Going Glam while Looking Natural – by Wedding Expert Makeup by Nancy

Methuen, Massachusetts

Written by Nancy Gorman of Makeup by Nancy

Every wedding and every bride have their own unique vibe. However, striking the right balance between modern trends and timeless appeal is something every wedding must contend with.

When I work with a bride on her wedding day, I ask a lot of questions about her usual makeup routine and the wedding itself. I often ask a bride to share a photo of herself when she felt more beautiful. This gives me important clues about how to approach her wedding makeup.

Some brides are anxious, wanting me to cover up aspects of their complexion or certain features. While this is possible, I always tell them, “Makeup shouldn’t disguise you, it should enhance you!”

While I take my cue from each bride I work with, I get a lot of inspiration looking at wedding photographs and consider how makeup might play with other features of the wedding, the lighting, and the season.

Allison Ebacher’s photography is stunning—brides, grooms, family, and friends radiate joy and happiness while looking totally natural. I often turn to her photos to consider how lighting will affect a bride’s makeup, especially for brides with high contrast between their hair and complexion. For example, getting the balance of makeup just right for red-haired women requires skill and attention to the fine details of the setting.

Similarly, understanding the wedding venue’s quirks can help me know just which shading or contrast might help accentuate a bride’s best features. Dark indoor venues require entirely different colors than bright sunny garden weddings. For example, many couples covet the stunning sunset views at the Merrimack Valley Golf Club and time their wedding so guests get the full effect. However, playing with the changing light affects how I do a bride’s makeup.

Next to the wedding party’s wear, flowers are usually the most significant punch of color in a wedding. A bride’s make up should look natural while balancing with these hues. Susanne’s Wedding Floral Designs are always breathtaking—but the vibrant shades she works with can make a bride look washed out in photographs if I don’t consider that as well.

My job as the makeup artist is to balance these factors while bringing out the inner beauty in every bride. However, when I’m done, a bride should feel like a beautiful, glam version of herself, but still look totally natural and undeniably recognizable as the star of her big day.