On your wedding day, you want to look like the best version of you — not an overdone portrait of someone else. When we met up with director of makeup artistry at MAC Cosmetics Gregory Arlt, we knew we were in for a gorgeous and eye-catching bridal makeup look that the bride and bridesmaids would all want to wear. Better yet, this look wears well after the wedding, too. On Kirbie: Laundry by Shelli Segal dress.
Whether you're a first-time bridesmaid this wedding season or have 27 dresses hanging up in the back of your closet, it's good to keep in mind bridal party faux pas. So we chatted with real brides to find out their pet peeves. Here are 10 things you didn't realize were annoying the bride in your life, plus practical tips for avoiding these mistakes.
Being MIA
Why it's annoying: By not responding to emails, missing showers, or skipping out on favor-making night, you are slacking on your duty to support the bride and might make her regret asking you in the first place.
How to avoid it: You don't need to drop everything else in your life to be a bridesmaid, but you should make it a priority. It doesn't take much effort to reply enthusiastically to her emails with wedding details, and if you can't make a shower or bachelorette party, go the extra mile and send along a gift or card after picking up the phone to tell her why you won't be able to make it.
RSVP'ing For a Plus One Who Wasn't Invited
Why it's annoying: As VIPs, bridesmaids should have leeway to invite a guest. But it's not respectful to just assume if your invite is addressed to just you.
How to avoid it: Talk to the bride about it. Explain you have a guy in your life you think would get along well with everyone. If he's someone you're hoping to take things to the next level with, she'll likely support your quest to find love like she has.
If you're anyone who's anyone in the UK and you're getting hitched, you better have Pippa Middleton on your guest list! With a close connection to the royal fam (and arguably the most famous backside in Europe), she seems to have made a profession out of attending nuptials. What's more, she's a guest that dependably nails that English-wedding look — the demure dress topped with a car coat, fascinator, and sensible heels — with her own stylish twist.
Any girl slogging through a long wedding season and at the end of her rope for fresh ideas on what to wear should take note. Let the duchess's sister provide some inspiration for mixing and matching on your way to the altar (sort of).
We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, The Knot.
Kristin and Jon wed in a beautiful chapel ceremony at Penn State University followed by a reception at the school's Beaver Stadium. The vintage details give this wedding a cozy, homespun feel even in a large, empty stadium. The bride’s style is fierce, and her bold Oscar de la Renta wedding dress perfectly complements her pink Christian Louboutin shoes and the bright accents at the reception. This wedding is perfect inspiration for the sports enthusiast with a retro style.
— The Knot Editors
Related: 10 Wedding Rules You Can Break
When it comes to the bridal shower, nothing breaks the ice better than a good game. Keeping it easy on the maid of honor, we found 10 affordable and (mostly) printable games that are sure to be a hit. Take your pick from Mad Libs that offer humorous advice, a guilty game of "he said, she said," or even a couples cootie catcher for your favorite '90s-loving bride. Whatever you choose to print or play, these games will get the party started and memories flowing — just in time for her big day!
Wedding season is going strong, which means chances are you'll serve as a bridesmaid at least once this Summer. If that's the case, you'll need the perfect heels to go with your bridesmaid dress — or dresses.
But, between the bridal shower and bachelorette party, we know you're busy, so we've done the legwork for you and shopped the market for 26 beautiful shoes in neutral hues that'll go with every dress — and look so good you'll want to wear them well beyond the big day. Click through now to shop.
The following post was written by Lindsay Rogers, who blogs at Belle Belle Beauty and is part of POPSUGAR Select Beauty. Belle Belle Beauty focuses on honest cosmetic reviews, ranging from drugstore to luxury and everything in between.
We are upon that other festive time of year, chock-full of weddings and celebrations around the big day. Your Summer months are likely full of engagement parties and weddings. While evening special-occasion makeup is one thing, bridal showers offer a great opportunity for soft and fresh makeup.
For these special afternoons, I prefer a natural and luminous look: flawless for photos but still feminine and light. Not to mention, this amped-up everyday look is perfect for a date night or brunch with girlfriends. And it is easy!
First, I like to prep clean skin with a sheer BB cream. The newest from Kiehl's offers great sun protection — a whopping 50 SPF — for outdoor venues. Use a damp Beautyblender Makeup Sponge Applicator to get even and light coverage. Make sure to blend to your neck and focus coverage on the center of your face.
I like to skip complicated eye shadow in favor of a single shade of cream eye shadow like MAC Paint Pots in Painterly. Curl eyelashes, making sure to bend and lift the curler while clamping lightly at the base. A swipe of liquid liner just along the roots of top lashes defines the eye. I like the Nars Eyeliner Stylo in Carpates. Finish with a coat of waterproof mascara; you never know if there will be a tearjerker moment at a shower. I'm loving Maybelline Volum' Express The Rocket Waterproof Mascara in Very Black for full and fluffy lashes.
Finish off the face with a swipe of bronzer below the cheekbones, along the temples, and below the jawbone. I also like to add a little swipe on each side of my nose to elongate. The new Buxom Hot Escapes Bronzer in Tahiti contains coconut oil and smells so beachy! The coconut oil acts as an emollient and adds a healthy radiance to skin.
Add a touch of highlighter on the brow bone and cheekbone. Mark That's Brilliant Face & Eye Luminizer has a brilliant brush applicator and blends for a natural luminosity. Just a simple plumping lip gloss will keep the pout hydrated and smooth. The new Korres Greek Yoghurt Nourishing Lip Cooler has a cooling sensation that's perfect for hot days and it even buffs away dry skin.
Voilà! You look natural, fresh, and pretty — all set for a day of celebration for the bride-to-be.
When it comes to wedding decor, it's the details that lend a personal feel. Once you've said your "I dos," consider celebrating your first meal as husband and wife with custom chair backs — DIY, of course. Fit for any theme, the options are endless: ribbons, wreaths, and recycled wood are just a few of our favorite ideas. Whether you're planning a wedding or simply want to be inspired by the creative use of materials, check out the chairs that perfectly complete these festive receptions.
While we all know the bride and groom are the center of attention at the wedding (and in some cases, just the bride), most couples would agree if it was truly just about them, they would elope. When you throw a big wedding bash, you're essentially throwing your guests a party, so you want it to be fun and memorable. From the entertaining to the interactive, here are some creative ways beyond the dance floor to get your family and friends out of their seats and having a ball.
We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, Brides magazine.
From funnel cakes to 4-H, state fairs have been a part of the American experience since 1841, when the Great New York State Fair staked its inaugural tent poles in Syracuse. August plays host to many, including the Iowa, Kentucky, and, yes, New York incarnations. To plan your own blue-ribbon event, think popcorn machines at cocktail hour, tin cans full of flowers at dinner, cotton candy on the dessert bar, and a white dress wrapped in a gingham bow. Butter-sculpting competition optional!
— Still-life Photographs by Yasu + Junko | Prop Stylist: TIZIANO AGNELLO
Related: The Most Creative Wedding Cakes of the Year
