Wedding Makeup

Discover how to mix and match your wedding colors with your makeup to make you look stunning.Browse Bouquets By Season Colors

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Color, Lighting and Make-Up

Your big day will include photography and being seen under a variety of lighting conditions. Understanding how to do your makeup so that it compliments your gown and doesn’t overpower you is crucial.

Although you may be tempted to match your bridesmaids’ makeup, particularly eye makeup, to the color of their gowns, it would be a mistake. When you do this, the colors will end up completing with each other on film, and in your wedding photos your bridesmaids will look either clownish or dated.

Go with classic, neutral shades that add a natural glow for both yourself and the bridesmaids. If your colors are warm, choose a warm palette for the face. Shades or rose, vanilla, warm taupe or soft gold would all be lovely. If you’ve chosen cool colors, try grey, charcoal, ivory or a very pale pink (not bright).

The makeup for the bride should be just as neutral. Playing up one figure is always best. If you want to emphasize your eyes, keep the lips soft and natural with just a hint of color. If you want bold lips, turn down the eye makeup so that it isn’t obvious. Just a touch of taupe eye shadow and a bit of mascara is enough.

Focusing on your eyes is always a good choice for the bride. Your eyes are very expressive, and will stand out in your wedding portraits if you do a smoky shadow. Smudging the eyeliner under the eye is a must. A sharp line will look harsh in pictures, a look you want to avoid. Don’t forget that you’re likely to cry on your bid day, so use a waterproof mascara if you don’t want to look like a raccoon.

Less is More

When you’re applying your makeup, you may be tempted to add a bit more blush because you don’t want to be washed out in photographs, but don’t do it. The reality is that throughout the day, makeup tends to darken and get a bit brighter as it reacts to your skin.

If you feel like you almost have enough makeup on, you probably have it just right. Blusher in particular is hazardous in large doses. As your wedding day progresses, you will naturally flush from the heat and the excitement; if you have on too much blush, it will stand out like big pink circles on your cheeks.

Fighting the Light

When photographers use flashes for pictures, the bright light tends to wash out your skin tone about, but your makeup can show up darker in contrast, giving you a harsh look if you have used bright or bold colors. This is why the soft neutrals are so important!

Extra lighting tends to add shine, so keep some blotter sheets handy. These are little squares of paper (often rice paper) that you can press against your skin to absorb excess oil. After you’ve blotted the excess, a light dusting of face powder can set your makeup and reduce the shine, giving you a flattering matte finish.

Most flash photography will wash out your natural skin tone a bit. To combat this, try wearing a foundation just one shade darker than your natural skin tone. Don’t go too dark, or your face won’t match your body. One shade darker is enough. You might also try a foundation with just a touch of yellow in it. This works well with flash lighting and keeps you looking healthy rather than pasty. Another trick is to apply a light dusting of bronzing powder to the cheeks and down the nose for a sun-kissed look.

Your bridesmaids and you should avoid shimmery or sparkling makeup. That look may be great for a night out, but it looks garish for a wedding. The shimmery makeup will also reflect light, enhancing dark circles and distorting the look of the rest of your makeup. You don’t want the most prominent feature in your wedding portrait to be your eye shadow instead of you!

Location Affects Lighting and Color

If you have several locations to choose from for your wedding portraits, choose the one without fluorescent lighting. Nothing distorts color like fluorescent lights; they give skin a greenish cast and can drastically effect the way the colors of your bridesmaids gowns look in the photos taken. If the room where the pictures will be taken have fluorescent lights, consider lighting candles instead and get some low-light shots. These will have a warm, amber glow to them that is very attractive.

Outdoor shots will give you the most natural look, if you know how to time things right. Direct, overhead light will mean squinting and too many shadows. The best time to take photos outside is the hour right after sunrise and the hour before sunset. Long, low light at these times is soft, gentle and universally flattering. It gives the skin a smoother look and adds warmth to the skin.

With the right makeup and proper lighting, your wedding pictures will show off your lovely face and the gorgeous gowns beautifully!

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