Doing my own hair and make up advice - The Big Day

[TwittleBee]

Hello

Hope I ANBU to ask for some advice

I am getting married on Tuesday - very low key, low budget wedding.

I shall be doing my own hair and make up but haven't a clue where to start really. We aren't having a professional photos done so make up doesn't have to withstand any flashes etc but I would like it to last all day with as little touches up as possible.

What make up would you recommend and have I left it too late to maybe get a make up session done at MAC or something (how do I even book that?)

Also what style would you suggest for my hair and make up? Here is my dress: www.chichiclothing.com/products/Chi-Chi-Aerin-Dress.html
(FYI, my shoes are a simple ivory heel with pointed enclosed toes)

I'm 24, petite with fair skin and freckles and brunette hair that falls in line with my armpit (not sure how else to describe that length lol)

Thank you in advance x

[DontCallMeCharlotte]

Do you have a veil and/or a head piece?

[TheMonkeysAreMine]

How exciting!!

Well, you can book in with any make up counter, explain you want ideas for your wedding and what you're after. Tbh I'd book in with a couple because the looks they give could be wildly different.

Take a couple of selfies with the make up on and compare them in real daylight. In stores the lighting is v different to how the make up will look on the day.

Hope you have a beautiful day!

[DontCallMeCharlotte]

Do you normally wear make up? And do stuff with your hair?

[TheMonkeysAreMine]

Meant to say you can just go up to the counter to book a slot

[TheMonkeysAreMine]

And if possible I'd get a wash and blow on the morning of your wedding, post hair salon hair is the best imo.

If you pop in and explain it's not wedding hair you want done as such, just a nice blow dry

[TwittleBee]

Thank you for replying so quickly!

I don't do much with my hair beyond French braiding or clipping it up really. And as for make up, I usually wear minimal at work (none on weekends) but then for special occasions I will try and make more of an effort.

No veil or headpiece but I could probably extend my budget to buy a hair clip?

Ahh okay I shall try and pop into a few different make up places on Saturday!

[DontCallMeCharlotte]

Something like this for your hair? With a hairpiece?

Maybe with a clip tucked in.

www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_37484+MDHR061334_-1

Make up, I'd just do your normal - maybe an extra layer of mascara perhaps.

Have a wonderful day!

[Bodear]

Love the dress! It’s beautiful. Tuesday doesn’t give you much time to practice anything really different from your usual look so I would say keep it simple and go wth something you’re comfortable with. You don’t want to end up being stressed cos it’s gone wrong on the day. I did my own make up and a friend did my hair. The hair was an up do so we practiced a few times and the make up I bought some new bits (better quality powder/ mascara than I would normally use) but kept it similar to what I would wear for a special occasion. Good luck.

[JessiCake]

Oh gosh, I have no great makeup or hair advice, sorry, but I had to say what a very very pretty dress that is!
You're so young and it's such a lovely fresh dress that I wouldn't overdo either hair or makeup. Can you just get a blow-dry and add some fresh flowers into your hair?
Have a wonderful day!

[TwittleBee]

DontCallMeCharlotte ooo I like that and that tutorial seems easy to follow as well (always wondered how people make their hair look poofy like that when put up too - if that makes any sense) Thank you! I'll give this a try tomorrow and over the weekend and if it doesn't work I'll go to the salon for a blow dry and maybe just stick a clip in nice and simply (tbh my hair is in desperate need of a trim...)

Okay so make up keep to what I am used to doing but by better quality! What brands do people recommend (I just buy Maybelline atm).

[3stonedown]

I would also just book in for a wash and blow dry the morning of the wedding, you don't even have to say it's for the wedding and it'll only cost £20 or so. The amount you would spend on products would make it worth it.

I think I have seen bobbi brown is a great counter for wedding make up, you could try booking there for a session. Also MAC will charge you but give you the equivalent of the cost off the products. I would keep it close to your usual look so you know what you are doing.

[ChardonnaysPrettySister]

This week’s Grazia has a very helpful article about bridal makeup by Mary Greenwell.

[Bodear]

Mac prep and prime is a good range. The transparent finishing powder is AMAZING. Sets makeup so it lasts for ages and gives a great finish. I find the loose version better than the pressed.

[DontCallMeCharlotte]

Final tip (like I'm any kind of expert!) - don't use a new mascara, they are the devil's work!

And, yes, gorgeous dress!

[Fatted]

I did my own make up for my wedding. Didn't trust anyone else to get it right. I just used my usual products with more dramatic eye make up. Although I was trying out different things for about a year before hand.

I'd just go for how you usually do both. You don't want to look like someone else on the big day.

[Livedandlearned]

I too wore that beautiful dress for my low key wedding, I had loads of compliments. Congratulations and good luck

[TwittleBee]

Thank you all, I'll just stick to being me then - makes it seem a lot nicer now I am doing my own make up

Livedandlearned it is a lovely dress isn't it! Can't believe how beautiful it is for that price! Congratulations to you too

[Deathraystare]

Look online for Lisa Eldritch's beauty videos - she has done some bridal ones

[specialsubject]

be yourself. a sudden thick layer of slap and ghastly sprayed bridal hair will scare your groom!

also if you dont normally wear makeup it will annoy you. who needs that?

have a lovely day.

[TwittleBee]

Thank you both.

Really feeling confident now that I can just be myself. Thank you all xx

[MrsCatE]

Reiterating majority advice abovr
Really cute dress!! Best wishes for a lovely day and the future! X

I did my own make-up too.

[Beamur]

I did my own. Bought some new make up beforehand, had a practice run.
I used more waterproof stuff than I would normally use in case I got weepy!

[Doobigetta]

I got married a few weeks ago and did my own makeup. Tbh I wouldn't bother with the counters. Even when I went to Bobbi Brown I came away looking like a clown. I watched loads of YouTube tutorials and took tips that worked for me from them. And then bought a few new products and tested them out on nights out etc to make sure that actually worked for my skin etc. I also did a trial session with our photographer, and tested the makeup there as well, which was useful because it showed that the shade of lipstick I usually go for completely disappears in photos and I needed a darker one. So that's my tip- try out the actual products and look you're planning to use, so you aren't doing anything for the first time on the day.

[TwittleBee]

Hello!

Just wanted to say thank you all again! Wedding was amazing and I felt amazing so thank you for the help and tips as the advice on here really did help calm me.

Special thanks to DontCallMeCharlotte for linking that hair tutorial, I followed it (no practice prior) on morning of my wedding with DS crawling about under my feet and got it spot on first time - looked amazing with a lovely clip in too!

Mac were brilliant too, I went in on Saturday morning for some advice and the lovely lady told me just to do my make up how I always do it (just like you all said too) but just get a really nice lipstick to "dress me up a bit more" which she then showed me how to do properly with a lip liner and everything. She also gave me this sample "skin base" to use under my foundation which was totally lovely to use. Cannot believe how lovely and helpful she was!

[Bodear]

What a fab update. Congratulations on your wedding and I’m so pleased it went well.