When your wedding day comes, all eyes will be on you and it is your time to shine. You have picked the most gorgeous gown, have planned a complimentary hairstyle, and all that is left to complete the look is a touch of makeup.
Simple, right? Not so. There are quite a few things that can go awry when it comes to makeup if you are not well prepared! Planning ahead will help you to avoid these wedding makeup mistakes and ensure your look is beautifully flawless as you prepare to walk down the aisle.
DIY or calling a friend
Unless you or your friend is a professional makeup artist, it’s 100% best that you don’t go there. There is so much more involved in wedding day makeup than what you would need to factor in for a night out on the town, or an afternoon social gathering.
Your face will need to look perfect in both natural and artificial light and be able to stand out in every photograph – without looking like a fixed china doll. Wedding makeup artists are well versed in how to create the perfect look for brides that enhances their natural beauty, rather than creating a mask that makes them think “who the heck is that in my dress looking back at me in the mirror?”
Wearing too much makeup
Unless you usually wear makeup every day and are looking for a bit of extra coverage for your wedding day, it’s best to avoid overdoing it!
Not only will this look unnatural to your partner and your guests if you usually go au naturale or rely on a trusty BB cream to get you through every day, but it will be totally uncomfortable for you too.
You want your makeup to feel as if you aren’t wearing any makeup, and allowing yourself to be made up with too much makeup will be something that will surely bug you throughout the day. How do you find the balance? This is where the trial comes in…
Skipping a trial
While makeup artists are highly skilled at creating beautiful looks for all skin tones, skipping a trial is one of the biggest mistakes you can make.
Yes, it is an extra cost to take into consideration, but the investment will mean that you and your makeup artist will have an opportunity to create the look you think will work for you and if it doesn’t quite have the effect you were hoping for – you have the time to work through other solutions until you are 100% happy.
This means that on your wedding day, your makeup artist can get straight to work and you won’t be working through trivial things when the pressure is on to get ready.
Not preparing for your trial
You may have a visual in your mind of what your ideal bridal look will be, but it is much easier for your makeup artists to bring this to life if they have an actual visual. Bringing photos of looks that you love with to your makeup trial will help your makeup artists understand what you are gunning for and will also help you to chat about will and won’t work for your skin tone and the look of your dress etc.
It’s also a good idea to wear a top or dress the same colour as your wedding gown, so you can see how your makeup looks up against those tones.
Not using waterproof mascara
This should really be a no-brainer, but we’d better list it anyway. No matter whether you are the bride, bridesmaid, or even a guest, weddings = happy tears, but happy tears + non-waterproof mascara = unsightly black eyes and completely ruined makeup.
Don’t let it happen.
Skipping the setting spray
It’s a quick spritz that might seem insignificant when you are running out of time, but skipping the setting makeup spray is simply gearing you up for potential drama as the day wears on.
Tears of joy, a little perspiration, and an endless barrage of hugs from your guests will take its toll on even the most stay-proof of makeups. The setting spray will provide that extra barrier of protection so that you continue to look just as radiant when you enter the reception as you did when guests first laid eyes on you at the end of the aisle.
Trying something new
Your wedding day is one of the most special occasions in your life, but you should avoid using this moment as the time to debut a red-hot lipstick (when you are usually a nude lippy wearer) or smoking up the eyes when you are usually a simple mascara only type of gal.
While these looks can be amazing bridal looks, venturing too far from what people would call “your look” is not a safe bet for something as important as your wedding day.
Getting caught up in trends
The Kardashians made contouring the ‘it’ look, but going too overboard in the makeup department in the name of following trends can quickly date your look.
Instead, go for something that is timeless and will look glamorous even when your future kids are flicking through your wedding photos. This is one of the typical wedding makeup mistakes that brides make, getting swept up in the latest eyebrow trend or base makeup trend. If you want a classic look, your makeup artist will be able to deliver that for you.
Sticky lips
Go for a lip stain or matte lipstick rather than a creamy lipstick or lip gloss. The reason to avoid the latter is that they wear off quickly, and can be super-sticky, which is not good news if you are wearing a veil or plan to have your hair out on your wedding day.
The potential for photos with hair strands stuck at awkward angles across your face should be avoided at all costs. If your hair is up, you might be able to avoid this and still wear a gloss. 
Glitter
This isn’t the 90s, so there probably isn’t any real reason to incorporate glitter into your wedding makeup – but just to make sure you don’t go there, know that it’s a surefire way to annoy your photographer.
Glitter can create weird spots in your photos that can be pretty much any colour of the rainbow as the particle reflect the camera flash, meaning you might be paying more for your photographer to touch up the bazillions of weird specks you will end up with in your images.
Forgetting to exfoliate and/or moisturise
You want to present your makeup artist with the best canvas possible, so don’t forget to exfoliate your face, neck, and lips so there is no sign of dry, flaky skin.
Get a face mask on three or four days before the wedding and follow this up with a light oil the night before. You could look at a moisturising mask for your lips too, which will make them soft and smooth on your wedding day.
Not covering your face when dressing
Most bridal gowns are designed so that you can step into them when it’s time to get dressed. But if your dream dress doesn’t fall into that category, make sure you have a covering that you can put over your face to avoid transferring your makeup onto your gown as you slip it over your head.
It’s also a good idea to wear a shirt with buttons of a zip while you are having your hair and makeup done, so you can easily get it off without disturbing all of your professional’s hard work. This is why most brides get ready in robes!
