Mrs. Penguin, Sacramento
Age and Occupation: 26, Video & TV Producer/Director/Editor
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Doctor of Physical Therapy
Engagement Date: January 29, 2007
Wedding Date: June 7, 2008
Blogging Since: September 14, 2007
Venue: Winery in the Gold Country
About Me: I'm a silly mess of a girl who, above all else in this world, LOVES the Spice Girls. I eat sushi at least 3 times a week, and feel guilty about how much it costs the other 4 days a week. I love designer jeans and cheap accessories. I don't like sweets, but I love the UCLA Bruins!
Finding a Balance Between Photos and Reality
May 14th, 2008 @ 3:30 pm by Mrs. Penguin
I was referred to my makeup artist, Lisa Deniz, by my neighbor. She’s a Business Manager for Bobbi Brown at the Nordstroms in the Roseville Galleria, and since getting my makeup done by a Bobbi Brown artist in LA for my Engagement Pics with Sarah K Chen, I was sold.
Rather than charge me for a trial, Lisa had me stop by an event where she was repping Bobbi Brown. On a side note, if you hire a makeup artist that typically works at a mall counter, she should be happy to let you stop in to the store when she’s working to give you a “free” trial. And by “free” I mean that it would be a great idea anyway to buy the extras you’ll need for touchups on your wedding day (pressed powder, lip pencil, lip gloss, whatever) so really, you’re just getting a makeover disguised as your makeup trial.
Anyhoo, my trial went great. I asked for a smokey eye, and I got it, although I’m rethinking it for my actual wedding day…it seems a little too “nighttime” for me, even though I’m most comfortable with a smokey eye.
The thing that was most conflicting though, was the fact that in person, I looked like I had RIDICULOUS amounts of makeup on, while in pictures, the makeup looked great. Before snapping pics of myself, Lisa held up the mirror for me, and I quickly thought it was too much makeup, and had her wipe a lot of it off. Then I snapped a picture of myself, and realized that I hardly looked like I had any makeup on at all. She only did half my face with eyes/cheeks/lipgloss, to make sure she was heading in the right direction…
I mean, this is practically what I look like every day. It looks GREAT in person, but just kind of…blah in pictures. I remember thinking back to my Engagement Picture makeup and thinking how HEAVY it was, but in the pictures, it turned out nice. So I told her to go heavier on everything and here’s how it turned out (inside/outside):
Great for pics. Problem being, I look like a crazy hooker in person. Like, scary. So I’m conflicted. Should I wear makeup for the pictures, or wear makeup for how I look in person? I’m sure striking some sort of balance would be just fine, but in the end, pictures are all that you’ll have left of your wedding. And I want to look my best for the ages!
Were you surprised by the amount of makeup it took to get you to look pretty in pictures? Or am I the only one with this problem? In the end, did you decide to go heavy on the makeup for pictures, or more natural?
Makeup by:
Lisa Deniz
Bobbi Brown Business Manager
Travels within the greater Sacramento Area (Contact for travel rates outside of the area)
336.848.0357
40 Responses to “Finding a Balance Between Photos and Reality”
Geez, tough one. Your make-up looks so great. I would have to go with the heavy make-up for the pictures.
YES! I was sooo horrified by my make up in person.
For my engagement pictures, I had someone from MAC who is pretty known here for doing awesome make up. In person, I seriously looked like a hooker, but in pictures …
http://i4.tinypic.com/8aft749.jpg (Trial 1)
Then I had 2 more make up trials with two different people. Again I thought I looked so scary, here are the results.
Trial 2: http://i31.tinypic.com/9r1us2.jpg
Trial 3: http://i32.tinypic.com/2mevorb.jpg
So I ended up booking with the the artist who did Trial 3 because although it was a lot of make up, it looked very fresh and smooth in person.
maybe you could go with heavy for the portraits and remove some of it afterward? I don’t know if that is even feasible.
I think you look great either way, but, for me, I want to be comfortable, which means very little make-up. Down the road, when you look back at the pictures, you will probably just be thinking how great the wedding was and how gorgeous you looked…I doubt you will be thinking that you wished you wore more make-up. If anything, when I look at weddings from 20 years ago, I think “whoa…too much 80’s or 90’s make-up!”, not “she looks like an everyday person who should’ve tried for more glamour!” So, if I were you, I wouldn’t do a ton of make-up…you look beautiful either way…the important thing is to look like you! 
I’m struggling with the EXACT same dilemma. I guess this is why people have bridal photos?
I’m still unsure, although I think I’ll be going with a look that’s good in person. I will still look good in photos, albeit not as model perfect. But I’d rather look a little more dull in photos than have my guests (and groom!) flinch when they see me.
Both of your looks photograph beautifully! I’d go with your regular look.
I’d go regular too. Maybe it’s just me, but the one with the heavier makeup does look too heavy in the pictures. Especially the indoor one.
I agree with looking back at the pictures and thinking “wow, all that 80’s makeup!” Natural never shows a date.
I think lots of brides have this dilemma and struggle with finding the right balance. Personally, I would rather look gorgeous IN PERSON at my wedding. I would really hate for the first reaction from guests (and my fiance) to be “WOW, that’s a lot of makeup!”
I think pictures can be touched up so well now that if you’re happy with the makeup in person then you’ll also look great in the pictures. But we all have different ideas of what “overdone” looks like.
I think You look GREAT in the first picture!
Tough call!
I would go for the looking good in person option as I would want my FH to look at me and think I look pretty in the moment. When you do look back at the photos in ten years, I assure you you will think you looked beautiful!! (IMHO, you look great in the first photo)
I think your photos with all the make-up (inside and out) looks great, but I can understand your not feeling comfortable wearing so much. What sort of responses did you get from your fiance or others who know you who saw you after this trial? Maybe it looks more heavy to you than to others? Remember you are your own worst critic, especially if you don’t usually wear much make-up at all (not that I know if this is the case).
You do need to be made-up with a heavier hand to look great in photos (espeically false eyelashes for most Asians, IMO). This was the case on my wedding day. More make-up than I was used to, but not so much that it felt like I was wearing a mask. Most people didn’t think it was too much.
Yes, it is a fine line to walk. For what it’s worth, you look great either way.
Good luck.
Wow! The makeup looks great in the photo!!
If you look at the Estee Lauder wedding magazine ads, the brides are usually freshfaced, glowy, and pink cheeked. I think that’s how you look in the first picture!
Just out of curiousity, what does the Mr. think? I personally think you look awesome in the pictures….but then again if the Mister is going to look at you strange all day because he’s not used to the heavy makeup, I would reconsider. Personally, I went natural and it didnt’ take much makeup for me to look that way….it’s amazing what the right foundation, fake lashes, and lipstick will do! Either way I think you look super duper hot! =)
I’m having this same problem right now and my wedding is, oh, SATURDAY so I have to sort of figure it out. After I had my makeup trial, my fiance was totally NOT feelin’ the makeup. He actually told me, “You look like you should be in a coffin. It’s just not you.” Always makes a girl feel nice. When I took pics of myself to see how it looked, I didn’t think it was that bad. But in person it was BAD. I just don’t want to get to the altar and have him think I look like a hot mess. I also don’t want to talk to my guests and walk away and have them say, “Wow! Did you see how much makeup she was wearing?” I’ll probably opt for the more natural version of me.
Dude, photos last forever. The in person impression is just for one day. I say go hooker - peeps won’t say a thing, it’s your wedding day and if you want to look like a hooker, then so be it.
Plus, it might work out for you pretty well if you have a Money Dance. 
Go natural. Seriously.
Look gorgeous in person…you’re really probably looking fine in the pictures too. Men don’t wear makeup and no one talks about how they look washed out or bad in their pictures.
I think it looks great!
When my fiance and even my 4-yr-old niece first saw me after my trail they both freaked. But it’s just an initial thing. Then they get used to it. And do did I really. I think you can find a balance. You look great in the photos, btw!
I say go for the good photos. I *really* think it’s just an initial shock.
I’m voting for “more makeup,” especially if your reception will be in a relatively dim room for dinner/dancing. You don’t want to wash out in the candids any more than you do for the ceremony shots, and more makeup will prevent that.
That being said, if it really does scream “hooker,” tone it down a LITTLE, maybe. But don’t worry about looking too “night-time” if you still look gorgeous. You’re the bride, you’re supposed to be the most dressed up person there!
Less is more!
While you generally do need more makeup for photography than in person to look fab in photos, you shouldn’t need to go overboard — and if you’re uncomfortable or don’t look like you, people will be able to tell. A good photographer can help you strike a balance. Have you chosen your photog yet? If so, have a chat with her and see if she can compensate for less makeup with her lighting skills.
You look great–in the photos at least
I would suggest having a friend help you judge in person. I think that we are so used to seeing ourselves One Way that any change can look even more dramatic to us. But a friend (or FI, but I usually think female friends are better judges of makeup) isn’t so surprised at more or less minor changes and can tell you whether it actually looks too heavy or not. That was the case for one of my friends recently–she thought her wedding day makeup looked caked on, and it was more dramatic than usual, but definitely not drastic.
I think you should really go with the natural look. You look fresh and really beautiful. With the heavier make up, it kind of does look heavy in the pictures as well.
lol I just had to laugh at your “look like a crazy hooker” comment.
You look great!!!
I think you should go with the “more makeup look”. I am also all about feeling comfortable. Therefore, I feel that you should think about what bothers you most about the “more makeup”. If the eyeshadow bothers you maybe try a lighter eyeshadow color. I can’t really see the eyeliner, but if that bothers you I would suggest eyeliner on the top lids only or try using grey rather than black. If its the foundation that feels thick to you (can’t tell in the picture) you might want to try a tinted mosturizer instead. If I had to choose something to change about the more makeup look it would be a lighter eyeshadow and a little less blush (because you will be blushing all day long). Definitely keep the penciled eyebrows because it frames your face.
I think it depends on your photographer too. If you have a good photographer, they usually will not use direct flash, so it won’t wash out your make up. At my wedding what you saw, we what I got in photos. If you feel like you look like a hooker that’s not good. I thougth the same about my first trial, and I was told that it “wasn’t bad” but it didn’t do anything to actually enhance my features. My weddign make-up turned out perfect though, he did highlighted different parts of my face to make my nose look a llittle thinner nose, eyes emphasized, not just put color on your face. May be you could do another trial for your engagement photos?
If you want you can look at my wedding photos, you can see me without make-up when I was getting my hair done:
http://flickr.com/photos/cyshas/sets/72157605029065441
I’d say go with heavier makeup. I was a bridesmaid a couple weekends ago and the bride initially looked way overdone in the brightly lit dressing room. But the ceremony was more dimly lit, and so was the reception, and she ended up looking perfect in person, whereas I (who did my own makeup, and still did it with a heavier hand than normal) looked like I had nothing on. The pictures looked great with the heavier makeup as well. But of course, do whatever you’re most comfortable with!
i say go with the photo makeup. true, you can photoshop later but why bother? i’m sure your makeup isn’t too too heavy in real life.. maybe you’re just not used to wearing a little more? you look gorgeous with the makeup so i say do it!!! woohoo!!
P.S. Maybe try different colors. You eyeshadow does looks like a really light shade, not bad. But you try something more in a different tone, it might not look as unusual.
I think you look BEEEUTIFUL! One time I went to the MAC counter and had some makeup done, but at the end I felt like a clown. My mom kept telling me that it didn’t look like too much makeup. I have a feeling that I will feel this way on my wedding day.
I have heard such great things about Bobbi Brown! FMIL went there last week and looked gorgeous! I think you look gorgeous too!!
GAWD! I don’t know why I am always logged out. Anyways, I think you look gorgeous–I’d go with more makeup rather than less. It’s your wedding, sister! You should look fancy pants.
Generally it photographs come out better with a little more makeup than usual.
gah this is my big conflict right now with FI … he does NOT want me to look like a stranger!!! i am just going to have to find middle ground because i look straight busted in photos with no makeup!
go heavier….maybe not as heavy as what you have on in the 2nd photo. you are adorable with the fresh face look in the first photo but it doesn’t seem special to me, yanno? you look like you’re headed to the mall, not down the aisle.
go heavier but perhaps not so much blush….and do a plum or chocolate on the eye instead of harsh black.
i’m with the others and would love to know what Mr. Peng thought.
You gals are so smart I’m definitely gonna show the pictures to Mr. Penguin and see what he thinks!
Okay, on a totally unrelated note…I have been reading and loving your posts for months without ever realizing that we are hometownies! Until you mentioned the Galleria, that is
I had makeup done at the MAC counter for my epics, and while the pictures looked great, I still feel like it wasn’t ‘me’. I’m on the fence now about having my makeup professionally done for the wedding, or doing it myself. I’ve picked up some books (the ones by Kevyn Aucoin are amazing) and have been practicing away, since I’ve never worn much makeup before. Sometimes the results are a bit hilarious, but hopefully by the time December rolls around I’ll be better!!!
You *do* look amazing in the photos!
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You look great in both, but like the ohter girls I think you should let Mr Penguin see you in your “ho” make-up then let him see the more subtle version……and I think the pics are what you’ll SEE later in life and make-up is used to accentuate what you’ve already got…no one will be scared and say OMG look at how much make-up she’s wearing…and if they do SO WHAT!! You look HOT
