How To Wear Wedding Makeup for Beginners
From the moment your fiancé went down on his knees and asked you to marry him you may have already been looking for inspiration for your big wedding day. We do not only dream about the perfect wedding ceremony and wedding party, but about the perfect wedding dress, heels and the perfectly matched wedding jewelry, right? In fact, some of us already have an idea of what their perfect hairstyle and wedding makeup would be way before even experiencing a special occasion from fond memories of playing dress up as kids.
Perhaps you may have spent many hours scrolling through Instagram, Pinterest, and started to watch wedding makeup tutorials on how to do bridal makeup looks for beginners on YouTube instead of those typical everyday make-up tutorials. You have maybe been looking through bridal magazines, or started following bridal Facebook pages for inspiration and done bridal searches for just the perfect look but suddenly you realise that you have way too many options to choose from and you cannot really decide what look to go for.

First things first, when you are on the look-out for what look is best suited for your skin tone you will also need to take into account your hair type and hair style, your facial shape and most important of all the longevity of your makeup throughout your wedding day.
Skin Preparation
There is one aspect of beauty preparation for your wedding day, which is one of the most important aspects, ensuring your face looks flawless beforehand by having a good skincare regime!
Here are SEVEN easy pre-wedding skin preparation tips:
- Allow 4 -6 months prior for changes. This will allow your skin enough time for improvements. Consider adjusting your diet to include more fruit and vegetables. Oily fish is also your skins best friend! We recommend using a monthly organic sensitive facial mask to give your skin the kindness it deserves right up to the lead up to your wedding day
- Start planning monthly facials 3 months prior. Facials help stimulate your skins health. Microcurrents can also help depuff your face and lift your face muscles as well
- Drink plenty of water 2 months prior. If you are not a fan of drinking pure water, try adding a slice of lemon in your glass. Drink at least 3 litres a day will help reduce the appearance of fine lines and pores
- Break down the dead and dull layers of your skin. Invest in a good toner and luxurious moisturiser will help clear these away
- Exfoliation is essential. Acid exfoliators are great to use throughout your wedding prep to keep the skin fresh and glowing. Using gentle products which contains AHAs or BHAs works well as they tend not be too harsh on your skin
- Get that healthy sun-kissed glow! Self-tan or spray tan? If you are insisting on a spray tan look to schedule this a few days before your wedding day to allow the colour to develop and settle into a beautiful glow. If you are opting for self-tan lotions for the first time shop around and try some beforehand to ensure you have your desired shade
- Avoid salty foods and alcohol. Doing this the day before your wedding day will help to minimise any puffiness around the eyes

Wedding Makeup and Lighting
You will want your makeup to work well with the photographers and lighting to ensure you look amazing in your photographs. SPF lotion has been rumored to cause an issue with flashback during photography when the SPF has been applied underneath the foundation makeup. However, it might be due to the direct flash from the photographer’s equipment, if you have any concerns it might be worth discussing this with your photographer prior to your wedding day.
Note also the glower the foundation the more it may tend to look cakey and with that being said it is absolutely vital to blend your foundation evenly over your face and right down to your collarbone to avoid a clear makeup line and patchy base as these may show up on your photos!
Valentine Weddings UK can not only help you find the right makeup artist, but with much more guidance we have made a list of beautiful wedding makeup ideas just for you!
Whether you are looking to have your makeup done professionally or looking to create your own DIY makeup, here are some useful tips in preparation for your big day.
Shall I have my makeup professionally done or do it myself?
A Wedding makeup artist would be a great choice for you if you are a complete novice with makeup and they are experts when it comes to learning about your skin type and skincare. If you feel your nerves might get the better of you then a makeup artist might be your best choice. Also, they are in the know when it comes to realising the best products on the market and how to prevent a flashback malfunction (as mentioned earlier) occurring in your wedding photos!
Good recommendations are usually a great way to find a local makeup artist, so if you absolutely loved the way your friend or family member had their makeup done why not find out who their makeup artist was.
If you are stuck, here are just a few of our recommended beauty suppliers you can connect with them and schedule a trial to determine the best artist for you.
Or maybe you are considering doing your own makeup and have already been practising your wedding makeup looks especially during this time with everything going on. If so then there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! Honestly, it is all about what makes you feel comfortable at the end of the day. You may not want a makeup artist going near your eyes with false eyelashes I do get that! No one says that you can’t create the perfect wedding makeup look yourself.
Check out this full article for makeup inspiration it will help you decide on a style that truly reflects you. You may be considering the idea of getting expert help through a trial consultation, either way, the most important factors would be to know your skin type and which style will compliment you.
If you are still sitting on the fence as to whether to hire a professional or go DIY for your wedding makeup, read this article from Lancôme and it will help you to make up your mind.
Wedding Makeup for Blue Eyes

Are you skeptical about which makeup look to go for? It’s not easy to decide if you want a dramatic look or if you want to keep it simple. Here are some wedding makeup ideas for you with those gorgeous blue eyes.
TIP #1: A look that can work enormously for brides is a rose gold eye makeup because it’s not too cold or too warm and it’s not too dramatic or too natural. The rose gold colour is one of the trendiest colours for a beautiful wedding eye makeup look.
TIP #2: Make your amazing blue eyes pop even more by blending a dramatic dark eyeshadow on your outer lid and leave the rest of your eyelid bare and simple. This beautiful eyeshadow look will look perfect with rosy lips and a glow makeup.
TIP #3: And of course there is nothing like an elegant smokey eye makeup look with the combination of a matte or cooler toned lipstick.
Wedding Makeup for Brown Eyes
If you are wondering what look to go for and want the perfect makeup to suit your beautiful brown eyes, here are some wedding makeup ideas for you.
TIP #1: There is nothing like keeping your eye makeup simple and your skin dewy with the perfect blush colour applied correctly on your cheekbones combined with a bold red lip. Not only does this makeup look classy and elegant but delivers a truly outstanding makeup look.
TIP #2: You don’t know how lucky you actually are! Red is not the only colour that would be perfect for you, I mean you have so many options to choose from, you can go from a bold red lip to a pink colour or a more natural nude lip, depending on how much power you want!
TIP #3: You want to keep your eye makeup more natural the brighter your lipstick colour is to avoid a too overpowering makeup look. When wearing a more matte and nude colour lip do matte brown eyeshadow to achieve the perfect combo.
Also you can check the best celebrity runway bridal looks here
Wedding Makeup for Mixed race and Darker skin tones
It is so important to find the right makeup artist that understands what kind of makeup that suits you as a woman of colour. Are you sceptical about what the perfect look would be perfect for you? Well here are some wedding makeup tips just for you!
TIP #1: Embrace your beautiful skin tone by highlighting it! There is nothing like an amazing glowing makeup look on your gorgeous skin tone, so take out that shimmer and make your makeup shine! Use highlighter to illuminate your amazing skin and enhance your eyelashes by using eyelash extensions. That’s a look that speaks elegance!
TIP #2: A natural makeup look with the combination of a super glossy pink lip or a dark lipstick is always appropriate! Make those lips pop!
TIP #3: Here is one thing you definitely don’t want! You don’t want to have a too light or too dark foundation that does not fit your skin. It is so important to find the right shade and to perfectly match your skin tone.
TIP #4: Whether you are looking for Wedding makeup for mixed race or wedding makeup for dark skin sadly not all makeup brands are going to have the right colour and toned foundation for your skin, but don’t worry! Here are some makeup brands that may have just the right foundation for you.
Check out our SEVEN sourced foundation products below:
Fenty Beauty by Rhianna not only has a variety of up to 50 different skin tone shades, but the foundation also leaves your skin with a soft long-lasting matte finish. It also has a pore-diffused, shine-free finish that easily builds to medium to full coverage. This brand is popular for its broad inclusivity across skin tones and gender, especially its Pro Filt’R foundation.
If you are looking for a lightweight and long-lasting foundation, Lancôme Teint Idole Wear Nude a super-lightweight liquid foundation acts as a second-skin with light coverage that’s so discreet gives a natural, no-makeup effect. This product is water and sweat resistant. The pore-minimising foundation glides on and blends seamlessly, leaving behind a sheer, matte texture that lasts for 24 hours and allows skin to breathe.
For combination to oily skin Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF15, is a hydrating and long -lasting foundation and don’t worry this award-winning foundation will not leave your skin too matte or too shiny!
A brand many of us may be familiar with is MAC MAC Studio Fix Fluid SPF15 This foundation gives you a shine proof look and is the perfect foundation for long haul like weddings or other special events.
If you are looking for a foundation with medium to full coverage then Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation may be the one. This foundation gives you a glow boosting base and there is something for every skin tone.
If you want to keep radiant throughout the day with full coverage and dewy skin, Nars All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation could work perfectly for this and compliments dull and tired skin especially during the change in seasons.
For something more affordable you can try The Ordinary Coverage Foundation They have a variety of shades, tones and undertones and the foundations currently costs as little as £5.90 for 30ML!
Wedding Makeup for Older brides
There are so many makeup trends out there and it can be so hard to keep up right? Also, your skin is starting to change, and you may be in a phase where you are experimenting with what works for your skin. Here is something to keep in mind when deciding your makeup look!
TIP #1: Some of you have maybe started to experience dryer skin after menopause, it is therefore very important to have to hand a good moisturiser that is going to leave your dry skin feeling perfectly moist and hydrated. Pick a hydration primer for under your foundation and your skin will look flawless! If you have oily skin, you may need to look for oil-free moisturizer and primer which will be more suited for your skin, the good news is oily skin tends to show fewer wrinkles so lucky you!
TIP #2: When talking about wrinkles, It can be a little harder to deal with wrinkles around your eyes, however, by using a generous amount of primer can help to smooth out the creases around eyes like it tends to work magically as an eyeshadow base!
TIP #3: Have you seen the new trends with heavy contouring, baking and highlighting? We recommend avoiding these methods as they may not bode well for your photographs instead give your skin a gentle touch of natural bronze tint and boost a natural radiant glow.
TIP #4: Not contouring your beautiful face does not mean that you can’t highlight your bone structure! Use a blush shade to make your cheekbones appear more, but remember that you want a perfect finish, so I will recommend using a cream blush as you want a dewy flush and a subtle finish.
Wedding Makeup for Guests
You are may be not even the one getting married, but you are attending the wedding as a guest and you don’t really know what kind of makeup look to go for. You really want to look outstanding in case you end up in the wedding photographs, but you don’t want to outshine the bride with a too bold lipstick colour or a dramatic dark eye makeup. But don’t you worry, here are some tips and ideas for the perfect makeup look.
TIP #1 : You may not think that wearing your favorite bright red lipstick is the right look for this kind of occasion, but that does not mean that you can’t wear other eye catching lip colours like a peach lipstick and match it with your favorite blush in the same tone.
TIP #2: Talking about blush, did you know that blush is one of the most underrated makeup products! When a blush is applied correctly and sparingly on your cheekbone it will create a warm makeup look that is just perfect for a wedding. A little tip, add a hint of blush colour on the middle of your nose to help create a natural flushed look.

TIP #3: Instead of wearing a dramatic winged eyeliner, draw a thin eyeliner to tight line your eyes. This look will not only highlight your upper waterline but will instantly make your lashes appear darker and thicker and your wedding makeup looks natural this way.
TIP #4: We all love sun kissed skin, don’t we?! Instead of contouring your face apply a bronzer with a little shimmer on your cheekbones to warm up your complexion, this look is perfect no matter the season.
TIP #5: A glowing skin is always appropriate for every occasion not only is this the perfect look but the glow factor is the perfect touch if you are going to be in the wedding photos just remember to wear a long lasting foundation to keep the perfect look going all day!
TIP #6: Beautiful pastel hues are not only the perfect wedding makeup for bridesmaids, but the colours create the prettiest eyeshadow look and is the perfect look for wedding guests. With pastel colours you can still create a fun, colourful and creative makeup look without overdoing it.
A Wedding Day Must Have!
On your big day there will be plenty of hugs and kisses which may fade your lippy and makeup look therefore you may want to look at investing a good emergency pouch bag to hold all your essential items!
Create a list of must haves from the following items:
- Vanity mirror
- Lippy
- Waterproof mascara
- Q-tips
- Tissues
- Eyeshadow
- Mini Makeup brush
- Powder
- Concealer
- Foundation
- Facial mist spray
- Face mask
In addition, you may want to include some of these:
- Mini comb / hairbrush
- Mini holding spray
- Hair pins
- Safety pins
- Paracetamol
- Plasters
- Mints
- Small needle and thread
- Stain remover wipes
- Nails vanish
- Super glue
We hope you found this article useful. Please feel free to COMMENT or SHARE If you have any questions or require any assistance with your makeup preparation do let us know we be more than happy to put you in the right hands. Contact us on admin@valentineweddings.co.uk