By Shadan Muneer

Don’t we all just love makeup? Is that even a question? Well, we are not talking about your daily wear makeup here but the wedding makeup. There’s no denying to the fact that bridal makeup gets us all really excited, and with Indian brides, along with their makeup artists, going a step ahead and experimenting with their looks, it is becoming difficult for us to choose the best amongst the rest. A makeup artist gives women the bridal look of their dreams. Each and every element in the makeup is a statement in itself.

This Weekend Star Supplement shows how despite so many maximal elements like jewellery, silk saree et al, brides manage to nail any and every look.

Your Big Day: Makeup, Lights, Camera, Wedding

A breath-taking location and a themed decor, a drizzle of perfumed mist from a sprinkler welcomes as guests make their way, dressed impeccably in silk and sequins of colourful shades co-ordinated with the theme. While one is still soaking up the grandeur, the bride makes a grand entry in a palanquin… What seems like a wedding scene from a Bollywood blockbuster is in fact the themed weddings happening in Namma Mysuru.

Amongst things that define Indian culture, are the elaborate, festive and fun-filled weddings which bond families and friends. Rituals, music, dance, traditional games, jewellery, lip-smacking food, all distinct and unique with each culture but the commonality is the sacredness.

The magical moments get etched in memories and framed in photographs forever. The glam quotient of a wedding is incomplete without the nuances of bridal makeup and photography that is both creative and memorable. These elements have come a long way from relatives or the neighbourhood beauty parlours decking up brides to the modern day air brush and contour techniques.

No more coy brides

Gone are the days when the coy brides had to be prodded to put their heads up to get a good profile picture. Cut to 2020 and candid photography and pre/post wedding shoots are events by itself that are planned in detail.

One of the most popular trend today are the pre-wedding photo shoots at beautiful locales. A lot of detailing and planning goes in by bride and bridegroom to narrow down on the themes and the makeup and costumes to go in, in accordance with the theme. 

From drone cameras to creative techniques, filters to props, photography is not just for memories but also for posting great Facebook stories, interesting Instagram hashtags and digital albums. Professional makeup artists are hired not only for the wedding functions but also for photo shoots. 

Star of Mysore caught up with some renowned makeup artists and photographers to see what is in vogue. Now read on…

ALL MADE UP For a striking transformation

Suma, who had the peacock theme wedding with blue and green décor, says, “I was particular about my eye makeup and wanted to have a blue and green eye shades with red lips and messy braid with a puff and for the night reception, I went with shimmery makeup to look glamorous.”

To keep pace with creative and customised demands of the young clientele, makeup professionals regularly update their skill sets. “Our makeup artists are professionally trained at the Lakme Academy and are well versed with the latest trends and techniques,” says Preeti Suhas owner of Lakme Salon franchise on Kalidasa Road. Contouring adds to the beauty and the latest trend being airbrush makeup which is light and gives a flawless finish.

Life in a salon

“When a bride-to-be walks into the salon, we educate them on what suits them best. We always give trial makeup and we click pictures during trial sessions to know how the makeup looks in photographs. We do 30-40 bridal makeup a month during wedding season,” she explains.

Bridal makeup is extensive with different techniques like high-definition, airbrush and mineral is used to get the right kind of makeup.  It requires special products and tools to apply. Kim, widely experienced bridal makeup with over 30 years in the industry says, “Classic and traditional look for weddings is light and natural. Keeping it simple is the key to this style which is preferred by Mysureans.

Dark and bold style which involves the use of darker shades and bold colours for attention-grabbing eyes along with bright lips is generally preferred by the North Indian brides.

The entire look to be created also depends on personal taste and the outfit which is being worn. Make-up has to be in sync with it. Kim says, “It’s not only about the wedding but also the other ceremonies where brides want to have different looks for each occasion. Even family members too want to get their makeup done through professionals and this is a change that I have noticed over the years.”

Picking the right makeup artist

“These days brides have become so involved in makeup process that they constantly update and educate themselves with the new trends,” says Rashmi Yatish who has been managing VLCC from the past 14 years.

“We get clients who come 3 to 6 months prior to the wedding date for the bridal beauty services. If one thinks that it’s only the bride who gets preparing in advance, then you are wrong. Grooms too get equal attention on their wedding day and want to look their best with proper styling and grooming. We suggest beauty treatments as per the skin type, a lot goes into the planning of the bridal makeup. The idea is not to make the client look distinct but natural with just a bit of enhancements.”

For a killing look

“I suggest clients not to just rely on imagination and go ahead with the makeup. It is always recommended to rehearse the look before actually getting it done on the D-day” says Rekha Satish, a bride and groom makeup artist working for VLCC.

Hair styling is also an important aspect and a professional hairstylist knows how to cope with every type of hair, be it fine, thin, frizzy, wavy, curly or straight and they know what it takes to hold the style in place. Apart from hair styling, they are also experienced in attaching veils and head piece without the risk of it falling out which gives freedom for photographers to capture at every turn.

“I will be wearing an Indo-Western Sherwani for my wedding so to go with the look I started growing a beard which is the current trend and also gives a royal look. I would want to get rid of tan before the big day and want a light touch up on my face, neatly done eyebrows and sponge touch up for my beard on my wedding day” says Rakesh, a groom-to-be, spotted at Naturals Salon.

Present at the same Salon was Farheen Naaz, a bride-to-be. “I am particular about the kind of makeup and hair that I wanted. I got a trial makeup done for all the three functions and I have chosen Matte Finish for the day function, shimmer and gold on the wedding day and bold makeup for the reception,” she added.

Ambience and themes matter a lot

“The ambience and themes are important before deciding upon the makeup. Bold eyes and lips with perfect highlights will work wonders if the theme is colourful and if the setup is more pastel, then natural makeup with nude-shade lipstick is the key,” says Nazia Sharif, who has 20 years of makeup experience.

She specialises in fashion, bride and groom makeup and has the experience of working with celebrities like Sana Khan, Irrfan Khan, Boman Irani, Gulshan Grover and Ramesh Arvind. She has also worked on the crew of Bollywood movies like ‘Kapoor and Sons’ and soon-to-be-released ‘Sadak 2’. 

“With shutterbugs around and with all the focus on the bride, looking simple and using light shades isn’t recommended, bold colours look great on camera and under lights, adding a bit extra for the sake of good wedding snaps. Colours like pink, red, orange and maroon look good on Indian skin. The demands and requirements of the brides and grooms have changed over the years and they themselves are well aware of the latest trends and styles,” she says.

Most of the salons in Mysuru charge around Rs. 4,000 for groom makeup and the bridal makeup starts from Rs.5,500 and could go up to Rs.15,000 for the high-definition and airbrush makeup.

Framed for life: Clicking brides who totally rock

Capturing all the gorgeousness and glamour is what the modern photographers are best at. Shy brides and impassive grooms have been replaced by bold and affectionate couples who are more comfortable with camera.  The jump from printed photo albums to digital albums is the fad. In addition, couples want candid shots and creative wedding stories. From drone photos which give overhead shots to black and white photography, bridesmaid shots to squad shots are all happening. The most common concept trending now is candid photography.

Ajay Jagdish, who specialises in candid and creative photography under the banner ‘Within the Frames Photography’ says, “Now it’s all about natural moments and those candid shots capturing minute details like the detailing of the eyeliner, perfectly-placed tikka, veils, jewellery and so on, there is something special when you capture people in the most natural way, like the emotions on the face, beautiful moments and priceless reactions.”Pre-wedding shoots are also as important for the couples now a days. Kerala and Blue Lagoon are the hot favourites for Mysureans.

“No one needs to be asked to smile for the camera anymore and clicking pictures have become a norm now. Everyday moments are already shot on smartphone cameras and that’s why weddings need special effect for stylised and creative photography. The photographer has to update on latest trends. Couples these days are willing to shell out more for wedding photos to get perfect pictures,” says Syed Zakir, an experienced photographer having more than 40 years of experience. His studio ‘Star Video Tricks’ was established in 1925 by his grandfather and the good work continues till date. 

Picture Perfect

Photography is now considered as passion it gives lot of space to the photographer to play with their imagination and ideas. “Each day there is increase in demand for wedding photography and people want something different and creative each time and want everything to be perfect. They prefer quality more than quantity,” says Ganesh of Ganesh Photography. He is a young and talented photographer who travels all across India to cover weddings. People don’t mind spending lavishly for pre-wedding shoots and travel to the best locales across the country, he adds.

Prabhakar of ‘Pabe Photo Studio’ with 30 years of experience says, “With advanced and improved technology, workmanship of photographer also changes and the demand increases. Apart from traditional and conventional photography, couples demand wedding pictures in unique style. With the number of ceremonies increasing, the demand for photographers have gone up from pre-wedding shoots to bridal showers, hens’ party to bachelorette party, from haldi to sangeet, from bidaai to reception, people want to be captured through lenses.”

Charges for wedding photography vary depending on the location, time and the number of events. It starts from Rs.20,000 per day and would go up to Rs. 1 lakh and beyond. Each and every moment of weddings will have to be framed and cherished forever.

With talented makeup artists and photographers around, one can customise every single aspect and make the wedding event the best day in our lives. Special moments make special memories and special arrangements are sure to enhance fond memories.