BEAUTY STYLIST Donna Smith - Hair
service for 20 years or more, and the proof of her success is not hard to see. After such a long time in the business there has got to be a few funny anecdotes or stories of wedding day mishaps in her memory, right? I asked Donna to share one or two “hair-raising” debacles with our readers. She laughed obligingly and claimed, “there are certain words you should never say to a bride on her wedding day – EMERGENCY is one of them!” “From fainting brides to burnt veils, I’ve seen it all!” she says. She proceeded to tell me about a truly fascinating story with, luckily, a very happy ending. After being together for 6 years and having their first child, couple Kieron and Joanna Hatton decided on Barbados as the destination to tie the knot. They decided on a very intimate ceremony with just the three of them. Not hard to coordinate right? Wrong! After searching online, the couple settled for a wedding planner sourced on a recognized website. Upon meeting the appointed planner, she was rude and unprofessional, gave them very little information in regards to venue and ceremony details, and the Hattons were at a loss as to how to proceed. On the day of the nuptials, the wedding planner was an hour late and there were no pictures or even a wedding certificate issued! The Hattons returned to the UK extremely disappointed with the whole experience along with having no evidence of their special day. Joanna turned to her only other source of contact during the ordeal; her hairstylist Donna. Upset and saddened by the treatment the Hattons received, Donna spent a year trying to contact the parties involved and procure some form of compensation for the couple. Finally, with the help of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association, Donna was able to ensure their return to Barbados. She enlisted the help of Malissa Blackman who finally located their marriage certificate and coordinated the details for the couple to renew their vows. So, on November 23rd 2010, exactly one year after their harrowing first ordeal, Donna and her team gave the Hattons the amazing opportunity for a second chance at the dream wedding they always desired. Fabulous hair and make-up, an intimate beach setting for exchanging of vows, professional photographer, flowers, cake, the works. All completely free of cost! In gratitude to Donna for all of her heart felt efforts, Joanna asked her to serve as her maid of honour. If that isn’t a fairy tale ending I don’t know what is!
To have your hair styled by Barbados’s very own “stylist to the stars” visit Donna’s website at www.hairstylebydonna.com to book your appointment.
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