What happens when Vancouver’s hottest hair & make-up duo take over Grand Empire Banquet Hall for their first ever Toronto pop-up shop? A beautifully lavish event with a line-up out the door doesn’t quite seem to do the day justice.

I had the pleasure of attending Pink Orchid Studio’s pop-up shop this past Sunday, where I got the chance to sit down with the beautiful (and hilarious) faces behind the name. Wondering how POS got its start? Curious about 2016 bridal trends? Dying to know POS’s favourite product? Buckle your seat belt and enjoy the ride as master hairstylist Shannon Mann and professional make-up artist Harp Sohal take us on a POS journey, only on Kiki Khosla!

Q: Where did the idea for POS come from?

Shannon: We’re best friends who were hanging out too much; wining, dining and shopping. A lot of people would reach out to us as stylists so we thought about starting a company. It was really organic and grew from there.

Harp: We knew when we opened our company we either give it 100% or nothing at all, so we quit our jobs and we went full force!

Q: Did you ever imagine POS would grow into something so big?

Harp: Yes and no.You hope for it!

Q: Have you two been best friends your entire lives?

Shannon: We are actually first cousins …and best friends. We will call each other and we’ll be doing the exact same thing at the exact same moment. She’s like my husband.

Q: You get to travel the globe doing what you love. Where is the most exciting place you’ve been?

Harp: We are heading to Dubai soon so we’re really exciting about that. Jamaica is always fun, and so is Atlantis in Bahamas.

Q: Would you ever consider relocating to Toronto?

Harp: Yes, when Drake calls us and can bank roll the entire operation.

Shannon: There’s something really great about this city, and there is a lot of opportunity. A lot of our friends who are artists and have left Vancouver and come to Toronto have done so well over here.

Q: What are you waiting for? COME!

Harp: If our husbands would agree to move I would have been here yesterday. I love Toronto.

Q: How many brides on average does POS work with in one year?

Harp: Last year we did around 400 brides.

Q: How far in advance are you taking bookings?

Harp: We book up 2 – 3 years in advance. Right now we are booking into 2019.

Shannon: It makes planning vacations a bit difficult but we’ve learnt to manage our schedules very well and plan ahead of time. It’s organized chaos.

Q: Are there any bridal trends for 2016 that are making a statement?

Shannon: Dark lipstick. We’re seeing a lot more of the smoky eye and dark lipstick combo. Because there is so much going on with the make-up, the hair is almost taking a step back and being an accessory.

Q: How important are hair and make-up trends when working with brides?

Harp: We will give our opinion, but we like to listen to our brides and what they want. We always meet with our brides, and this is when the relationship starts to form. We tell them to start putting pictures of hair and make-up they like in a bridal folder and when we meet with them for their bridal consultation we get to know who they are as a person. Based on their personality and outfit we will start putting together a look. We will make suggestions but we won’t impose.

Q: What is one product you cannot live without?

Shannon & Harp: POS Contour Palette! It’s amazing because you can lose or gain weight with it.

Q: Is there one secret tip you share with your brides on their big day?

Harp: Don’t do the ugly cry!

Shannon: You need to protect your make-up. The water from your tears can cause your lashes to start falling off so just let the tears flow naturally and be careful.

Q: What’s next for POS?

Shannon & Harp: We have some big announcements coming up. Stay tuned on Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook!

For more information on POS click here to view their website. For bookings, email info@pinkorchidstudio.com or call 604-499-7165. Follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

A big thank you to the POS team for inviting me to be part of this beautiful event!

xo,

Kiki