Wedding Make Up for Gwen at Cooling Castle Barn, Kent

Wedding Make Up for Gwen at Cooling

Castle Barn, Kent

Sometimes its nice to have a bride that’s not afraid to go a little bolder when it comes to her wedding make up and Gwen was that bride!

Gwens Make Up look

Some brides shy away from a heavy, smoky eye look – and its certainly not for everyone. I always tell my brides that just because its your wedding day , it doesn’t mean we have to make you look different. You simply want to look like you, but on a really good day! If you don’t usually wear make up then it would be silly of us to paint your face to the point where you don’t even recognise yourself! Just because you’re a bride, you don’t need to do something outside the box. You’re the star of the show regardless and you don’t need to change who you are to conform to what you think a ‘normal bride’ should be. If you want to be natural and that’s who you are – then be natural. If you don’t want your hair up because you never wear it up – then wear it down. It’s about being comfortable, and if you’re comfortable – you’re confident.

Gwen was a make up fan and no stranger to a darker eye which is why her wedding make up suited her perfectly. We lined her eyes and built up a selection of muted grey tones to create a smoky eye look. Rather than a severe, dark eye, using soft greys meant that we were able to add the same definition but without the harsh contrast of a black. We added a highlight to the inner corner of her eyes to ensure that her eyes really popped and lashes so that we could achieve a wide eye look. I paired this with flawless skin using airbase make up and a nude lip.

For lips I used MAC stripdown liner, another one of my bridal kit essentials. I applied this all over the lip and finished with a sweep of MAC fast play lipstick. It’s super important when going for a dark eye that the skin looks bright and clear in contrast. By using airbase I was able to ensure that Gwens skin was completely even in texture and tone. The added bonus of the airbrush is that if a client needs a slightly heavier coverage in one area its easily achieved without looking ‘cakey’. The airbrush particles are so small that they are designed for HD work and close up photo and film, meaning they sit perfectly and evenly on the skin. My top tip when working with darker colours or heavier eyeshadow Is to always complete the eye make up first. Once ive created the eye look then I before remove any fallout and residue from my clients skin before applying their base. Needless to say this is really important, especially when it comes to brides as you know that their photographer will be able to pick up any imperfection and it could make or break the photos! I set Gwen’s bridal make up look using Urban Decay setting spray ‘all nighter’, another kit essential.

Thank you to Kelly Rogers photography for use of these lovely images. Gwen’s wedding was held at the gorgeous Kent venue Cooling Castle and its always a pleasure to work at such a beautiful place! With a wedding almost every day Cooling Castle is a popular choice for brides wanting to know that they will be well looked after. The events team here have thought of everything…. literally ….everything! From placing scissors in the drawer so you can cut off any tags you might have forgotten about ( seriously – that happens all the time! ) to the fact that they have a coffee machine ready and waiting in the room for you, if you’re considering holding your big day here you wont be disappointed!

If you’d like to speak to me about your own wedding day hair and make up then please do get in touch. Maybe you’ve booked Cooling Castle , and if you have then I’d love to join you!

You can email me by clicking here and visiting my contact page.

I look forward to speaking with you!

Bridal Hair and Make Up at Port Lympne, Kent

Thursday Throwback – Christina’s gorgeous wedding day took place at the beautiful Port Lympne Mansion House in Kent .

The venue itself is breathtaking, from the murals on the walls to the stunning acres of park that surrounds the hotel. It’s certainly not every venue that can offer your guests the chance to spend their drinks reception on safari!

Christina went for a stunning glam look. Her long hair was waved and set so she could wear it with a side accessory. One of my favourite products when creating waves is Bedhead shine spray. It’s really important to make sure that a brides hair looks amazing from any and every angle and this product gives everything you need in terms of gloss and shine – perfect for photos!

With her hair so ‘hollywood’ we needed to ensure that Christina’s make up complimented such elegance and it was so important that we really concentrated on giving her the perfect skin finish. I achieved her flalwless complexion using airbase, airbrush make up. A firm fave with my brides, this high definition make up product ensures that her look stayed put, and stayed perfect all day long. For her eyes I really wanted to enhance and play upon her natural features so using lashes and sculpting her eye shape (with a little added highlight!) I was able to give her the perfect wide eyed glamorous look.

Christinas photographer, Tony Gameiro captured some fabulous images from various points around the hotel. The photo opportunities at this venue are simply endless! From the Aspinal Suite with its decorative walls to the Moroccan Garden – Check out his blog to see even more from Christinas big day…

If you’d like to chat with me about your own wedding day hair and make up then be sure to get in touch, dates for 2020 are filling up – especially if you’re looking at a summer wedding!

Happy planning!

Katie x

Wedding Trial Tips

Wedding Trials and Preview Sessions

Can you believe that it’s already March!? I am well underway with the bridal trials for all my 2017 summer brides now and it is so exciting to be meeting so many of you in preparation for your big day! I’m often asked what a preview session involves and what you can expect so I thought I’d put together some pointers for you. Although it is not a requirement for you to have a preview session it really does gives us a chance to work together and perfect your bridal style – plus it’s so exciting for you to see exactly what you’re actually going to look like!! If you have any questions then please do get in touch, you are more than welcome to drop me an email at info@prettypleasebykatie.co.uk but in the mean time, here are a few of my most commonly asked questions for you …

So what happens at the bridal preview session? The point of the preview session is for us to get some time to talk about what you want from your big day. We start with a consultation, you can tell me a little about the plans you have for the day, what you’re wearing, your theme and colour choices – and together we can develop an understanding as to what you want to look like and how we are going to make your look compliment all of these other factors. The session lasts around 90 minutes for hair or make up, and around 2 1/2 hours for both. We will create your look, based on the things we discuss, so you can actually see what you’re going to look like on the day itself!
Do I need to bring anything? A lot of brides come prepared with a Pintrest board so I can instantly see what ‘kind’ of wedding style you are working towards. If you don’t have Pintrest – fear not! You can show me some pictures of things you like – and especially things that you don’t! This is really important as it leads me to gain a much better understanding of what you expect and require from me. Oh, and if you have a veil or accessories then bring them along too!
Shall I wash my hair or take off my make up? Please come to your make up preview appointment make up free. This allows me to see your skin, your natural colouring etc and means that we can proceed straight into make up application. In regards to washing your hair , ‘day old’ hair is easier for me to style, really clean and soft hair can mean that I end up having to use a lot more product to manipulate it into the shape I want. Please do not curl or straighten your hair before your appointment, let it dry into it’s natural state if you can and then i can take it from there!
Can I only try one look? This is totally up to you. If you know exactly what you want then I will create this look first. If you are certain that it’s what you want upon seeing it in ‘real’ life then – perfect! However, as we go along I might be able to make some suggestions or tweaks that you might appreciate, or as we create the style you may decide that actually it isn’t quite right for you. Either way I am more than happy to show you an alternative – you are welcome and encouraged to take lots of pictures so you don’t have to make any instant decisions either!
When can I have my preview session? I can be flexible in regards to timings when it comes to preview sessions. generally morning slots ( when available) fill fast. Most of my mornings are spent with brides on their wedding day so I tend to schedule preview sessions in the afternoon. I offer both evening and weekend availability so if you work or are restricted in any way then just let me know and we can work something out for you.
What if I change my mind? Not a problem. You can book as many preview sessions as you like! Each session is charged separately but there is no limit to the amount you can book! If you don’t feel that you need another session , you just want a few things slightly different on the day itself then that’s fine. Just make sure you let me know before hand so I can come with everything I need!

Like I said if you need anything else then please do just ask! Stay up to date with what I’m up to and get lots of bridal inspiration from my Instagram and Facebook pages too!

Love Katie x

What is airbrush make up?

I decided to train with airbase airbrush make up back in early 2014. I love all things make up so the idea of airbrushing was pretty exciting to me! I loved the idea of a truly hd flawless finish being created in seconds from a few drops of airbase foundation! After seeing the process first hand I was hooked and went ahead and booked my training course.
My training took place in the beautiful Canterbury and within a matter of hours I had learnt the correct application techniques needed to create the beautiful bases I had seen on the tv! Airbase was the official foundation used on itv X factor … And we all know how good they look! Since offering airbase airbrush foundation I have seen a definite increase in my bridal bookings – especially if they know first hand how good the product is! When I demo the airbase product at a wedding fair I’m often surrounded by many brides to be and the air is filled with many “ooooh” ‘s of amazement as they see the transformation happen before their eyes! I have been offering bridal make up in Kent now for almost three years and I am currently offer a free upgrade to airbrush make up for all of my brides. If you’re considering it for your big day please do get in touch! Make sure you take a look at my work on the gallery pages to see the results for yourself!