The Day creates stunning brides with an on-location salon for the special day.
Every wedding is different.
Every venue is different.
Every bride is unique.
With her on-site, premier salon approach to bridal styling with a team of artists, Brandi Kwesell, owner of The Day On-Location Beauty, understands the balance of poise and heightened expectations for that one special day – but also being true to oneself.
“I would say the main thing that we really consider is that we want every bride to feel comfortable no matter what type of bride she is, no matter where her wedding is, no matter what her story is.” Kwesell is there to make her client feel “comfortable and confident and to make her feel and look beautiful.” The general approach is “to be like her new best friend. We’re there to talk with her and listen to her and make her feel really great.”
Finding the Right Look
Finding the right look depends on details, many of which are in place before Kwesell and her team even enter the picture.
“When we meet our bride, we want to see what her vision is.” She says they ask for pictures of the dress, and where the bride’s getting married. “We ask about the vibe of the wedding and what her ultimate look is that she wants” Kwesell loves looking at all those details and bringing it full circle to create that look on the day.
The identity of Colorado Springs, where The Day is based and where Kwesell lives, plays a crucial role. “I’m a Colorado Springs native. I’ve lived here for almost 40 years. I feel like Colorado Springs has definitely grown a lot and, over the years, it has come to offer a lot more variety for different styles of weddings.”
The Day does a lot of “destination brides” as well as locals. The feel of Colorado Springs, as reflected with the mountains, Kwesell believes, has a more relaxed, outdoor type of vibe. This can be seen even in the venues that couples select.
“I would say as far as being in a beautiful outdoor setting, things come into play, such as the texture of the hair, what gets placed in the hair, bridal accessories, wildflowers … that kind of thing is always complementary.” But Kwesell says that, as far as creating the hairstyles, it really is more about giving the brides exactly what they envision versus what best fits the venue.
Managing Expectations
“I think managing expectations is important. And I think that the brides are counting on us to do that for them.” Kwesell says sometimes brides get overwhelmed because of pictures they see on Pinterest and other images online. “So, it really is our job as the professionals to narrow down what they actually want.” It becomes about looking at those selected visuals of different hairstyles, comparing and asking questions such as, “What do you like about this? What do you love about this? Is there anything that you don’t like about this that we should talk about?”
“The brides are counting on our expertise to inform them and educate them on what is realistic for them. We can definitely make you feel and look amazing and recreate the perfect version that is best for you.”
Kwesell says it is The Day’s focus to help brides understand that. “But also, really making them feel as beautiful as that person in the picture looks” she says that takes a lot of experience and confidence, which she says is reflected in herself and her team members.
“The Best Decision I Ever Made”
Even though she says it was scary to start this business five years ago after being an independent bridal hairstylist, Kwesell says it is the best decision she ever made. When The Day started, she says it was right at the time where “it was kind of changing where hair and makeup would go to the bride versus the bride going to the hair and makeup on her wedding day.” It was about seeing that opportunity to offer an on-location service, a new service at that time, and bring that to fruition.
“I really wanted to be able to offer that to brides. And I knew that Colorado Springs was growing and there were new up-and-coming venues. It was just the perfect opportunity to try something that hadn’t really been done in Colorado Springs yet.”
But it all comes back to the day itself. “So, we go in psyched up, ready to go and get the bride and all of her girls looking great. It’s a really fun job and we all love it a lot. So it’s easy to do for us.” Kwesell says that it’s always a fun day to be a part of. She sees it as an honor because it’s such a memorable day for the brides she styles.
Making Memories
“A lot of times, their look does not change on the day. And most of the time, we’ve already met them during their trial appointment, so we know exactly what we’re doing for them. Plus, it’s really fun meeting the bridesmaids and their friends and having that kind of girl experience together. I mean, hair and makeup, it’s kind of a female ritual-type thing and a ‘girl time’ thing. So it’s really, really fun to be a part of.”
It is also about creating memories that people have for a lifetime – some of which Kwesell has been able to witness. “The memory that comes to mind actually was with a mother of the bride. Maybe it hit me home more because I am a mom. I put myself in her shoes like, ‘Oh, my gosh. What a big day for her.’ But the mother of the bride … she cried because she was so happy that she looked so beautiful for her daughter’s day.”
