By Meredith Ryncarz
You have spent months, even years planning your perfect wedding day down to the most perfect DIY favors but have you made a plan for your makeup. Most brides that I work with instantly say yes and assure me that they have their makeup artist booked for the big day. Many brides have a budget for the big ticket items like flowers, food, photography, and the dress but sometimes forget to put the same effort and research into who will be applying makeup on their face. With the proper knowledge and planning, you can avoid a big wedding day disaster. Here are ten top makeup suggestions to make your research and planning just a little bit easier.
· Tip One: Hire a professional! It is easy to have Aunt Susie or your best friend offer to do your makeup and free always has a nice ring to it but remember that you get what you pay for. Just like hiring a professional caterer, florist, or a photographer, you should hire a professional makeup artist. Do a trial run way ahead of time to ensure that you like who you are working with and the quality of their work. Professionals know how to make you look your best.
· Tip Two: Avoid certain products that have an overly reflective quality. While a little sparkle and shimmer is great, you don’t want to look like you are radioactively glowing. Some illuminators and highlighters will reflect poorly in natural light if they aren’t applied correctly, including ones that have SPF in them.
· Tip Three: Bring visual references to your makeup trial. What you may consider to be BOHO may be something very different to your makeup artist. Visual references ensure that you are on the same page.
· Tip Four: Wear a shirt that is the color and tone of your dress to your makeup trial. This will give you a great visual or how your makeup will look on you with your dress.
· Tip Five: Don’t make any CRAZY changes the month before your wedding. Changing your skin tone by tanning or overhauling the color of your hair will change the color palette needed for your wedding day and may alter how your original makeup application looks on you.
· Tip Six: Prep your skin ahead of time. If your budget allows it, start getting facials several months ahead of time to exfoliate dead skin. Drink lots of water to hydrate your skin and make sure you are eating food that supports good skin health.
· Tip Seven: Start looking for a makeup artist 6- 8 months before your wedding. Good makeup artists get booked fast for a reason and you don’t want to be left without one.
· Tip Eight: Red flag – while a makeup artist should know what they are doing, they shouldn’t be a know it all. It is your day and you want to be happy with that look. A know it all will steer you in a direction you don’t want to know. A knowledgeable makeup artist will listen and make you look beautiful.
· Tip Nine: Make sure you see your trial run of makeup in natural light and don’t be afraid to speak up if you feel it is to dark or to light of an application.
· Tip Ten: Make sure to check references. Professionals should be just that . . professional. They should have a list of references they can supply, be able to talk to you about the professional brands of makeup they use, be licensed, and clean. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions.
I am Meredith or Mere as my handsome soldier calls me. Thats right, I am a traveling Army spouse. I am addicted to my morning coffee. I sneeze in threes. I am a mom of the next "American Ninja Warrior" . . .that would be my five year old and "Little Miss Firecracker" . . . my Fourth of July baby. I love that I get to go to work each day and do what I love, capturing images of who you and your loved ones are!