Our Top Five Wedding Makeup Tips

Do you know how important having a makeup artist is on your big day? Tricks like contouring and highlighting, making your makeup weatherproof, and being able to recreate current makeup trends are just some of the many reasons going with a pro is so important. However, some brides just can't work it into their budget so here are some tips for those who need to do it themselves: 1. Exfoliate the night before! Using a gentle scrub while in the shower will help to slough off dead skin cells leaving skin smooth, perfect for applying makeup.

2. Deep cleanse and moisturize skin prior to applying your makeup! This is key when prepping the skin.

3. Use a primer! If you want a flawless, poreless look, don't skip this step. It will give your makeup staying power and diffuse imperfections. We love the primer from Glo Minerals, but if you are a Sephora/Ulta girl Benefit's primer and Smashbox's Photo Finish primers are some of our fav's! Smashbox even has a color correcting primer as well as one for oily skin. If you are on a budget Loreal's Pore a Vanisher is a great dupe for Benefit's at a much more reasonable price.

4. Use an eye primer! Urban Decay's Primer Potion is excellent. Just get it, you will see! What you won't see are smudges, creases, oily lids or your eyeshadow disappear.

5. Practice before the big day.

As a professional makeup artist I strongly encourage my brides to do a run through prior to the wedding. This way the look can be perfected and there is no stress the day of. I love knowing ahead of time exactly what we are doing and what products I'm using. So practice on yourself so you KNOW your makeup will be perfect on the big day.

OH AND GET SOME COFFEE LADIES. - IMPORTANT TIP 6!

Article WRITTEN BY: Melissa Kinsey

and WEDDING MAKEUP BY: Melissa Kinsey

For Kaley Brie Fuson, our Bride in the images above, I used Glo minerals primers and Satin II Foundation. I used the Golden under eye concealer to highlight and under the eyes and the Perfecting finishing powder to set. I used Sunlight bronzer to contour and Hibiscus (a soft pink) at her cheeks. Since she wanted to look natural I used a few individual lashes and carefully placed them rather than using a whole strip of lashes.

Photo Credit: Ashley Holstein Photography