In addition to film, TV and fashion makeup, I find doingBridal makeup is a fun, rewarding and all-around satisfying experience. Little girls'dream of the day they'll walk down the aisle dressed as a fairy-tale princess.Along with the beautiful dress come a special hair-do, a romantic veil andperfect makeup. The excitement is contagious!
After all the planning and arrangements are done and thecelebration has come and gone, what's left to remember the "big day"?The pictures that capture all the special moments and highlights are forever!So you see the importance of makeup and hair. We've seen enough before andafter pictures to attest to that. Enter the makeup artist.
Dealing with models and actors can be a lot easier thandealing with the general public or "bride". Models and actors will dowhat the designer or director requests. The bride, on the other hand, can be alot trickier to please...and making the bride happy is key.
Classic or Trendy?
Most brides want to look like themselves only better. If youlook through bridal magazines, you will see that the romantic, feminine lookdominates the pages. Eye makeup colors that are soft, medium intensity tones oftaupy browns with shimmery gold or smokey plum and mauve always lookappropriate. Rosy cheeks and rosy pink lips are the "in" colors.Anything too light or too dark will washout or overpower a white dress.
I ask the bride/client to cut out pictures of "looks"she likes from magazines I ask to see a picture of her gown to get a sense of herstyle. What color are the bridesmaids' dresses and flowers? Fashion-consciousbrides will choose colors of the season. For example, Fall weddings featurerust, bronze, cocoa, plum, cranberry and wine. Shades of rose, pink, peach,periwinkle, lavender and blue look cool in summer. Coordinating a makeuppallette to blend creates color continuity and will make the pictures pop.
At the consultation/trial, I look through the brides'current makeup case for clues about her color preferences. Evening weddingsrequire a more defined, dramatic look but keep in mind that the makeup has tolook good up close and personal for all the well-wishers. Daytime weddingsrequire a softer, more natural application. Some brides will request falseeyelashes... but beware of mishaps. One bride's eyelashes went up and away whenher veil was lifted.
The feminine, romantic look is timeless and has become aclassic in the bridal world.
Trends come and go. It's true that makeup should suit yourpersonality but consider the whole picture. The bold up-to-the-minute look oftoday could go bye-bye tomorrow. Deep, dark lips need a lot of touch-ups tolook crisp. Besides, kissing the groom could get messy. Vampy, dark nailsoverpower a white dress. Fuchsia/pinky eye shadows can give a bruised, swollenlook especially on fair skin tones. Cat eyes with winged-out eyeliner might be "in"now but "out" next year. When the wedding album is viewed in tenyears, the bride might wonder- "what was I thinking?"
I always take digital photos both at the trial and the dayof the wedding.
Ultimately, the bride has all the decisions to make. Whoeversaid "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" really nailed it.
Theinformation expressed are the personal views of the makeup artist Madeline C.from &sec=article&uinfo=<%=server.URLEncode(1766)%>" target="_blank">www.madelinec4makeup.com
Comments