Weddings are not your every day run of the mill party. You end up spending thousands, maybe even tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars on one day. And if you're the bride [or groom sometimes], everyone's eyes are going to be on you. This is why you spend a rather large portion of those thousands on your dress. Sometimes, though, brides either don't place enough value on hiring a professional hair and makeup artist, or they hire an artist that doesn't understand how their makeup will be translated on camera.
When you're searching for your hair and makeup artist, they need to understand that they will be creating a look for you that will be photographed by a dark and moody photographer [if we're your photographer, obviously]. This changes everything. Because most wedding photographers have a bright and airy style, makeup artists have grown used to heavy contouring, darker eyes, etc, so that these features actually show up in the finished photos. For our editing style, we would recommend a soft glam look with no contouring, minimal blush, and a natural face. It seems counter intuitive since we are the king of dark and moody, but the brighter and lighter your makeup is, the better you'll look in your photos.
I would also encourage you to not get a spray tan. Your girlfriends will tell you to get a spray tan. The Knot will tell you to get a spray tan. Maybe even your future mother-in-law will tell you to get a spray tan. At the end of the day, none of these people will be editing your photos. With our editing, the lightest bit of makeup shows up dark, and spray tans generally take on an orange tone in post processing. It creates a horrible recipe for disaster for us and sometimes, unfortunately the look of spray tanned skin isn't fixable. We've even had really bad spray tans that have cracked on the shoulders and arms and it creates a true nightmare trying to retouch.
Also consider your overall vibe and style. If you're going for a non-traditional vibe, don't choose a traditional updo as your hairstyle. Be different! The sky isn't even the limit with what you can do on your wedding day. We can hook you up with hair and makeup artists that can achieve your vision, especially if it's out of the ordinary.
I considered these things when planning our wedding last August, but more than that, I reflected on the makeup tragedies we have had to fix in editing after some weddings. It's honestly one of the biggest blunders some brides we've had have made. And it's one of our biggest nightmares as photographers who also retouch every photo. We've had to fix makeup-induced raccoon eyes, mismatched makeup to skin tones, orange skin, and muddy contouring on cheeks, chins, and jawlines. I do not profess to be a makeup artist or makeup expert. I've never been good at that, but I do know what looks good in photos and perhaps it's certain techniques or trends that have produced the nightmares we've encountered, or maybe it all comes down to the inexperience of the artist themselves, but I knew beyond all doubt that I wanted to choose the best for our wedding.
Enter Amber. We met Amber several years ago at a styled shoot and hit it off with her immediately. The work she did at the shoot was flawless and we recommended her time and time again after that. We've had the privilege of working with her on a number of weddings after that day and today call her a friend. I knew immediately that I needed her to do my hair and makeup. The most important things to me regarding hair and makeup were to a) still look like myself [I was not interested in looking like a cake face or have my hair in some crazy formal updo that I'd never consider wearing] and b) have something that was unique and different than most brides. At our wedding, I wanted my hair to look like a pretty pirate's. So Amber teased the heck out of it, added a number of small braids and really made it look like I had extensions [in the best of ways]. Best of all, it stood up to the dance floor that I treated like a gym. Another important aspect of hiring a professional is durability of the hair and makeup. I cried my eyes out during our private vows, and my makeup didn't even take a hit. At the end of the night, both my hair and makeup looked just as fresh as it did that morning. My time with Amber during the first part of our wedding day ended up being a priceless time where I could relax with her and it was time I will always treasure
Amber no longer advertises her hair and makeup services, but exclusively works with Applehead clients that we send to her. If you're one of our brides and want her contact info, shoot us a message and we'll get it to you!
Photos first and last by us
Remaining photos captured by Linden Bloom Photography and Edited by Us