The day of your wedding is coming close, and among all the things you have to plan for, there’s a very important one: your make up!

Maybe you have already picked your wedding gown, or maybe like a lot of brides do, you have left your decision to the last minute. Whether you are in the first or in the second category, it is likely you have already thought about the color combos that will set the tone on your wedding ceremony and on the reception, and you probably have the flowers and decorations picked out.

If that is the case, congratulations, because you are now one step closer to choosing one of the most important elements of your look for that day: the bride’s make up. If you have planned a classic traditional wedding, you want to keep your make up discreet and elegant, not making any big statements. On the contrary, if you’ve chosen an engaging celebration where your friends and family will play and participate in all kinds of activities, you can probably risk a more edgy or fun look, or if your wedding is at the beach, a light natural one.

Whatever your choice is, remember your wedding is not the best time to go and experiment with new trends. You should focus, instead, on a more enhanced version of your everyday look. A good place to start is browsing bridal magazines and internet sites to find examples of bridal make up.

Once you have decided what style best suits you and your wedding tone, you should figure out if you are going to rely on professionals to do your make up on the D day or if you are going to be taking care of it yourself. While a DIY might seem like a cheaper and more convenient solution, you will probably have a million things on your mind and another million to attend to right before the wedding, so you probably won’t be in the best state to sit down and do a flawless job. In addition, professional make up artists have great experience in doing make up that will look great on pictures and that will stay on all day.

Try asking friends of yours that have already used a professional make up artist for their weddings. They will sure be able to help you find a trust-worthy person to assist you.

While at the saloon, try different make up styles, keeping in mind how you are going to wear your hair on the wedding day. Take photos with you to help them understand the look you’re going for, and don’t be afraid to let them know when you don’t like something they try on you. Pay attention to how does your skin respond to the products they have used, and get some pictures done to decide at home. Things that look great in the mirror do not always look as best on camera, so take your time to figure it out.

Once you have settled for your make up look, book an appointment to do the final test with your hair done, and if possible, book an appointment with the photographer too in order to take some shots. This will help you both not only figure out how to work with your styling but it will also make you more comfortable for the photo session at the reception.

Last but not least, make sure your make up artist has an equally professional back-up in their team that will do the job if by any chance he/she cannot make it to you in time on the day of the wedding.

Now you have everything (or at least something) under control. Relax and focus on having a great time!