The Big Day is Here

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Treat yourself and your bridesmaids to some well-deserved pampering

By Andrea Busche

The American wedding industry has grown exponentially in recent decades, due in large part to popular reality TV shows, including “Say Yes to the Dress” and “Bridezillas.”

As such, modern couples have more options than ever for their nuptials. Brides and grooms today are spending more on everything from the dress and the honeymoon to a little prewedding pampering.

In fact, the average cost of a wedding in 2020 was $19,000, according to popular wedding website The Knot. While this number may sound high, this figure is actually on the low side, as many couples “downsized” their weddings due to COVID-

19. The bottom line: Weddings today are big business.

One particular subset of this booming industry includes pre-wedding beauty appointments. Where once it was common for a bride to simply get her hair done for her wedding day, the pre-wedding beauty ritual now includes manicures, pedicures, professional makeup, lash extensions, facials, laser hair removal, Botox and more. Many brides also include their bridesmaids in the fun, and enjoy bonding while undertaking a few of these beauty treatments together.

To learn more, we recently visited with Jolene Timmers, the owner of several businesses dedicated to these services; in fact, weddings, prom and other special events make up roughly 40% of her annual revenue. Timmers’ businesses offer the perfect “one stop shop” for a bride and her crew to relax and enjoy some well-deserved pampering.

The shops

Timmers, whose businesses are located at 1705 Tower Ave. in Superior, has been a leader in the beauty industry for a long time.

“I’ve always wanted to be independent and own my own business,” she said. “And I wanted a facility that gave our stylists a place to grow.”

Timmers herself is a certified cosmetologist, meaning she is trained to treat hair, skin and nails; she is also Xtreme Lash certified, and does teeth whitening, chemical peels, SkinPen and microdermabrasion treatments.

“I’m a firm believer in expanding my education,” she said. “The more services you know, the more you can offer.”

Timmers also employs a medical director and registered nurse to handle the medical-grade treatments that occur onsite.

Timmers began her empire in 2009, when she started creating a business plan. In 2010, she opened Serenity Spa and Salon, and purchased the building later that same year. In subsequent years, she has added Superior Salon Suites, Twin Ports Laser and Cosmetic, and Posh Affair Boutique to the family. In 2021, her younger sister, Jessica Matson, and her business partner, Raya Horst, took over Serenity Spa and Posh Affair Boutique; however, Timmers remains deeply involved in the businesses.

Timmers is incredibly proud of her businesses, her staff, and noted strong support from the local business community, too.

“Our community has just been great,” she said. “And we support continued growth in women and in business — we really want to encourage that. It’s so rewarding to watch staff members start out in beauty school and grow to eventually open their own hair chair. Being a mentor to others is my favorite part.”

Trends

As Timmers and her team handle many wedding parties, she has her thumb firmly on the pulse of some popular hair and makeup trends.

“When I first started in this industry, we didn’t do airbrush makeup,” she said. “But now airbrush makeup is very popular. People also want highlighting, contouring and matte finishes.

Lashes are also very popular — strip lashes, groupings and permanent lash extensions.”

When it comes to hair, trends vary.

“I get requests for a lot of braiding,” she shared. “Bubble braids and Elsa braids are popular. Classic, loose waves, hair up with pieces coming down, and half-up, half-down styles are also popular.”

Timmers also noted a few helpful recommendations for brides.

“Drinking water is huge for the health of your skin. But a lot of brides come in with skin issues. For instance, if they are breaking out, they will often get a facial. We’ll do some light exfoliation, but I don’t recommend anything crazy leading up to their wedding.

“And, if you don’t normally wear a ton of makeup, we’d recommend that you do a softer makeup with a more natural

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CALL 218-830-0771 FOR A TOUR AND FREE CONSULTATION lash,” she added. “We always do trials with brides beforehand. We meet with them, chat with them, and help them pick a stylist. We have to find their groove.”

Services

To accommodate these and other trends, Timmers’ businesses offer a wide variety of services that appeal to many brides. This can include treatments on their wedding day, or even a unique venue for a bachelorette party.

The fact that her businesses are all connected, providing a convenient “one-stop shop,” makes this venue a great choice for many bridal parties. Timmers shared a list of treatments offered at each venue.

Twin Ports Laser and Cosmetic:

• SkinPen

• Microdermabrasion

• SkinMedica skin peels

• Latisse

• Lash extensions/lifts

• Lash and brow tinting

• Laser hair removal

• Botox and Juvederm

• Facials and other medical-grade skin care

• Waxing services

• Lipolaser for skin tightening and fat reduction

Superior Salon Suites:

• Haircuts and styling

• Hair coloring

• Foils

• Balayage

• Waxing services

• Retail sales of hair care products

Serenity Spa and Salon:

• Manicures

• Pedicures

• Skin care, including facials and body wraps

• Lash extensions

• Henna brows

• All hair care options

• Waxing services

• Retail sales of hair care products

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Extended hours and improved safety

An additional convenience of this suite of businesses is their expanded hours. Stylists will often come in early and stay late to accommodate a wedding, and will even travel.

“We always accommodate our brides,” Timmers said. “We’ve traveled to Brule, Solon Springs, and even the Twin Cities. Once, we left at 6 a.m., drove to Bayfield, and took the ferry over to Madeline Island.”

Timmers noted that safety is a top priority for her clients, as the pandemic continues.

“Our staff have all been vaccinated. But we will follow our customers’ lead, and will wear a mask if that makes them comfortable.”

Relax and enjoy some pampering

It can be a special bonding experience for a bride to experience a day of pampering with her loved ones. It can also help ease some of those notorious pre-wedding jitters.

Timmers and her entire staff are dedicated to helping brides feel beautiful on their wedding day. And the convenience of multiple services in one location makes things run much more smoothly.

“It’s always amazing watching a bride find their style; their look,” she said. “We want to make sure their day is all about them. We love watching our clients — some of whom come in starting as children — grow up and get married. They’re like my second family. They’ve been with us through it all.” D