I have been very lucky to have had the chance to be involved in more weddings than I can count. I haven’t been blessed with with too many special talents, but when it comes to makeup I just get it. Over the years I have come up with a bridal checklist of sorts, to help a bride decide on what she really wants. None of them have fought me or cried yet so I assume I’m on the right path. So, if any of you are getting married or are even in a bridal party, please keep these things into consideration. Especially if you are allowing someone else to apply your makeup on the big day. We aren’t mind readers. Unless you go in with a very specific idea in mind, you could come out looking like a clown stripper. Trust me, you don’t want that.
Know What You Want The Focus On
What is the look you are trying to achieve. Do you want a strong eye? Do you want a bold mouth? These are the things that you have to decide first. I personally like to start off soft and gradually build up color so things don’t get too dark. Not everyone does this. They can fire black on your eyes and burgundy on your mouth in five minutes. If that’s not what you’re interested in, then you can see the trouble that can come from that. A crying bride that looks like an extra from a Nirvana video.
Speak To Your Photographer
It’s always good to know where photos will be taken. Lighting can make a world of difference, as it can bring out shadows on the face that aren’t very flattering. If your foundation is too dark or light then this can be bad. Very, very bad. I asked photographer Thera Weenink what to ask for when it comes to lighting. She said ” I prefer natural lighting when it comes to making a bride look best. Natural lighting is more earthy to work with, while studio lighting can pull blue hues. That can create a cooler, less inviting tone to a photo”. So keep that in mind ladies, from a photographers mouth to your ears.
Keep The Falsies For Girls Night Out
I always have to fight brides tooth and nail about false eyelashes. The way that I look at it is, I can achieve long eyelashes for you without them. I find that they end up covering any eye makeup that I put on you with their length, so then what’s the point of paying someone to apply the rest of your eye makeup. You aren’t going to see it. In photos you are just going to see a strip of black. I’ve watched it happen and I highly urge you not to use them. If you are worried about length, then try some eyelash extension. They have a much more natural look without the heaviness of a false eyelash strip.
What Are Your Bridal Colors?
Every wedding has a color theme to work with. If you have chosen earth tones, then purple eyeshadow is going to stand out like a sore ass. I like to steer away from using a lot of color for makeup on a normal day, so for weddings I push that rule even more. The more color you use on your face, the more you are dating yourself. Think about the 80’s. you can always tell an 80’s wedding just from makeup alone ( I won’t even involve the puffy shoulders). The more of a neutral tone, the greater chance your photos will be timeless.
Do You Have A Theme?
Besides wedding colors, you might also be working with a theme. Be sure to tell your makeup artist if you do. For instance, if your having a very Ralph Lauren nautical theme, a natural eye and a red lip would play into it very well. If you are choosing more of a Hollywood Gatsby theme, then you can go for an all out glamorous look. You can use makeup to really play up the theme aspect and set the tone for the rest of your look.
Take Inspiration Photos
In a world full of social media its very easy to come across inspiration for your look. Ever since Pinterest hit the scene, I tell brides to save any makeup photos that they like. Even if it’s just to show me the tones that they like, it’s still a start. If you give a makeup artist a lot of options they can tell you what will work the best for your features. That way you don’t pigeon hole yourself by only having one choice. Choose as many as you can. You can always take your favorite parts of each look and come up with your own that will look the best on you.
Keep The Season In Mind
There will be a huge difference between how you have your makeup is done for the middle of summer or for the middle of winter. The warmer and more humid it is will determine which products a makeup artist will have to use. Hello any kind of stay on makeup ever made. Usually in the summer as well, the skin is kept more sheer and dewy. In the winter you can get away with more of a matte and dramatic look.
Hair
I would strongly suggest that much like hair, you go for a makeup run through. If you really want to see what your working with then schedule it for after your wedding day hair trial. That way your makeup artist can see if your makeup is going to mesh well with the rest of the look your going for. It can also give them an opportunity to tweak and fine tune anything that you’re unsure of.
Speak Up!
Whenever I finish someone’s makeup, I make them go look in the mirror while I ask them a million question. I want you to leave happy. I don’t care if I have to wipe it all off and do something different. It’s not about me. It’s about you. If you don’t like something that someone has done, you have to say something. Your makeup artist or hairdresser don’t think of it as an inconvenience. We would rather hear it from you so that we can change it rather than hear on the street that we did a shit job and that you went home and cried. If you see something that you’re unsure of during the process, say something. It’s your day, not ours. We want you to leave feeling happy and beautiful.
Be True To You
I understand that weddings can be very stressful. Somedays you just don’t have the fight in you. With that being said, if you have never worn red lipstick in your life, don’t ask for it for your special day just because your maid of honor thinks it would be a good choice. You don’t want to be someone else on your wedding. You want to be a more polished and refined version of yourself. Feel free to share how you usually do your makeup so that your makeup artist knows what you’re comfortable with. Then we can get a sense of who you are and can set out to get you ready while keeping you calm and comfortable.
I realize that not all makeup artists or hair dressers are the same. Some WILL look at you as just a paycheck. There are lots of us out there though that want to make you happy. With that being said, we aren’t magic. We need a clear and concise idea of what you are looking for to be able to achieve it for you. The more you can describe the look that you want, the more of a chance we have to help you. I hope that these tips help your special day run even more smoothly. A bride has enough stress, she doesn’t need makeup to be on the stress list.
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