Ellen Hunter NYC: Arden Photography

Ellen Hunter, designer and creator of Ellen Hunter NYC, specializes in unique one-of-a-kind hair accessories. Reminiscent of ancient Greece, the flexible wreathes, combs, and headbands have become celebrity and fashionista favorites across the globe. Beyoncé, Carrie Underwood, Nicole Richie, and Nicky Hilton have all been spotted featuring pieces from the collection. Several of our brides here at Arden Photography have displayed the designs as they walked down the aisle.

Ellen Hunter got her start close to our home here, at the University of Alabama where she studied apparel design. She began creating the pieces in her dorm room for friends and family. Upon graduating, Ellen moved to Manhattan to work in the fashion and wedding industry at Nicole Miller. “While I loved what I was doing there, I still felt the need to create,” comments Hunter. She struck out on her own, and Ellen Hunter NYC was born.

Her company has since expanded, and will be offering new products in 2015 featuring jewelry, beaded sashes, and belts. Ellen’s passion of working with clients to create unique and meaningful pieces is on going. She can be spotted at the prestigious retailers where her product is launched in stores like Bergdorf Goodman, Kleinfeld Bridal, and Gus Mayer where we caught up with her to try on the exclusive pieces for ourselves. 

Arden Ward Upton's Expert Advice: Face It

Love is more than just a pretty face, but let’s be honest - on your wedding day, we all want that picture-perfect smile! Seems easy enough, right? Then suddenly, you are flipping through your photos, and *gasp* there it is – that dreaded double chin! Now, you could spend an entire week binge watching Tyra Banks on America’s Next Top Model give girls coaching on how to thrust that chin forward, or you could read on below and save that time for addressing your wedding invitations!

Secret #1: Pull your shoulders back, push your chest out slightly, and gently extend your head forward. This is a great way to avoid that double chin. It may feel a bit awkward and weird, but Tyra says that makes for the prettiest pictures anyway. It also helps to accentuate your collarbone, allowing your shoulders and neck to look thinner.

Secret #2: Angle your face. Try to avoid direct head-on shots as these can sometimes result in an absence of shadows, and this can make your face appear wider. Instead, turn your head just slightly to the right or left, tilt your chin outwards and downwards and look at something just above your natural line of sight. This has the added bonus of emanating a soft and demure pose.

Secret #3: This one may also seem a little strange at first, but you’ll swear by its results! Press your tongue to the roof of your mouth while smiling. This draws very subtle tension into your jawline – an effective way to avoid the double chin, and also aids to elongate your neck.

Bonus Tip: “Look Away Trick” – this one takes practice, but is easy enough to do in the privacy of your own house (something I suggest since it could look a bit strange to anyone who might be watching – trust me). Instead of freezing your smile in place for a hundred photos, try looking away from the camera and look back with a big smile just before the snap of the shutter. Your smile will be more genuine and fresh, lighting up your eyes, and making for a gorgeous shot!

Tyra’s Bonus Tip: “The Smize” – Tyra loves this word, a mash-up of her most-used phrase on ANTM, “Smile with your eyes.” If you don’t like to show off those pearly whites, this is a great tip for you. Take a second to relax your face, open your mouth just slightly, and allow your lower lip to match the curve of your upper teeth. Tilt your chin just barely down, look up at the camera with your eyes, and faintly lower your lids – be sure to channel all the happiness of your big day to shine through!

Image Credit @Fanpop.com

So let’s face it, maybe you didn’t lose that last five pounds before lacing up your gown, but who’s going to notice when you’ve got a face like Tyra Banks? 

Arden Ward Upton's Expert Advice: How to Pose for Photos

Okay, so we all do it. We see photos of celebrities on the red carpet with their super high heels, lean legs, and flat stomachs and then we look at photos of ourselves. One bad photo of yourself is enough to make you delete Instagram and swear off social events all together. But you can’t miss your best friend’s wedding next week, and there will be pictures – lots of them. So here’s some advice on how to pose for photos and turn that wedding aisle into a glamorous catwalk.

Secret #1: Turn partially sideways to the camera and plant one foot in front of the other. Point your toe and place your weight on your back leg. This works best to minimize the size of your waste and accentuate your legs – a great way to show off all those hamstring reps you’ve been doing.

Secret #2:  Try to avoid facing the camera head on, but rather, stand at an angle. Drop one shoulder so it is comfortably lower than the other. Celebrities use this trick to make their body appear smaller and draw attention to their face.

Secret #3: If you have to be photographed straightforward, try a tip from the fashion bloggers around the world: cross your ankles. This works well in long and short dresses, makes your hips look slimmer, legs look longer, and gives off a more casual vibe.

Bonus Tip: Celebs love using props. I mean, come on Scarlett Johansson, we all know you’re pregnant – those strategic baggy overalls aren’t fooling anyone. Instead, hold a small clutch or purse, or try wearing a stylish jacket to hide unflattering parts a la Gwyneth Paltrow – now there’s a woman who knows how to stylishly and strategically hide a baby bump.

Image Credit: Richard Young                                                    Image Credit: ETOnline

Then there’s the good old fashion fallbacks – a good pair of Spanx Hosiery, and you’ve got that tight, flat stomach without ever entering the gym. Spray tans also help to accentuate muscle toning and give a thinner appearance, plus you have the added bonus of looking like you just got back from a beach vacay!

Practice these advice tips in front of your mirror at home, wear your dress to get a good idea of which poses work, and if all else fails, just claim you were trying to look your worst, so that the bride could be the true celebrity star of the day! 

Summer Beauty Tips by Arden Ward Upton

Summer is officially here and I couldn't be more excited because we had one of the coldest winters in Alabama that I can remember.

The most important beauty tip to remember for summertime is to remember to apply sunblock everyday. Not only will it keep you looking younger longer but it is better for your health.

A few sun statistics to think about.

• Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed annually.

• One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime.

• Half of all adults report at least one sunburn in the past 12 months.

• Two million people are diagnosed every year with skin cancer

• Every year, there are more new cases of skin cancer diagnosed than breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer ...combined

Statistics found at Skincancer.org and Totalbeauty.com

Fun in the sun! Don't forget the sunscreen.

Atlantis, Bahamas

Sunscreen with Zinc is the Best. 

A few of my favorite sunscreen products are:

What I use if I am on vacation.

My daily sunscreen.

Beach time 

Beauty Tips by Arden Ward Upton

It's always about the smiles

During wedding day there is nothing more amazing than looking at a bride's smile, mostly because it is what she's doing all day long. Our brides glow, literally radiate pure joy on their wedding day and it beams out at us through the ear to ear smiles we see throughout the day.

Miss Mississippi, Heather Soriano | Dress: Ivory and White | Hair & MUA: Joshua at Salon U | Styling and flowers: Leah Hazzard

So the beauty tip this week is all about the pearly whites. Having a confident smile starts at your dentists office. As doctor recommended you should get your teeth cleaned every six months, but leading up to wedding day what's wrong with an extra cleaning and teeth whitening. Nothing in my book! I consider it the same as a facial or getting your hair and make-up done. As all girls should know, looking your best on camera starts with planning a routine ahead of time.

Miss Alabama 2010 Audrey Moore, all smiles on her wedding day! Dress: Carriage House | Flowers: Hot House | Designer: Christopher Confero