Applying Bridal Makeup and Choosing a Stylist for
Day or Night Weddings for Professional Looking Results
Choosing a Make-up and Hair Stylist for Your Wedding Day
Hiring a makeup artist to first conceptualize your wedding look and then apply
your makeup on the day of the wedding is a smart move. If you can afford the
time and money, having the entire bridal party done by a professional will make
your bridesmaids and your mom look their best for the photos, too. Traditional
Indian weddings involve painting the hands and feet with henna as well as
applying cosmetics and dressing the bride in her wedding sari: in the past, the
women in the family readied the bride for her wedding, but with more families
living far apart, brides are opting to bring in experts to help the wedding go
smoothly.
Plan ahead to get the right professional bridal make-up artist
Choosing a stylist is a little tricky and shouldn't be done at the last moment.
If you don't already have a favorite stylist, don't just pick the first one you
meet unless you have an instant rapport. Shop around: ask to see their
portfolios, talk with them about your ideas and the styles you are planning to
evoke at your wedding. Look for someone who has similar taste and who wants to
support your dreams on your wedding day. Equally important is reliability: ask
for references and call the stylists' old clients to ask a few questions. Did
the stylist show up on time? Was he or she prepared, having brought the tools
needed to get the job done? And was the bride comfortable with stating her
wishes and getting what she wanted from the stylist?
Have a mock-up or trial run with the professional stylist before making a
final decision
Once you've narrowed your choices down to two or three (having already made sure
they aren't booked on the date of your wedding), visit the stylist and have a
trial run of the makeup you want to wear for your wedding. Talk about the
lighting where the ceremony and reception will be held, and the look you want
for your photos, which should influence the cosmetics you use. Are you looking
for a dramatic look or something natural and fresh? Will your hair be up or
down, and what sort of hair accessories or veil will you be using? Coordinate
your makeup with your hair style, jewelry and gown.
Consider the time of day and wedding setting: Night, Day, or Weddings
Outdoors
If your wedding is during the day and outside and the reception in the evening
and indoors, you may want to schedule a second makeup session between the
ceremony and the reception. You may need makeup that's lighter for daytime
portraits, but for evening revelries you may want to go a little heavier on the
eye makeup. Darker eye shadow, deeper blusher and shimmery lip color may be
perfect for nighttime, but in the daylight you may need more natural eye shadow
colors and a matte lipstick. Work out the details with your stylist so all your
portraits come out showing you at your very best.
DIY Bridal Makeup Still Requires a Little Advice from a Professional
If you decide to do your own makeup or have a friend do it for you, it's still
worthwhile to get tips from an expert and then practice your makeup before the
big day. Then, prepare as a professional would with towels to wrap around the
neck (and over that gorgeous gown), brushes for applying makeup so your hands
don't get stained (or worse, stain your clothes) and a bottle of spot remover
standing by. Don't let a wayward mascara brush wreck your ivory lace veil!
