So many options to choose from - where do you start?

For some, their wedding hair and makeup are the finishing touches to a bigger picture including dress, shoes, and florals. The cherry on top shall we say! For others, hair and makeup is their entire identity, and making sure they look and feel exactly how they envision, is key.

Not all brides have a clear idea of how they want to look. When clients come to me needing advice on what they should have, my first question is, ‘what makes you feel the most beautiful?’ Think about it, do you want to look back at your photos 20 years from now and think, ‘what on earth was I thinking?’, or, ‘blimey I looked good!’. You’ve likely already chosen your dress and venue and I can without a doubt guarantee that these are both extensions of your personal style. So what most represents you and your style for hair and makeup? If you can answer that, 9 times out of 10, it’ll tie in perfectly with everything else.

If you’re still a bit stuck, here are some pros and cons for some of the most popular styles:

Hair down:

Photography by https://www.ianrolfe.co.uk

Pros - Having your hair down gives you security around the face and shoulders. Perhaps your ears bother you, or you don’t particularly like your shoulders being on display. Hair down could be what you opt for on a daily so having your hair up would feel alien.

Cons - it’s more susceptible to the elements (hello a wet and windy day!) and if you opt for curls but your hair refuses to hold, there really isn’t much we can do to change that, therefore having all your hair down may result in a tad of a sloppy look by the end to the day.

The solution - Pin some parts back but leave the rest down. Opt for a beach wave over a curl as these tend to hold best on stubborn hair. Maybe even pin most of it up but leave lots of soft pieces out around the face, neck and back.

Hair up:

Pros - it’s up, fixed, and isn’t moving! Hair ups are super strong holding and generally once they’re done, you don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the day. I’ve even had brides message me a day (or 3) later to say their updo is still going strong!

Cons - if you never wear your hair up (and I mean like, ever!) then would you really feel your best with your hair up on the day? Looking back at the photos in decades to come would you then say, ‘this was the one and only time in my life I ever wore my hair up!’. Some styles can sit too close on the neck and feel restricting or are pulled back from the face too much that you feel like you’re all face with no hair.

The solution - make sure the front is how you see yourself when you look in the mirror. For example, make sure your parting is where you usually have it. If you always cover your ears, choose a style which compliments that. If you have a fringe, leave it loose. The back of a hair up can look as beautiful as a viral Instagram pic but if the front isn’t you, there’s little chance of you liking it.

Similar principles apply to makeup but with one major exception - it has to live up to being the makeup of your wedding day! This is not the office. Granted you wouldn’t want something that is light years away from the norm, but equally you’re likely not getting married in jeans and a t-shirt. How often do you wear a wedding dress? The makeup should be something that you identify with - it’s you, but on a really good day! Just make sure that you allow your makeup artist to amp up your usual style just enough that it stands the test of time on a long wedding day, stands up to being next to an amazing gown, and also comes across well in photos. Makeup never looks anywhere near as strong on photos as it does in the mirror and photos last forever whereas memories alas, fade. This may mean adding some natural individual eye lashes to enhance that flutter, having a tad more foundation to make sure your skin tone is even and clear, or having a touch of soft lip colour so that your lips don’t blend into the rest of your face on pictures.

If you love experimenting with makeup and your mantra is, ‘the more the merrier’ then bring it on!

To book your wedding day hair and makeup consultation, get in touch now. Visit my website Laura Anne Hair and Makeup London for more information.

By Laura Anne

07/01/2022