Lights, Camera, Action! Season 2 Now Filming

06/22/2012

Wanted to give a quick update before I board my plane to Milan for the SposaItalia Bridal Fair.

Filming for season two of Brides of Beverly Hills is in high gear, and I have to confess one of the best aspects of filming is the hair and makeup. It’s such a pleasure to have professional stylists greet me in my home at the crack of dawn and take me from plain jane to glamour goddess in three hours.

When they arrive, I am showered and my hair is wet. The first thing they do is they start blow-drying my bangs. Then, they pull my bangs back and the eyes start. And the eyes take time! I am so surprised that with eyes as small as mine it takes so much time. Such a little lid, but it takes so much effort. Then, as she starts moving around my face, the hairdresser puts my hair in rollers, and I sit in rollers for 20 minutes while the makeup artist is finishing up. She shows me all the new products. I’m loving Dior foundation and Laura Mercier finishing powder and the latest eye shadow colors by Chanel for the eyes. And then I get the eyelashes! When I open my eyes, I am transformed! 

But there is no time to waste. It’s a mad dash to the salon where the crew is setting up, and we start preparing for the first bride of the day.

When the bride arrives at the store, we ask her questions we would ask any bride in terms of what she is looking for, what is her vision, what is her venue and what is her price point. She gives us information, and then we start looking through the inventory for the perfect dresses for her to try on on-camera.  Each bride will try on 3-4 dresses on camera.

What about trends for 2012-2013?

The sweetheart neckline will always be popular because it’s youthful and the décolleté is always attractive, although brides are beginning to ask for a spaghetti strap or some shoulder treatment. Beaded bodices, Swarovski crystals…bling bling is always in fashion in bridal. I’m predicting a more juliette silhouette with a small capped sleeve, empire bodice with a slim silhouette. (If you’ve got it, flaunt it!) I won’t be surprised if we see more of that, but for now we are seeing the tight fitting bodices and the big, billowy skirts. Tulle is the fabric most in demand right now. Interesting, because I can remember a time when we could not give tulle away!

Cathedral length trains (approximately 108 inches—but we have brides who have asked us to make it even longer!) are the most popular. And veils are coming back in, with brides requesting  veils that trail beyond the train.

Many of the brides that are coming in are asking for sparkle, sparkle, sparkle -- from the comb that attaches the veil to the hair, all the way to the end of the veil.

I’ll have more on trends when I arrive in Milan. Watch out for my Twitter feeds on all the newest fashions!

The best is yet to come!
Renée
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Image 1: Makeup at 5 a.m. with my gorgeous makeup artist Summer Chapin.
Image 2: Sweetheart neckline, tulle, sparkle and more sparkle greet brides into my salon!
Image 3: A cathedral veil by my good friend Homa.
All images courtesy Renée Strauss