Between solving the Rubik’s Cube that is a seating chart, designing a website and explaining to your Aunt Hilda that a honeymoon registry is not poor etiquette, focusing on things like your wedding hair and makeup can fall to the wayside. After all, what can go wrong? Glad you asked. Here, seven real brides share their biggest beauty mistakes from their own weddings. Hey, hindsight is 20/20.
7 Brides on Their Biggest Hair and Makeup Regrets
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Published Mar 13, 2018
Twenty20
The Unknown-Stylist Mistake
“I wish I did something to keep my hair off my neck while I sweated it out on the dance floor. Also, since the wedding was a few hours from where I live, I regret not bringing my home stylist with me instead of using someone in the small town I had never met before.” - Ally Y.
A Chip Off the Ol’ Nail
“I got my nails done the day before (because I thought that would save time), but ended up helping set up my rehearsal dinner decorations and completely chipped my nails. Make sure you don't have to use your hands after your manicure.” - Cody L.
Twenty20
The DIY Debacle
“I didn't give myself enough time. I did my own makeup, but I only really practiced once, and ended up running an hour late on my wedding day. If you're doing your own makeup and you're not a profesh, give yourself, like, double the time you think you need.” - Kristen M.
The No-Trial Remorse
“I had one of my good friends do my makeup, but we live on different sides of the country so we didn't have a chance to do a trial until the actual wedding. She had done my makeup before (many years ago) and I trusted her completely, so I wasn't necessarily worried. Still, having to add one more thing to my never-ending to-do list so close to the wedding was a bit stressful. I was really happy with how it turned out, but I would've saved myself some stress if I'd done the trial earlier. Plus, it might have been fun to try out some other looks beforehand.” Alexia D.
Too Cool for Her Own Wedding
“My wedding vibe was all-around ‘I'm above having a wedding,’ which in retrospect was kind of obnoxious. I didn't have bridesmaids, refused to register for gifts, and my husband and I walked down the aisle together to the Talking Heads. (OK, that part was cool!) But at the time, I felt that paying an arm and a leg for hair and makeup was stupid. After realizing I definitely couldn't do my own ‘sexy side bun with lavender sprigs,’ I ended up reluctantly hiring a friend of a friend, who was fine but not highly skilled in the ways of wedding beauty. All in all, my makeup was beautiful, but I never loved my hair, which might not have been the case if I had put a little more thought and money into the whole ordeal.” - Jillian Q.
Twenty20
The Photoshopped Face
“My makeup artist was pushing the airbrushed look very hard, as if not doing it would be the end of the world. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but considering I have nice skin and don’t need to hide much, I wish I went more natural.” - Korin T.
Stick to the Scheduled Pampering
"Once upon a time, when I didn't spend most of my disposable income at Whole Foods, I got facials on the reg. But that hasn't been the case for years. Two weeks before my wedding I decided my skin looked good, but it might look better if I got a facial. My complexion did look great after visiting an esthetician, so I decided to book another appointment just six days before my wedding. It was a bad idea... and I broke out with cystic pimples all along my jaw. My makeup artist was able to cover them up, but after sweating my face off and taking 3,000 pictures, my acne started to rear its ugly head, and now it's all I see when I look at photos from our reception. In short, don't mix up your skin-care routine and decide to start getting facials before your wedding unless it's part of your usual regimen." - Lex A.
The Bully Manicurist
“I got married in my tiny hometown, and my mom made appointments for just the two of us with her manicurist—it was supposed to give us a little quiet time together two days before the wedding. That morning, we got a call saying the manicurist was ‘no longer working at that salon’ [face palm] and she’d come up to my mom’s house. I frantically called other salons but would have had to drive 40 minutes for an open appointment. So. This lady showed up with like five colors and bullied both my mom and me about our color choices, which is how I ended up with gold instead of the poppy red I wanted. ‘You’re a bride,’ she kept telling me. ‘Be subtle.’ Guess how subtle I felt about that???”- Lauren W.
