Lights, Camera, Action

There may not be a crimson aisle runner, but your wedding certainly is a red-carpet day. And when it comes to your wedding makeup, hair and nails, it’s easy to outshine your natural glow. Here’s how to get big time glamour without going over the top.

Hair stylist to the stars Ken Paves may work with A-list clientele like Jennifer Lopez and Jessica Simpson, but when he styles a bride, he warns, “The most important aspect to choosing your wedding-day hair is to stay true to yourself.” New York makeup artist David Maderich agrees. “Most brides want to look like a Hollywood star, but your wedding is not the day to channel your inner celebrity.”

Despite being a spectator sport, Paves reminds brides that the wedding day is about the you and your husband-to-be. “You want to take the breath away of one person – the man at the end of aisle.” Avoid too much input from friends and remember: He wants to recognize the woman he fell in love with.

Makeup without Made Up

“Keep it classy, not sassy,” says Maderich who regularly beautifies brides-to-be. So how does Maderich keep it red carpet while keeping it real? “Use a neutral color palette. This same palette works for all skin types, just with varied intensity depending on the individual.”

Avoid looking like a washed out Snow White and put your best face forward. And while your wedding day flies by, the pictures last a lifetime. To capture that timeless look, focus on eyes, cheeks and lips.

Pump up your lashes without caking on the mascara by faking it. Maderich suggests individual false eyelashes, not an entire strip of lashes; using a whole strip can create a less-than-elegant look, which no bride wants on her big day. When it comes to color on the lid, skip the blues, purples and greens, and stick with taupes, blacks and browns. Add shimmer by blending with a metallic tone.

When getting cheeky, subtle suits. Your complexion should be dewy with a hint of color, avoiding all red tones. “You want a pinkish, golden color.” Maderich recommends Nars ‘O’ Blush, “It looks good on everyone,” he says.

When it comes to your kisser, “you want your lips to look as though they have just been pinched,” according to Maderich. A plum shade accomplishes this best. Always follow with a gloss to keep fresh and moist, and avoid using a lip liner on the wedding day. Color will eventually fade leaving a ring around the lips.

Glow Guidelines

While Maderich uses the same palette for all skin tones with varied intensity, he follows a few guidelines. If your skin is olive, keep all neutral tones and avoid a bright red lip. For darker complexions, Maderich gets generous with metallic highlights and uses copper tones to bring life to the face. For pale complexions, avoid using too much makeup. “Those with pale skin tones often feel the need to overcompensate with color,” warns Maderich. Brown-toned eyeliners and mascara instead of black will keep it dramatic without creating Cleopatra. One area that pale ladies can add a burst of color where others can’t? “Red lips work beautifully on pale skin types.”

Runway Hair Run-throughs

To capture that perfect coif? Both Paves and Maderich agree it’s all about the trial run. When you go to the stylist be sure to take pictures of your choices from a few angles. And the biggest benefit to your trial pics? “No bride should feel locked into one look, in case they wake up that day feeling something else.” Having a backup style de-tangles any stresses.

Experiment with up-dos and down-dos but looking for something in between? Maderich loves the half-pulled-back, half-down look.

“This look works on everyone.” Teased at the crown for some volume with beautiful, big curls pinned back earns an Oscar for this makeup artist. Paves used this look for Jessica Simpson and Eva Longoria’s I-Do dos.

For Paves, the dress dictates the hairstyle. “Avoid of the moment styles. Go for classic styles with a modern twist.” He suggests the simpler the better. Opt for the up-do? Pin with a delicate flower instead of a busy bauble. And Paves give the green light to loose and luscious. With today’s elegant bohemian styles, donning a down do might just complete your look.

Fanciful Fingers

Want everyone buzzing about your style? Then say no to color for your wedding-day nail coats. Opt for a pale shell pink, soft white or eggshell to keep hands looking beautiful, fresh and healthy. Your nail color should complement, not distract. Maderich’s inside tip? Forget going global, the French manicure is out of style.

“Beauty cannot be bought or applied, it can only be enhanced,” adds Paves. Nothing says beauty more than a happy bride. And as Maderich observes, “You want people to say, ‘What a gorgeous girl,’ not ‘What a great makeup job.’”

When creating your head-to-toe wedding day look, channel your inner Grace Kelly. Go classic, and your 15 minutes of fame lasts a lifetime.

© Kate Sullivan, CTW Features