So. You've found the man, the venue, and the dress, and it's onto the really important stuff- the makeup! Every woman wants to feel her most beautiful on her wedding day, so here are some top tips for getting the best result from your makeup artist.

IT’S ALL ABOUT RESEARCH. You know the saying ‘a picture is worth a thousand words?’ This is definitely true when explaining what sort of makeup you like. Words like ‘natural’ can mean different things to different people, so it’s much easier to collect photos of makeup you like and work from there. A good place to start is red carpet photos of celebrities who have similar colouring to you, these photos tend to be less airbrushed than photos found in a bridal magazine or on social media. #nofilter #meanslotsoffilter

IT’S OK TO BE A LITTLE BIT BOSSY. Send a photo of yourself, along with details of dress and hair, plus your favourite makeup looks along to your makeup artist prior to your trial. It helps to give us an idea of your style, your colouring, and what you feel good wearing. A professional will be able to guide you in terms of what will work, but ultimately the best makeup is makeup that you feel great in, not somebody else’s style pushed onto you. Your best look might even be a more polished version of your Friday night favourite – if you feel great in a red lip, wear it! Big on eye makeup? Go for it.

DRESS FOR THE OCCASION. Your wedding dress is usually the most glamorous dress you will ever wear in your life, unless you work as a runway model. Wear something nice (and preferably neutral coloured) to your trial, as this will give the best idea of how the makeup will look with your actual dress. Perfection would be a maxi in a similar tone to your dress, but a little black dress is a great alternative. It’s great if you can have your hair trial on the same day, it helps to have it looking groomed so your makeup doesn’t feel out of place.
BE GRACIOUS BUT CLEAR. Once you’ve had your makeup done, it might be perfect
(hooray!) or you may need to ask for some changes. Your artist wants you to be happy,
so don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.

ROAD TEST. Professional makeup usually looks better after about an hour, and should last well for at least 4-6 hours. (I’ve had some clients wear it out the day next day!) Take a photo after it’s settled in, so your artist can see if anything needs adjusting.

ON THE DAY. Allow yourself plenty of time to get ready, your makeup and hair should be completed no later than one hour prior to you getting into your dress. Under no circumstances should you be the last one in the bridal party getting your makeup done – you will be too nervous to sit still. Touch up makeup should be packed the night before to save stress, that should include powder, under eye concealer, lips and blush. After all that, relax and enjoy the day. In my experience, every bride is beautiful on her wedding day, so go soak up the admiration!