Glossy brides-to-be and their guests attended The Gloss Magazine’s WEDDING SALON at The Merrion on Saturday February 23, for an essential guide to wedding planning …
The exquisite Merrion Hotel was the setting for The Gloss Magazine’s sixth Wedding Salon on Saturday February 23. Our guests came in search of inspiration for their wedding days, from the all-important organisational elements to choosing your wedding look.
Covering every possible organisational concern, the event was hosted and organised by wedding planning expert Tara Fay of Xena Productions who was on hand to share her invaluable knowledge with our guests. Tara welcomed guests to the Wellington Room and introduced the programme of the day which included hair and make-up with Brown Sugar, followed by sessions on bridal dressing with Sharon Hoey, on dressing for weddings with Sarah-Kate Caughey from Louise Kennedy, and on the couture and “alternative bride” experience with designer Helen Cody.
The day’s programme began with hair and make-up demonstrations by Brown Sugar followed by a Q&A with make-up director Dearbhla Keenan and top stylist Christian Shannon who answered all our brides’ questions and discussed the importance of a good hair and make-up team. Dearbhla and Christian showed three bridal looks; Hollywood glamour, which featured a soft wave, nude eye and a strong red lip; a classic soft look for young brides with a loose half-up-half-down-style, glowing skin and a rose lip; and a textured up-style paired with a soft smokey eye and nude lip.
Next, bridal designer Sharon Hoey joined Tara on stage to discuss bridal looks. Sharon introduced brides to the bridal experience at the Sharon Hoey boutique, where she exclusively stocks a range of international bridal collections including Jenny Packham.
Sarah McDonnell, editor of The Gloss Magazine, was joined on stage by Sarah-Kate Caughey from Louise Kennedy who discussed wedding guest dressing and mother-of-the-bride looks, adding a pop of colour to the day with four gorgeous styles.
Irish designer Helen Cody showed some of her elegant designs and spoke to guests about creating a bespoke and unique wedding dress. Helen creates one-off and limited edition pieces using fine Italian and French fabrics often with a very romantic feel. Her dresses were paired with hats by FAO Millinery.
During lunch in the Wellesley Room, Tara discussed table settings and Ed Cooney Executive Chef of The Merrion gave our guests insights into choosing menus for their wedding. Instead of dessert, guests enjoyed a cake tasting with The Merrion’s Pastry Chef Paul Kelly who showed a number of cake options.
During a wedding planning workshop in the afternoon, Tara was joined by a number of experts to provide tips and answer questions on all aspects of a wedding, from choosing stationery, and deciding on flowers and candles, to devising your wedding list. Ruthie Coleman from The Merrion, a recent bride, discussed what she learned from planning her own wedding; Ruth Monahan from Appassionata Flowers discussed styles, budget and dos and don’ts when choosing wedding flowers; Frances Conway from The Wedding Shop spoke about the process and benefits of creating a wedding list; Siobhan Kehoe from Rathbornes 1488 suggested scenting your wedding and creating bespoke candles, and Ailbhe Cronin from Appleberry Press had the inside track on stationery trends, from invitations to menus and placement cards.
Guests went home with a gorgeous goody bag from THE GLOSS, with gifts from Rathborne 1488, Oroko Travel, Appleberry Press, The Wedding Shop and The Merrion. We hope all our guests left feeling inspired – and a little more relaxed about their wedding day. See some images from The Gloss Magazine’s Wedding Salon at The Merrion.
Photographs by Conor Healy
Love THEGLOSS.ie? Sign up to our MAILING LIST now for a roundup of the latest fashion, beauty, interiors and entertaining news from THE GLOSS MAGAZINE’s daily dispatches.