MarieSam's reviews

POST-WEDDING REVIEW:

This review is long overdue, but absolutely necessary simply because Karis was one of my most favorite vendors at my destination wedding in Mexico!

I had the pleasure of bringing Karis to my wedding in Akumal, Mexico in late June 2009. I know it’s a bit strange to bring a stylist with me thousands of miles away rather than just hiring a Mexican local – but because I’ve had lots of bad experiences with other makeup/hair artists in the past I did not want to take a chance on not looking my best on one of the most important days of my life! It actually also ended up being roughly the same costs in bringing her with me, but of course peace of mind was worth the difference.

It took some time to straighten out the details for travel and fees, but I can say without a doubt that Karis was by far the most reasonably-priced makeup/hair vendor out there and it made me happy that she was so excited to be making the trip. She was gracious enough to do two trials with me in Cali, and one with my daughter and mom before the big day. She insisted on making sure we have the hair/makeup down pat so there would be no worries come the wedding day. Karis was sweet enough to even purchase special makeup/products to ensure that my makeup stayed fresh and non-shiny despite the Cancun humidity – she was determined to make sure everyone looked their best!

Karis and her husband joined our huge party in Mexico a few days before the wedding. They are the sweetest, most fun and down-to-earth couple and blended in so well with our family and friends -- everyone really adored them! We could not have picked a better couple to be a part of all our festivities, they felt more like friends to us than anything.

The day before the wedding – at our Welcome Fiesta – she spent time straight-ironing my 14-year-old daughter’s hair to ensure that we have enough time the next day for my monstrous wedding party. It goes without saying that my daughter absolutely adores Karis and wishes she did her hair regularly :)

On the big day – we started about an hour late, but Karis plugged away first working on my daughter and a junior bridesmaid (who has super thick long hair). Both of them looked so beautiful and my junior bridesmaid who never likes her hair loved her hairstyle!! Then Karis worked on my six other bridesmaids – each girl had their own hairstyles in mind, one even had her put extensions in her hair. My bridal party consisted of Asian, Filipino, Black, White/Latino hair and skin tones/complexion and Karis knew exactly how to emphasize the beauty in each girl. My girls looked INCREDIBLE!!! Each girl had a different look and all looked amazingly beautiful.

I was next for both hair and makeup – everything was flawless. And when we had a hiccup with my lashes, Karis worked hard to make sure the problem was fixed. *Note for brides in tropical locations – use waterproof glue!!!! After I was done, she finished up with each of the bridesmaids’ makeup and then worked on my mom and some of my aunts. Again everyone looked great*

We ended up being about 90 minutes late for the wedding – this was our fault because we started late -- but luckily at my venue in Mexico, time isn’t a factor! Karis had a huge load to do that day and I felt so bad for putting so much work in her hands, but she handled it like a pro and everyone looked fantastic. I can’t tell you how many compliments I received from our guests about how wonderful all the girls looked. The hair and makeup was perfect and our pictures truly reflect that ~ I had the most beautiful wedding party ever!!!

After the wedding ceremony, I had tons of flower petals in my hair and Karis was right there to help me remove them before I had to take more pictures. She was always there to touch me up and make sure everything was in perfect place. We had initially planned to change my hairstyle for the reception, but it was just so hot and I was having so much fun dancing we canned the plan. But truly no worries, because my hair and makeup looked great throughout the festivities.

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is that you feel beautiful on your wedding day. But first you have make sure you’ve got a competent and skilled stylist who can ensure that you get the look and vision you want. Karis is an incredibly skilled hairstylist who can pretty much replicate anything picture. She also knows exactly how to highlight the best features in a woman’s face, and works carefully to make sure you’re happy with the look. She uses the best products, is always on time, and most importantly she really cares and wants you to look your best.

I have nothing but great things to say about Karis. Any bride would be lucky to have her as their stylist on their big day!!!


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BRIDAL TRIAL REVIEW:

I did my very first bridal trial with Karis and it was a wonderful experience. She is patient, very receptive to suggestions but most importantly she is ridiculously talented. In my line of work I have dealt with many makeup/hair stylist and unfortunately I have been disappointed most of the time. Like I told Karis, there has only been one stylist who made me feel beautiful and comfortable, but after working with her, I can happily say I now know two! She knows how to bring out the natural beauty in a woman's face and is a masterful talent when it comes to hair. I gave her a few inspiration pictures and before I knew she perfected the styles and even made them better!

If everything falls into place, I am hoping to bring Karis with me to my destination wedding in Akumal, Mexico to take care of my humongous wedding party and myself of course. Yep, your eyes do not deceive you, I'd love to bring her thousands of miles to my wedding ~ she is just that good!!!!