DIY Bridal Make-Up

I'm a really big fan of having your make-up professionally done for your wedding. Sure, we all have a face and make-up routine for going to work and maybe out on the weekends, but it's not every day that we're being professionally photographed. And the truth is, regular, every day make-up often doesn't hold up on camera. Lighting, flash and other elements can give you the appearance of looking washed out, through no fault of your own.

But, it's completely understandable when a professional make-up application is not in your budget. Here are some options for you:

1. Go to Sephora or MAC if you have one in your area. They will charge you $50, however, that $50 goes towards products that you pick out that you get to keep and bring home with you, be in a powder compact, foundation or the lip color you use for the wedding day (which you should always purchase and have on hand for touch-ups anyway).

2. Attend a make-up lesson from a professional. However, this option can be as expensive as getting an application done for your wedding day. However, the make-up artist will show you exactly how to apply make-up specifically for your skin type, coloring and eye shape, and you'll leave with a wealth of knowledge that will last a lifetime.

3. For budget brides, this is probably the most likely option: Turn to YouTube!

I used to be a self-confessed make-up moron before I found tutorials on YouTube. There are quite a few professional make-up artists that post step-by-step tutorials on how to do make-up, and some even do bridal make-up.

Two of my favorite websites are Make Up Geek and Pixiwoo (thank you, Brittany!). These videos will list the products that are used, do close-ups of the application and provide tips for how to do your make-up.

Here are some bridal make-up video tutorials: