- Blog
- Bios
- Boards
- Classifieds
- DIY
- Gallery
- Vendor Reviews
- Shop Weddingbee
Weddingbee Blog
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
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.
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!
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Mrs. Penguin, Northern California Age and Occupation: 27, Weddingbee Editor in Chief Fiance's Age and Occupation: 30, 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 love the Spice Girls, dogs with underbites, bean burritos, making messes, high fives, avoiding showers, crossword puzzles, blogs, weddings, and blogs about weddings!
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
Latest Gallery Pics