Choosing Your Bridal Look

For some brides, selecting their overall "look" is a piece of cake. It's something they've envisioned since they were five years old. For others, it's a huge challenge. Hair up or down? Red lip or neutral lip? Let's break down some factors that each play an important role in choosing your look:

1) Overall Theme: The biggest question to ask yourself is what is your theme/ color palette/ vibe of your wedding? Your look should play a big factor in matching, or being cohesive with this. For example, a Roaring 20's themed wedding could include a red lip, lashes, blusher, and finger waves shaping your face. So really think about what your overall style is and how it can blend with the wedding as an entirety. 

2) Dress Style: Once you have your dress picked out, your hair and makeup style should compliment how it fits you. If you have an elegant, lace covered back, perhaps having your hair up to show it off would be best. If your dress has a lot of texture and detailing on it, a simple, clean makeup look would best show it off, and not overwhelm the look. 

3) Your Comfort Level: Some people are very confident wearing a more dramatic makeup look, whereas others want a very simplistic look. This often depends on what you wear day-to-day. A key reason why trial runs are important! I always ask what you wear daily to gauge your comfort level with products. Feeling and looking like yourself on such a big day is necessary!

4) A Timeless Look: While makeup trends come and go, photos are forever! When choosing your look, keep that in mind! Will your look be timeless in years to come? A dramatic winged liner might be trending right now, but will it still be fifteen years from now? I'm not saying to not have fun with your look, but I encourage you to modify it to some extent so it remains elegant and timeless for years to come. Same goes for your hairstyle. 

5) Combining Hair and Makeup: These two factors should again, COMPLIMENT each other. True professional hair and makeup artists will work together to create a cohesive and beautiful style for you. I encourage you to show each artist what you're thinking for makeup and for hair, or even better, do the trial runs together if possible! If you're wanting soft, romantic waves for your hair, you makeup artist should keep to that style; soft and romantic. 

If you're still unsure of how you want to look, experiment! It's okay to do a couple of trial runs with your hair stylist and makeup artist. Or, try a few different lip colors at your trial run. At the end of the day, it's about YOU and what you're envisioning. My final plug: Remember that Pinterest photos can be a good reference point, BUT they are often over-edited, photo-shopped pictures done on models. Try to find reference images of someone that replicates your skin tone, hair color, face shape, and eye color. Lastly, remember to enjoy the process and have fun!
Photo by: Anne Mientka Photography // Hair by: Down the Aisle Upstyles // Florals: Nancy Bishop Floral // Venue: Inn at Manchester // Gown: Everthine