We always get so excited when brides and grooms do their own thing on their wedding day, whether that's an offbeat venue, non-traditional outfits, quirky details or unusual personal touches.
But even we're guilty of falling into the trap of encouraging conformity, especially when it comes to hair and make-up.
But that all changes today!
We've got super talented make-up artist, Tabby Casto (check out her smoking hot Megan Fox make-up tutorial) on hand to share her top tips for going for a look that's 100% ‘you' on your wedding day, along with some gorgeous make-up inspiration shots by Mateusz Sitek.
So, step away from the nude lippy, and put down that taupe shadow, we're about to get a serious injection of colour. Over to you, Tabby!
At a friends hen do recently we got chatting about what it's like to be getting married. One of the things she mentioned is that many people suddenly feel they can open up and give you advice whether you’ve asked for it or not.
While some of this advice is welcome, sometimes, hearing the “Oh you SHOULD do this …” and the “You MUST try that” can get a little old.
Which got me thinking about how frustrating it must be for brides who want to break away from tradition a little (or completely), but get that backlash of advice as soon as they suggest their wedding or wedding make-up isn’t going to be what everyone was expecting.
What if you want to wear a colourful eyeliner? So what if you like your blusher a little brighter than most people?
At the end of the day, when it comes to how you look on your big day, you should just be you. If you’re never seen without a pair of false lashes on, if your favorite lipstick colour has a purple tone to it, who cares?
Do your thing. Don’t let everyone else fit you into their box!
Here’s a few tips for those more colourful brides on how to keep your wedding make-up timeless but still unique to you.
Turn Bright Eyeshadows Into Pastels Hues
Instead of going full on with bold pigments – try working with pastels.
One way to achieve this is to soften out brighter eyeshadows by using a creamy eyeshadow primer underneath. Another way to achieve this would be to blend colours out for a softer finish.
You can add more or less colour as you wish, but don't forget the blending brush magic. Use something firm to apply your shadows to the eyelid and something fluffy to blend the colours out in the crease of the eye.
Blending is key!
Don’t Be Afraid To Wear a Bold Eyeliner
I’d say that about 70% of my brides are used to wearing a black liquid liner everyday.
Imagine you wear this look everyday and have done for the last ten years. Are you going to feel like “you” if on your wedding day your make-up artist convinces you to ditch the liner in exchange for a softer finish? Doubtful.
If you love it and it’s you – wear it. Eyeliner enhances the eyes and looks great in photographs. Don’t be afraid to speak up and say if you really want something to stay.
Although your make-up artist will hopefully be professional and do a trial beforehand – potentially discussing new ideas for you and suggesting some alternatives, don’t be afraid to say what it is that you love about your every day make-up.
Eyes or Lips?
I think when it comes to wedding make-up, that age old “rule”, eyes or lips, can come in handy. You can wear a pop of colour on the lips and a subtle flick of coloured liner on the eyes, but by keeping one of them more of a focus, you’ll balance the overall look.
Alternatively go for a pop eyeshadow with subtle or no eyeliner. Really accentuate the lashes by curling them before mascara goes on. Then really work the mascara into the root of your lashes by using the end tip of the mascara wand to build the product up around the lashes.
After this, smooth them out with the side of the mascara wand. Without eyeliner to give definition to the eyelid, mascara can be adapted to take it’s place! Don’t underestimate lashes!
If you love a bright eyeliner and want to wear something bold – why not. Go for it. I like to soften the effect of bright eye make-up with pretty natural looking false lashes. They give a fluttery finish and open the eye up even more.
Keep lips soft and pretty with a peachy nude or taupe and your pop eye is sure to look beautiful. Try going for peaches instead of bright pinks or plums instead of purples. You’ll still have your pop of colour on the lips but in a more subtle way which works with you’re overall wedding look.
Remember – you’ll be wearing a dress which has a way of speaking for itself as well. Keeping that harmony between your wedding dress, hair and make-up is all about balance. Don’t think it means you have to switch your normal colourful make-up for browns and golds.
Colour is beautiful.
Colours – Going Back to Basics
When it comes to creating beautiful wedding make-up using colour, I often refer back to basic colour theory. When you look at the colour wheel, colours that lie next to each other are called “analogous” colours. These are three colours that lie next to each other , with one being dominant, which tends to be a primary or secondary colour and one being a tertiary colour. An example would be red, orange and red-orange.
Because these colours sit next to each other, they are they are pleasing to the eye. These colour relationships are often found in nature and they tend to work because they are closely related.
Sometimes I like to use a pop colour on the eye, a more subtle version of that colour on the cheek and then another similar tone on the lip.
It’s great fun to experiment with make-up and colour theory as it’s a great way to play with colour.
Analogous colours create a monochromatic look which is always beautiful. Try this by experimenting with one of the following shades : pinks, plums, reds and oranges. Use the cheeks, eyes and lips as your canvas and choose analogous shades to express yourself.
Also, remember when you hear colour words like “red” it doesn’t mean clown face! Think of cherries, roses, petals – colours come in all different tones so don’t be afraid to play with them!
Hopefully this gives you some tips and inspiration.
I still think having a wedding trial (whether you book a private make-up artist, book into a make-up shop or book into make-up course) is a good idea – this way you can play a little and get some tips tricks and ideas.
Nothing beats physical practice when it comes to wedding make-up! You need to experiment with a few looks before deciding on whats best, but whatever you do, be you!
Such gorgeous looks, and oh, I just love Tabby's advice! While these looks might seem a bit daring for some, the tips ring true for everyone, it's so, so important to channel yourself on your wedding day, and never feel like you need to look ‘bridal', over looking like your normal, gorgeous, self!
Thanks so much to Tabby Casto for her wise words and stunning make-up inspiration, visit her website to see more of her awesome work.
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