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5/31/2023 0 Comments

Kemistry Media Lab Presents: Welcome to the Beauty Booth - A Unique Beauty and Social Networking Event

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Submitted by Kemistry Media Lab, LLC
Christina Outlaw, event producer for "Welcome to the Beauty Booth," is thrilled to announce a beauty and social networking event for beauty entrepreneurs, influencers, and new beauty professionals. Taking place on Monday, June 12, 2023 from 12:00pm to 4:00pm, this highly anticipated event offers both in-person and virtual attendance options.

Welcome to the Beauty Booth will showcase local master stylist, Marissa O. Kendrick as the keynote speaker, who will demonstrate her renowned "Scissor Queen" method on live models. The event will also feature renowned beauty entrepreneur Luvena Leslie from The Curly Hair Salon, international deejay DJ Too Much, and emerging beauty phenom Kierra Arbor of Superior Design Beauty. In-person attendees will have the opportunity to shop from select vendors, network in our selfie lounge, visit beauty activation stations, and learn from beauty professionals.

"We are excited to host Welcome to the Beauty Booth and provide an inclusive space for beauty enthusiasts to connect, learn, and grow," said Marissa O. Kendrick, the keynote speaker. "Our event is designed to inspire and empower beauty entrepreneurs, influencers, and aspiring professionals, fostering a vibrant and supportive local beauty community."

Welcome to the Beauty Booth is actively seeking partnerships with brands to enhance the attendee experience and further cultivate the local beauty community. For full event details can visit www.thebeautybooth.co. Tickets for Welcome to the Beauty Booth are currently on sale and can be purchased at www.thebeautybooth.co. 
"Our event is designed to inspire and empower beauty entrepreneurs, influencers, and aspiring professionals, fostering a vibrant and supportive local beauty community."
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12/7/2021 1 Comment

Bridal Affection: An Experience to Remember

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By Sarah Thompson
​Imagine a place where brides are welcomed with open arms, greeted by personal stylists, and cared for every step of the way—even before they enter the doors. Bridal Affection in Hamden is just that.

Owners Mel and Ide Ehigiato first opened their bridal salon as a sister store to Bridal Trousseau in New Haven, which was, quite literally, bursting at the seams. The move was intended to provide a bridal salon that offers two options for brides to find their dream gowns. Bridal Affection offers a Flagship Salon with some of the best bridal designers in the industry. In addition, they have a Sample Salon inside their store where brides can purchase couture bridal gowns off the racks at a generous discount.
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“If your wedding is imminent, you can come to Bridal Affection’s sample salon, fall in love with a gown and bring it home that day,” explained Ide. “All of the gowns in our sample salon are discounted, but they are all the same quality as at Bridal Trousseau. They’re couture gowns. If you’re on a budget, and time crunch, it makes sense. In our flagship salon, we carry some of the best bridal designers in the industry where you can order your dream gown directly from the gown designers. You can visit both our sample and flagship salons in the same appointment”.

Their salon offers gowns from major designers like Maggie Sottero, Pronovias and Van Der Veld.

“We offer personalized service for brides,” shared Mel. “One of the things we focus on in our salons is having a professional personal stylist who can guide you through the process. Our stylists are people who really love and care about what they do. We hear from many brides and their families how we made it easier for them and less stressful. Trying on pretty dresses should not be stressful, it should be fun. To us, that’s very important.”
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"Our stylists are people who really love and care about what they do. We hear from many brides and their families how we made it easier for them and less stressful."
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The Ehigiatos make booking easy. Brides receive instant confirmation and reminders a few days before their appointment. And for brides who want an even more memorable experience, Bridal Affection offers two-hour Exclusive Bride and Bubbly Appointments.

“You bring your party, we provide hors d’oeuvres and champagne, and you can book any day of the week,” explained Ide. “On days when the shop is closed to the public you can have the whole salon to yourself!”

When a bride tries on the gown that is “the one” it’s one of the highlights of owning their shops, according to Mel.

“Sometimes you want to cry with them, because you’re excited and you’ve been through that process with them. You see them and you see how happy they are—they are beaming,” she shared.

The space at Bridal Affection is truly a sacred space, where all brides are treated with dignity and respect, and where some families even put aside differences for their loved one’s special moment.

“It helps bring people together for one person,” said Mel.
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Last year, when COVID hit, The Ehigiatos were forced to close their doors temporarily, just two weeks after their shop opened.

“We started Bridal Affection on March 1, 2020. We had to build the business from scratch, and because of the pandemic, brides had to cancel and postpone their weddings,” explained Ide. “But with that, there were also opportunities, so it wasn’t all bad. We had to be innovative, and it forced us to be more creative in the way we operate our business.”

Through it all, Mel and her team worked with every bride to ensure their wedding was a special day that they deserved.

Originally a research scientist and adjunct lecturer in the Bronx, Mel discovered her “passion for fashion,” as she calls it, when she and Ide were running an event venue business.
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“We love diversity and we welcome everyone. I’ve always loved being around a lot of different kinds of people because where I grew up in upstate New York it wasn’t like that,” she shared. “I like an environment where people can come together for something pleasant and happy to celebrate, no matter what they look like or who they are. We see people from all different backgrounds come in our salon. It’s encouraging, it’s beautiful and it’s wonderful to be a part of that.”

The Ehigiatos believe in living out their faith and that their purpose is bigger than selling wedding gowns.

“It’s the ability to meet people, build relationships and love them,” shared Ide. “That is truly who we are. We want to welcome everybody and love everybody.”
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Bridal Affection is located at 1125 Dixwell Avenue, Hamden, Connecticut. Find them on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or on their website. To learn more about Bridal Trousseau, visit their website.
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AUTHOR

Sarah Thompson has spent more than twenty years working in agency, media and community-based non-profit organizations. She is the senior marketing and communications director at the Village for Families & Children, and is also a local photographer specializing in portraits and weddings.

​Sarah is deeply committed to anti-racist work
, raising anti-racist children, connecting and empowering people, fostering community and championing for those who need it most.

​She has received awards from the Florida Press Association, American Graphic Design Awards, Constant Contact and Photos.com for her work in advertising, website design, digital marketing and photography.
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PHOTOGRAPHER

Terrence Irving is a Connecticut native now residing in the southeastern part of the state, Terrence Irving is a wedding photographer and owner of Terrence Irving Photography. Also an engineer by trade, he enjoys bridging the gap between technology and the arts through his work. He values diversity in all forms.

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Categories

All Accessories Alexandra Frisbie Alicia Brown Allison Reynolds Allyship Angel Thompson Anti-Racism Apparel Arianna Velez Art Assistance Aviation Avon Awareness Bakery Beauty Black History Black Owned Black-owned Black Owned Business Black-owned Business Black Owned Businesses Black-owned Businesses Books Bookstore Boutique Brenda De Los Santos Cakes Camila Vallejo Candy Cassandra McKenna Catering CBD Classes Cleaning Clothing Community Connecticut Consultants Contest Corey Lynn Tucker Corporate Responsibility Cosmetics Crafts CTSBDC Damon Carter David Milton Disability Diversity Dr. Cicero East Hartford Education Encouragement Experience Farmington Female Owned Business Female-owned Business Finance Finances Financial Fine Art Fitness Food Foodies Food Truck Gardening Gary Pope Giveaway Giving Back Hair Hartford Health Homecare Inclusion IT Jaclyn Wilson Jewelry Kerry Kincy Kristen McNevins Lajeune Hollis Lajuene Hollis Larianne Tide Leaja Johnson Literacy Mahalia Anderson Maintenance Meghan Olson Mental Health Meriden Middletown Money Natasha Samuels New Britain Newington New London Norwich Online Op Ed Op-ed Patrina Dixon Pets Plainville Race Racism Real Estate Resource Restaurants Retail Rode Bataille Sarah Thompson Seafood Self-care Seshu Badnirath Shariffah Mason Shopping Simsbury Skin Care Small Business Social Responsibility Sweet Treats Technology Terrence Irving Therapy Torrington Training Vernon Wellness West Hartford Winsted Women Women Owned Business Women-owned Business Young Yvette Young

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