Giao Nguyen Makeup, Hair and Bridal Accessories

When I started looking for a hair and make-up vendor, I was very discouraged. I didn't think I would be able to afford a professional for the day of my wedding. I did two make-up trails for make-up and neither of them were up to my standards. The other issue was my budget. Some vendors were charging CRAZY amounts, even for a trial.

Thank GOD for PW becuse I never would have found Giao!! Prismis and SfbridefromLA posted their trail pics, and I really liked them, so I contacted Giao..and her prices were just right! Once I talked to her on the phone, I was sold! But..I was afraid of being disappointed again. I live in Fairfield, and was dreading having to drive to San Jose, so Giao offered to meet me at her salon on her day off in Fremont. This was a HUGE plus for me.

I got to the salon a bit too early and got to watch Giao finish the trial of another PW girl...this made me even more excited! Giao was very honest with me, when I asked her about extentions, she laughed at me and said no. lol. (check my bio and you'll understand why). I felt very comfortable with her, and for the first time in this wedding process, I decided not to micro manage! lol

There came a time in my trial where I almost crapped my pants lol. Giao brushed my eyebrows and gave me a wierd look. She told me we need to do something with them. Not only did they need to be trimmed, but they also needed to be shapped. They dont match! lol. (I knew this) but, I had two wax ladies royally F up my eyebrowns. So, naturally I was freaking out when Giao said she was going to take a "wee bit" off. I closed my eyes and prayed. When I opened my eyes, my eyebrows looked amazing!!

Giao was also VERy patient with me when I wasn't patient enough to keep my eyes closed long enough for the glue on my lashes to dry! haha. She is always very responsive with my emails, and I cant wait for her to be there on my wedding day!

Take a look at my trail and decide for yourself: http://www.projectwedding.com/post/list/pic-hair-and-make-up-trial

*UPDATE*
Giao arrived right on time to the hotel, put my hair in curlers then got started on the girls. My HOM was a little skeptacule, shes a picky girl, she gets her makeup done at MAC all the time, and does her make-up flawlessless...even she was pleased! The girl's hair looked flawless and beatuiful, as did their makeup. I was so anxious to have my turn for make-up, i could hardly contain myself. but once I got in the "hot seat" time flew by! My hair was great and we even did a few changes the day of, to give me "side swoop bangs".

there is oNE thing though, Giao waxed my eyebrows and lip the morning of. I had some blistering on my upper lip the morning after the wedding (thank GAWD it didnt show the day of!) Now, it turns out I was allergic to the wax, just my upper lip though. I told Giao I wasn't allergic, (i use to get my lip waxed all the time) so I must have developed an allergy. Ladies, if you want Giao to wax you the day of the wedding, have her wax you before your trial too!!! This could have bneded very badly for me!

I will recommend Giao to everyone!!

Giao is wonderful! I went to her for a hair trial, but she did a hair and makeup trial together at no extra charge! She also offered her gorgeous hand-made flowers (she sells these on etsy) to show how they would look. I was very pleased with the result. She really listened to what I wanted, and was very friendly and accommodating. I found communication to be excellent; she got back to me in a very timely manner through email, and I had pictures from my trial the very same day! Her prices are also very reasonable.

Her husband, Thai Mai, is a photographer and did our Engagement Pictures. It was awesome having a tag-team as she fixed my hair and checked my makeup throughout the session. I cannot rave enough about Giao. Her creative talents and her joy for her brides are evident as soon as you meet her! I look forward to working with her on my wedding day.

UPDATE 4/10/09
Giao is not only a great stylist/artist, she is a wonderful person. She is so easy to get along with, and full of joy. She also understands that brides cannot afford to pay some of the outrageous prices out there! My hair was beautiful the day of...DH was blown away! Giao and her assistant worked very quickly and efficiently on all my wedding party, and she was patient as we were running around crazy =). Due to her great personality, her creative talents, and her reasonable pricing, I predict that Giao will soon be so popular, her dates will fill up. Book now! Thanks Giao =)

I absolutely cannot say enough good things about Giao! I went to her for a hair and makeup trial and she did absolute wonders on me. At first, the makeup was a little darker than I was used to, but once I told this to Giao, she did her best to change it right way. It was absolutely perfect! Also, I LOVED how my hair turned out, I couldn't stop smiling when I saw it. It was exactly how I pictured it to be, and I can't wait for her to recreate it for the wedding day.

Giao is an absolute sweetheart, too, and we talked for hours as she did my makeup and hair. She and her husband, Thai (he is a photographer: Thai Mai Photography), are so easy-going and a joy to work with. You can tell she has such a passion for what she does; she's very careful about her work and makes sure EVERYTHING is perfect before she lets you go.

And her floral designs are BREATHTAKING. Just head over to her website www.giaonguyen.com and you can take a look at the beautiful floral headpieces that she's made. I tried on a few during the trial run and now I absolutely cannot decide which one I want to go with on my wedding day.

I think, hands down, she and Thai will be my favorite two vendors that I will be working with in the whole wedding planning process! Highly, highly, HIGHLY recommended!

Edit:
The wedding day has passed, and I didn't know that it was possible...but Giao was even BETTER than I expected. She really went above and beyond for me and I am so grateful I had her there for the wedding day!

The day started at 8:00am sharp at my hotel room where she immediately got started on hair. Now, I've had quite a few trials with her, and I decided I wanted something a different than the trials on the wedding day. We had a brief discussion about it before she started, and about an hour or so later, my hair was secured into a BEAUTIFUL updo! It was as if she knew exactly what I wanted! There was nothing I would have changed about it at all.

The makeup was just flawless as well. My skin is by no means perfect, or even acceptable. She used her airbrush machine on me and my face was magically smooth! She is so careful in her work, and she'll really make sure that you look just beautiful on your wedding day. Giao really understands what you want and what looks suit you as for hair and makeup, and she really has an eye for style.

And her hairpieces...absolutely stunning! They're just SO unique, and she's willing to push the boundaries when it comes to bridal headpieces! She's really got a good feel for what's new and fashionable, and it comes through in her work! I wore her headpieces on the wedding day and SO many people commented on how much they loved it!

Like her husband, Thai (who is a superb photographer), she's got so much heart and love and passion for what she does. It really does show in her work. She has such a vibrant personality that it's just impossible NOT to feel comfortable with her!

Again, highly recommended! :)

Have you ever wanted to close your eyes, POOF, you open them to see how "Beautiful" you really are? Giao worked her Magic on me during a Hair/Makeup trial before an E-Session with her partner in crime, Thai Mai of Thai Mai Photography. I am particular about my makeup even though I don't wear it everyday. I usually wear neutral/natural shades and chap stick. B/c this is for the Wedding, I wanted something dramatic but only to enhance my real features.

I told Giao what I envisioned but was OPEN to anything, what did I have to lose? She started with Eye makeup, her preference, and then ended with Foundation/Individual false eyelashes. When I looked in the mirror, I didn't recognize myself but it was a good thing. I felt gorgeous inside and out, my eyes looked larger than I could ever imagine them!

For my Updo, I had no inspirational pictures but Giao suggested a few styles that would suit me. We tried one but I don't think she was too happy with it. Thai took pictures of the final results and a few days later, Giao reviewed them and made some great suggestions. I admire Giao b/c she critiques her own work and makes modifications to better the Bride's features and outcome. I am going with her suggestions and look forward to another trial with her before the BIG Day!

I can't wait to work with her on a custom designed Birdcage Veil/Flower Fascinator as well! Her work is brilliant, check out QG Designs! Flower creations are breathtaking!
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5680900

I have a feeling she'll work her Magic on my Bridal Party and Mother/FMIL as well! Book a trial with Giao now, you'll be amazed by her techniques and patience!

Here are some pictures from my trial, enjoy!
http://www.projectwedding.com/biography/list/MeeshMosh/magic

I went to Giao for a hair and makeup trial and she did such a wonderful job on both. I had an idea how i wanted my hair to look like and when i explained it to Giao, she worked her magic and made my hair look amazing and my makeup looked beautiful as well. I, however, wasn't used to wearing such dark eye makeup and when i explained this to Giao, with no hesitation at all, offered me another trial (make up only, cuz i didn't want to change anything about my hair)! Giao is so easy going and easy to talk to and not to mention soo sweet! She listens to you in detail of what you want and does her job accordingly. She gives her honest opinion and i appreciate that of her. I couldn't have picked a better MUA for our special day!!

I've also hired her husband Thai as one of our photogs for our wedding too!! He is a very talented photog that is very easy going as well. Easy to get along with and just a fun guy. I can't wait to have them both at our wedding!!
*pics of both their work in my bio*

Giao is simply WONDERFUL!!

She did my makeup & hair for my best friend's wedding. The makeup was beautiful and lasted the whole day/night. I had turned into a sappy mess at the reception but my makeup was fine!! My hair was awesome, too! I have really short (barely to the shoulder) hair and we totally thought our options were limited. But, NOPE! Somehow Giao managed a really cute & pretty updo for me! She SO gave me hope about my hair for my own wedding in August !

I have to say, in addition to her amazing skill & expertise, she's also an extremely nice lady. Very professional. Very friendly.

I'd definitely recommend her to any brides still looking for a MUA in the Bay Area. I believe she also travels to LA/OC as well.

Giao did my hair and makeup trial and I was impressed! And her pricing is fair, which is hard to find in the Bay Area.

Giao herself is incredibly nice and has great hair and make-up suggestions.

I usually don't like to get my makeup done because I end up looking overdone, but that wasn't the case with Giao. My makeup looked soft and romantic, and stayed on all day! I'm looking forward to working with her for my wedding in October!

Giao is one of the best things about PW in my opinion. I found Giao on here due largely in part to the recommendations and photos of many of you lovely ladies - thank you in advance! I reached out to Giao via email to inquire about basic services and details. I sent her photos of me, the wedding style, inspiration shots of hair and makeup, and a general sense. Throughout the entire process, Giao always quickly responded, and provided all the answers I needed. I felt she was professional and warm, with a great talent and style. We arranged a trial session, and even before we met, I was immediately comfortable and knew I was in good hands. Before starting the actual trial, we reviewed what I was thinking of, discussed options and colors, and talked about past hair and makeup services, cosmetics, etc.

Giao is so talented, and so personable - it was lovely working with her! She picked beautiful colors for me, did an amazing job on my dramatic smoky eyes and fake lashes, and provided a perfect airbrushed foundation. My skin looked flawless and glowing. She picked colors that looked better in photography - likely a benefit from having a sweet, talented photographer husband, Thai Mai. Throughout my trial, Giao offered ideas, enhancements, and layered on the colors as we went so I could see the transition. I appreciated how she made sure I was perfectly happy with every tiny detail.

When she started on my hair, she again talked through the process, even showing me multiple variations. I originally wanted my bangs to sweep to the side which she did beautifully. However, she didn't feel it had the wow factor we were looking for and quickly made some adjustments to show me an alternative which I loved even more!

I had been so nervous about finding a perfect fit for hair and makeup that would be in my budget. I'm so relieved having found the perfect person - Giao is a kind, wonderful, talented, professional, perfection driven person and will make sure that every detail for our wedding is just perfect. I cannot recommend her highly enough - photos are in my bio if anyone is interested to compare my every day look with Giao's polished glam look.

My wedding hasn't happened yet, but I have had the pleasure of doing a trial with Giao. She is talented and I appreciate her ability to work with Asian eyes. I attended a wedding after my trial and got so many compliments. My skin looked flawless and my eyes really came to life. My hair stayed in place all the way to the last cocktail!

Above and beyond her talent, Giao is so pleasant and warm. She brings a breath of fresh air among all the stress of wedding planning. It's wonderful to work with someone professional, responsive, and easy to get along with. Knowing how important your wedding day is and how much time you spend with your vendors, I'm very glad to have Giao as part of my dream team.

I loved my hair and makeup trial with Giao! When I arrived at my trial, I showed her a few pics of my dress and some hairstyles that I liked. I didn't really have any idea about what makeup style I wanted, so Giao suggested doing something in-between natural and dramatic. I just trusted her to do her magic, and was so pleased with the result. Afterwards, she told me to take a few days to decide if I wanted to book her or not, but I liked her so much that I emailed her that same night to tell her I wanted her as my hair and MUA for my wedding!

It was really windy that day, but my hair stayed up! Also, the foundation was enough to cover blemishes and didn't look caked on at all. I would definitely recommend Giao!

Yes, it's another glowing review for Giao. Why? Because she is simply great at what she does.

I'm so glad I booked Giao for my wedding. She is attentive, detail-oriented, and very talented. At our trial, she took my inspiration pictures and a vague idea I had in my head of what I wanted and created a beautiful look. She even gave me tips on how to prep my stubbornly straight hair for the big day.

On the big day, Giao showed up on time and ready to go. She did her magic on my mom first and my mom loved her hair and makeup! It was so heartwarming to see my mom pampered and happy. I loved the wedding look that Giao put together for me. It was just as I envisioned it at the trial, but somehow even better. My makeup stayed put all day and lasted through over 1000 photos. =)

The icing on the cake with Giao is her super friendly and easy going attitude. When I was asking around for hair and makeup recommendations, a good friend warned me about snooty makeup artists like the one she regrettably hired. Well I did not have to worry about a vendor raining on my parade with Giao. She is very sweet and got along well with everyone, even my parents. I highly recommend Giao for any hair and makeup services! Oh, please don't think that booking Giao will break the budget because of her fabulous work. Her rates are very reasonable.

Giao did all the headpieces for my wedding - mine, BM's and FG's. They all turned out fabulous!! She did an outstanding job in making me exactly what I wanted. My BM's loved their hair flowers and my flower girls got headbands with feathers on the side which were so adorable on them. That was one of my favorite parts of my wedding. Thank you Giao for excellent work and detail you put into these headpieces.

P.S. I must add that her prices were outstanding!

If you're looking for a wonderful and affordable make up artist in the bay area, Giao is the perfect candidate. Not only is she talented but she is also extremely sweet. She really listens to what you want, but at the same time, she offers her true opinion and makes suggestions for improvement. She really thinks about what would look best on the day of your wedding. I didn't have any hair pieces in mind, and she made suggestions from her collection on what she thinks would look good with my dress and veil. I loved working with Giao for the trial and I look forward to working with her on my wedding day. I am recommending her to all my friends getting married in the area!

UPDATE 7/20/09
My wedding day finally came and thanks to Giao, we all looked fabulous! She did an amazing job on everyone's hair and make up, she was professional and personable with everyone, and she was way ahead of schedule, which allowed me to relax a bit! Everyone was happy with their hair and make up, even my tomboy sister liked her hair and asked for fake eyelashes!

My hair looked good all day, and although I was probably sweating for a few hours in the 90+ degree photo session, my make up still looked fabulous. She also brought several hair combs/pins for me to choose from. The one I had was perfect, just the right amount of bling. :)

I would recommend Giao to every bride out there, she made me feel like a bride. :)

I called Giao twice, one week apart, to ask for her availability and a quote for a special photo session. She never responded to either call. Vendors who don't respond to inquiries need to be called out on it because it's a waste of everybody's time.

UPDATE: After reading my review, Giao contacted me via email. I'd recommend brides contact her via email vs phone.

Giao is a hair genius & hairpiece designer extraordinnaire!!! she did hair for myself, my mom, and my BMs for my wedding in early Oct and everyone loved their hair!! she also custom designed and made 2 hairpieces for my wedding day wardrobe which perfectly complemented my gowns and dresses. as if that's not enough, she made a beautiful brooch for my bouquet from a necklace that i purchased for but didn't end up using for the wedding. all in all, Giao is a creative genius!!

since our first meeting for the trial to the day of the wedding, Giao was meticulous with every detail and paid attention to exactly what i wanted. my BMs were so amazed by her ability to do complicated updos. i had so many compliments about how elegant and beautiful my hair looked on our wedding day and Giao should take full credit for that!

Giao also has an excellent reputation in the bay and beyond. when i went to SoCal for my e-pix session, i booked with another stylist/artist for the shoot and when we got talking, she says she didn't know much about the wedding makeup/hair scene up here but that she did hear Giao Nguyen is a wonderful vendor. i couldn't help but gloat that Giao is my hairstylist for our wedding! =)

and to echo so many other of Giao's clients, her prices are spectacular as well! you simply can't go wrong with at least getting a consulation/trial with Giao ASAP!! and start early cuz Giao gets booked FAST. take it from this picky bride, you can't go wrong with Giao!!!

Giao is the best! I went to her for hair and makeup trial after doing tons of research online and discouraged by some of the outrageous prices charged by many makeup artists.

She is very detailed and patient with my hair and makeup and took the time to make sure EVERYTHING is perfect! I absolutely LOVED my hair! I was surprised at the look she created (many soft curls) as my hair is not that long. Even my girlfriends are like "wow.. did she use extensions?" (see pics in profile) She's been in the wedding makeup and hair industry for over 10 years and her expertise really showed!

Giao and her husband Thai who's a photographer are both so easy to work with and really listened to what I wanted. I was doing an engagement session with Thai after the makeup/hair trial, and my hair was too curly from the updo... so, Giao quickly did her magic and created a cute half-up do for the engagment shoot. We met up with FI's family for dinner at night and they even LOVED the "quick fix" that Giao created! She also made me a custom hair piece that matched my outfit to wear for the engagement shoot...it looked amazing in the photos!

Thanks Giao and I can't wait to work with you and Thai on my big day!

Giao has the whole package, and I am so lucky to have found her. From the start it was such a pleasure to work with her, and from my trial I knew I was going to book her for my wedding day. I booked Giao for my hair and the 5 other girls in our wedding. On the morning of my wedding Giao arrived early to my parent's house in San Francisco, CA, and she was all setup and ready to go on time.

Giao was very flexible with the hairstyle I wanted, because the style that I chose for my trial was different than the one I picked on the day of. I was so happy with the way my hair turned out, and it's all thanks to Giao. All of the girls in my wedding party loved their hair too. My mom kept on complimenting the wonderful job Giao had done, and my mom is hard to please (love you mom =)).

So, on the day of my wedding it had to be one of the hottest days, and my wedding was located in San Jose, CA. First of all, my hair is naturally straight, and it does not hold well when styled. However, Giao is magical and my hair stayed in tact the whole night, including the curls.

To go along with my beautiful hair, Giao also made me a custom floral hair clip. I received so many compliments on it, and I love it because I can keep it forever and use it for other special occasions.

You cannot go wrong with Giao. She very talented, professional, easy to work with and the sweetest.

giao did a fabulous job for my wedding - this included myself, mom, and bridesmaids.

i found giao on PW and was glad i did - finding a stylist/MUA that doesnt break the bank is really hard to find in the bay area. shes super sweet, gives great feedback, and honest.

my first trial with giao went well - i had my eyes set for a particular hair style that i found on her website...i liked it at the time but after reviewing the pictures, i felt that it aged me (and no girl wants to look older!)...so i went back for a second trial (piggy backed with a BM who was getting a trial with her) and giao suggested this other look that fit me better and you know what, i loved it even more...got soo many compliments on my hair!

on top of being a great stylist - she was also a lifesaver on the wedding day for a couple of reasons. first off, one of my BMs had a friend do her hair (which looked great when she had a trial) but didnt come out the same that day. so giao comes to the rescue and was able to squeeze her in the lineup to get her hair done as well. secondly, being asain you have a tea ceremony where my traditional outfit comes with a headpiece that you wear. unfortunately for me, combiniation of heat and headpiece, it squeeshed my hair where it looked like i sleeped with something on the top of my head. thank goodness giao was like 3 minutes from where i was and i was able to make a mad dash to her place to before her next appt came -- she was able to fix my hairdo (recurling and pinning) and it looked better than it did that morning (im sure its due to the products that was in there...you know how its better to style with "dirty" hair).

overall, i would definitely recommend giao to any brides/bridal party out there as she works wonders! i will be using her in an upcoming wedding that i will be in later this year. good luck ladies :)

I sent Giao a couple photos for hair and makeup inspiration for our trial/e-session (with her photographer husband, Thai Mai), but had no set expectations I just wanted to look pretty. I asked for an 'imperfect' up-do, kind of 'messy/tousled' look with smokey eyes ... and when we were done, I was delighted that Giao nailed the look I was going for! My fiance and I were smitten with her, as she's incredibly approachable, sweet, and equally confident in her skills. I'm also looking forward to having Giao design a beautiful headpiece for me!

Many Thanks!
Nathalie

(pics on my page)

I do not trust anyone but Gina(Giao)to be there for me on my big day. She is the most detail oriented stylist I've been to, so I know that on my big day she will not accept anything but perfection -- and the hair and make-up trial proved just that!

I told Gina exactly what I wanted to do with my hair and make-up and she delivered. I was happy to accept my created hair style, as I had it set to wear my hair down to cover the tattoo on my back. I got a tiara and everything, just to dress my hair up a bit.

After my hair and make-up was completed, Gina says "can I be honest with you?", (I LOVE that about her, she doesn't beat around the bush) of course when your stylist says that, you listen! So she suggested that I do not use the tiara as planned and that I try for a more modern flower hair pieces, and she let me try a few on that she created. I was open to suggestions, so I tried a few on.

After changing my hair style to a low up-do, and playing around with a few hair pieces, I ended up totally changing the look I had originally planned. But that's what the trial is all about right? Gina is also going to create a custom hairpiece for me to wear on my special day! I'm so excited to see how it turns out!

Her husband, Thai, was also there, and snapped a few pictures (he does bridal and family photography), which was wonderful since I didn't bring anyone with my to my hair and make-trial, so now I can show my mom and bridesmaids the look I've chosen (Thanks Thai!) I didn't get a chance to book Thai for an engagement session, since I've already booked my photographer. But I have been to his blog, and he is definitely an up and coming photographer to look out for!

Brides, if you are looking for someone to make you look fabulous on your big day, you need to book with Gina (Giao)!

I had my trial and e-session this past Sunday on 7/20/09 and was very very satisfied! I traveled all the way from Austin, TX to see Giao and her husband. Giao is ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!!! I cannot tell you enough how great she was to work with! Actually, she did all the work and I did nothing, lol!

I originally contacted her husband, Thai of Thai Mai Photography, back in January 2009 to inquire about services for my September 2009 wedding. I had seen photos of Thai's work through a friend and was truly amazed and mesmerized by his talent. Thai and Giao are a husband and wife duo - Thai is the photographer, Giao, is his associate photographer. She's also a hair and makeup artist and she makes custom bridal hair pieces as well! If you decide to go with Thai Mai Photography, the package includes hair and makeup trial (to prepare for the big day) with Giao, engagement photos and wedding day photos...ALL this for an EXCELLENT STEAL!

Before I contacted Thai, I already had my heart set on having him photograph my wedding, but I just wanted to make sure I could afford his services. Listen up brides - Thai and Giao are worth EVERY PENNY!!!! Your search should end here because they are AMAZING. I cannot say it enough times, really! If anything, I believe their prices are too low (good for me since I'm the paying bride, bad for them since they're the ones doing all the work!) TRUST ME, you will not be disappointed. Giao has a creative eye - she comes up with CRAZY but definitely AMAZING ideas. Thai and Giao really complement each other!!! They are so easy to talk to and work with and they listen to what you want.

I've never been one to wear a lot of makeup. I blame it on my sensitive skin (the real truth - I really don't know how to put on makeup!) So at my trial with Giao, I told her I didn't want anything too dramatic. That I wanted the natural look, I didn't want to cake on the makeup (My husband (we eloped on 8/8/08 and September 26th is our wedding reception celebration) shared the same sentiments). She told me that natural wouldn't show up in pictures. She assured me that she would make me look great without having too much makeup on...BOY SHE WAS RIGHT!!! My hubby was very happy with her work as well! He said "Babe, you look beautiful! Giao did a great job with your makeup!" That was all I wanted to hear! I just wanted to look beautiful and I wanted him to like it too. And my hair, it was amazing too! I loved it! I'll be ordering a bridal hair piece from Giao as well! I'm just a really satisfied bride! Giao is very talented! She's very easy to work with, very sweet, soft spoken, she cracks jokes to make you smile and laugh during the shoot. We had a great time...9 hours of fun. Yes, NINE hours...I'm sure they were exhausted but they wanted us to be happy :-)

My sister who is an amateur photographer tagged along for the shoot and captured many shots of us thanks to the helpful tips she received from Thai and Giao. I'm going to post them as soon as I download them onto my computer. Please check them out and see for yourself the wonderful job that Giao did on my hair and makeup! I've already told Thai and Giao that I'm booking them for my future pregnancy photos and family portraits! No, no, no - this is not a shot gun wedding, lol! We're not planning to have kids anytime soon, but when we do, I'll be calling up Thai and Giao for sure!

Like I said, they are AN AMAZING, WONDERFUL, CREATIVE husband and wife team!!! WORTH EVERY PENNY! I can't say enough good things about them! I am 1000% satisfied with my decision :-) The hubby is happy too! I'm a stickler when it comes to service - I can be really anal with regards to my expectations, but i truly cannot think of one negative thing to say about Giao. If i could give 10 stars, I would! I will gladly recommend Thai and Giao's services to all of my friends and family...in fact, I already have! I hope all you brides reading this will give Giao the opportunity to make your big day a special and memorable one. Don't take my word for it (actually, please take my word for it) but do see for yourself! Contact Giao today!

And for those who have viewed Giao's reviews - please do not let the ONLY person who gave Giao a 1-star, affect your decision to hire her. That person didn't even have services rendered so how could she post such a negative review? Please let the other twenty one 5-star reviews speak for her work and services. Trust me, you won't be disappointed :-)

If any brides would like to contact me with questions, please feel free to do so! I will be posting photos of my big day on my wedding website after September 26, 2009 so please check it out! www.thepanie.com. For now - I've posted a few shots that my sister captured with her camera, my makeup and hair were beautiful! Please click on the following facebook link to view the photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=28001918&aid=2064322

Check out Giao's site: www.giaonguyen.com for hair, makeup and custom bridal hair pieces!
Check out Thai Mai's Photography: thaimaiphotography.com to see his and Giao's talented work!

Best of luck to all the brides!

Stephanie :-)



UPDATE 10/10/09:

Just had my wedding on 9/26/09...I was a BEAUTIFUL bride! All thanks to the wonderful work and talent of Giao. She made sure I was camera ready ALL day! I loved my makeup and my hair for morning and evening. And I absolutely loved the custom headpieces she had designed for me and my sisters. Thank you Giao for my wonderful gift :-)

I must have had some luck on my side when PW brought me to Giao. Another vendor I was working with fell through with only three weeks until my wedding. I contacted several vendors through this board and Giao was the only one who responded - added bonus, she was free on my wedding day, but booked solid from there on out. I immediately booked a trial hair and makeup with her. When I met her, I knew right away that I would feel at ease with her. As with the other posters, she is indeed extremely nice and personable. We went over my photo inspirations and fortunately she steered me away from my "prom hair" selections and gave me a very contemporary (and comfortable) hairstyle. The makeup session was more than I could have asked for since I don't wear make up at all and I was so afraid I'd look really over done. She worked her magic, and she managed to accentuate all the right features without it looking like I had makeup caked on. The application of individual false eyelashes was smooth and it felt as if I was not even wearing them, but boy, are they fantastic! I cannot wait to have her work on me and my girls at my wedding. Her prices are reasonable, and her hair accessories are fun and beautiful. I'm wearing a few of her orchid creations in my trial photos. She is also a photographer, and along with her husband (who is also a photographer) together they are a triple threat. Seriously girls, if you are still searching for a hair and makeup person in the Bay Area, seek out Giao, she is a rising star in her field and she will take good care of you.

Check out my photos to see an example of her work.

UPDATE:

Giao is a gem! She arrived on 7/11 at my venue in Monterey early (Start time of 9 am she was there at 8:30 or so) and started immediately on my five bridesmaids. Each of them turned out beautifully - she has an amazing ability to make each girl look lovely. When it was my turn, she did a fantastic job - I looked even better than when I had my trial. My eyes were amazing - I forgot I was even wearing individual lashes or make up! I also had Giao made three orchid hair pins for my hair and they turned out great and really added to my beach themed wedding. It felt like a friend was taking good care of each of us and when she was finished with each of us, she didn't immediately pack up her things to go, she did another round of touch ups for each of the girls and even worked on our flower girl, who was a bit off that day. Another thing to note, her makeup stays put. I teared up quite a bit walking up the aisle to my husband (I didn't expect to see him tear up) and nothing budged, nothing smeared on my veil. My make up lasted 1:30 to 10pm without needing a touch up and my hair stayed put during two wardrobe changes. We had an after party well into the night and I never felt that I had to take down my updo or remove my makeup, that's how comfortable I felt. She is a real sweetheart too, and will keep you at ease as you get ready for your big day. I'm definately keeping her mind the next time I need to "jazz" up my look for the day or evening. Book her now while you can, I forsee her becoming very popular and in demand and for just cause. Thank you Giao for making me feel so beautiful on my wedding day - the look on my guy's face said it all!

I will post photos as soon as they are ready...

Giao is great! She did make up for my best friend's wedding, and I was a bridesmaid. All my friends loved my makeup and wanted to book her as soon as they saw her work. She really brings out your eyes (especially with fake eyelashes) and makes you look glamorous and natural at the same time. She's professional and friendly. Really excellent work!

Giao Nguyen is Heaven sent! I searched high and low for a MU and hair person for my wedding that could get the job done right without breaking the bank...then I found Giao! During the trial, I walked in as Phuong and when Giao was done with me, I was soon-to-be Mrs. M! I honestly felt so pretty, I found an excuse to go grocery shopping and pump gas just after my trial so I could show off my MU and hair before I had to go home and wash it all off for bed. I wish that she had been available before my engagement photo session. Btw, her husband is a hip and talented wedding photographer. I've seen the MU/hair and photos they've done together, and they're HOT! They tag team when they work together, she does and touches up the hair/MU and he takes the photos. Back to my MU, I have had some "trials" where the artist had beautiful makeup on but when they were done with me, I honestly was embarrassed to go outside! I don't know what it was, but my face was always shades off from the rest of my body and a gray hue. I don't know if it's because Giao is Asian too, but my skin was beautiful and matched my neck. Great eye makeup too! She didn' amke me look like a raccoon. I was a bit uncomfortable with the length of the false lashes because I've never really worn them before. Giao immediately trimmed them to the right length and made sure that I was happy and comfortable during the whole process. As for my hair, I had came in with one idea at the trial which turned out very nice, but the morning of the wedding decided to go with a sideswept low updo that Giao had recommended. I'm sure Glad I did! I went perfectly with the beautiful ma cherie bridecage veil she custom made for me. I knew I didn't want a traditional veil that I would get tangled in, so her veil was a perfect solution. My bridesmaids', mom's, and niece's hair also turned out fabulous too. I already knew my bridesmaids' hair would turn out great but I had doubts about my mom's hair. I wasn't doubting Giao's abilities as a hairdresser but my mom's hair was so short and fine...I really didn't think anything could be done. Giao did her magic and my mom got out of that chair as a new woman! She gave mom a half pulled back faux updo with curls that made my mom look like she had twice the amount of hair that she really had. Bottom line, Giao is extremely talented and is a sweet, down-to-Earth person who will make you into that blushing bride you always dreamed you would be. It's also a bonus that she is reasonable in her pricing. I would get married all over again just so she'll do my hair and MU (to Mr. M again, of course)! For now, I'll find some others excuses for her to do my hair and MU again...Thank you, Giao!

Giao is the QUEEN of makeup & hair!! As soon as i read through all the reviews about her on project wedding, i knew i wanted to book her as my makeup artist. my wedding is in 4 months and i just did a trial with her, she is super friendly and easy to work with. she is patient and soooooo talented. i wish i have half of her talented so i can make myself look beautiful everyday...hehe....

If you dont have a makeup/ hair artist yet, she is THE ONE!! :)

I went to a hair & makeup trial with Giao and she did a fabulous job. My hair was extremely intricate and beautiful. She takes time to do her work well. Her prices are also incredible considering the work she puts into doing her client's makeup and hair.

Giao's husband is also a skilled photographer. They are a very nice couple and have a lot to offer a bride.

I'm going to guess that most brides-to-be don't want to look like their makeup is caked on, so when I asked Giao and her husband Thai for a trial e-session I wanted to stress that everything be natural-looking. Well, I didn't have to. Giao did more than just that on my make-up and hair. She has a knack for bringing out a woman's natural features and making them stand out even more. When my friends saw our engagement photos, they all commented on how good the makeup and hair looked. "Good" in the sense that it wasn't over the top.

Giao is so easy (and FUN) to work with. She is truly accomodating but will also give you her expert advice on what look is best for your face shape and style. I really appreciated her work. She knows what she's doing and has been doing this for MANY years. I remember after she was done with my makeup, I had a Memoirs of a Geisha moment where Chiyo looks into the mirror for the first time and is amazed at seeing her transformed self...

Giao is AMAZING and so talented at what she does. I would highly recommend her to any bride that is looking for a person who is competitive in price and skill. She is simply that good.

Gina is the hairstylist of my dreams. Mind you, I was a bride who had very vague ideas about what I wanted and was also on a strict timeline and budget. Gina reassured me that I would look perfect as a bride and was professional every step of the way. first contacted her by email, and she sent me a gazillion pictures of her work so that I could get a sense of her style. We visited her home to do personal hair trials, so we weren't rushed for time, as we would have been at a regular salon. She was soooo patient with my mother who was fretting over every detail as usual :) On the day of, she was prompt in arriving at my house at 7:30 AM in the morning and immediately went to work setting up her station in my bathroom! She fixed my hair, plus my 3 bridesmaids, plus my sister, and my mom...all by 11:30!

In terms of her style, Gina definitely knows what would look good on you. During the trial, she recommended a few different looks and we played with all of them. In the end, I chose to wear my hair down and she promised that it wouldn't look like prom hair :) I docked her one star in the review only because the curls came undone at the end of the (long) night...On top of her hairstyling skills, Gina also is the creator of some very beautiful hair ornaments and veils. These ornaments and veils would make any bride stand out and shine like a star.

I recommend Gina to any one in the Bay Area and looking for a professional hair-stylist that's down to earth, flexible, and knows her craft.

I purchased a birdcage veil and fascinator from Giao for my engagement session. I've always wanted to own one and figured this was the perfect excuse.

It was GORGEOUS!! I looked around before placing my custom order with her and it turned out even better than I expected. Prior to my e-session, I had a blow out done with a salon (Giao was already booked) and all of the hairdressers were in awe of her meticulous handiwork.

She is also very easy to work with. She was very accessable via email. I had some time contraints and she was able to make sure that I received my order in time.

If you are thinking of a bridal headpiece, I highly recommend checking her out...she takes care to ensure that you are happy with the product and definitly goes the extra mile for you! :)

I was very happy with how my hair & makeup trial went with Giao. Not only was she very kind and understanding but she also did a great job with my hair and makeup; especially my hair - it was better than I had dreamed of having for my wedding day. She really listened to what you had to say and changed anything that you didn't like in order to make it perfect. I'd recommend you bring photo samples so that she has an idea of what you're looking for. I brought a couple and it helped me in deciding how I wanted my face and hair to look. Giao gets 5 stars and more in my book!

Giao did a wonderful job for my wedding! She provided an informative consultation before the wedding in which we played around with different hairstyles and make up. I had decided on a hairstyle for the wedding, but as luck would have it, the weather was a lot windier than we expected. Giao expertly suggested another hairstyle that would hold better in the wind and still look wonderful! I was extremely pleased with the results! Furthermore, she helped my bridesmaids come up with creative hairstyles. We were a walking, talking set of "models" that represented her diversity and creativity! As for make up, Giao did a fantastic job with Asian eyes. I have gone to several other make up artists for consultations before I found Giao. She was not only able to accent my eyes perfectly, but she was also able to create different looks based on what I wanted. The colors she chose worked very well with the different gowns I wore. I highly recommend Giao for make up and hair!

Giao is Fabulous! She did my make up for the engagement photo session with Thai. Giao exceeded all my expectations. She is wonderful, patient, kind, fun, professional, nurturing, and very very good at what she does. I love that she uses the airbrush, which makes all the difference.

I truly believe when it comes to your wedding day, the way you look will last forever in pictures and in everyone's memories. You only get married once, make it last! If you are looking for that unforgettable look on your special day, Giao can make it happen.

Hi Giao,
Thanks again for the beautiful design. Just wanted to add an appreciation photo to this purchase.

Stephanie k.
Cremorne, NSW (Australia)

I received my bird cage veil way faster than I had expected and... Yay!! It's absolutely stunning.
The seller did a fantastic job at customizing the length, as if I was sitting right in front of her when she was making it, you can tell that she pays great attention to detail. I can't wait to wear it on my wedding day! Thank you Giao.
Theresa C.
Tacoma, Washington

In no way was I going to wear a veil. But then I saw this and contacted Giao about a custom veil. Not only did Giao stay within my budget (even after she found out I was in Canada) but took one look at my dress and provided feedback on how she wanted to modify this design to be more complimentary to my dress. I can't wait to see it! I've already started bragging to everyone about how wicked ass I will look on my wedding day. Thanks Giao!!
Alison C.
Toronto, ON(Canada)

Absolutely and utterly beautiful! It of course looked gorgeous in the pictures, but I wasn't prepared for how perfect the veil and flower were once they arrived. Giao was wonderful to work with and she shipped the item out immediately upon completion. Could not have asked for a better experience.
NATASHA S.
BALTIMORE, MD

I don't know where to begin. The veil is so beautiful, I actually got tears in my eyes when I opened the package. And Giao was incredibly helpful, professional, and quick! The only problem I have is that I never want to take the veil off! Thank you, for everything!
Diana M.
Brooklyn, NY

The veil was bsolutely gorgeous, I love it! And it arrived well before I was expecting it, thanks so much :)
Cat T.
Kilkenny, SA(Australia)

Giao is an excellent seller to work with and she has an amazing eye for detail and design. After seeing a photo of my dress, she made suggestions of how we could tweak the birdcage veil to give my wedding ensemble a more custom look. She also made some gorgeous swarovski crystal earrings for me. All in all, a great experience and excellent customer service. I would not hesitate to recommend this seller to anyone!
Kelley G.
Crown Point, IN

Hello everyone Giao's designs are gorgeous she came up with a great idea to complement my lovely dress.Altogether on my big day I'm sure I will look like a princess .THANKS VERY MUCH .Highly recommended seller .
all the best
Simona C.
XXX from London ,UK

I absolutely love this veil! Giao was amazing to work with and captured my vision perfectly. Veil turned out exactly as pictured, and I can't wait to wear it on my wedding day!
Dominique P.
Norfolk, VA

I loved it and so did my family ... it was perfect for the dress and the 1930's art deco location ... thank you thank you thank you thank you so much, my little sister said that I have to save it until she gets married (she is only 16 so that should be a while).
Ashley K.
Omaha, NE

Giao Nguyen is an amazing makeup artist and hair stylist. Extreme attention to detail is her trademark. She'll listen to your needs and will make sure you get what you want.

In addition to the above skill sets, she designs hand-made birdcage veils and other wedding accessories. She can custom make anything to compliment your wedding dress, style or theme.

You can check her other designs at:

http://giaonguyen.com

Highly, highly recommended by PW brides and photographers.

Worked with Giao a few times already. Always on time, and does impeccable work!