Glossip: See Every Detail From The Wedding Salon at The Merrion
By The Gloss
An elegant bridal event was hosted by Tara Fay on behalf of The Gloss and The Merrion. See every detail …
The Wedding Salon at The Merrion is an annual highlight in The Gloss Magazine’s events calendar. Hosted on behalf of The Gloss and The Merrion by wedding planner Tara Fay, the event always delivers an elegant mix of inspiration and information from a panel of experts. On Saturday March 23, brides, bridesmaids and sisters, friends, aunts and mothers-of-the bride, attended the event in The Merrion’s Garden Room to hear the latest in wedding trends, and absorb excellent advice and insights from those at the forefront of all things bridal.
As pre-lunch bubbles were served, The Merrion’s Executive Chef Ed Cooney spoke on the subject of creating a wedding menu, encouraging couples to eschew trends in favour of first and foremost choosing the food they both love, and the availability of in-season produce. Working with the venue’s culinary team to trial menus before the wedding day should be a lovely experience, he said (it certainly sounded like it would be fun at The Merrion!). He explained that the chosen venue ought to make room for personal touches – perhaps an upgraded family recipe or a dish that tells a story or is a nod to a special moment. A creative chef will be open to this bespoke approach, and a helpful venue will advise on catering for dietary requirements.
Consultant dermatologist at the Blackrock Clinic, Dr Rosemary Coleman takes a refreshing approach to a pre-wedding routine. Use fewer products, not more, was her message and don’t undertake any new regimes, treatments or tweakments in the weeks before the wedding. Wear SPF and more SPF, she advised, before recommending a few super-effective treatments for brides and mothers of the bride, which were assiduously noted. With 34 years’ clinical experience in Dermatology specialising in aesthetic and restorative dermatology, Rosemary is the authority on skincare and skin health. She and her team of experienced nurses specialise in restoring what age takes from us and maintaining a very natural appearance. The audience hung on to her every word!
Make-up artist Christine Lucignano and hair stylist David Cashman delivered an entertaining session on booking the “glam squad” for your wedding day, how to start planning make-up and hair trials. They emphasised making a well-timed plan for the wedding day, with bride and mother of the bride the priority.
Christine urged brides to have a look in mind, but not to be swayed by trends: “I don’t do cookie-cutter make-up!”. She advised caution around false tan and “enormous fake lashes”. “I prefer to add light individual lashes on the day.” David Cashman suggested that brides might consider a hairpiece to add volume to a style, rather than opting for heavy hair extensions. The bridesmaids’ hair, he says, “is a way in which to create the beautiful frame for the beautiful bride”.
Next on the programme, a session with fashion designer Sharon Hoey. One of Ireland’s best-known designers, Sharon’s Merrion Street bridal boutique is the exclusive stockist of beautiful wedding dresses from Jenny Packham, Alice Temperley and Suzanne Neville as well as her own stunning creations. To the delight of attendees, Sharon introduced three beautiful gowns modelled by Sharon’s house model Rosalind Lipsett, and models Yomiko and Audrey.
From a floor-sweeping white lace sheath with detachable sleeves to a tailored strapless ivory column, and a very pretty dress with full skirt and square neckline, these dresses were chosen to be the starting point for a discussion about choosing the right wedding dress. “We encourage everyone to be open-minded and try on a few styles to begin with. You may have an idea in your head, but it may not suit you. We will have an alternative that works with your shape.” Among her top tips for finding the perfect dress at Sharon Hoey: Book your initial appointment seven months before the wedding, and your first fitting will be five weeks before the big day.
Don’t assume you will lose weight (Sharon gets brides to sign their measurements) but if you do, it’s not a problem, Sharon’s focus is on making every bride look and feel her best. Sharon advised brides-to-be against bringing more than one style advisor with them on the day to fittings. “Choosing a dress should not be done by committee.” But you do need to bring shoes with the heel height you are comfortable with on your wedding day. And on your wedding day two pairs of shoes are mandatory for both the bride and groom, according to both Sharon and Tara.
Attendees were then treated to a salon showing of Sharon’s new Spring Summer 2024 And Tate fashion collection, which includes brilliant looks for mothers of the bride who favour a classic, elegant and flattering look in a block colour.
Beautiful dresses in sky blue, pale pink and champagne, along with a Dior-like full white skirt and black wrap blouse, and a stunning green halter-neck dress with a detachable cape, were worn with hats by Catherine Cooke and headpieces from Ailish McElroy. This is occasionwear that is beautifully adaptable – a coat and dress for mother of the bride, a bride’s simple dress for Day Two, a wonderful ensemble for a dinner or the races. You can make an appointment to view the And Tate collection (sizes 6-16) at Sharon Hoey, 6 Merrion Street Lower, Dublin 2, where Sharon’s team will tweak each piece to fit perfectly. The collection is also stocked at Arnotts, Kalu in Naas, and MacBees in Killarney, among others (each store offers an exclusive edit).
Click into the gallery below to see all of the Sharon Hoey Bridal and And Tate fashion from the event.
Instead of dessert, The Merrion organised a cake tasting for guests, with Pastry Chef Paul Kelly providing valuable tips on choosing the type of wedding cake. Note: Paul’s favourite is chocolate biscuit cake but he acknowledged that buttercream still rules, and fruit cakes may be making a comeback. He says that dried or fresh flowers are much more practical and just as pretty as the decorated version, and won’t break the bank.
There was a spectacular cake display by Creative Cakes, with examples ranging from a four-tier ivory buttercream confection decorated with edible pearls to a three-tier showstopper with gold leaf and flowers.
Over coffee, guests addressed their questions to Tara on all matter of wedding topics from music, photographers, rehearsals and Day Two events to stationery and wedding favours, before guests departed with a goodie bag including The Merrion’s new spring-scented candle and Butlers Chocolates, and armed with insider know how and inspiration.
Click into the gallery to see the guests who attended.
Photographer: Conor Healy / Picture It Photography
Do you know about a smart party, event or wedding happening soon? Email details to [email protected]
