Best Wedding Make-Up Artist Category

Kristina Gasperas, National Winner 2013

The Wedding Industry Awards judges love reading the feedback for the Best Wedding Make-Up Artist category because it’s clear to see not only what a transformative difference these artisans make to a bride’s big day, but also what a close relationship they foster with their clients.

The best wedding make-up artist is really a hotly contested title, due to their magical skills that leave brides feeling like the best possible versions of themselves. From the girls who just want that dewy, natural look (possibly the most often heard phrase of a wedding MUA!) to the daring glamazons who want to make a bold look and opt for big lashes and statement lips, it’s the make-up artist’s job to fulfil a brief that often exists either inside the client’s head or within the pages of a glossy magazine.

We know that make-up artists have to tackle what can be the most sensitive aspect of wedding planning – how the bride looks and what she feels about herself – in a friendly yet professional manner. We know that there is often more than one trial, frequent additions to the specifications and more often than not an alarm call before dawn.

We also know that there are frequent training courses and refresher workshops to ensure the very best level of knowledge and service. There’s kit cleaning and replenishment to make sure that the client only gets the very best products available. There are sometimes even tasks that go beyond the remit of make-up application – from lacing up corset dresses to calming down flower girls.

Kaz Fernando, National Winner 2012

What’s more, there’s occasionally a generational rift to overcome when elder members of the wedding party proclaim a wedding supplier to be an indulgence that they never had in their day; this is definitely something that many a make-up artist may have had to contend with.

And yet, many brides will swear that their wedding make-up artist was one of the greatest investments they made for their wedding. Why? Because that little magic wand known as the make-up brush instilled in them a confidence they might not otherwise have felt. Because they very rarely feel that beautiful or glamorous. Because they didn’t have to worry about how they looked from the moment they stepped down the aisle to the second they dropped into bed.

But mostly, brides tend to love their make-up artists because they provided a sense of calm and reassurance, from the first bridal trial to the last moment before the ceremony. A wedding morning is naturally a stressful time and those wedding suppliers who inject a sense of serenity to the otherwise chaotic, excitable proceedings are the ones who get breathless testimonials of joy from their clients.

So when it comes to the Best Wedding Make-Up Artist category, we’re looking for experience and skill, we’re looking for professionalism and unflappability, we’re looking for the ability to not only make brides look good, but to make them feel unstoppable as well.

If that sounds like your wedding make-up business, you can enter The Wedding Industry Awards 2014 now. Alternatively, if you would like to nominate a wedding make-up artist, please head over to our website and tell us why you loved working with them.