Everyone wants their big day to go smoothly. Gorgeous hair, beautiful skin and physique, captivating dress, and a classy setup. But just how do resourceful brides select their makeup artist for their special day? We spoke to several brides and came up with a list of common considerations to make your day a dream come true.
Make-up
The same way car buyers request a test run before laying down their down-payments, ask if the makeup artist can do a trial session. After all, your skin is just as important as your big day and you would want to be in the care of those who know their stuff.
During the trial, bring photos of the makeup looks you like and share the mood board and all your preferences so that the makeup artist can get a sense of what you want. Schedule a whole day shoot, both indoors and outdoors. This way, not only will you see how well the makeup lasts in real life, you’d have it in print as a reference. This is helpful as it helps your makeup artist decide on the type of foundation to use for your indoor or outdoor segments during the big day.
Hair
Your wedding look is incomplete without styled hair. It helps when your makeup artist and hairstylist work well together. Schedule a trial session when both stylist and artist can work concurrently on you so that you can pre-empt possible clashes in opinions or flare-ups.
On the other hand, if your makeup artist is doubling up as your hairstylist, it will be a good idea to check out his or her hair portfolio too, to make sure you like the hairstyling as much as you like the makeup style.
Skin-routine
No matter how professional or seasoned your makeup artist is, you have to do the necessary things to look the part. Prepare in advance for last-minute emergencies such as sudden and unwanted red eyes or swollen lips. Use only linen that your skin is used to in the days leading up to the wedding. Eat simple and cut salt from your diet to reduce the appearance of bloating. Avoid new food or drinks, and do not test out new facial or skincare products two weeks before the big day.
Wedding attire
For the wedding attire, the wedding dress and suit are often the most expensive items of clothing they’ll ever buy in their lifetime. Pre-shopping research will give you an idea of what styles of dresses and suits are available. It also gives you an idea of what you may and may not like, depending on your style. This also saves you time, especially when you don’t have much time on hand.
Dress Code
As for the dress code for the event, a semi-formal or cocktail style dress code opens up some more options for your wedding attire. This kind of dress code is just slightly more relaxed than a formal event and is often the chosen dress code for cocktail style weddings.
Although you can still wear an evening gown or tuxedo jacket, you’ll probably feel slightly overdressed compared with other guests and the style of the wedding (or worse, upstage the bride!). Instead, think about what you might wear out to a special dinner at a fancy restaurant.
For ladies, a mid-length cocktail style dress is generally the most appropriate option, or a top and skirt combination. You’ll likely need to take some cues from the actual venue and season of the wedding, too. For example, you might want to include a pop of colour or floral print for an outdoor garden wedding, while a dressy jacket might be required during the cooler seasons.
Heels and formal accessories are still a-okay for a cocktail wedding, although you might opt for a more relaxed heel style rather than 6-inch stilettos!
A smart casual dress code can often be the most confusing, sitting in-between formal and informal! Think about the kind of outfit you might wear to a formal brunch or business event – you don’t need to go overboard with your attire, but you still want to look polished and put together.
For women, a more relaxed style dress, top, and skirt combo or jumpsuit can be well suited for smart casual attire. Pants (but not jeans!) and a dressy top are also appropriate for this kind of dress code, with low heels or wedges being your best bet for appropriate footwear.
Guys can ditch the formal jacket and tie altogether, and opt for trousers or chinos with a button-up shirt. A lightweight blazer or neutral-toned jacket can also work well during the cooler months. Dress shoes are still recommended, although you might opt for a slightly more informal style like boat shoes or loafers.
