Oxfordshire Wedding Photography and Beauty/Bridal Makeup

Most of us shy away from being in the limelight for too long. They say that everyone is famous or in the limelight for 15 minutes once in their lifetime, and for some, that’s 15 minutes too long…

Prince Harry & Megan Markle are no strangers to being in the limelight…

However, on your special day, you as a newlywed couple will have a taste of what it is like of notoriety and fame. Facing your chosen photographer, you will smile and change expressions facing countless other cameras, and camera phones.

You will find smiling muscles in your face that you never knew existed… !!

During a day-long wedding photography package I will present my couple with over 1500 images - at least 2/3 of them will include the bride and groom. That’s potentially 1000 pictures of your face within the images.

Given this why then would you not want to look and feel your best?

Now, before my other professional wedding supplier friends and colleagues from www.wonderfuloxfordshireweddings.com (WOW) shoot me down in flames, I am not suggesting that their services aren’t any more or less vital/important…but consider this; what other wedding supplier offers a service that will impact upon the whole of your wedding day from start to finish.

The bridal makeup artist along with the photographer are suppliers whose skills and application will carry you through the day and impact each and every stage, as the day unfolds.

If you choose an experienced makeup artist (MUA) whose skill and products are of high quality, you will look as amazing at the end of your wedding day as you did when you first stepped out in the morning - that’s money well invested.

Oxfordshire Wedding and Bridal makeup.

Commencing your journey to looking stunningly beautiful as a bride is likely to have commenced many months before the special day. Looking and feeling amazing starts many months before the actual wedding date, but with many makeup artists to choose from where do you start?

Charlie Jennings, (www.charlie-jennings.co.uk) is one of Oxfordshires finest Beauty and Bridal Makeup Artists. She explains wedding makeup isn’t just about applying makeup on one day. She takes a deeper and holistic approach to ensuring that you look and feel your best. She explains that “looking” beautiful is just as important as “feeling” beautiful.

“ I pride myself in delivering exactly what you the bride are looking for in perfect wedding makeup. On your special day allow me to create the image of your dreams.  I have a deep respect for, and an understanding of individual needs and expectations.  You can expect me to be reliable, punctual, and naturally supportive. I especially love weddings and truly enjoy helping the bride in every way I can.  I pride myself in staying with you until you leave for the ceremony ensuring you and your bridesmaids are glowing.”

- Charlie

Bridal Wedding Makeup - a typical journey.

A few months before your wedding, Charlie will meet with to discuss your normal makeup regime.

What do you normally wear for day-to-day makeup? How does that differ from evening makeup? Which colours do you prefer? Are there any brand name makeup products you like? Given that these products are applied directly to your skin, importantly skin patch tests and allergies need to occur to test for allergies.

Having listened many times to Charlie giving her brides encouragement and direction, she always asks them to think of their faces without makeup as a blank canvas.

But even before a drop of makeup is applied Charlie will advise on how to ensure that your face is looking and feeling its best. Is it cleansed properly and is it properly moisturised?

Her extensive bridal services will cover facial preparedness and beauty treatments ensuring a holistic approach to you looking and feeling amazing.

After this comes a bridal makeup trial.

Whilst optional, Charlie strongly advises a trial take place to ensure that you are comfortable with the look of the makeup. At this stage, she can offer, advice and provide solutions if you want anything altered.

Experienced Bridal Make up artist.

As with everything in life, experience and training are key. You can rest assured that Charlie has ample of both. Once an inflight beauty therapist to the elite flying with Virgin Atlantic, she has pampered most of the world’s rich and famous. After years of undertaking these skills at 37000 feet, she chose to pamper people with her feet firmly on the ground and formulated her own business.

She has also trained abroad practicing the art of other countries’ beauty and well-being cultures.

Bridal Makeup on the day.

As a wedding photographer, I get to experience the highs (and lows) of a typical wedding day.

Without a doubt, emotions are running high, timings are crucial and even the slightest hic up seems magnified…

All of the suppliers in WOW are experienced enough within their specialty to overcome issues and hiccups and provide you with solutions to any concerns you might have. Sometimes during bridal preparation, the bride can often become stressed if things around her aren’t going to plan. I have witnessed first hand Charlie orchestrating calm throughout a bridal suite besieged by escalating stresses and fears. You can rest assured that she will remain with you right up until you take your first steps as a beautiful bride, moments from meeting your partner-to-be. This is important as sometimes when putting on your wedding dress, makeup often requires attention and retouching. She will be there to do this.

Another quality of our WOW suppliers is that we all recognise we each have a role to play in making your day amazing.

Oxfordshire Wedding Photography & Bridal Makeup.

As a photographer, working alongside all the other wedding suppliers throughout the day, I might require the MUA to hold a certain position so I can capture a special moment, or tell me before the all-important “spray mist” makeup shot just before it happens… Similarly, the evening entertainment person might offer to isolate certain disco lights at varying times such as the first dance or cake cutting making the photographer’s job of lighting the moment a lot easier.

Your chosen MUA and photographer both require one essential key ingredient to complete their tasks - good light… It, therefore, makes sense for the photographer and MUA to position you near a large window offering lots of lovely natural light if this is available.

I have worked many times with Charlie where it has been indeed her suggesting key shots during varying stages of makeup application.

All this experience does come at a cost - but there is some great news and savings to be had.

If you book me and Charlie Jennings together, Bridal Makeup is completely FREE !! Click this link for more details - Darren Weston Wedding Photography Package Offers

But vitally with this comes experience and one other aspect we haven’t covered - reliability.

When finally deciding upon any wedding supplier do your homework first. Review their testimonials or reviews. This will provide you with some real-term reassurance and peace of mind.

Without wanting to focus too much on negativity, imagine being let down last minute by your chosen supplier, one that might have offered their services at a greatly reduced price. I need to be careful here, however… Yes, shop around, and yes don’t be afraid to ask about working within your budget vitally ask about the person’s experience and client portfolio, but be mindful of offers that sound too good to be true.

The rest of the day can begin…

Once the creation of ensuring you look stunningly beautiful and relaxed has occurred, it’s time for your formal wedding plans to commence. You can relax knowing that you will look and feel beautiful and inwardly confident as you step into the day you’ve planned for months.

Oxfordshire Beauty and Bridal Makeup Artist - Charlie Jennings - 07411 609614

Oxfordshire Wedding Photography - Darren Weston - 07974 782943