Going Glam: An Interview with Hair and Make-up Experts Katharine and Carly
Interviews 06.05.2021
Wedding make-up artist Katharine Shaw and wedding hair stylist Carly Hanson are a dynamic duo who teamed up a few years ago to give wedding gals the most gorgeous looks imaginable.
Here’s what they have to say about doing hair and make-up at an Ash Barton wedding and why they started working together.
What do you most love about a wedding at Ash Barton?
Katharine: “Arriving at Ash Barton on the morning of a wedding always feels really special. There is a buzzing atmosphere and excitement in the air, and it's great to be a part of the magic."
Carly: “Ash Barton allows the couple to really make the space personal to them and this is reflected in the whole atmosphere on the wedding day. Although we’re here for many weddings, we love that no two are ever the same and so neither is our day ‘at work’."
Describe a typical order of events
Katharine: “Our timings on the day depend on the size of the party and the time of the ceremony, so we tailor make the running order to suit each bridal party. The earliest we've started is 6am as the sun was rising!
"Usually we arrive together, set up in the agreed space. We have used the outdoor dressing room, dining room, living room, the bridal suite and a number of the bedrooms. We've also moved our set up throughout the day. Some brides will have a rota, and some are happy to let us direct the running order. We always try to leave maximum time for the bride, making sure to factor in time for getting into the dress, meeting the registrar and any other last-minute things or rituals they might need to do"
Carly: “Then we put on the veil, do a quick last check of the lipstick and make sure everyone is happy. Then when the bride goes off to walk down the aisle, we pack up and exit quietly away.”
Do you have particular style you like to do?
Carly: Mine has to be curls and pinups. It’s fun to play with decorations in the hair such as flower crowns, tiaras and veils. Although one the best has to be Amy’s headband - AMAZING!”
Katharine: “Most of the people that come to me, are looking for natural make-up and I love working with their natural colourings and features. I always enjoy making a feature of the eyes. I also like to work with the theme of the wedding and include complementary accents to their particular style if I can."
Do you do a make-up and hair test run before the big day?
Katharine: “Yes, we like to offer trials to our brides. We try and arrange to meet them on days when they’re revisiting Ash Barton as we can use a space there for hair and make-up trials. Not all brides can get back here for a trial or our based too far away. That's fine though as we make sure we speak before their wedding day to get a good idea as to the look they’re after. It means they’ll feel comfortable and reassured on the day.”
Do you have any favourite brands you use?
Carly: With hair it's mainly clips and heat tools. Cloud Nine curlers and straighteners are great. I have a whole range of kit to suit all types of hair.”
Katharine: I use Neal’s Yard skincare. But the make-up is a mixture of luxury favourites I’ve used over the years.”
How did you get into wedding make-up Katharine?
“I trained as a make-up artist in 2005 and have been working since then on a variety of projects including TV, ads, fashion and beauty. I first got into weddings with my sister who has a salon in Surrey and, in fact, I did her wedding make-up while I was training! I’ve done weddings ever since, but it's really taken off since 2018 when I relocated to Devon.”
And Carly, when did you start doing wedding hair?
“I’ve been a hair stylist for 17 years and have always done hair. I’m a mobile hair stylist, so I do colours and cuts too, but weddings are my favourite. I enjoy trying out new styles and seeing how creative I can be with wedding hair pinups.”
When did you start working together?
Katharine: “Our first wedding together was back in June 2019 and we’ve already got bookings through to December 2022! We were introduced by a friend of the Daukes’ family and met up for a coffee.”
Carly: “We quickly realised we worked in similar ways and so working as a team is easy. It helps our brides and bridal parties feel calm and reassured too.”
What have been some of your most memorable weddings?
Katharine: “Claire and James had a ‘Day of the Dead’ themed wedding with bright colours. Claire said we could go colourful and bold on the day with hair and make-up, even though she doesn't usually wear much make-up. And she looked amazing.”
Carly: “I think Sean and Amy’s micro wedding sticks in the mind. It was small but so beautiful.”
Katharine: “All the weddings vary so much, from just the bride having her hair and make-up done in a really quiet, calm space to huge bridal parties. For one wedding there were 12 booked in for hair and make-up! We've done winter style weddings through to weddings with hippy summer vibes.”
Carly: “And small and intimate weddings to massive festival style occasions!”
Do you only do the bride’s hair and make-up or the mums and bridesmaids as well?
Carly: “This really varies on the wedding and what’s required. But we can do small or big depending on how early people can wake up and what time the ceremony is.”
Katharine: “We make sure the bride and her bridesmaids and mum are sorted first but then we often offer our services to other friends and family if there’s time.”
What are the big trends in wedding make-up and hair right now?
Carly: “It's hard to say as we've been on pause for a year. But as the hair and make-up trials are coming back in, we’re seeing loose curls and volume, and classic styles with modern twists.
Katharine: “Shine, shimmer and rose golds with soft contouring on the eyes is popular.”
And lastly, what tips would you give to an Ash Barton bride to ensure their day runs smoothly?
Carly: “Booking suppliers that are familiar with the venue is definitely a good idea.”
Katharine: “It's great because Carly and I can both come to Ash Barton and the bride doesn’t have to worry about the logistics of getting to a salon. It means they can enjoy a full morning with all their friends and family.”