Why I ignored the magazines and turned to YouTube instead of a makeup artist for my wedding

Guest post by Cat Ekkelboom-White
Photo by Robyn Icks Photography
Photo by Robyn Icks Photography

I generally don't wear makeup and when I do it's very minimal. And my hair is usually down, platted, or pulled back in a messy bun. If you scroll through my entire history of Facebook photos, there are hardly any photos of me anywhere with lots of make-up on. I would't say I'm a tomboy, but I'm not a particularly girly-girl either. Mascara, eyeshadow, perhaps some eyeliner and BB cream if its a special occasion. That's pretty much as good as it gets. While many people feel uncomfortable without makeup, I felt uncomfortable with it.

When we were planning our wedding, one of the bits of advice that I read everywhere was that I should definitely hire a professional to do my hair and make-up. I also read in many places that I should not be afraid to wear heavier makeup than usual as although it may look heavy in person, it would look more natural in my photographs.

A few times during the planning I'd take a trip to one of the makeup counters in one of the local department stores. But every time I came away, I felt like my face was plastered thick with makeup, and I felt really self-conscious. When I showed my fiancé, his reaction was always the same: “It's too much make-up. It doesn't look like you.” And when I washed it all off and came out of the bathroom, looking my usual shade of pasty-white, he'd always come over and say “now that's beautiful, that's the woman I love”.

I desperately searched for the right look that would make me feel beautiful and like a bride, but I just couldn't find it, or that feeling.

Now I never considered going make-up free to my wedding, but these experiences made me seriously consider my options.

So I decided that I had time to learn to do it myself. I spent hours watching videos on youtube and practicing different looks. I took selfies of myself to see how the makeup “photographed” too. My favourite tutorials were from the fabulous celebrity makeup artist Lisa Eldridge, who wonderfully talks you through a different look in each episode of her vlog. I found a few very natural ones that I loved…

After a few tries on my own, I finally felt happy about doing my own makeup.

On the wedding day itself, I was a bit nervous, but I left myself more than enough time to do my hair and makeup. And when I look back at my photographs I know that I made the right choice.

I may not have looked like the flawless, airbrushed bride that you see in magazines, but I felt like me, a more beautiful version perhaps, but still me.

We ADORE the vendors who work their magic with hair and make-up (I'd be lost without ya!). But sometimes you gotta DIY. Anyone else do their wedding day makeup? Any recourses you want to suggest?

Offbeat Wed Vendor

This page features vendors from our curated Offbeat Wed Vendor Directory. They're awesome and we love them. If you're a vendor let's get you in here!

Meet our fave wedding vendors