Figuring out Kristina's Hair at Gibson Island Club- Literally!

My bride actually had two bridal previews with me! Kristina thrives as an interior designer in her day job so amazing ideas and inspiration of all sorts are always floating around. Sometimes, everything looks so good that it is difficult to choose!

My job as your hair and makeup artist is to collaborate, brainstorm, and refine your look so that you feel like your best version. This is exactly what Kristina and I did for her big day!

-Hi there! I'm Olivia and I help brides feel like their best self in the most comfortable way. My hair and makeup style is natural, authentic, and inspired by soft glam. I'm located in Baltimore and Connecticut, and serve the East Coast from Virginia to Massachusetts.

The Discovery Call

Kristina and I met through her amazing wedding planner, Lauren Corrigan Events. Once connected, we were able to get on a phone call between me, her, and her mom, Sandi. Kristina shared about her wedding vision at Gibson Island Club and her hair and makeup inspiration. She spoke about her and her fiance, Drew, who are currently in Dallas, though she is originally from Annapolis, and Drew is from San Diego. We chatted about her hair and makeup vision, which she was still unsure of but I knew we would eventually figure it out!

Kristina shared that she loves it most when her hair down so she may lean towards this style, just elevated. However, she also shared that she likes her hair in a messy updo as well! For makeup, Kristina had a better idea of what she was leaning towards. She loves the idea of makeup but doesn't like the feeling of it. She loves blush, bronzer, highlighter, and body glow but all done in a balanced, tasteful way.

The purpose of my discovery calls is to get to know you, and you me! This is our time to find out if we are a good fit for each other both in style and personality. Through our discovery call, I knew that Kristina and I would be a great fit. She was looking for a soft glam look that felt lightweight and a hairstyle that would make her feel her prettiest. I was excited to help her brainstorm and create this look!

The Bridal Preview

About 4 months before her wedding, Kristina and Sandi came to my home studio for her bridal hair and makeup preview. We started with hair first. Kristina shared that she had been a bridesmaid several times over the past couple of years, so she was able to trial out different hairstyles to see which one she would like on her big day!

We opted for a high, messy, Pamela-inspired updo. The goal was for the bun to be visible from the front when someone looked straight on from the front. We also wanted it to be polished and elevated yet still a little messy.

For makeup, we did exactly what Kristina requested over our discovery call. We opted for a natural makeup look with some soft glam elements, like a fuller-coverage foundation. We used individual lashes to maximize her comfort yet still enhance her eyes.

We took feedback and implemented these changes as we worked. For example, when I was making the bun height, Kristina asked if we could place the bun higher. Her collaboration was super helpful in making sure we could get the look to be exactly as she wanted!

See below for photos from her preview!

The Second Time Around

I followed up with Kristina a few days after her bridal preview to see if she wanted anything changed or added. She shared that she loved her look in person and wanted to add just a tad more blush for it to pop in photos. For hair, Kristina felt a bit of tension by the evening and didn't think her thick hair would hold well in this style on her wedding day all night.

Most of my brides don't ever need a second preview even if they change their minds about their hair or makeup because after having worked with their hair, I have a better understanding of their hair anatomy and can tell whether or not their hair vision can be met with their current hair. However, Kristina decided to opt for a second bridal hair preview because she wanted to try on a few more hairstyles before deciding.

Before she booked her second preview, we chatted so we could make sure that this was the right decision. We texted about her hair type and how it was on the dryer side so blowing out her hair that morning (like how I tell most of my brides to) maybe wasn't the best idea. She shared some inpiration of styles she was thinking about that she'd want to try.

Below are the three styles we tried at her second preview! The first photo was an elegant yet relaxed half-up style with effortless face-framing. The second look was pulled more clean and had a polished feel with intentional face-framing. Finally, Kristina wanted to try a low, romantic updo with soft pieces adorning the bun and front.

The Wedding Day

Then came Kristina's wedding day! We had spoken extensively about her look and she still couldn't decide which hairstyle she might want for her big day! We started off with her makeup first and opted for more blush like she requested in her feedback.

I worked on a few bridesmaids' hair and makeup. And then, when it was time for Kristina's hair, we spoke about her dress, which was a high halter neck, loose yet still form-fitting bottom, and open back. We both agreed that hair down was the way to go. However, we still couldn't decide between the effortless and polished style!

We eventually opted for the effortless half-up, half-down hair style. Once we finished her full look, we looked into the mirror again and evaluated. In the end, Kristina decided to go more polished to suit the coastal flair of Gibson Island Club. I pulled her hair back a little tighter and cleaner and ta-da! we were finished with her final look!

You can view her full look below! The first two photos are taken on my iPhone and the last two photos were taken on a professional camera!

Kristina's hair and makeup experience shows that it is totally normal to not know what you want yet. There really are so many beautiful things out there- how can you narrow down what you want! It is seriously a skill to know exactly what you want and have it work out the first time around. Having an idea is helpful and then working with someone to narrow in on your style of "best version" is where I come in!

Because I am a sole artist and business owner, I want every client to receive a calm, hospitable, and relaxing experience. With that being said, I am only accepting a few more brides for 2026! If you are inspired by Kristina's experience and the way we worked together to come up with her complete look, I hope you will inquire with me!

Vendor Team:

Planning: Lauren Corrigan Events

Venue: Gibson Island Club

Photography: Halle Morgan Wed

Videography: Cody Paul Films

Florals: True Floral Artistry

Band: Washington Talent and Milennium WTA

Tenting: Loane Bros

Rentals: Pretty Little Wedding Co

Linens: Reverie Social

Paper: Made By Victoria Lane

Transportation: Ride Thoroughbred

Lighting: On Your Mark Lighting

Hair and Makeup: Olivia Lo Makeup and Hair