Bridal Beauty Inspiration

As a girl that wears makeup everyday and flat-irons her hair into submission every morning, I knew I wanted to step up my beauty game on my wedding day. Although I can spend hours in a Sephora and consider myself a semi-skilled with make-up application, I know there was no way I could DIY my own wedding makeup. Besides the stress of having to do it myself on the morning of, I knew better than to try and force myself to learn the technique of the perfect smoky eye. Some things are better left to the professionals.

I also knew that while I certainly could DIY my own bridal hairstyle, what if I woke up on the morning of my wedding and suddenly forgot the perfect curling technique? What if my curling iron broke? What if I burned my forehead and had to cover up a huge burn mark ON MY WEDDING DAY? (Yes, I started to think of all the things that could go wrong). Again...I decided to let the professionals handle that area of primping, too.

When I finally settled on the how of my bridal look, I still had yet to decide on the what. As in, what hairstyle will complement not only my dress and accessories, but my face shape? And what makeup look screams "bride" without whispering "baby hooker?"

I knew I wanted my hair at least somewhat down. In the past, when my hair is completely up, I haven't felt pretty and almost somewhat dude-like. While I absolutely adore up-do's on other brides, I knew I didn't have the face-shape (or the confidence) to pull it off. But with my hair all-down, would that look too casual? Not different enough from what I look like every day?

After stalking wedding blogs and Pinterest for a few months (and bookmarking every hairstyle I thought could be a winner) I finally came upon the most perfect, lovely hairstyle I could have ever imagined. Loose curls, hair pulled back to one side, worked with a veil, and a sparkly accessory to boot. It was hair love at first sight...

Image via Style Me Pretty / Photo by Joey Kennedy Photography

Image via Style Me Pretty / Photo by Joey Kennedy Photography

I could totally picture this hairstyle with my wedding dress (and it would work with both "looks"...crop-top and belt) and I would certainly feel like a more glammed-up, bridal version of myself with this hairstyle. Upon seeing the pretty flower hairpin she has in her hair, I wanted to do something similar, albeit a more toned-down. To see if I could find a pretty hair clip on the cheap, I ventured out to my local Charming Charlies and luckily happened upon this beauty for $12 (I snagged these earrings for $8, too)...

In the way of wedding make-up, I knew I wanted a smokey eye in a neutral color and a pretty nude-is pink lip. I have pretty strong brows, greenish-blue eyes, and a face full of freckles that I love and don't want to cover-up (even on my wedding day). Even though I want to look like a bride on my wedding day, I still want to look, and feel, like myself. Just a bit more glamorous and dolled-up.

Image via FashionTwists.com

Image via Trends-Style.com

Because I'm a visual person and I really need want to see everything together before the big day, I plan on having my hair and makeup trials at the beginning of the summer. If there's any kinks that need worked out, I'll have plenty of time to schedule another trial in the month or two before the wedding. And of course, I'll share the trial-run results, good or bad. Pinky promise.

How long did it take you to find the perfect bridal hair and makeup inspiration? How far out from your wedding did you schedule your trials?