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When Rachel first heard she had gotten hired for a wedding dress photoshoot, it kind of felt like she had won the lottery. She had modeled clothes for department stores in the past and booked some makeup jobs where she got to see the latest beauty trends before the general public knew about them and take home gift bags filled with samples. The freebies, not to mention the paychecks that followed, made her strenuous life as a model easier at times.
But this gig was particularly exciting because it broke a long drought of not being able to get work, which led to her switching agencies. It was exciting to be back in the world of designer clothing and elaborate photoshoots with the friends she’d made in the industry, and her new agent, Kurt, had almost immediately gotten her a full month of gigs after she signed with him. Kurt had ample industry connections, having interned at Vogue and working as a writer before stepping away to start his own agency.
Not to mention, it was as good a chance as any to imagine her own potential wedding day. She wasn’t seeing anyone at the moment, but was crossing her fingers that she’d be working with a cute male model, and preferably one who was single. Maybe she’d cross paths with Blaine again, although rumor had it he was playing for the other team. Or there was Finn, who had a killer smile. They complimented each other well, aesthetically speaking. Although last she knew, he was working for Crest or Invisalign or some other dental brand where his perfect teeth were his biggest asset.
Enough daydreaming, she told herself as she headed towards hair and makeup. She was eager to see what the photographer had in mind for her look, which would help her envision what she might be wearing for the shoot.
“Rachel, good to see you back at work,” Tina, the makeup artist, told her when she sat down after getting her hair done in a bun with a metallic headband. “I haven’t seen you in a while. Have you been doing OK?”
“I’m much better now that I finally have a full calendar,” Rachel replied with a laugh. “Kurt has done wonders for my career; I don’t know why I didn’t hire him sooner. Some of the other models were trying to warn me against it, saying he hasn’t been out on his own long and had a startup agency, and asking if I was sure I wanted to trust him with my career. But I knew what I was doing. He’s ambitious, he has connections…he worked at Vogue for God’s sake. I mean, how much more trust do you need than that?”
“I agree; the big names definitely help. If I were in that position, I’d be wondering if the other girls were hoping to derail my career so they could get the bigger jobs for themselves. Like maybe they knew he was the full package as far as agents go, but tried to convince you otherwise in hopes that he’d book them for their dream jobs? I guess that’s why I do makeup, though. Yeah, there’s a lot of competition for beauty jobs too, but I find it easier to avoid the drama, not to mention my self-confidence isn’t always the greatest.”
“I’ve had people try to cut me down my whole life. I’ve had agents tell me they’re tired of the small-town girls who think they can move to New York and make it big as models, not having a clue how the industry works. And of course, I dealt with a ton of rejection on go-sees and had to wait tables or take office receptionist jobs while waiting for my break. I’ve been told what feels like hundreds of times that I don’t have the right look or portfolio for this or that job. If anything, I’m more resilient than ever. It doesn’t get to me anymore.
“So, it looks like we’re going for a classic romance look today.” She let out a big breath as she quickly changed the subject.
“Well, from what I’ve heard, simple and elegant is going to be in this wedding season,” Tina said. “I’m actually kind of excited to get this job because I’m not sure if you heard the gossip, but Artie and I—he’s a photographer you may have heard of, although he’s not working the shoot today—just got engaged. So before the models got here, I snuck a peek at some of the dresses and April invited me to make an appointment at her shop next week and try some on. I’m so excited.”
Rachel smiled at Tina, knowing that April Rhodes Bridal was one of the most popular shops in New York City. An appointment to try on dresses was almost as exciting as the wedding day itself, with champagne for brides and their friends and family, trying on the dress “on stage” in front of a vanity-like mirror with LED lighting, and celebratory, informal photoshoots to commemorate the dress selection.
“That’s great,” Rachel replied. “Although I have to admit I’m still looking for the love of my life.”
“Never know. Maybe he’s here today. I know, I know, he’s only pretending to be the groom, just like you’re not really a bride. But still…the excitement of the job and the concept could generate some chemistry and lead to a first date. Especially for the outdoor component since it’s such a beautiful day. Or he may be among the men portraying the wedding party. I’d give details since some of them have been through makeup already, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise.”
“I actually think it’s better to not know. I can’t break my focus too much right now after being off the job for a while. But I appreciate you trying to be supportive.”
After Rachel had gotten into her dress, a white strapless A-line with silver embellishments, she went out to the chapel set first, where she knew she’d be shooting a first look and possibly a walk down the aisle. As she walked towards the male models, a tall man with soft brown hair approached her with a winning smile. Almost as good as Finn’s, if not better, she analyzed.
“You must be my bride,” he said. “I’m Jesse. And I believe you’re Rachel, right?”
She blinked her eyes a few times, just trying to take him in. Oh, maybe Tina’s on to something. This could be my lucky day.
“Yeah,” she finally answered, smiling back as she felt butterflies. “It’s…nice to meet you. I’m looking forward to working with you.”
“Same here. Is this the first time you’ve shot a wedding? It’s mine, so we can be nervous and awkward together.”
“It’s mine too. I’m excited to be wearing an April Rhodes dress, but I’m just hoping everything else goes well.”
“It’s our wedding day. What could possibly go wrong?”
She liked his relaxed approach to the job already.
After the shoot, once they had changed out of their “wedding” clothes and Rachel had managed to undo her bun (it was harder than it looked at first sight), she and Jesse decided to take a walk and decompress.
“Have you been in New York awhile?” he asked.
“Just about two years,” she answered. “I started out in theater back in Ohio, but when I was a teenager, I suddenly got interested in modeling. My dads were very encouraging and drove me to a couple of bigger cities for casting calls, since there weren’t a whole lot of agents and directors coming to Lima.”
“Wait? Your dads? Did I hear that right?”
“You sure did. I was the product of a surrogate. My dads spoiled me. They let me pick my life path and allowed me to try any creative pursuit I wanted; they were never the type of parents to hold me back or talk me out of things. Of course, when they put me on the train to New York, we hugged and cried because that’s what parents and kids do. But it helped to know I had their full support. They’re coming to see me soon, actually.
“What about you? How long have you been here?”
“About five years,” he replied. “I never really intended to go into modeling. I was a theater major at NYU, actually, and was in a couple of choral groups. I was having the time of my life, but I was also pretty broke. I picked up one of those brand ambassador jobs where you hand out drink samples and worked at some bars around the city. Did you ever do any work like that?”
“Not really. I’ve always tried to get more clothing modeling jobs, although I was a hair model for a little bit for stylists’ portfolios and cosmetology conventions. That was pretty fun; there are some incredible brands around here, but I’m sure you know of Paul Mitchell and Aveda. Your hair’s pretty great.”
“Thanks!” Jesse grinned and laughed. “I’ll have to look into some of those hair modeling gigs to hold me over if my work ever dries up.”
“You mean a guy like you has a hard time booking gigs too?”
“Well, it’s gotten better. But that’s the life of a model. I got rejected a lot when I first started out too. You’d think a male model would have it easier than a woman and there’s less pressure. Trust me, there’s not. I’ve heard my share of how I’m not the right body type, and I’ve tried on clothes for designers only to have them say I don’t fit their brand image. Sometimes I wonder if I should have just stuck with theater. At least there I could get parts based on my singing and acting skills and not whether I looked better in men’s clothes from Old Navy or J. Crew. Do you miss theater?”
“Only singing and dancing in musicals,” Rachel said. “I was never a natural at speaking lines, although I’ve had to work on it for commercial auditions. And I know it sounds shallow, but sometimes I miss being a star and having the spotlight.”
“No, totally valid. You know, as a model, you’re not really the star even though you’re the one in front of the camera. That’s how I’ve come to think about it anyway. Sometimes you’re working with other models in one photo. And then there’s the people who put us together, whether they picked the outfits or did the hair and makeup. They aren’t in the shot themselves, but their work is on display and you get to see what they can do. Then there’s the photographer, who’s like the director of a movie. Sometimes I think I’m there as the supporting actor. But that’s OK, because there are no small parts—”
“Only small actors.” Rachel and Jesse smiled at each other as she finished his sentence.
“Looks like we’re on the same wavelength in front of and away from the camera,” he said.
“Do you have any other advice for me?” she asked. “I’m not always good at being humble either. Coming from a small town, I was always the big star in high school, but once I got to New York, I learned the hard way that there are so many girls just like me, not to mention some who are even prettier or more talented than me. I thought about quitting a lot and took rejection pretty personally until another model taught me the importance of resilience and not being afraid to keep chasing what I want. I still remember her name: Santana. I never thought we’d be friends, but now I may be moving into her apartment when her roommate moves out in a couple months.”
“Oh, well that’s one other thing you definitely need to do to succeed in this business. It’s not only learning from rejection and not taking it personally, but the way you act on the job once you land it. People are definitely watching how you treat other models and the behind-the-scenes crew, or how well you take direction and criticism. Not that I think you were a diva on the shoot today, but think of every gig as your first one that will let you keep building your book.
“And…try not to let the bright lights and pressure of New York City get to you too often. I know it can seem like everyone is trying to hustle and be famous, but we all can’t walk the runway at Fashion Week. There are so many ways to succeed in the modeling business. You’ll find your niche if you stick with it and meet the right people. That said, I’m not afraid to try anything once. I just hope you have a good agent.”
“Now I do. I really like your outlook. It’s so hard to stay positive in this industry sometimes.”
“Totally. But you know, I like to think of it as if I’m still onstage. Every gig is a chance for me to be a new character, whether it’s an athlete or a craft beer enthusiast, or, yes, even a groom on the happiest day of my life. I don’t have any lines, but I’m still setting a scene and giving the audience a specific vibe.”
“That’s beautiful.”
They stopped in front of an ice cream shop, and Rachel looked longingly inside. She generally preferred to go for frozen yogurt, since she knew she had to constantly work on her figure, and even that was a rare stop. But her conversation and walk with Jesse made her want to continue the afternoon, and one indulgence wasn’t going to ruin her hard work.
“Are you hungry?” she asked.
“Starving, actually. I’m glad you asked. I was going to ask you, but what can I say? For all the big game I just talked, I still get nervous when the lights shine the brightest.”
“Me too.”
“Well then. I’ve given you a lot of advice, but maybe you can teach me a thing or two. Let’s see how things go over some ice cream, and if we still want to stick together offstage, we can plan it from there. And...since I’d feel weird making you do this, I’ll pay, even though you asked me to join you. I’m still a traditionalist when it comes to dating, after all.”
“Perfect.” Rachel smiled at him. “Then let's order and dig in."