As a make-up artist, I have worked with hundreds of brides and I adore creating beautiful looks that last all day long. I understand the importance of looking and feeling incredible on the most important day of your life and work closely with you to take care of your needs.
I caught up with a recent bride, Lucy, who tied the knot on 23rd November 2017 at Farnham Castle in Surrey. Keep reading to find out a little more about Lucy’s wedding day and how we created a bridal make-up look that she loved.
Lucy, tell us a little bit about your wedding day, colour scheme, wedding themes, décor etc.
“We actually didn’t know what scheme we wanted. We knew what we liked and just kind of went with that. We decided on navy bridesmaids, navy suits for the groom and ushers with blush pink ties and socks (!), the flowers were ivory creams, silvers and some amnesia roses to tie in with the ushers ties etc. The pink ties and socks were the groom’s idea, so I can’t take any credit for that or for the amnesia roses either!!”
What hairstyle did you choose for your wedding day and how did you find the inspiration for it?
“I choose to have my hair down with bouncy waves/loose curls. I have long thick hair and wear it down a lot. My husband loves my hair down and plays with it a lot, so having it up didn’t feel like me. I just wanted to feel like a better and prettier version of myself without feeling too made up. Plus, I found a gorgeous hair piece which looked lovely when you have your hair down. I had lots of images from Pinterest for various hairstyles, but I kept coming back to the same ones, which is the one I went for. It was more ‘me’.”
What make-up look did you have on your wedding day and why did you choose it?
“Again, something which made me feel like a prettier version of me, something to emphasise my eyes which I tend to do myself. It was slightly heavier than I usually wear, but Liz was wonderful and I loved the look she created so felt comfortable just letting her work her magic. I loved my makeup for my wedding day, I got so many compliments.”
Did you create a bridal skincare routine ahead of the big day?
“Not really, just carried on with my normal skin care routine, drank lots of water and tried to get lots of sleep. I am a lotion and potion junkie anyway so nothing new there.”
Tell us about the style of your wedding dress?
“It was Stella York (essence of Australia) column dress with lace illusion front and back. It was so slinky but comfortable to wear. It was simple and understated but made me feel incredible. I honestly felt amazing in it, but that’s what you get when you pick the right ‘one’. A bit like your husband; when you pick the right one, they make you feel amazing.”
How did you accessorise your bridal look?
“I found a gorgeous Jenny Packham hair piece, diamond earrings and bracelet. I had two pairs of shoes for my day. A pair of strappy champagne heels – but only small heels as my husband and I are the same height and I didn’t want to tower over him in 4 inch heels. Plus, they would be easier to walk along the cobbled flooring of the castle than high heels. I swapped these for some ivory bridal flats I found in Dune. I loved both pairs but so glad I swapped into flats, much better for dancing in!”
What did your bridesmaids wear?
“My bridesmaids work navy dresses I found in Dorothy Perkins bridal wear. I didn’t realise they were high street as I found photos I liked on Pinterest. It was a bonus they didn’t break the bank as we were paying for the entire wedding ourselves. I also bought them silver bracelets with their initials engraved on a small disc, and a pair of silver knot earrings, that came with personalised messages. They were perfect as both my bridesmaids have very different styles and figures. Having bridesmaid dresses that flatter all shapes and sizes was important for me, so they felt comfortable all day. “
Do you have any tips for future brides?
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Enjoy every minute from the planning to the day itself. It’s over so fast, but it’s the most fun I have ever had. My husband and I planned a lot together which was so nice. A real team effort.
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Find your venue who have amazing staff. We found our perfect venue and luckily they did everything they could to help along the way. They had the food and drink package (the food was amazing!!!!), a wedding coordinator who was awesome, they all helped set up the day before and on the morning of the wedding, and for us importantly had accommodation on site for all our guests. This made our wedding stress free and also meant all of our guest could stay on site too. I would highly recommend this set up (Farnham Castle did an incredible job!). We even got to stay the night before in the castle have all the family go for dinner the night before wedding which made the wedding feel like a long weekend. Plus, no extra transport required. Remember transport is another cost, and logistically getting people from A to B means less time celebrating and relaxing.
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Pinterest is your friend but be realistic when it comes to your budget. It is great to have inspiration but it is so easy to get sucked into the wedding cyclone of spending on little things that actually don’t matter. We didn’t have favours (who actually remembers them at weddings?), we had an M&S Cake, which tasted amazing and looked as good as a cake which would have cost us ~ £800, but for the fraction of the cost, we bought lots of decorations on amazon and did a lot of it ourselves like printing invitations, RSVP cards and thank you cards.
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Keep a spreadsheet of your budget and spending. It’s easy to lose track
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Same with the guest list. I used bridebook, which really helped keep track of who we had invited, who had RSVP’d yes or no, and their contact details. It makes life so much easier.
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Take 10 minutes every now and then on the actual wedding day to be with your new hubby and take it all in. It goes so, so fast. This was advice given to use by one of our close friends (he was our usher, and he and his wife both were our witnesses too). I can honestly say I remember the whole day because of it.
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Don’t feel obliged to invite anyone you don’t want to your wedding (It was easier for us this way as paid for our entire wedding). It’s your day, it’s your budget. I didn’t want to look around at faces I didn’t know, especially as I had paid for everyone to be there. Having everyone you love in the same room from all friendship groups and both families is such a wonderful feeling. Not sure when that will happen again!
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Eat breakfast on the wedding day – however small. You will need it! My bridesmaid made sure I had breakfast because our friend who got married 10 years previously nearly passed out because she skipped breakfast and was so nervous. That’s what great friends are for.
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Have your hair and makeup trial in good time before the wedding. And enjoy it, it’s so much fun especially when you find a great MUA/hair stylist. They really make you feel amazing, so do your research, look at reviews etc. Its big part of your day and you have to feel good to really enjoy your day.
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Don’t sweat the small stuff, it really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. We got married in November, the weather was awful in the week leading up to it, but we didn’t care. The venue was perfect for any weather, and luckily we had beautiful sunshine – the only day that week that was sunny!! Bonus!
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Just enjoy it and have fun. It really is the best day of your life, you’re marrying your best friend, and that’s the most important thing to remember. Everything else is just extra fluff and decoration
If you’re considering hiring a bridal make-up artist for your big day, I’d love to hear from you so please do get in touch. You can find out more about the services I offer right here, or browse the blog for even more bridal inspiration.