I’ve seen a bride fume for an hour during their very precious reception because the bar ran out of Coke. I’ve seen a frustrated bride because her coordinator wasn’t hands on enough, and another who was mad because hers was trying to prevent her from being extremely late. And near chaos broke out at a different wedding because two of the groomsmen didn’t have belts while the groom only had white socks instead of black.

I’ve also seen a bride’s immeasurable joy and excitement because even though it was unexpectedly raining for the outdoor ceremony, she was about to marry her best friend. Though it stopped by the end of the ceremony, her train was soaked with mud and it never mattered. I know for a fact that a nervous bride can gush with tears because her 89-year old Nanna was well enough to come and was waiting to see her wedding from the first row.

Not every wedding has an element of drama, many weddings go exactly as planned. But every single wedding has one thing in common: EMOTION. And emotion fills a photograph more and better than any planned detail ever could. Reliving those emotions through your photographs is what touches us, shapes our memories of that day, that moment, those people who we know to be most important in our lives. Having those images for the rest of your life, during in good times and bad, in sickness and in health will forever remind you and your children and your grandchildren what life is all about: LOVE.

And that’s what makes every wedding day perfect. Aside from all of the details about colors and dresses and cake flavors, you’re already showing up with everything you need for a perfect wedding…love. 

As if there isn’t enough to think about planning your big day, undoubtedly one of the key things is looking your absolute most gorgeous, namely in your wedding photos (which you should be admiring for a lifetime). In addition to choosing just the right dress (of course!), and the right wedding hair and shoes, your makeup is really important as well. Doing your makeup as you do everyday will not work here. Not all brides get their makeup professionally applied, and doing it properly for yourself will be a piece of cake if you keep these tips in mind in front of the mirror.

                –Be sure to move that mirror to a window. Applying your makeup in natural light will give you accuracy that indoor light will not. This is especially important if any of your photos will be done outside.

                –Darken AND Brighten it up. Mostly all of your guests will be seeing you more or less from afar. And in photos, especially some of the iconic ones taken from a distance, your beautiful features will appear much lighter than they seem to be. To adequately enhance your eyes, cheeks, and lips, apply more heavily and use more vibrant colors.

                –That being said, use BLACK mascara. Yes, black. And of course, it should be waterproof.

                –Oh- one more thing–fill in your eyebrows with pencil or neutral eyeshadow to give them excellent definition and allow them to frame your lovely eyes.

                –Blotting Sheets and Powder are essential. Even if your skin is not typically oily, blotting sheets will remove shine. Powder will give a clean, matte finish to your skin.

                –Gloss your lips. Whether you’re going for a “natural” look, or you have your favorite go-to shade ready to go, gloss adds a dimension and fullness to your lips, adding that finishing touch.

                –Easy on the glimmer or sparkle on your face, neck, and chest. As pretty of an idea as it seems, in photos, it settles in the tiny creases in your skin and gives any blemishes attention they don’t deserve, especially as the day goes on. That also goes for metallic-finish eyeshadows. Save the sparkle for New Year’s Eve or a special night out instead.