Wedding on June 28, 2008
Dear Jira:
Thank you again and again for your special touch on Saturday 6/28.
Our big day could NOT have been as joyful and fun without your confident and calm
presence at the start. Our friends and families are STILL saying "WOW!"
When they see our photo :-) So, no kidding--- Wowpretty
Hope to see you again very soon!
Big Hug Cecilia
Thanks for all beautiful photos by Matt kim
cc t. Wedding: 06/28/2008
Reviews: 7
| Quality of Service: |  | (5.0/5.0) | |
| Responsiveness: | | (5.0/5.0) | |
| Professionalism: | | (5.0/5.0) | |
| Value For Cost: | | (5.0/5.0) | |
| Flexibility: | | (5.0/5.0) |
For our June 28, 2008 wedding, I am eternally grateful that I booked WowPretty’s services for my hair and makeup (H&M). Jira T., owner of WowPretty, was the first artist I visited, and I would gladly repeat my choice. Her talent and passion for the work is abundantly evident, and she is professional in every way.
Trials: My first trial was in Dec 2007, for a cost of $125. I use make-up infrequently, so relied on photos from a recent issue of a Hong Kong wedding magazine to convey the effect I wanted to achieve: a natural, glowing look that is fancier than usual, but not overly dramatic. Jira listened and also gave feedback and pointed out which looks would work better for a “real life” wedding, as opposed to on models in a studio.
I decided to try a few new techniques that I had not previously considered. The first was the air-brush foundation. All I did (and Jira continuously gave clear instructions) was close my eyes and hold my breath while she sprayed liquid foundation all over my face. Just felt like rain mist which dried very quickly into one smooth covering. Highly recommended.
The second technique was false eyelashes. Jira attached them with minimal irritation to my eyes, and when I looked in the mirror, what a difference – they do help to achieve a much “lusher” look, especially in photos. Again, highly recommended.
I felt Jira was very down-to-earth and not pushy at all in trying to “up-sell” her skills and talent. She is decisive and efficient, but was constantly seeking my feedback. She also liked to keep a friendly banter going, although English is not her first language. I booked her within a week by sending her a check for 50% deposit.
In May, I emailed Jira a photo of an up-do that I liked, and she thought it would work very nicely. She did recommend, though, that I get my hair trimmed appropriately before our second trial, so I had her do it at a salon space that she rents in San Mateo for $50. I was quite happy with the result – long layers on both sides, with side bangs.
After reviewing the first trial photos, Jira thought that the first color scheme – lilac/purple– might be a bit too pale. So at my second trial, two weeks before the wedding (another $125), we chose a deeper palette of brown and rose tones for a warmer and richer effect, with touches of lilac to match my sisters/bridesmaids’ gowns and make-up. Jira was also able to replicate the up-do that I requested. After my sisters saw the photos, we knew that we got it.
Wedding Day: We were running late while Jira had arrived a bit earlier than our 10:30 start. But she just patiently waited outside the suite with all her gear while my sisters made a mad dash over to the hotel. Once everyone was on site, Jira got down to business. My sisters had only arrived from Canada a couple days ago, so never had a trial with Jira, but boy were they astounded! Jira gave them both air-brush foundation and false lashes, and they looked ravishing. My older sister, who had gone through the bridesmaid experience once before in Toronto and came out of that H&M experience feeling everything was too heavy-handed, could not stop telling me how much MORE she liked Jira’s work.
I arrived shortly before 1pm, and Jira did her magic once more. Within an hour, she had recreated the flawless look that lasted me until midnight that day. She also dusted some shimmer powder over my shoulders and collarbone, for the “Hollywood” factor, as she liked to put it!
My fiancé isn’t one to rave about make-up (he usually barely notices its effects, and only points it out on other women / celebrities when it’s obviously badly/too heavily done). That day, though, when he saw me in the hotel room, he could not stop smiling and telling me how pretty I looked. So that’s saying a lot
Jira’s efforts were noticed all throughout the day by family, friends and total strangers. The flow of compliments just did not stop! Even now, three months later, my relatives all over the world are still referring to the photos they received and telling us how beautiful we looked.
Communication: Except on certain summer weekends heading into and during peak wedding season, Jira never failed to respond to my emails within 24 hours. She also called me to follow up on additional trial dates and logistics for the final location for wedding day H&M.
Cost: Wedding day H&M services were $650 . Compared to a lot of providers in the Bay area, Jira is affordable – many places charge this sort of price for makeup alone. In an industry that frequently over-promises and under-delivers, and is fraught with ludicrous pricing because the word “wedding” is involved, I believe that Jira’s services are first-class, and her prices quite reasonable.
