Congratulations future bride, you’re getting married to the man of your dreams! I’m sure you have a lot on your mind as you plan your perfect day, and trust me I know it can be extremely overwhelming. You’re thinking about the dress, what your groom will wear, how you’ll do your hair, the cake, the photography, the flowers, the venue, the favors, the songs, the list really does go on and on and on! But something you might not have considered adding to your list of to-do’s and expenses is a hair and makeup artist. I’m telling you now, you won’t regret adding this detail to your day.
In many places, but Utah especially, there’s a very prominent notion of doing things yourself, it’s practically a part of the culture. Amazing and creative things have come from this pattern of living, and you can often achieve a very comparable result by doing something yourself, saving yourself a few bucks and being able to put a personal touch on your project in the process. I’m personally a huge DIY-er, and the majority of things you’ll see in my home I created or built myself, with a little help (okay, a lot of help) from Pinterest. DIY is great! So… why should I pay someone to do my hair and makeup for my wedding, something I do every single morning by myself, you ask? Here’s a few reasons:
1. Makeup “reads” differently on camera. Professional photographers use professional grade equipment, and that high definition is really going to show when your pictures are returned to you. I myself have bad skin (seriously, it’s wretched), and every time I see an amateur photo of myself I cringe when I see all those teeny tiny details I thought I had masterfully covered up in my dimly-lit bathroom.
Just like a photographer uses professional equipment, so do makeup artists. Not only are their makeup and brushes of high quality, but the artists have learned and extensively trained on how to use these products to 1) amplify your natural beauty and emphasize your greatest features, and 2) disguise any blemishes that you wouldn’t have on your skin’s best day. A H&MUA isn’t there to transform you into someone unrecognizable, but to accentuate and show you how beautiful you already are.
2. Photographers are photographers, not photoshoppers. Sure, unbelievable things can be done with photoshop. But just like every part of a photographer’s job, photoshopping takes time, and a lot of it. While extensive editing can be done, it’s often more expensive (photographer’s will charge you for any extra time needed) and detracts from the picture and its story. More often than not, digitally correcting skin looks fake. Why would you want to look fake, why would you want to look any different than who you are on your wedding day? Remember, your fiancé chose you for everything that you are, inside and out.
I’m all about natural in my photography, capturing your story in all its realness. There’s very little more lovely to me than authenticity. I don’t spend hours photoshopping or digitally airbrushing skin because your beauty is in your interaction. The photographer seeks to get the majority of the work done “in camera”, which is where flattering posing, angles, and lighting come into play; but add blemishes, caked or flat skin, or razor burn (I’m talking to you now, grooms!) to the picture, and all of your photographer’s expertise that you paid good money for won’t go as far.
Need a visual? Each of the brides below hired professional makeup artists. Would you like to know how much skin retouching was done on each of these photos? Zero. Zip. Zilch.
Hair & Makeup Artist: Tatianna at Garden Day Spa & Salon
Carrie Purser Makeup & Hair Artistry
Hair & Makeup Artist: Flavia at Versa Artistry
And an example of a subject who did her own makeup, me. The retouched photo on the right does look clearer, but notice how my skin is a bit flatter, lacking definition and natural glow?
3. It’s your wedding day!!! You’ve planned this day for months, maybe years! It’s going to be a long, busy, exciting day, and although it’s wonderful, it will be stressful. I guarantee that something, if not several things, will not go the way you planned it on your wedding day; hopefully you won’t really care, being blissfully happy with your new husband on your arm. But the less you put on your own plate, the less you have to stress about, and stress is not beautiful. Who wants to run the risk of having a “bad hair day” land on the most important day of your life? Let me emphasize again: it’s your wedding day. Let yourself be pampered and hand this task over to the professionals who will show you the beauty that everyone else sees in you; I promise it’ll be worth it!
Need some recommendations? Check out my preferred vendors page for some excellent talent. If hiring someone isn’t an option or if you’d like some great tips on doing your own makeup, I recommend these posts:
Beauty On The Brain: Beauty Blunders
Contour & Highlight Tutorial by Once Wed
How To Fake Thicker Lashes Tutorial by Once Wed