Wedding Stylist

I haven't asked around too much about wedding stylists, but one time I was on the 5 Boroughs Ice Cream website when I came across this on the shout outs page:

•First and foremost my wife, Kim. Thank you is not big enough to cover the unending love, support, and patience you have shown me throughout this process! I love you. (And don’t worry-it’s gonna work!) And for anyone looking for the most gifted hair stylist/interior designer/ice cream maker I know: www.kimmyles.com

I've never tried 5 Boroughs, but I love ice cream! So I thought Kim Myles was a good place to start. I wrote to her and a few weeks later she wrote me back:

Contact Insitu Salon 212.533.1130 and ask for Paula (hair) and Kristen (makeup).

So I called Insitu and left a message for either Paula or Kristen. While I waited to hear back, I received another email from Kim, this time a thanks for my support. It turned out Kim was a contestant on (and has since WON) HGTV's Design Star. It was a mass email to her fan club, a club I had inadvertantly joined, but what the hey, "Kudos, Kim! I do support you! You're welcome!"

I asked myself, does this make her Insitu Salon recommendation all the more valid, or significantly less so? It really didn't matter since neither Paula and Kristen ever returned my call.

Then, one day many many days later, Paula called. On the message, she explained that Insitu had phone trouble and gave me her home line. I wrote it on a piece of paper and that's the last I saw of it. For the last week, day after day, I re-write and forget "Call Insitu Salon" in my kind-of handy Moleskine planner. Given our history, leaving a message seems like a waste of time.

I continue to pursue Paula and Kristen because they're the only lead I have. I googled "Wedding Hair" and came across a number of frightening websites. How can you choose? I know brides usually do a trial, but trials can run as much as $200 or more, so you don't want to just go around trying anyone. Also, if you're going to end up paying $300-$400 for yourself, and $250 for your bridesmaids, the person working the comb better know her stuff.