“You don’t need to go matchy-matchy!” Rehat Brar from M.U.X.O.

“Air brush is fantastic but for humid hot long shoots, not weddings. Air brush dries your skin out to the extent of even causing it to crack. The silicon base in the air brush foundation is what gives it that dewy look, the same look can be achieved by illuminators. I personally do not profess the use of it for bridals,” the expert said.

“Stark silver highlighting the inner corners of the eyes doesn’t work for most Indian brides. Especially, those getting their makeup done by someone who isn’t a pro at Indian complexion – use peach or gold under tones instead to highlight.”

She also noted that your eyeshadow doesn’t have to match your outfit!

“Break the monotony, it makes the bridal makeup look way more interesting,” said Brar.

“Make sure to balance out your features, let one of the two (eyes or lips) be heavy and the other light, especially for the morning functions. Go with matte colors on the day of your wedding instead of a gloss so the nose ring (aka Nath) doesn’t mess it up. Also as most Indian women have the problem of pigmented lips, matte colors cover it up the best.”

When it comes to looking for makeup professionals, she advises brides seek someone contemporary.

“Like any fine artist, every makeup artist have a set style, but I’d be wry of the ones who make their brides look like clones. Have reference images so you know they can give you a different look every function on the lines of what you have planned,” she finished.

Harp & Shannon – Pink Orchid Studio

Think about how you envisioned your wedding day to be like. At Pink Orchid Studio, we ask all our brides to start a inspiration folder during our initial consultation.

Inspiration can be drawn from our past brides, looks that other artists have created, or something they’ve seen in a magazine.

Five years from now when you look at your wedding pictures you want to love your look and decisions on makeup, hair and attire. Don’t use too much colour, keep it neutral and natural, and go for a look that is timeless.

For example, if you want a heavy smoky eye for the reception, pair it with a softer lip. For the wedding look, a bolder and dramatic lip is goes well with a simple traditional lid paired with a winged tip liner.

This way your wedding look is more sultry and subdued, while your reception look is more dramatic.

Kiran Purewal – Drama Queen Studios

Timelessness is so essential when choosing a bridal makeup look. At Drama Queen Studios, we ensure our bride will still feel confident about the way she looked on her wedding day even several years down the road. These pictures last forever, and so will the beauty of our bride!

I also advise my brides to decide on two different make-up and hair looks for both their wedding and reception. As there are so many functions during Indian weddings, it’s nice to switch up your look and surprise your guests with something new.

When determining the right make-up look, it’s important to assess the jewellery and outfit first in order to decide how much colour and shimmer to use. Consider whether you would like your makeup to match with your outfit, contrast with it, or be more natural and nude.

For wedding makeup, I normally recommend a softer daytime look. I prefer to keep the makeup relatively matte for the wedding with only a little highlight on the cheekbones.

I find that when there is too much shimmer, light from the flash bounces back, which causes glare in your pictures. Every bride wants flawless pictures of herself on her wedding, so it’s important to keep that in mind.

For reception make-up, I add a little shimmer and then decide on either heavier eye-makeup or a darker lip.

Sukhi Dhaliwal – Studio Elan

A wedding day look should be kept subtle and neutral. Bold, bright, or dramatic colors should be saved for the reception look.

You want your photos to be timeless so pick colors that will make you look radiant. Choose pink or subtle red for lips, rosy cheeks, and some definition in the eyes.

The reception makeup look is when you should look glamorous so opt for a bold look if it suits your personality.

Racquel Lacson – Studio 26

Indian weddings are multi-day affairs and each event dictates the bridal makeup look.

Engagement is usually the first celebration of the family getting together to give blessings to the bride and groom. Traditionally, it’s the first time the bride is formally introduced to the grooms family so it’s good to keep the look simple.

For wedding day, keep your look timeless as these are the pictures you will go back to years after the wedding and pass on to generations.

Ladies party is for the bride’s close girl friends and women in her family, so you can be bold, fierce, and find a fun look for the occasion.

Lastly, wedding reception marks a bride’s new journey as a married woman. It’s time to celebrate her beauty and pride so show that glamorous side.