This is your day. It is the one you have been planning for since you were a little girl and used your blanket as a veil. Everyone who is important to you is there, and all eyes are on you. The dress is perfect, the flowers are spectacular, so why do you still feel there's something you need to worry about? This is where many brides come unstuck... What do I do with my face? I like natural make-up, but what about the photos? I don't want to look like a drag queen. Should I hire someone, or should I do it myself? Stop panicking! Breathe deeply, sit down, relax and let's sort this out.
OK, agreed… you don't want to look like a drag queen. In fact, if you are really worried, you can do your make-up as you normally would, but where's the fun in that? The main thing to remember is that this is not the day to experiment with a new look. You need to feel comfortable and beautiful. It would also be helpful if your groom can still recognise you when you get to the end of the aisle! So you think, 'I'll ask around, maybe go to a store and have a makeover and a bit of advice.' And here's the problem. You get too much advice, and the advice is always different from each of the people you ask. So what is right? Here's a guide that will hopefully take the worry out of this part of your wedding plans!
Stick with what you know
As I said before, this is not a day to try something new. If you're going for a radical change, give yourself some time to get used to it... and plenty of time to practise. The best rule is that you want more than a normal daytime look but less than a black-tie event. If you're terminally cack-handed when it comes to applying make-up, you should consider asking a friend who is good at make-up or a professional make-up artist to do it for you on the big day. You should have a practice run first so you are sure what the end result will be. No surprises! The last thing you want on your wedding day is to look in the mirror and hate what someone has done! Keep in mind, though, that if you are hiring a make-up artist to do you on the day, you will pay for the trial session. But at the end of the day, it will be worth it for peace of
There is something to be said for having someone do your face for you, as long as you have the utmost faith in what they will do. You can then sit calmly while someone makes you look your finest. Countless brides have told me that having their make-up done was one of their favourite parts of the day. You get to relax and know that when it is done, you will look better than you have ever looked before. Expect to pay quite dearly for it. Make-up artists will charge you anywhere from £50-£250 for this, and sometimes even more, depending on where the wedding is, and whether you want bridesmaids, mums and the like done too.
Now, if you are going to do it yourself there are some things you should know. To begin with, you do not need to go with pinks and peaches just because they are 'romantic'. You can wear whatever you like just as long as you feel good in the colour. There is no set rule for wedding make-up colours - I have put bright red lipstick on a bride before! It was gorgeous and it was what she was used to. So here we go, preliminaries out of the way…
Foundation
Please, please, please match your skin! You do not want to look as if you've been 'Tango-d'. The current styles for dresses seem to have a lot of upper chest showing, and you need to be the same colour from the face down. If you're pale and you feel you must have some colour, fake it! Don't use a foundation three shades darker than your skin, the pictures will look frightful. You can add colour with your blusher or a bronzing powder. One way to look really fresh and fashionable is to add a slightly shimmery product to your usual foundation or to use a shimmer stick to highlight the tops of cheekbones, brow bones and body as well. You also do not want to have to worry about hands not matching your face when you lift a veil or tuck your hair behind your ears.
Eyes
One of the easiest ways to change your daily make-up for the wedding is to change the finish of your eyeshadow. Use a base colour that has a slight sheen. Be careful of frosted eyeshadows as they can bounce the flash in the photos. Dior has some beautiful metallics in its solo shadows range - particular favourites are Sand Beige (a soft gold) and Golden Peach. Another good base is Alchemy's Gingko (a taupe with a flicker of silver). These can be used with your regular contouring colours. Waterproof mascara is a good idea even if you don't think you will cry. I have seen too many brides who were confident they would be fine break down in tears when they finally looked in the mirror! The trip to the church is also a potential crying zone! Better be safe than sorry. If in doubt, use a waterproof eye pencil as well - Clinique Quickliner is particularly good.
Getting married? Then be sure check out our sister site You and Your Wedding for everything you ever wanted to know about planning your big day
