A few months ago maybe more like 5, I was at
Flaunt Salon getting pampered by my stylist Ivan. I asked if he ever did weddings (hair that is)? With a smirk, tilted down chin and an upward glare he said, "uh, NO, but My friend Yve here does and she loves them!" Great! Yve has been in the business for over 17 years. I checked out her website and it is beautiful. She is a lover of vibrant, rich colors and has an elegant, eclectic style wrapped in one. So now why was I looking for
Yve?.....
I became apart of the
Long Beach Wedding Collective back in November/December of 09. It's been a work in progress trying to get the most fabulous vendors with unique styles that set them apart from the rest.
Megan Gray and
Candice Maloney are the co-founders and inspirers who came up with collective, developed it and sought after all of the members with a few spots left when it had started. The collective has been very inspiring to me and I have been honored to be apart of it since the beginning.
When it came time for our first mixer, they had mentioned they needed hair & make-up and hopefully one person who did both. I am one of those people who loves a mission. Candice & Megan have posed a few missions for me and so far I think I have hit them out of the ball park when it came to finding talent (I hope I didn't sound la-de-da or neener-neener, but I am really proud of the people I have helped bring on board because they are amazing); my friend Charla of
Charla Blue when we needed another photographer with fab style and Yve who not only just 'does' hair and make-up but exudes style in works of art... meaning you! You are her canvas and when she lays her brush on the canvas of your face, you are transformed into a beauty like no other!
Last month, the Collective met for a photoshoot to be done of us for a feature on the
Long Beach Business Journal. After our shoot, Charla and I asked if anyone still needed headshots. I was thrilled to see Yve was in. She is so beautiful and edgy at the same time... my kind-a-girl! I shot a few headshots of her and they all came out amazing! She is stunning! Her eyes just grab you! I definitely need to hire her to do make-up n hair for my clients during boudoir sessions and me too (I could use a make over).
After some shooting, we met downstairs at the
Avia's bar for some vino. Charla,
Yve and I talked for while. Yve is soft spoken, super sweet and very creative in work and play. She is definitely an artist in the truest form! She mentioned that she and her husband Armando had created a drum circle called
Drum for Love. I didn't know that, nor expect it. I have known a few people who sit in drum circles from my past, one being was in New Mexico while people passed the Native American ritual pipe and a few people danced naked around a fire.... but that's another story, another drum circle. Yve's drum circle has developed into something so much more. It has brought all sorts of talent~ violinists, trumpets, even fire dancers! I will have to check out their next performance which will be a collaboration with
Alfredo's Beach Club in Belmont Shore (details to follow soon). Their vision of the Drum Circle is not small by any means, they look into the future and see it as a entity to give back to their community while doing something they love and hopefully traveling with their massive ensemble.
After hearing this, I had to know more about Yve. I asked if she would mind if I featured her along with some of her personal experiences in life.
Come to find out more, she has an amazing love story! Yes, I know I'm apart of the wedding industry and I have heard many but this one tops the cake when it comes to getting married to your lifetime partner, your soulmate! This girl is adventurous and so his her husband. Last November, she and her partner Armando decided to "follow their hearts to Guatemala" and have a traditional Mayan Ceremony performed by a Mayan Elder. Right there I am like "WOW!" but it gets even better. They took off without any real plans, no reservations, no guests, no contacts, no idea if they could EVEN find an Elder- nothing...just an idea that came from their hearts and off they were to follow that feeling, that inspiration! The day before they were to marry or as they prefer to say "Sacred Union", they saw smoke on a hill and decided to follow it. They had walked into a ceremony and met an Elder. Of course they told him of their wishes and he not only welcomed it, but said he had seen in it in a prophetic vision of them coming from far away to have their ceremony with him. OK can you say "what? n WOW?" Again! So it was set, the next day they would have their Mayan Union Ceremony. From what she says, the Mayan people were "so kind" and took care of everything! How is that for wedding planning? They say "it takes a village".... They built a sacred fire, altars and stringed flowers to "lasso" them together. She said the experience was surreal and I can only imagine. Their elder Tato Pedro Cruz was known as one the most respected Elders. Seriously this doesn't just happen to anyone.
So if you meet Yve just know she is talented, spiritual, adventurous, artistic. To have her presence on your wedding day should mark a sign of good luck for you I'm sure!
