That feeling of pressure to look perfect on your big day is an undeniable one. The jitters start from the toenails and rise up to your hair (literally!). It’s the one day on which you will have the most photographs clicked in your lifetime, not just by your hired photographers and videographers but also the ones attending.

Selfies with the bffs, twirling videos of your outfit, behind-the-scenes images clicked by your makeup and hair artists, guests randomly clicking you while you have no idea a camera is pointed towards you, the instances would be so many you couldn’t even guess! So it would be understandable for one to be always conscious of how the pics turn up. After all, looking your best on your best day is the dream of any and every bride.

The thing with Indian weddings is that they are extremely colorful and quite long. There is always something going on and there is no moment of calm in an Indian wedding. Most of the wedding rituals go on for almost 24 hours, starting from Haldi to the wedding reception. Outfit changes are many and so will be the slight changes in makeup. The eyes would be different, the lip color would change, the hairdo will get a makeover, etc.

With the erratic hours of a busy wedding it wouldn’t be the smartest to think that you may not have a makeup faux pas moment during the day.

The makeup has to compliment the bold Indian wedding outfits, which means a smudge here and a fade there needs to be taken care of always. While professionally shot photos can be retouched to blend the imperfect makeup on the skin, it’s in the hands of the bride completely to look flawless on her big day. Pre-bridal skin care routine, finding a makeup artist who understands your taste, a hair stylist who can weave magic, these are the most important steps leading the lady to look her flawless best but all with a few trials before the big day.

Here are some bridal makeup tips to help you look picture perfect during your wedding/engagement festivities!

CTM!

It’s not advisable to use heavy makeup in a country with such humid weather conditions. It’s the one pro tip that every experienced make up artist would give you. The best way to have a glow on your face throughout the most busy day of your life is to do the classic CTM – cleanse, tone, moisturize. Constant hydration also helps in keeping the skin plump and glowing. Regular use of sunblock is recommended to keep away sun tans and burns leading to skin peeling.

Going for a natural look doesn’t mean no makeup.

With the latest trend among the biggest names in the film, sports and political industry being a nude, natural look, many a bride are following suit. But contrary to popular belief, natural makeup is not equal to no makeup. The nude and natural makeup look is just a look that’s a notch higher than the basic everyday look.

Makeup trials are the way to go.

Here’s the thing about today’s world – we have a lot of artists praying for that one project that would boom up their career. And to land the same, some of the upcoming bridal makeup artists provide free trials on potential clients. This is one of the best ways to choose the best amongst the lot without having to end up paying for the trials.

Faux pas alert – Emergency Retouch Kit.

And emergency kit is what all brides need. The basics of an emergency makeup retouch kit are compact powder, lip balm, lipstick, blotting paper, concealer and kajal. These basics are what will keep you from any last moment faux pas.

Choose makeup that suits the weather and skin texture.

No matter how smooth one blends their makeup, with the humidity and passage of time, the makeup will start to wear off. While re-application is one way to make sure it’s always intact, it’s smarter to invest in airbrush makeup. Airbrush is smoother, lighter, looks more natural and stays for much longer than the other forms of makeup.

If you are having a summer wedding or have gone through a skin treatment or undergoing laser that gives you dry and an uneventful ski

Overnight Makeovers? It’s a myth!

Chemical face treatments like facials, skin peels, and cosmetic surgeries may assure you a flawless skin in the days leading up to your big day but it’s not necessary that the reactions might just be the opposite. Overnight transformations are a myth and should be best avoided. Two months is a good time for any chemical treatment to be done on the skin. However, eyebrows and other short term treatments should be done a few days prior to the main day.

Pro Tip: Keep your skin as hydrated as possible to ensure you have a problem free skin on your D-day.

Stay away from the Frays!

One of the easiest ways to keep looking sleek and prim throughout an Indian wedding is to keep your hair tied up. Taking the tropical climate of the country, frays are one of the most common. Flyaway hair can pose a big problem in pictures and hence, irrespective of what Pinterest models tell you, do otherwise. There are some chic up-dos you can look up for inspiration.

Get your poses finalized well in advance.

You have to be always ready for an impromptu photo session by the guests. Hence, for the same, you should be well-versed in the poses that best enhance your features and highlights your make up. Signature poses work but do keep a few other poses in hand too as you wouldn’t want all your photographs to look the same.

Smile 🙂

Nothing speaks confidence, comfort, and happiness better than a smile. This is probably the best way to make sure your photos (and memories) are flawless. Surrounded by the ones who matter the most, make the best of your day by smiling and by smiling albeit at your will. It’s after all the beginning of a new chapter!