Wedding Photography Advice: Make-Up

Make-up people are indispensable for your wedding day. Hire the best one you can find. I’ve been lucky enough to have my hair and make-up done by a few experts for special events and I’m telling you, they are magicians. I know you think you can do your own make-up, but you can’t. I know your best friend knows a lot about make-up, but she doesn’t, not like they do. They know all the secrets. Brilliant, I’m telling you, and worth every penny.

I’m often asked if your wedding day make-up should be heavier or thicker for the photos. My answer is no. It doesn’t need to be heavier, it just needs to last through a long day of crying and sweating without smearing. You have to remember I am with you until the very end and even though the portraits are a part of my job, it’s also my job to get the photo of you enjoying the last dance at your reception. So your make-up and hair has to last through the evening.

Very important!: Make your appointment much earlier than you think. It’s always best to be sitting around sipping champagne with your hair and make-up done than to be frantically rushing around. In my experience, the number one reason a timeline gets thrown off is because of hair and make-up. It’s best to hire professionals who work in the wedding industry. They will understand wedding timelines so the day goes smoothly. I once had a bride hire hair and make-up people from the NYC fashion world and they had bridesmaids in curlers 5 minutes before the ceremony started- yikes! Fine for a fashion shoot but not for the poor bride’s nerves.

Here are two brides who were at the studio recently for their trial with Amie Decker Beauty: