We love bridal hair and makeup that embraces a bride’s essential, natural beauty. That’s something Make Me Bridal pro, Aston Davies, of Aston’s Makeup and Beauty, embraces in her work, so it’s no wonder that she chose a theme of natural beauty when creating this gorgeous shoot together with a team of local pros. The style was modern boho chic, with a palette of warm earth tones that suit every bride, and eco-conscious elements like vegan makeup and beautiful dried flower arrangements. The setting (and part of the inspiration) was Secret Garden wedding venue in Kent, which Aston fell in love with when she visited for the first time a few years ago. It truly is a magical space! This shoot was recently featured on the gorgeous B.LOVED wedding blog.
Aston’s brief for the creative team was ‘effortless chic’, and she brought this to the hair and makeup. She designed each look to be very versatile, and wearable for brides of all skin tones and types. “I love my brides to feel comfortable and confident,” she says. “Skin should look and feel like skin, like you are just the best version of yourself.” In line with the shoot’s eco-friendly focus, Aston used all vegan and cruelty-free skincare and makeup products and brands, such as Charlotte Tilbury, Hourglass Cosmetics, Arbonne, and Weleda. She also used eco-friendly and reusable tools such as reusable bamboo cotton pads and lash brushes that can be disinfected for reuse.
One of the elements Aston liked about Secret Garden is its versatility, so it was important to her to show off the intimacy of the area, and how it could be used for small ceremonies and receptions. The Glasshouse is an especially lovely feature, and this served as a backdrop for much of the shoot. To make the setting even more atmospheric, florist Bohotanical decorated the area with dreamy boho floral arrangements. In fact, each supplier, from the stationer to the set stylist, did an incredible job at unifying the core aesthetic of the shoot with their own.
A key element in maintaining the right level of chic was the dress and accessories. In collaboration with designer, Emma Beaumont, and hair accessories label, Kontes, the team were able to produce a fashion forward look for 2021 brides. Says Aston: “Emma’s unique dresses were even more stunning in person than I could have imagined, and the hair accessories just added that stunning pop of glamour.”
Aston’s Makeup and Beauty is all about embracing the principle of enhancing and not overpowering a woman’s natural beauty. Aston is a fully qualified and accredited makeup artist and beauty therapist, who has worked with premium brands including MAC and Benefit. Based in Kent, she provides mobile beauty and freelance services, as well as a range of bespoke quality treatments. You can see her profile here.
Wild Hearts, Bridal Styled Shoot, Secret Garden Kent from Hanh Made Films on Vimeo.
- Featured Hair & Makeup Artist, Concept and Planning: Aston’s Makeup and Beauty
- Photography: Albane McGuinness
- Models: Alexandra Smith, Leah Penfold, Harriet Samuel Gray
- Videographer: Hanh Made Films
- Florist: Gwenda Jeffs - Bohotanical
- Dress Designer: Emma Beaumont
- Set Styling and Props: Boho and Bloom Prop Hire
- Stationery: Grania - Ink and Paper
- Cake: Iced Images Cakes
- Venue: Secret Garden Kent
- Hair Accessories: Kontes London
- Shoes: Charlotte Mills Shoes
