Hiyah! I feel I should kick off by giving you fair warning that this post is going to be picture heavy.

The 2015 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards took place recently and When Love Happens was nominated in three categories. I'd been looking forward to the ceremony since the nominees' announcement last year and there was only one label I trusted to give me the red carpet SAG Awards/Golden Globes/Oscars touch. You'll remember the label from this post when they were known as Peridot & Ruby. Thanks to a rebrand, they are simply now known as Peridot.

When I booked my AMVCA dress consultation with Peridot, I had no idea what I wanted to wear but I knew for certain that I wanted my very own #SomethingPeridot. I knew I would be in safe hands with Peridot and the CEO, Lola Ashafa's personal touch certainly didn't disappoint. Peridot went above and beyond any expectation I could possibly have had and even helped me book THE best team, ever - hair, makeup, photography with a keen eye on all the little things that make a world of difference between ready and red-carpet-ready.

As Peridot was also dressing my super talented friend Lamide Akintobi, we decided to make a girly day of it, get dressed for the show and attend together.

On the day itself, the ever supportive James Omokwe (director of Awakening) showed up super bright eye and bushy tailed and surprised me with a whole load of equipment to help document my getting ready process. The video will be on my YouTube channel soon.

I cut all the relaxed ends off my hair in August 2014 and though I have successfully experimented with red carpet styles by myself a few times, I was not ready to try to even think about trusting myself to do it this time. Dupe Talabi of Tasala HQ was a Godsend. I sat in her chair and nearly fell asleep because she was so gentle with my very unruly, dry, stubborn, kinky hair. When I got out of her chair, my 8(?) inches of 4G (as in tougher than Godis) hair with the aid of a few lines of Marley, had been given length, colour, style and a beautiful low chignon.

Then Banke Meshia Lawal of BM-Pro got to working on my face. A pat here, a sweep and a dab there, a flick here...

... and I was given all the accents I needed to carry off that matte, nude, lip that didn't trip up my dress.

Did I mention that Peridot stock gorgeous jewellery and accessories too? Well, they do and I wore these Peridot beauties to the AMVCA.

Now, I may not know what it feels like to hold such prestigious awards in my hands as Uzo Aduba, Lupita Nyong'o, Kerry Washington, Helen Mirren and Meryl Streep do but my goodness, that day, I felt like I was floating in the same kind of air as them. I was awash with emotion several times that day but as I had promised not to embarrass everyone by crying, I had to stay cool. Ice cool.

Just before I hopped on the Red Carpet, Peridot had the bright idea of adding a band to my hair and this is what it looked like.

I am ever so grateful to everyone who played a significant role in making this look, this day, come to life:

HAIR:
Name: Dupe Talabi
Business Name: Tasala HQ
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tasalahq
Email: Tasalahq@gmail.com

MUA:
Name: Banke Meshida Lawal
Business Name: BM-Pro
Office Address: 13B Awori Road, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi
Website: www.BMProMakeup.com
Telephone: +2348152719092

DRESS:
Business Name: Peridot
Email: info@somethingperidot.com
Telephone: +2348187348907

PHOTOGRAPHY:
Name: Lanre Balogun
Business Name: Libran Eye Photography
Website: www.libraneye.com/blog
Email: info@libraneye.com
Telephone: +2347033005951

CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Name: James Omokwe
Business Name: Studio 84 Productions
Contact: google.com/+jamesomokwe | www.youtube.com/TheOmokwe

Peace, Love and Hidden Gems

When Love Happens: AMVCA