Gail Gardner Blog

I am thoroughly enjoying Mothers Day today and being utterly spoilt by my four beautiful children.  This is just what I need in preparation for the two weeks that lie ahead.  From tomorrow I go straight into a week full of trials and weddings and just as I reach to Sunday, my preferred day of rest, I am thrown into a crazy week of backstage theatre by night and more weddings by day.  I think it works out that I do not get a day off now for the next 14 days.  I am looking forward to meeting new brides to be on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and also my brides that are getting married on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  On Sunday I start working backstage at Grease the Musical on hair and makeup.  This involves lots of late nights with no time for dinner, so quite good for my waist line!  During my week at Grease, I am also carrying out weddings during the day, at The Reid Rooms, Crondon Park and Stock Brook Manor amongst more trials.  A busy time.   I will not have the time to update my blog regularly but will give you one big update when I do.  If you would like to keep up to date with me on a daily basis and see my brides and also me working backstage at Grease, follow me on Twitter by clicking on the Twitter icon at the top of this page.  Catch up soon!  Gail x

Its that time of year again when the phone is constantly buzzing with young ladies booking their Prom hair and makeup.  My daughter is also having her Prom this year so I am experiencing first hand how important it is that they look and feel absolutely fabulous.  Its all about the dress, shoes, Hair and Makeup.  All this thrown in amongst their GCSEs so it is important that they look fabulous and have a wonderful time celebrating the end of their exams.  Please do book your prom hair and makeup early to avoid disappointment.  I can usually fit in approximately 3 people on a prom day for hair and makeup but I usually get approximately 5 – 10 enquiries per prom so please do book early.

I have been working at many of the usual venues for Weddings and have not had much time to write about them but here are some photos of my recent brides.  The first bride is Hayley who had the surprise wedding at Leez Priory.  She could not believe her husbands impeccable taste.  I helped lace up Hayleys dress as her bridesmaids suddenly panicked that they would do it all wrong.  It was a team effort!  Also I have beautiful Lisa from Gosfield Hall, Melanie at Leez Priory and a few more.   I have a very busy week ahead with more weddings over the next two weeks.

I am also getting ready to work backstage at Grease the Musical for a week in April.  Busy times.  Gail xx

I am just in the process of getting all set up for my bride who is getting married tomorrow.  This is the bride that has no idea where she is getting married.  She should find out this evening and I know she will be very happy.  I will reveal the venue in my next blog but for now lets say Good Luck to Hayley.  Also, good luck to my bride Kate this Saturday who is getting married at Pleshey Church and is having her celebration party at Maidens Barn.  Kate is then emigrating to Dubai the following day!!!  That is one extended honeymoon.

I have worked alongside some fabulous people recently and I am going to give a huge shout out for them.  If you have not already secured your florist, photographer, Cake lady and videographer, I can highly recommend the following as I have worked alongside them all recently and have been very impressed by their work and they are good fun to spend the day with too.

Florist – Simply Wedding Flowers by Juliet – 07843 606458

Amazing Cake Lady:  A Good Crumb – 07827 888972

Rideout Videographer – be prepared to be blown away by his work – 07989 533047

Photographer – The Edge Photography- 0845 4680159

Just back from another wedding at Leez Priory.  Very sorry I have not had the chance to blog very much but I am completely snowed under at the moment with weddings and trials.  For almost every wedding there is a wedding trial and I often hold two trials a day just to keep up.  Recently I have been working at Leez Priory, Gosfield Hall, Prested Hall, Gaynes Park, Newland Hall, Maidens Barn, the Reid Rooms, Blake Hall, Braxted Park and I could go on…….if you follow me on Twitter, you will have more frequent updates of my whereabouts and also the brides hair and makeup styles I carry out on the actual day of the wedding.  I also try to post on Facebook regularly.  Both of these social networks are accessible from this website so please do try and follow me.  I am still getting many calls for weddings in August, even though I have announced that I am fully booked.  I pride myself on one wedding per day so that I can give myself totally to the bride for that one special day.  Its unusual for me just to carry out hair and makeup, I normally end up helping the bride and bridesmaids into their dresses, assist putting on their jewellery, I take photos for them all and I am generally a spare pair of much needed hands in many cases.  I do also know when my job is done and it is time to leave and I then make a discreet exit.

For the past two days I have been at Leez Priory and have not long returned so I am feeling rather tired.  Yesterday Laura McCarthy married and became a Mrs Pooley, she had a very big wedding party.  She looked stunning.  Today’s bride, Melanie, also had a large bridal party.  They were all in the Police Force so it was a very entertaining day listening to all their stories.   I now enter a very busy week again with trials and some wonderful weddings.  One of my brides this week still has no idea where she is getting married, as her husband has organised absolutely everything!  Her wedding trial was tricky as I was given strict instructions not to discuss her wedding day.  So I am really looking forward to working with this particular bride this week.   I have also been practicing my backstage hair and makeup for the production of Grease the Musical, by Young-Gen.  I will be working backstage on Grease for a week in April and I cannot wait.

Well, I’m off now, to rest my weary head and feet as they are particularly sore as I was with my bride from 9am to 3.30pm. Catch up again soon.

Gail x