Wedding makeup ideas for every bride with shimmering eye shadows, winged eyeliner, dramatic lashes and blushed cheeks

Modern & Classic Wedding Makeup Ideas

Photography by Kerry Ann Duffy Photography

When it comes to your wedding makeup it's likely you fall into one of two camps. You either want to do it yourself like Kate Middleton, or you want to sit back relax and leave it to the professionals. I very much fell into the latter category and enjoyed every minute of sipping bubbles and chatting to my wedding party whilst my makeup artist worked her magic. Neither option is right or wrong, as always, it's what works best for you. But before you decide, allow us to inspire you with some truly fierce wedding makeup ideas.

 


Lipstick

There's nothing more effective than a well-chosen lipstick. Go for bright pinks and bold reds for extra impact or clear glosses and beige shades for a more natural look. Talk to your makeup artist or pop along to your local beauty counter to find out what your skin's undertone is. This will help you find the perfect shade of lipstick to complement your complexion. And, if you fall in love with a shade of lipstick in your makeup artists kit bag, be sure to find out what it is so you can buy a spare and reapply at your leisure during your wedding day.

East Asian bride in a red and gold sari with red lipstick and gold Indian jewellery
Destination wedding with bride in a high neck lace wedding dress and dark lipstick holding a pampas grass and orchid wedding bouquet
Beautiful wedding makeup with bold red lipstick, smokey eye make up and black eyeliner wearing a green foliage crown
Beautiful bride wearing a bright red lipstick to match her wedding bouquet flowers and her grooms braces
Stylish bride in a leopard print cardigan and slogan t-shirt with 'Kiss' font having her wedding makeup and red lipstick applied
Black bride with swept back hair wearing a gold headband and deep red lipstick
Flawless wedding makeup up with smokey brown eyeshadow and peach lipstick
Blonde bride smiling with long flowing hair, grey smokey eye make up and clear glossy lipstick

Eyeshadow

Just like lipstick eyeshadow can also have a dramatic effect on your overall bridal look. We've seen brides opt for light browns, or beige to match their eyes for the ceremony, then replenish their look for the evening reception with a dark grey smokey eye. A cream eyeshadow will work best as a base or solid colour. Whereas powder eyeshadows can be slightly trickier to apply but will allow you to blend multiple shades.

East Asian bride with sleek bridal up do wearing shimmering eyeshadow, winged eyeliner and brown lipstick
Black bride with afro hair tied up wearing bright orange eyeshadow and fuchsia pink lipstick wedding makeup
Beautiful black bride in a lace wedding dress with shimmering eyeshadow and winged eyeliner
South Asian bridal makeup with light brown eyeshadow and gold flecks, and light brown matt lipstick
Stylish bride in a gold embellished wedding dress wearing emerald green drop earrings and dramatic green eyeshadow
Bride with brown hair and brown eyes wearing light brown eyeshadow and lipstick for her wedding makeup
Bride in a one shoulder jumpsuit with pinned back hair wearing smokey eye makeup, highlighter on her cheeks and glossy lipstick
Retro bride with a ponytail wearing yellow eyeshadow, brown blush and beige lipstick

Eyeliner

There are so many different ways you can apply eyeliner. On the hoods or inner part of your eye, with pencils for a smudged look or with liquid gel for a refined winged effect. It is the perfect finishing touch to your eye makeup to really define them. Recommended supplier Off Duty Weddings is known to use different coloured eyeliners as stand-alone eyewear, and the results are always killer!

Black bride with short afro hair wearing a silver cuff earring and white winged eyeliner
Bride with long auburn hair wearing a gold crown with dark black eyeliner and light brown lipstick wedding makeup
Black bride with light pink eyeliner and lipgloss wedding makeup
Wedding makeup for bride with brown hair with cream eyeshadow and winged eyeliner and light brown lipstick
Bride with dark brown hair wearing a silver crown, light pink lipstick and dramatic black eyeliner wedding makeup
Black bride wearing a light pink winged eyeliner with blush cheeks and clear gloss
Bride with long wavy blonde hair with smoke grey eyeshadow and black eyeliner and a barely there lipstick
South Asian bride with short hair wearing a satin long sleeve wedding dress with white winged eyeliner makeup

Eyelashes

Not all of us are blessed with long lashes, but that's ok, there are lots of options out there to ensure you have long full lashes. The most obvious choice is mascara, but it's worth testing a few to make sure they are waterproof. You don't want to ruin your wedding makeup with running mascara. If you're thinking of choosing a more permanent solution, eyelash extensions could be the way to go. Schedule your appointment with your local lash technician anywhere between three to seven days before the wedding to ensure they are in tip-top condition. Eyelash extensions need at least 24 hours to set and some people find that lashes can start shedding as early as two weeks.

Bride in an off the shoulder dress with dark grey eye shadow and long lashes and barely there lipstick wedding makeup
Muslim bride with a glossy lipstick and long false eyelashes
Black bride wedding makeup with long eyelashes
Bride in a champagne coloured wedding dress with light brown eyeshadow and long lashes and light pink lipstick
Groom kissing his brides head with shimmering eyeshadow and long extension lashes
Beautiful bride in a green laurel flower crown with red lipstick, brown eyeshadow and black mascara wedding makeup
Bride with brunette hair tied up in a ponytail with light brown lipstick and fluttering eyelashes
Beautiful bride with freckles wearing brown eyeshadow, pencil eyeliner and lash extensions wedding makeup
Blonde bride with tied up wavy hair wearing light brown eyeshadow with black mascara and light pink lipstick

Glistening Wedding makeup

It's likely you'll feel like a celebrity on your wedding day with camera's flashing in your direction at every given moment. So, just like an A-lister, you'll want to make sure you shine. A highlighter is a makeup product that reflects light, add it to your cheeks at the highest points of your face you want to stand out to really give a healthy glow. You can also choose shimmering eyeshadows or glossy lipsticks.

Beautiful bride with smokey eye makeup, light brown lipstick and shimmering highlighter
Black bride in a sparkling silver wedding dress and crown with shimmering pink cream eyeshadow and lipgloss
Brunette bride with a fringe and freckles with natural makeup and highlighter across her cheeks
Black bride with afro hair wearing a jumpsuit, jewel hair slider and highlighter across her cheeks
South Asian bride wearing a mother of pearl headband with red lipstick and highlighter subtle wedding makeup
Black bride with defined eye brows, shimmering eyeshadow, winged eyeliner, clear gloss and highlighter on her cheeks having her wedding makeup done
East Asian bride with smokey eye makeup, black mascara, light brown lipgloss and highlighter on her cheeks
Brunette bride with a fringe wearing a shimmering blended eyeshadow and light red lip gloss

Natural wedding makeup

If you're not used to wearing makeup in general, or you just want to look like the best version of yourself on your wedding day then a natural, barely-there, no makeup look may be for you. There are lots of things to still consider and prepare prior to achieving this look. The first is to keep hydrated, both your body and skin by drinking lots of water and applying a daily moisturiser in the run-up to the wedding. Well-groomed eyebrows and a touch of concealer to hide any dark circles of blemishes will go a long way too. We also think adding a bit of blusher or bronzer across your cheekbones will give you a lovely healthy glow.

Blonde bride with freckles and swept back hair applying her natural wedding makeup
Bride with long wavy brunette hair and natural wedding makeup putting on her perfume on the morning of the wedding
Bride with brown hair tied back in a bun with natural wedding makeup
Black bride with subtle wedding makeup
Blonde bride in a long sleeve bridal jumpsuit with sleek hair and natural wedding makeup
Black bride with naturally curly hair holding a light pink and white wedding bouquet with subtle natural wedding makeup
Smiley brunette bride with half up half down wedding hair with drop earrings and natural wedding makeup
Blonde bride with pinned up bridal hair in a satin wedding dress with natural wedding makeup

Whether you decide to do your wedding makeup yourself or hire a professional, we suggest doing a trial run before the big day.


So what'll it be, dramatic winged eyeliner, a bold lip colour or a combination of all the wedding makeup ideas to turn you into the very definition of a blushing bride? Whatever you decide we know you're going to look stunning. And, if you need some inspiration choosing your wedding hairstylebridal shoes or wedding nails, we can help with that too!


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