BRIDAL PARTY PAMPERING

The Sanibel Day Spa rolls out the red carpet for brides and their attendants

It’s not unusual to see groups of stylish women descend on the Sanibel Day Spa, filling the manicure stations and sipping mimosas in the lounge as they wait for their freshly painted toes to dry. After all, Pam Attuso, owner of the spa, has created one of the most welcoming venues on Sanibel Island for wedding parties who want to be pampered before the big day—and those who want their hair and nails done the morning of the celebration.

“I have a service for every bride and her bridal party. We can accommodate four mani-pedis at one time,” she says of her spa, which has the charm of a cozy beach cottage.

In the beauty business for 26 years, this peppy business woman and her dedicated staff (everyone has been with her for at least 10 years) have that special knack of listening and then translating the information into the perfect hairstyle. “We never met a head of hair we can’t handle,” jokes one of her hairstylists.

To make the bride’s day go smoothly, Attuso does as much prep work as possible before the actual appointment, talking and emailing with her clients. “We know what every girl needs for her hair before the bridal party arrives,” she explains.

With four pedicure, four manicure and six stylist stations, plus 10 private treatment rooms, the spa can accommodate large groups. Spa ser vices such as massages are usually done the day before. “That’s the day for the ladies to relax and just enjoy each other ,” she says, adding that she ser ves cappuccinos and cookies in the lounge, and the bride is always welcome to bring additional food and drink.

When brides want something special for their attendants, she suggests goody bags filled with mini-size lotion,

Pam Attuso, owner of the spa, has created one of the most welcoming venues on Sanibel Island for wedding parties who want to be pampered before the big day—

and those who want their hair and nails done the morning of the celebration.

shampoo and shower gel. A gift certificate that covers the hair appointment is another idea. Since it’s the bride’s right to dictate how she wants her wedding party to look, the gift certificate is a cordial way of covering expenses for any attendant who might want to do her own hair.

“You don’t want to look at your wedding photos and see one of the bridesmaids with hair that’s just not right. Say we do four updos for a bridal party, they’ll all look finished and polished,” Attuso points out.

Updos with braids and hair ornaments, like rhinestone or starfish clips, are popular. But the most requested, especially for beach weddings, is the sideswept style that works well with Sanibel’s wind and humidity.