Weddings- better to do own make up or pay someone?

[ParanoidAtAllTimes]

Dp and I have just got engaged and we're going to be on a bit of a budget! One possible saving is if I do my own make up- perhaps to buy a nice foundation/new eyeshadow etc and try to do something a bit different. Has anyone done this? Or is it worth getting it done professionally? Any tips from DIYers?

TIA

I just wouldn't want the hassle of another person who had to come at the appointed time and you'd have to be ready for them at that time and worry if they were 5 mins late if they were turning up and wonder how long it would take them and be polite and friendly and blah blah blah.

I did my own, after going to the chanel counter for make over and bought some stuff. Their lip gloss and foundation, which was just lovely. I still wear the lip gloss when going out now, just lovely.

I did not have time to sit down and get made up, it was manic enough as it is!

I went to chanel, had a make over, tinkered till I was happy, bought the lot, then did myself on the day.

I also then had the added luxury of this chanel make up for a year afterwards - it was all fabulous!

Cheaper than a makeup artist, and you got to keep the stuff.

I even did the bridesmaids with the same stuff, but used slightly different lipsticks..

I did my own, because I thought I could have champagne w my best girlfriend in my hotel room and gossip and take my time while putting my make up on.

Annoyingly the bloody hairdresser didn't book enough staff so we were late and I was slapping it on w my girl friend zipping me up as the car was waiting downstairs .

Still, it looked good (I put more on than I normally do, which isn't much) and made it to the ceremony on time. And no doubt we drank any savings I made on make up.

I rarely wear make up but did it myself.

Went to a make up counter to have a look one day and got cornered by a make up artist who was only there for that week and was clearly bored

He was brilliant and taught me how to apply it all myself. I bought some of it (which I thought I'd use anyway), the rest he gave me samples of so I could practise and also have some for the wedding day (lovely man)

I did 5 trial runs (I really am crap at putting on make up) before the wedding getting my time down from 30 mins to 15mins...which became 8 mins on the day as we were running late!

Am thrilled with the results, people say my make up was great (they didn't see me desperately rubbing off smudged mascara and reapplying powder!) plus it means I have some nice stuff to use for the next few decades!

Tip from French make up artist - use eye liner rather than mascara. I only used mascara on the top eye lashes and only for half of them. He said eye liner wouldn't run if I cried (which I didn't so can't say if it's true)

sue52- at having Maggie Thatcher's make up artist! I'd have reacted the same way

Thank you all so much for the advice and tips- I'm pretty sure I'll go for the make up counter/youtube/practice lots approach. If I do it well in advance and aren't happy I can still book someone nearer the time.

Any more make up specific/brand tips are much appreciated- thanks watsthestory and others!

I had mine done professionally and it was very very good, not over the top at all.

I wear makeup every day and am pretty confident with it but wanted someone to do it for me because I think I would have found it too stressful to do my own. I also wanted something extra special and not the same as my every day look and the makeup artist did that (still looked natural).

But I think there is no reason not to do it yourself. Def go to the makeup counters and get advice.

I did my own. It was actually quite soothing and I wasn't worried about looking like someone I wasn't. Also you can get someone to take pics while you do it and tweak accordingly - I found that for photos you needed a bit more blush and a lipstick than normal.

I had my foundation mixed by prescriptives who have sadly gone bust Best replacement I've found it Estee Lauder.

Laura Mercier primer - didn't slide AT ALL plus their loose powder

Prescriptives shimmery sparkly powder basically all over

Get an eyeshadow quad from the same place that does your blusher and lipstick - go for a make-over there and pick the colours which suit you. That way you don't risk having different undertones and they match without matching IYSWIM. Do the same with foundation/concealer.

Dark eyeshadow as eyeliner - it doesn't run and if you smudge it then it's nowhere near as disastrous as liquid. Pencil doesn't stay well IME.

Mascara the top lashes but go easy on the bottom and make sure the one you use on the bottom is waterproof.

I invested in brushes as well - a full set of Laura Mercier ones and a couple of specific ones from Estee Lauder (foundation and flat angled I think) which I hope will last forever!

I did my own hair - I wanted a simple style, and after a lifetime of long hair, am quite used to putting it up effectively. I didnt have a tiara, but had a lace veil for the church. Hair was in a simple knot with no curls on face etc. I know it suits me, and didnt see the point of paying for a hairdresser.

My four bridesmaids all had fun doing each others, with some curling tongues, in a half up half down style.

None of us are hairdressers.

I'm hopeless at make-up (I only ever wear a bit of mascara and lip gloss), and got this done professionally. It looked fantastic for all the photos, and didnt regret the expenditure at all.

A friend of mine did her own make-up, invested in some nicer products than usual, and looked gorgeous.

No reason why you can't do your own. I recommend the following"

Don't go anywhere near virgin vie. Their products won't last the day.

Use a primer. Smashbox or Laura Mercier.

Don't use a mineral foundation.

Don't use anything with a shimmer in it.

Use a powder blush, not a cream blush.

Don't use touche eclat.

Get the make up counter girls to give you a trial. Go home and get a friend to take some photographs and see how they come out. Some cosmetics don't come out very well when a flash is used. Then buy!

I did my own wedding make up and I think I looked fine.

However I was a bridesmaid for a friend 2 years ago and she had a professional make up artist do our faces if we wanted.

All I can say is oh my god she was amazing. I didn't look remotely air-hostess like, I looked just like me but 15 years younger and twenty times more beautiful. It lasted all day and night, I just had to touch up my lipgloss. Even DH said how stunning I looked (more than usual LOL)

I wanted to take her home with me to do my face every day

I did my own make-up because the one time I had it done professionally, I looked like a twat. I'm very pale, but she insisted on using a darker foundation because the ball I was going to would have dark lighting, and pale colours would make me look paler, apparently. So I had an orange line on my neck instead. Then she put way way way too much blusher on, and then she used purple eyeshadow that made me look like I had been punched. The overall effect was: "has been shot with the make-up gun."

I rarely wear make up, but I think I did a decent job on my wedding. I just did something simple.

If you're confident you can do a good job, then I don't see why not. IME, if you put wedding in front of something, it immediately makes it twice as expensive, so you can save quite a bit by doing it yourself.

I went for a trial and came away feeling like a clown so I did my own and I looked good (for me)