How to Create a Cohesive Makeup Look for Your Bridal Party

Whether you’re planning to have a bevy of beautiful bridesmaids following you down the aisle, or just one or two of your best girls, there’s no doubt that the bridal party plays an important role on your wedding day. They’re going to be in the spotlight, as well as dozens of photographs, and you want them looking their best. And it isn’t just about their gowns – you’ll want to make sure that their hair and makeup is on point as well. But how do you go about creating a cohesive makeup look for your bridal party? And how can you make sure that you still stand out?

Plan and prepare. The most important thing is to give your bridesmaids’ look some thought beforehand. Whether you’re hiring a professional bridal makeup artist for your whole crew or having your girls take care of their makeup themselves, it’s important to coordinate beforehand. Ask your makeup pro for advice, and spend some time looking at blogs and Pinterest to find examples of looks you love.

Think coordinated rather than matchy. You want your bridesmaids to look great together as a group, but they may have very different features and skin tones, and may not suit the same makeup colours. In the same way as many modern brides opt for mismatched bridesmaid dresses, you can have slight differences in styling that still work together as a whole. For example, have your makeup artist choose between two similar lipstick shades for all the girls (with a bolder complementary colour for you).

Stand out from the crowd. While the bridal hair and makeup should work well with the bridesmaids’, it should still stand out from the crowd. After all, this is your moment to shine! There are lots of ways to achieve this. For example, dramatic faux lashes, a smoky eye, a bold lip, or a touch of sparkle. Your bridesmaids can still rock a similar look – just take it down a few levels.

Take the wedding theme and location into account. It’s not just you and each other that the bridesmaids’ looks need to complement. It’s also important that what they wear and their hair and makeup look good in the context of the wedding itself. Factors like formality, theme, colours, and season will come into play, as well as any practical considerations like heat and humidity. Bridesmaid accessories are another important element, so if you know what they’ll be wearing, be sure to communicate that to your makeup artist.

When in doubt, try it out. Whatever choices you make for the bridal party’s makeup, be sure to consider how they will look in photographs. And if you’re not sure, test it. A hair and makeup trial is important for the bride, but you can arrange one for the bridesmaids as well. Or, if they’re handling their own, simply arrange for them to meet you after your trial all glammed up and ready to go. Even better, make a girls’ night out of it!

Still looking for a professional makeup artist for you (and your squad)? Browse our directory of artists to find your perfect match!