I wanted someone who could do bold but natural hair and makeup! My wedding planner had done a styled shoot with Femme Akoi Beauty Studio and all the girls had amazing fun braids and just looked so boho-chic with natural glowing makeup but killer lips, so I was like, yes, I need this! My stylist knocked my trial out of the park! 

I knew I always wanted some sort of beach wave with a braid. I didn’t want something too formal or different. I loved Femme Akoi’s Instagram. They were experts in braids, and I knew I wanted to incorporate that into my hairstyle. They had a more bohemian vibe which fit my hair vision.

I have long hair, and I wear my hair down a lot, so I wanted something different for my wedding day. I spent several months stalking Pinterest and Instagram for hair and makeup inspiration for our wedding. I played with the idea of retro waves at first because of the jazz theme at our venue but ultimately decided that I wanted a soft glam look instead. I chose a low updo bun with a side part braid with some loose curls left out. My grandmother in Colombia bought me a beautiful flower hairpin, which was on top of my bun, and it turned out so pretty. My makeup was the perfect amount of glam without it being caked on and altering my natural features.

Nicole with Femme Akoi made me look and feel like an absolute queen on my wedding day, and that’s exactly what I was looking for. They are just really great at what they do. They are professional and consistent and make sure that you’re happy with how you look. They made me feel comfortable to speak up if I wanted to change something. Their work speaks for itself, but it also helps that they are genuinely kind people.