end though, the perfect outfits where right there in my closet waiting for me! So if you're stressing about what to wear, take a moment and see what you already have that you love and feel great in. It could save you a lot of trouble and money!

When picking your outfits however, make sure to pick something that you feel will last through time and that you won't look back on asking yourself why did I wear that? Make sure to be careful of patterns, jewelry and anything that could be too distracting and take the focus away from you and your fiancé. Talk to your fiancé and make sure your outfits coordinate and can play off of each other well. Talk to your photographer before picking a couple of outfits; many photographers may charge for an outfit change.

For my engagement photos I used Lady Lace Photography. Laci was so fun to work with and so helpful! I first heard of Laci from my fiancés roommate who just suggested I check her out and I am so glad I did! She made it so fun! Of course on the day we picked to take photos it became extremely windy, but Laci knew how much these photos meant to me. She really spent the extra time to edit the pictures and make sure I didn't have to many flyaways in my face! Her technique is amazing and I couldn't have been happier!

This was our favorite picture! We used this picture for our engagement announcements! I love how it's straight on us, but how she is taking the picture gives it a different angle!

This was us just goofing off! I loved it, but my fiancé thinks it's super silly. I guess it is, but that's what I love about it! Laci found this little  wheel barrow and suggested I get in it and it just made it super fun!

Once again, I can't get over the angle! I love it!

I really love this photo because it was us a lot more relaxed and Laci was able to capture that perfectly. I love her angles, but I love how she could see that we were more relaxed for this photo and did a more relaxed, straight on shot.

There is this great little church that I had passed by so many times and had thought what a great place it would be to take photos at! When I suggested it to Laci she was all over the idea and so willing to try anywhere I wanted! I was so happy!

 Laci really helped tell us where to look and when to/not look at her. I loved how this picture turned out with just my fiancé looking straight at the camera!

This photo was all Laci! She really tries to capture those special moments when you are not even paying attention to her. We were just taking a short break and it totally made for the perfect natural picture!








If you haven't already, most definitely check her out under my photographers tab to be directed to her website! If you have any questions at all just call her. I must have called her a million times and she was always more then happy to talk! She also has an amazing deal going on right now!

 

***Also mention this blog for an outfit change free of charge***

Word to the Men: Ring shopping

My fiancé custom made me the most beautiful ring I could of ever hoped for. After we got engaged he told me the whole process he went through to bring it about as well as wrote this article. For those who are not engaged as of yet, it is a wonderful article to share with your future man when the topic of marriage starts coming up!

 Picking Out the Perfect Ring

by Dalin Russell

Picking out the perfect ring for the perfect girl can be a stressful and even nerve-racking task. There are so many shapes, clarities, karats and things to consider that it can be daunting finding the one
ring that she will want to wear for the rest of her life. This post will break down your ring searching
experience into simple steps that will not only point you in the direction that you need, but prove to your soon-to-be that you are the stud that she thinks you are. It will take a lot of research, but it will be worth it.

The right ring for your relationship:
If you happen to wander into a jewelry store you will see that there are hundreds of different combinations of bands, diamonds, gems, and materials. In the same respect, there are many different kinds of relationships. To find the right ring you need to first know what type of relationship you have. Does she know that you want to propose? Does she want to pick out the ring herself? Does she want your help in the process? Does she want to be surprised by the ring that you pick out and last, but definitely not least, Does she even know what she wants? These are all questions to think about that will help your experience. Regardless of your relationship the following steps will be the same. However, they just might require a little more work on your part depending on her involvement in this process. The easiest way to determine the above questions is to talk about it. If you are open with each other’s wants then you will know where you’re at. My fiancée and I decided that I would surprise her with the ring. Knowing her preferences I had her ring custom made, piece by piece, and even today I still catch her staring at her ring in admiration.

Find out her preferences:
This can be as simple as going to the store together, finding a ring, and buying it. However, if you want to be more stealth about the operation, there are plenty of ways to take a peek inside
her mind. Most girls have a Pinterest account-which can serve as windows into your woman's brain for if they have a Pinterest account, then they have a marriage board- trust me, all girls have them. Simply find one of her girlyfriends that you can trust and search your girlfriend's Pinterest through theirs. Girls love to talk, especially about marriage, so asking the same trusted girlyfriend to spy for you is a valuable resource.
Lastly, a casual walk through the mall could get you close enough to a jewelry store to spontaneously
go “look at nice watches.” That can casually lead to looking at rings. While in the jewelry store here are some preferences to look out for:

1) Finding her ring size: This is obviously a pretty important factor and here are a couple ways of finding this out.
      -You can ask her, ask her trusted girlyfriend to find out, swipe a ring that she wears (but it must
be from the same finger! The pointer finger is different size than the ring finger), sneak a string or paper around her finger and measure it while she is asleep. Luckily, whichever way you choose you can get the ring resized (whether you got it wrong the first time or when she is due with the first mini-you).

2) Set a Budget: Since the man is the one buying the ring this is more of your preference. However, soon you will be joining bank accounts so it will affect you both. The perfect ring isn’t the biggest or the best looking but instead is the one that’s best for her; and this includes price. Set a limit of how much you will spend, make sure to tell the jewelers, and don’t even look at rings over your limit. A good rule of thumb is to set your limit at the amount of money you make in 3 months.

These next preferences are what govern price and I’ve also listed ways to save on price.

The Rock: 
The gem is often the center of attention on rings and also the center of the price. Depending
on her personality, and your confidence, there are many gems to choose from such as Topaz, Ruby,
Morganite…etc. But the most common gemstone for wedding bands is the diamond.
Other gemstones can result in a cheaper ring. But unless you’re confident that she is different most girls expect a diamond. If you are sure on your decision for a diamond, but are worried about the price, a great option is to have the centerpiece be composed up of different little diamonds. By having the centerpiece be composed of lots of little stones it lowers the price of the ring. For some, you may want one complete rock for the centerpiece or center stone and that is completely fine! A great way to look at it though could be that ten or so years down the road, when you have more money, you can upgrade the center stone to one solid rock and save the smaller stones to pass down to children for their rings or put them into rings to give to them as keepsakes. Just a thought.

Here are some things to consider while looking at diamonds.

The 4-c’s: Most jewelers will begin explaining to you the 4 c’s right after learning your name and
situation. The four C’s of a rock are

Color

Carat

Clarity

Cut

The following website can help with these four subjects.
http://www.thediamondbuyingguide.com/fourcsofdiamonds.html


The Band: 
This is often the major difference between rings. Traditionally the engagement ring has the
rock on it and is worn during the engagement while one or two more simple matching wedding bands
are given at the ceremony. There are bands of many styles! There is a simple, plain band where you
just see the metal and pave design which includes stones going 2/3 of the way around the ring to a complete circle around. Keep in mind to find a matching wedding band or two. While looking at bands think of your fiancée and her personality. Look for something that matches who she is. An indicator of finding the right band and ring is if it matches your fiancée and has her name written all over it.

Purchasing the Ring: Before you buy a ring, make sure to visit many different jewelers. Many places will be having sales and if you are willing to try, could lower the price for you if you share your shopping experiences at other stores and haggle the price!

On a last note, MAKE SURE TO GET THE RING UNDER WARRANTY!! Every place will offer this and it is very smart to do!

My First Facial

Well ladies, I am happy to say I started getting my facials and my first one went great! I absolutely loved it. I have seen more of a difference from one facial then I have from anything else I've ever done. I have always had bad acne and my face has cleared up so much I couldn't be happier! I plan on getting multiple, but I would definitely recommend getting at least two before the big day! For my facial I went to Massage Envy Spa in Orem, Utah. The esthetician was great and I loved the Murad products that they used. Because I have always suffered from acne, my esthetician did a Clarifying Enzyme Acne facial for me. My pores has never felt so clean! I really am so happy with the results and can't wait to see the results after a couple more!

Address:
1068 S. 750 East
Orem, UT 84097

Hours of Operation:
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Sunday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM Monday-Saturday
Phone: (801) 336-3689

Located in the Village at University Mall between the Cinemark Movie Theatre and Deseret Book

All about the Bride: Part 1

Ok girls I don't know about you but I want to be looking my best for the big day! Ok, ok... and night. Who doesn't? So now it's time to take a short break from thinking of everything and everyone else. It's time to think about yourself for a moment! It's important for you to decide what personal things are important to you and what personal goals you want to achieve as some will take time and effort. Here a few things to get you started.

1) Workout Schedule:
Some of you out there may already be great at keeping up with this and have a fabulous body! If that's you, Good Job! Keep it up! However, if your like me and are horrible about working out and love carbs in particular, let's all join together ladies and get our bodies in the shape we want them to be in!

If you have any particular workouts that are working great for you PLEASE share them by commenting bellow!! Finding really good workouts can be hard and I'd love to get some new ideas and have everyone share!

I'll start: This workout is super tuff! I can only make it through the first couple of minutes right now...

2) Skin Care:
Having clear, healthy skin is something I'm sure we are all trying to achieve! It can be tough though! But, I'm sure we are all wanting clear skin for our photos! So if you don't already know, try and pay attention to your diet and how it affects you! A lot of times the foods we eat will have a huge effect on our hormones which can end up showing on our face! For me, foods with lots of sugar will make my face break out! So now I'm trying to monitor my sugar intake! Also, pay attention to your skin care products and if they are working. For some, their skin will, in a sense, become immune to the products they have been using for a long period of time and it may not be providing your skin with the benefits it needs.

Another great step to this, that I will cover more about later, is getting facials! My goal to help me clear up my skin before the big day is to get a facial at least a couple of times!



3 ) Hair Care:
Taking care of your hair is important. Guys love hair! I've never known a man that doesn't like to play with a woman's soft hair! Also, you definitely want your hair looking good for your engagement/wedding photos! So assess your hair and see if it needs some loving! They say it is important to get a trim about every six weeks. This will keep the ends from breaking/splitting upward, damaging the hair more. So don't be like me and wait six months before you get your next haircut because now I have to cut off a lot more than I want!

So lets stick with the first image below of the Healthy End!!

4) Tanning:
This may not matter to some, but if you prefer to have smooth, even tan lines I would suggest looking into getting a tanning pass and creating a schedule for you to go. If you only go every once in a blue moon it will not do anything for you as the tans will not last. So you will want to plan your trips so that you're going frequently enough to get tan, but not to look "fake baked."  Also, talk to the front desk associate while you're there to see what bed would be best for you and your needs.

Step 7-Wedding Dress Fun

Completing the first six steps feels really good, does it not?  And now you've been engaged for at least a little while..has it truly sunk in yet? Still looking at your ring every five seconds to each time be taken back by the beauty of it...and to make sure it's still there?  I know I am! Well now, lets start digging into the things that can get a little more crazy and take a lot of time to think about and prep for...

7) Wedding dress shopping!

In my eyes, it's never to soon to start looking and at least getting an idea of what you want in your perfect wedding dress! But now that you're engaged, it's time to get serious. All of us girls know that the dress is one of the most important factors, so I'm going to break this down into a few parts to hopefully make this process a little easier for you!

           a) If you haven't already, set a price range for yourself before you do anything! Trust me! Once you start looking/trying on those beautiful dresses, it could become very easy to let yourself spend more then you were wanting!

           b) Whether you're completely ready to start shopping or not, at least go out and try on a dress so you know what size you are and can go from there! However, keep in mind the time it takes for alterations, but only if you feel those will have to be made. They can take up to a couple of weeks depending, especially if you're short like me!

           c) Decide how important the dress is to you and if you want to buy it brand new, used, or rent it.  Obviously everyone is different so everyone's going to have different preferences. If you want a dress brand new, go for it! However remember your budget and keep in mind what you are going to do with the dress after. If you are ok with buying a used dress or renting one, I think this is a great way to still get a beautiful  dress and save some money! Feel free to click on my wedding dress page to find some great places to buy new or used dresses, as well as rent!

           d) Once you decide to go out and start looking, make sure to always take someone with you! A lot of times others will notice things that you may not about the dress! If you're ready to buy, make sure you've tried on different styles, so that in the end your mind is made up! You'd hate to end up spending more later if you decided you want something different.

          e) For those who feel comfortable, try and negotiate the price...sometimes you can work out an even better deal!

Step 6- Budgeting

Well, now that you've done the basic things to get the ball rolling, it's time to attack the not so fun part....Budgeting! Budgeting can be one of the hardest parts of wedding planning and cause some of the most stress! Since this blog is titled Reasonably priced Lds weddings, I will look at ways that will fit just this as well as give suggestions on how to go about it.

6) Budgeting:

For everyone, finances are different and that's ok! One thing I like to try to remember is the true importance of that wedding day. In the end, you will be married to the one you love, so how big the party was, how many people came, or  how bad the decorations turned out wont really matter! We all want things to look nice and have a few things happen that mean a lot to us though. So here are a few suggestions on how to go about creating a budget with your fiance:

 

   a) Talk to both parents and decide if the traditional ways are going to be followed as far as who pays for what. If not, discuss how they would like to go about it. If things are going to be non-traditional, I would suggest getting a $ amount from both sides of the family so you know what you are going to be working with.

       b) Before you start spending the allotted amount, sit down with your fiancé and make a list of things that will be needed for the wedding, as well as some upfront expenditures you will have as a new married couple (car payment, house bill, school, phone bill, etc). This may help you budget out how you want to spend the money, and possibly help you try and save money to put towards those upfront bills that you will have to start paying as newlyweds!

      c) If you feel comfortable, I would now suggest that you and your fiancé share with each other your individual finances. One thing I have found super helpful here is also creating a projected idea of how much money you will have by the time you get married. Dont forget to factor in your current expenses, along with your paychecks. This is a great time to also create a monthly budget, seperate from wedding stuff, to help you save money.

    d)  Now I would suggest making 3 individual google docs/spreadsheets for all of this that you and your fiancé can both share and have to refer to.  One, for all the things you need to buy for the wedding as well as upfront costs and your projected alloted amount for each. The second, for all the things you do buy along with their cost so you can check and make sure you are staying within your budget. Third,  individual spreadsheets of your daily/monthly expenditures and gains to keep an idea of how much money you will have in the bank by the time you get married.
     

        

First Five Steps to Planning Your Wedding

Trying to figure out when and how your going to do everything can be extremely overwhelming! At least it has been for me! So I figured to help you get started I would post an outline that I've made. You may want to add a few things for yourself depending on how you are doing your wedding, but this is more of the basic first steps to start thinking about.

1) Change your Facebook, Myspace, etc.. status! Everyone wants to hear the good news!

2) Talk with your fiancé and decide the location (city, state) and time of your wedding.  Remember to keep in mind those who you wish to attend and how they will get there. Don't forget to call the Temple to make sure it is available!

3) Spread the word (via Facebook event, Tweet, Myspace, etc...)! Everyone will start asking for details so this will be the easiest way to tell everyone at once! I would also include a sentence stating an address for those who cant come, so they can send cards to you, if they so choose.

4) Sit down and decide who you and your fiancé want as your bridesmaids and groomsman. I will mention this again later, but I suggest to start thinking about if you are going to pay for their outfits/ties or if you will be having them pay. This could effect the number of each you want.

5) Pick style and colors you are wanting for your wedding. This will help you pick a dress, bridesmaids outfits, ties and other little things along the way. Keep in mind the season and photos.

Welcome To My Blog!

Getting married can be a stressful thing! There is so much to think about and it can all cost so much! My hopes for this blog is to help women be able to plan their wedding and keep it within their budgets. I hope this blog can be a source for you to come to for all your needs and questions! I will do my best to find great deals for you and provide a wide variety of options for you to look at! If you know of anyone who is a photographer, makes announcements, sells wedding dresses, etc. for a reasonable price, please contact me and let me know! I would love to add them to my site for others to see and use! I am currently in the Provo, UT area, so most of the people I advertize will be from Utah.  However, I hope to expand over time! My hope is that at least the advice and tidbits can be found helpful to those outside of Utah!

                                                                     About Me:

To tell you a little about myself, my name is Kris and I am 21 years old. I will be getting married in April!! My fiancé and I met in Provo, Utah back in August and as they say, the rest is history! I have a lot of hopes and dreams for this blog and am so excited to start it! I've had this idea for quite a while, but haven't put it into play till now.  Getting married myself, I'm starting to realize just how costly weddings can be! So if you are like me and like to find the good deals without having to cut to many corners, then hopefully this blog will be helpful for you!!