Ugh.
YES.
When planning a wedding, there are a million things that you have to make decisions on, spend money on, conceptualize. As the planning process progresses you start to get bogged down and annoyed that EVERYTHING is falling on you because, let's face it, your future partner's big idea is to have all the guys wear a different Marvel character pair of underwear and flash the photographers during first looks... So by the time you get to deciding on/researching for the beauty portion of the day, you've had it. You're done. And you don't trust anyone to do a good enough job anyway. Or you do such a natural look to almost no makeup on a daily basis, that you don't even want to be bothered with someone caking on a bunch of makeup that is going to make you look like someone other than yourself. (Can you tell I've talked to just a few Brides...???)
I completely understand. I do.
Here's the thing...You have to find the RIGHT Makeup Artist. Plain and simple.
I'm part of a particular Facebook wedding group and the primary members are Brides. Every single day there are a solid 10 posts about needing a Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist for their wedding. 9 times out of 10 it is within 3 months of their wedding and there is a decently common theme of already having booked a Bridal Makeup Artist, and then something went wrong. *Red Flag* But here's the kicker; 50 different Bridal Beauty businesses will respond saying how they would "love to take care of you" and how much experience they have. They post that same single picture of a naturally, perfectly stunning bridesmaid they did that one time, so no matter what they put on her face, they would look incredible. And these Brides bite! They don't peruse through the hoards of "Pro Makeup Artists" that leave comments, they jump at the first one or two that respond and that's that. No thorough research, no comparing work, no consideration that if these Makeup Artists are responding immediately to every single post, then they aren't working, and therefore aren't being hired.
What is alarming and a big point to be made is that THIS IS YOUR FACE. Like, your FACE. The thing people are going to be looking at all day long - can't avoid when talking to you - the focus of all your pictures. You will undoubtedly be wearing a gown; white, ivory, black or otherwise, and that gown is going to swallow you whole if you don't have the right level of Hair and Makeup to balance it out. My theory is this: if your dress is a 7 (meaning the level of drama, not the "niceness") then your Hair and Makeup need to be at least at an 8, just in terms of your features popping and the professional touches regardless of if you want full-out glam or super subtle and clean. You don't want to be walking down the aisle and all people are focusing on is the dress. You want them to see you, The Bride, as a whole.
If you leave the look up to yourself, you are going to do one of two things: do the same exact look you always do, which will feel very unbalanced with your dress OR trying something totally different and, I promise you, hate it. **Insert Wedding Day meltdown**
People that do makeup "really good" are just that: really good. But they aren't a professional, otherwise they would make it their career. They may absolutely SLAY their day-to-day, evening or special occasion makeup, but how frequently have they done their Bridal Makeup on the biggest day of the their lives; try getting perfectly straight liquid liner on a stomach and heart fueled by nerves and caffeine while a photographer is in your face...
My point is this, Pro Makeup Artists have professional grade makeup that will last sweating, *crying* (another topic for another Blog - stay tuned!), hours upon hours of wear, kisses, dancing and many many alcoholic beverages. They also have studied the anatomy of the face, skin types, bone structure, face, eye and lip shapes, symmetry, texture and pigmentation, so they can work on, and with, literally anyone. They will set your makeup while making sure it photographs perfectly. Your features will be brought out in a way that people will comment on, saying that you've never looked so beautiful, and mean it.
Professional Bridal Makeup Artists will make you look your absolute best while considering not just you, but your hair style, wedding gown style and color, Bridal Party and bouquet colors along with accent colors during your ceremony and reception, the type of lighting you will have, you comfort level with makeup in general, and overall what will make your look DROP DEAD GORGEOUS (see what I did there???) in your wedding photos and video because in the end, that's what you're going to be looking back at.
This is your Wedding Day. You will be in a gown. Hair done. Diamonds on your fingers. Special and significant jewelry on your ears, neck and wrists. Holding a gorgeous bouquet of very expensive flowers. Marrying the love of your life...
Hire a Professional Makeup Artist.