(Short version, I love Dana. Everything else was a disaster) Months before wedding, I sent a txt to the owner Jennifer with a video of my hair, showing layers & inspo pic (slicked back bun) said I’d been removing layers for months to make the hairstyle easier and asked if I should even all layers to achieve the hairstyle, and got no response.
Months later, after reaching out via email and call to book the trail, she sees the text msg, apologizes for the no response and says my hair is fine as is. We book the trial.
I set up my photographer and spray tan and nail appointments to get bridal portraits the day of my trial. She texts me 3 days before and says she can’t do my trial after all because she’s moving locations. She did have the complete wrong day (thought it was on Monday, but I told her it was Wednesday. But she said Wednesday wouldn’t work either). I cancel all my appointments with photographer ect. After the fact she says she would’ve sent someone to me if she knew I was doing portraits (that was a nice after thought, but it was too late)
The day of trials I take off work early to drive from Dallas to Southlake for our 4:00 trial. I sit in my car and sweat for 30 minutes as she texts me she doesn’t have her keys to get in and I can’t get in the building without her. We finally begin 45 minutes late once someone has brought a spare key. She starts my hair, we get it how I want. Dana the makeup artist (she is truly amazing & the entire reason I kept them until my wedding day) does my makeup exactly how I ask. Jennifer forgets she has a zoom so she leaves before the end of the trial and I finish with Dana. I arrive to my photos late of course because we started the trial 45 minutes late so I get cut short from the photo session I paid for.
Before photos even start I have hair coming out of the bun. My friend fixes it. I get the bridals back and see the back of my hair & it looks very sloppy in my opinion so I text Jennifer the pictures along with my inspo and explain. She thanks me for the feedback & tells me how she will do it differently for the wedding. She asks if I want to do another trial before the wedding and I decline because I can’t take off work again and drive 3 cities over again.
(In the meantime, JM glamour does my hair and makeup as a bridesmaid at a friends wedding. Dana does my makeup again and it’s amazing, a hair stylist named ruby does my hair and I’m obsessed. I did ask Jenifer if I could switch to Ruby for wedding day but Ruby is booked. There are talented people on jennifers team)
Wedding day comes & Dana slays again. Jennifer gets my hair much better than the trail and I love it when she leaves. She told me initially she would send me with Bobby pins. She forgot. 30 minutes after Jennifer leaves and I am taking pics with bridesmaids the entire thing falls out (okay 50%) I have half bun half ponytail. The wedding is in an hour. My bridesmaids scream at the sight and fix it like fairy godmothers. I send Jenifer a text of my hair and she apologizes, says I have heavy hair which makes it hard, and says she will give me a partial refund. I get a $100 Venmo from her on my honeymoon as the refund.
All this to say- absolutely every step of the way was a complete disaster. Unless Dana or ruby was involved. The scheduling, communication, knowing when the trial was, having the key to get in, matching the hair style that is the most overdone hairstyle of brides since Hailey Bieber. Thank God for Dana.