WHY I DID MY OWN WEDDING MAKEUP & 5 REASONS WHY DOING YOUR OWN BRIDAL MAKEUP IS A GREAT IDEA.

When I first began telling people that I’d decided to do my own wedding makeup, nine times out of ten, I was met with the response ‘oh my god, why would you do such a thing?!’ - or something along those lines, anyway.

And you know what? To a degree, I get it. Having your makeup done when it’s your wedding day is most certainly a treat, and let’s face it, who doesn’t love a little bit of pampering? - especially when it’s such a special occasion! For me though, deciding to do my own wedding makeup gave me a greater sense of reassurance than having someone else doing it would have done. I’ve been doing my own makeup for the past 10 years or more, and whilst I’ll happily admit that there have been some pretty drastic mistakes along the way (too much eyeliner during my early teens, looking like an Oompa Loompa during my late teens...) these days, I’m much better practiced in makeup.

Whilst most people will probably still decide to have their makeup done for them on their wedding day (which is more than fine, by the way!) I thought I’d take this opportunity to share some reasons why you should do your own wedding makeup. Ultimately, the decision as to who paints your face on your big day is yours entirely, but before you book an MUA in haste, here’s why DIY’ing it may just 

be a great idea...

Applying my trusty MAC Angel lipstick on my wedding day

1. It’s Loads Cheaper

Makeup artists charge different prices for their work, but if you want a really, really good one, you can be looking anywhere between £100-125 (possibly even more!) to get your bridal makeup done. So, the first reason why it’s a great idea to do your own wedding day makeup is therefore pretty obvious - it’ll save you a ton of cash.

I actually wasn’t too bothered about the money side of the whole thing, really. After all, we blew our original budget wayyy before I even started thinking about makeup - but when I did start pricing everything up, I have to say, I was a teeny bit flabbergasted.

Instead of having my makeup done, I treated myself to loads of new makeup from NARS, and my mum and I both had makeup masterclasses with professional makeup artists at Selfridges to help train us up a little before the big day.

2. If You Book A Makeup Artist, You May Feel Obliged to Pay For Your Bridesmaids Too

Most bridesmaids - and all good bridesmaids, for that matter - wouldn't have any issue whatsoever with the bride paying for her own makeup, and not there’s - but some (naughty bridesmaids), they might feel a little annoyed that you haven’t treated them.

Now, like I say, this really shouldn’t be an issue, but if, like me, you want your bridesmaids to be just as happy as you on your big day, then you may wish for them to have the same treatment as you.

When I decided to do my makeup myself, my entire bride squad were totally in favour of the decision, and most of them actually said they’d prefer to do their own, anyway. Winner!

Me & my beautiful bridesmaids

3. If You’re Not Happy With Your Finished Makeup, Fessing Up Can Be Awkward

I like to think that most brides would have a makeup trial before their wedding day, just to be sure that their MUA totally understands how they want to look - but I’ve heard of so many cases where the bride was ‘too scared’ to tell her makeup artist that she was unhappy with the end result!

Coming clean and explaining that you’re not 100% happy with your bridal makeup can be a little bit uncomfortable, or even embarrassing - but remember that your MUA is being paid by you, so it’s their job to get it right! However, if you’re quite confident with makeup and you genuinely like how you do your makeup, then why not avoid all of this and do it yourself?!

4. Doing Your Own Wedding Makeup Provides a Sense Of Control

If you’re anything like me, and suffer with anxiety, you may find that taking on the role of doing your own makeup provides you with a sense of control on your big day. A lot of brides worry about the things that are behind their control - what if nobody shows up? What if I fall over whilst walking down the aisle? What if I cry and ruin my makeup? Or even worse, what if my makeup artist doesn’t show up?!

If you’re finding yourself overanalysing every aspect of your wedding and it’s preventing you from enjoying that magical pre-wedding build up, then it’s worth exploring what you can change and what you can control. Starting with your makeup.

Sherry & I doing our makeup

I did my sister's makeup, and my niece's makeup, too - and I loved it!

5. Nobody Knows Your Face Like You Do!

And finally - and perhaps most importantly of all - nobody knows your face in the same way that you do!

If you’ve experimented with makeup before, it’s likely that you’ll have an idea as to how you like your makeup to look (heavy or light, natural or glamorous & so on) - and so in that sense in particular, you have a huge advantage over anybody else that paints your face.

Personally, I like my makeup to look fairly natural, but glamorous at the same time - which is exactly how I wanted to look on my wedding day. My vision was so clear and I knew what I had to to achieve the look I wanted, so, in the end, doing my own makeup was a complete no-brainer.

Applying my mascara...

In my Rolls Royce Phantom, ready to walk down the aisle!

I can't wait to share more with you all very soon, but in the meantime, be sure to check out my previous wedding post 'How To Choose The Perfect Wedding Dress.'

Lots of love,

Grace x