I can still taste the Kerastase Powder Bluff flying through the air.

Working behind the scenes in New York City for International Bridal Fashion Week was such a rush. Wedding hair has always been my passion alongside runway hair, so having the opportunity to do both made this such an incredible experience. Each model shared a new story and each designer had a new look for us to create. Watching the craftsmanship of our lead stylists, Akemi and Nina, was an experience of its own. I had the time of my life!

Sometimes I wish everyday was full of as much excitement as my time during Bridal Fashion Week. Being from a small town in Florida, everything about New York City was foreign to me. From flagging down a cab to packing up my materials location after location, I needed to work and think quickly to get to my next destination. The backstage for each location in which we worked had a completely different setup. At each show we were given two looks to create. The lead stylists would create the masterpiece as we all watched and then recreated the same look on our respective models. It was interesting to see what looks our lead stylists created based on the designers’ style.

At our first show, Marchesa, I instantly felt as if I was surrounded by a field of wildflowers. The Marchesa collection included dainty lace and shabby chic touches. Each model had the windblown look; some even had hand crafted flowers infused into their hair design. We created soft braids and twists as we intertwined them together. Marchesa had a vintage yet beachy feel. It was a fun and enjoyable look to create The Marchesa runway was unlike any other. They had the seating set up as if they brides were walking through a real wedding. Each table was beautifully dressed with elaborate china settings and gold champagne flutes filled with Dom Perignon.

Our next location was only a few blocks away. There, we created looks for Monique Lhuillier. We worked alongside the teams of MAC and Butter London Nail Lacquer. The backstage was beautiful. I was captivated by the high ceilings, exposed brick, and the overall historic feel. Lead stylist, Nina, created a classic low chignon. Designer, Monique Lhuillier, wanted her models’ hair to appear as if they each had done it themselves. It was a very relaxed look. At this show each model was assigned a hairpiece. Some were headbands, while others were crystal combs. Monique Lhuillier had a certain place she wanted each piece placed on the models’ heads. The entire show was so well put together. Every model looked flawless. One thing I loved about this collection was that Monique used accented pops of color in her bridal gown designs. A few were very unique and stood out among the rest while still blending together.

Next, we traveled to our third and final location of the day. Carolina Herrara had the most amazing office. Everything was crisp, white, and modern. While there, we worked alongside the teams of Bobbi Brown and Essie. Our room was connected to Carolina’s rooftop garden. We worked with the door open and got to experience the New York City breeze. This show had double the models so we all had to work together quickly to get each and every model finished in a timely manner. Carolina Herrara’s collection was absolutely stunning. She created a variety of looks for the classic bride. Akemi and Nina, as lead stylists for this third location, put together two solid looks. One was a classic low chignon and the other was the timeless French twist.

I will never forget my time at Bridal Fashion Week. As a newly engaged professional, this was an experience of a lifetime. I learned so much about my career and techniques for becoming the most beautiful bride. It is important to find the right dress, but more importantly, one should focus on having the perfect hair design to complete the look.

So whether a bride to be or a member if the bridal party, or just have a special event to go to come see me at the Grand Spa for your New York Hair Fashion experience.

~ Kirsten Ritenbaugh
Grand Beauty Spa Stylist