Fall is the time of year that so many people look forward to; it marks the end of summer and the beginning of so many wonderful things. To state the obvious: cooler temperatures, pumpkin spice everything, beautiful scenery, fall wardrobes, and fall makeup! More specifically, autumn has become a popular time to tie the knot. So how can a bride make her makeup cohesive with her autumn wedding?
The most important thing about makeup on your wedding day, no matter the time of year, is that it makes you feel beautiful. I rarely recommend a bride wear something on her wedding day that falls way outside the realm of how she would make up herself on any special occasion. Granted, this is her wedding day, so we will glam up the look to match that stunning dress and bridal hairstyle. With that being said, there are ways to incorporate fall makeup trends into your bridal look without making yourself completely unrecognizable.
Healthy Skin as a Foundation for Beauty
To start, let’s take a look at how you can best repair your skin that has probably seen some undesirable changes that come with the warmer temperatures and UV rays of summer. No matter what your desired makeup look is for your wedding, the basis to any great makeup application is the condition of your skin. Typically, most skin types can benefit from 3 things: exfoliation, hydration, and protection.
#1 Exfoliate
Exfoliation can address skin texture as well as pigmentation. Some examples include dermablading, light chemical peels, or microdermabrasion - all performed by a trained and licensed professional. If you’re looking for some at-home products to use, look for those that contain some gentle exfoliating ingredients like mandelic, kojic or glycolic acid.
#2 Hydrate
Take time to hydrate your skin every day. Hydration is very dependent on skin type but adding hydration to any skin care routine can add to overall smoothness while plumping up the look of your skin. Some examples include the Hydrafacial done by a trained and licensed professional, at-home care that consists of using products containing hyaluronic acid, and drinking a lot of water!
#3 Protect
Last, but not least, is protecting your skin. Sunscreen and protective gear like hats and visors are a must to protect yourself all year round. What’s the use of following a skincare routine if you just let the sun and other environmental hazards undo all your hard work (not to mention all the money you’ve spent!). I highly recommend seeing a dermatologist and or an esthetician to get a customized skincare routine at least 6-8 weeks prior to your wedding day.
Makeup Ideas to Fall For
Now that we’ve addressed some essential skin care tips, let’s move on to makeup ideas for your fall wedding. What are some things you love about fall? If you’re like most people, you probably love how the leaves change from green to varying shades of burgundy, orange, and gold. Incorporating these colors into your bridal makeup will not only make you feel and look beautiful, but their warmth will also give you comfort on your special day.
Go Bold with Burgundy
If lipstick is your thing, try popping on a bold burgundy to plum shade; if bold isn’t your style, a wash of color on your lips will provide a less opaque, sheer amount of color but will be just as nice. This can be accomplished by using a gloss instead of a lipstick or even using a cream blush as a lip color.
Go Glam with Gold
Adding orange into a bridal makeup application may be tricky, but bronze or gold can also do the trick! Both colors are flattering for all skin tones if you choose the right tone and intensity. They can be used to highlight cheeks for something subtle and eyelids for a more glam look.
To be sure, a professional makeup artist can be a real help to navigate adding some fall trends that will work best for you. No matter what you choose, be prepared to look your very best and rock your fall nuptials!
Bonnie Thomas, Professional Makeup Artist and Esthetician of 17 years
Having spent some time as an Aesthetic Specialist at a world-renowned hospital, she specializes in corrective and camouflage makeup, skincare, and chemical peels. She has been trained by MAC Cosmetics, Jane Iredale, Colorescience and a host of Medical Grade Skincare companies. She has also consulted for different brands on improving and creating global colors. Education in her trade continues to be of the utmost importance to her, to the benefit of every person who sits in her chair. Bonnie is a 3rd generation beauty professional. Her grandparents owned and operated a successful salon and she is the daughter of a barber and a beautician - the beauty biz is literally in her veins! She finds inspiration from her clients as individuals. Hearing about their lives and future aspirations helps turn her canvas (your face) into a custom work of art. Check out Bonnie at