Gina Samantha’s Team
NH Licensed Cosmetology Instructor
Hair and Makeup Artist
MUD Certified Makeup Educator
Certified Wedding and Event Planner
Travel Planner (Specializing in Disney & Universal)
Gina Samantha Sandlin
Gina is a native New Englander who loves all things beauty, pink, sparkly, dance, and Disney!
She grew up in Central Massachusetts and was a competitive dancer and singer throughout her childhood, teens, and early twenties, competing and performing throughout the country, although her favorite place to visit and perform was always Walt Disney World. She developed a love of beauty products and services because of the many different styles of hair and makeup she had to learn for various roles and costumes. By age seven, she was applying her own stage makeup, and French braiding her own hair!
Gina attended Empire Beauty School in Laconia, NH, and went on to work at salons in New Hampshire and in Manhattan, NYC where she had opportunities to work and study with amazing artists from around the world! Although she loved the experience of working in the Big Apple, her family oriented heart brought her back to New England.
She worked in beautiful downtown Concord, NH, and owned her own salon for seven years, which is where she met her wonderful husband. She owned her salon until they welcomed their first child. Then, she decided to give up owning a storefront business to devote more time to family.
Gina is a licensed cosmetologist (since 2006), cosmetology instructor (since 2017), and MakeUp Designory certified makeup educator (since 2021).
Gina has trained with DevaCurl in curly hair cutting & styling; studied hair color at the Wella Colour Studio in Rockefeller Center; Antonio Prieto Salon apprenticeship program; studied color and makeup with Tigi/Bedhead; trained in color with Artego, Goldwell, All Nutrient, and Matrix; trained in updos and wedding & event hair styling with Patrick Cameron at the Wella Studio, as well as several Aquage, Kenra, and Paul Mitchell educational events. She continues to seek advanced education as often as possible!
Gina studied for wedding and event planning and coordination with Penn Foster in 2016.
She completed training with DizN Vacations, Disney’s College of Knowledge, and Universal and You in early 2023.
Assistant Planner/Coordinator
Decor Carpenter
Jonathan S. Sandlin
Jonathan is from Bow, New Hampshire. He is a proud New Englander, and although he’s lived in other states, he loves all the beauty and nature New Hampshire offers!
Jonathan grew up playing baseball, and was even the only freshman to make his varsity team. He was a talented pitcher, was scouted by colleges, and went on to play in college and then to coach. He can’t wait to be able to coach his kids’ teams when they’re old enough!
Jonathan earned his bachelor’s degree in history and is especially interested in American history. He went on to become certified in special education and to earn his master’s degree in education.
His career in special education gives him a special quality of patience and kindness, which comes through with clients and their families. He is determined to help them to create the events they’ve envisioned, and he’s great with communication and plain old hard work.
While he never imagined he would work in the wedding industry, Jonathan got sucked into assisting his wife in her early planning days, when she didn’t have an assistant coordinator for a labor intensive event. He fell in love with the hustle and bustle of it, and the joy and excitement of newlyweds and their families. And, A New England Affair was born!
Jonathan also has a natural gift for woodworking and has been honing his skills and studying carpentry, so that he can build the beautiful arbors and other decor items he’s envisioned with couples. He’s excited to build and create unique pieces for events, to be purchased or rented as needed!
Licensed Cosmetologist
Hair and Makeup Artist
Shawna Moore
Shawna is from Hooksett, New Hampshire and is happy to raise her own family in the town she loves and grew up in! As a lifelong New Englander, she’s also a big fan of warm footwear and hot coffee!
Shawna attended Empire Beauty School in Laconia, NH and has been a cosmetologist since 2006. She has worked in salons as both an employee and a booth renter. She met Gina while booth renting, and their shared love of weddings created New England Wedding Team!
Shawna also works for Southern New Hampshire University, where she is continuing her education, while also raising two amazing humans with her husband, who happens to be her high school sweetheart! When she does have free time, she loves to spend quality time with family and friends, and can’t wait to be able to do so safely again! She also loves crafts and is especially talented at crochet, which allowed her to make and donate many hats to her local hospital’s NICU!
Photographer
Leila White
Leila is a portrait photographer based in Manchester, New Hampshire. Photography has been her passion since the '70s! She is a wife and mother of three. She speaks Russian and English.
Leila is inspired by nature, love, and travel, and she believes that you are never too old to have an adventure! She helps people look good, feel good, and be confident in their lives. She loves helping them look and feel incredible in front of the camera.
Leila does a lot of fine art photography, and she and Gina started working together for sessions in 2020. Her work has been featured in galleries in Europe, as well as on the cover of Lensational Magazine!