Today I’m talking all things wedding makeup, with Emily from Emily Chantal Makeup an artist in Suffolk.
Firstly how did you get into wedding makeup, what’s your story?
From my first retail role on a beauty counter I began working with hundreds of real women helping them with their everyday skincare and makeup routines.
As my confidence and experience grew a few of my friends and clients asked me to do their makeup for events and I soon realised that I was passionate about the wedding industry! One of the many parts I love is hearing about my bride’s engagement story, wedding plans and ideas.
As a real people person and bride to be myself, I share the excitement with them and know how much love and preparation goes into one magical day.
What’s your wedding makeup style?
Whilst I am able to cater for most makeup styles including vintage and full glam, my specialism is definitely a soft, natural boho style that looks effortless and beautiful! My aim is to enhance my brides into a more glamorous version of themselves that feels light on the skin rather than change them into a totally different person!
My ethos is also to make you feel relaxed and comfortable so you can enjoy the process throughout.
Are you mobile? What areas/locations do you cover?
Yes! I can travel to your home or venue on wedding day! Based in Ipswich, Suffolk but able to cover the whole of East Anglia for weddings including; Colchester, Bury st Edmunds and Cambridge as well as neighbouring towns and villages.
It’s such a pleasure discovering new and unique venues too and I thoroughly enjoy working on location and meeting new people and fellow suppliers.
What makeup products do you use? Are they vegan and cruelty free?
My professional kit is full of the very best luxury makeup products and brushes. Including premium brands such as Dior, MAC and Charlotte Tilbury with a range of colours to suit every skin tone and ethnicity.
I use tried and tested products that I can rely on to be both long lasting and photograph perfectly in different lighting.
Whilst my entire kit isn’t yet vegan, I have a large selection of cruelty free options to cater for every client.
Sustainability is also important to me and where possible I try to avoid using single use plastic disposable items and have switched to bamboo mascara wands and biodegradable hygiene tools.
Do you recommend wedding makeup trials?
Absolutely! A trial is essential for a bride and not only is it a great opportunity to try out inspirational looks but also to meet and get to know me ahead of the buzz of wedding day.
I would however advise arranging this no sooner than 3-6months prior to your big day. By this point in planning, all key details such as dress, colour schemes will have been decided and you won’t be worrying about changing your look last minute. In addition your skin and hair colour will be in line with how it will look on the day.
Trials for bridesmaids and mums are completely optional, often the Maid of Honour or Mother of the Bride will attend the trial to try out a look to recreate on the rest of the bridesmaids on the day.
A top tip for attending your trial is to wear white, so that you can see what the makeup looks like against a similar tone to your wedding dress, it makes such a big difference!
What’s your favourite part of your job as a wedding makeup artist in Suffolk?
As cheesy as it sounds, I do really love it when I make people feel confident. When I see a bride in her dress all ready to tie the knot knowing I’ve helped her look amazing is the best feeling in the world. It’s also great fun when I work with a team I know and we get amazing shots for the client, so everyone is happy all round!
What are you most proud of in your wedding makeup career?
I think I would have to say seeing my work in print for the first time last year was a big career highlight. I’m also proud of myself for managing to juggle my own business alongside my day job and all of the pros and cons that comes with it.
How far in advance should a we be booking a wedding makeup artist?
In all honestly as soon as possible! Due to the pandemic and all of the postponements from 2020, I would recommend 18 months to two years prior, especially if your wedding is on a weekend. I’ve sadly already had to turn away several summer 2022 brides due to already being booked so it’s never too early!
How can a we book you?
The easiest way to get in touch is by filling out the contact form on my website www.emilychantalmakeup.com. Once I’ve confirmed my availability and we’ve discussed booking details either by phone or on email (emilychantalmakeup@mail.com), I will send out a digital booking form to complete. Once I have received both this and a deposit, the date in the diary is yours!
Emily Chantal Makeup
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Check out Should I hire a Wedding Planner? next.
Thanks for reading
x Jodie x