Blog Archives

Wedding make up that photographs perfectly

On your wedding day, all eyes will be on you. You’re also likely to be photographed all day! Not just by your wedding photographer, but by all your friends and family too. So of course, it’s normal for you to want to look your best on the big day, and your wedding makeup is part of this.

Most brides want their wedding makeup to be an elevated version of their usual look. But they also want their makeup to have staying power- it needs to look great all day. And on top of that, you will want your bridal makeup to photograph well too.

Camera flashes can transform makeup in unexpected (and often unwanted) ways. A knowledgeable wedding photographer will account for this, but the right choice of beauty products and skilled application of your wedding makeup can make the job far easier and give you peace of mind.

I’m a wedding photographer based in Cheshire and North Wales, and throughout my career I’ve worked alongside many fantastic make up artists and have picked up some great tips to share with you to ensure your wedding makeup photographs perfectly…

Bride having her make up down by a makeup artist wearing a mask


1) Pay close attention to detail

If you’re going to be photographed by a professional wedding photographer, it’s good to pay close attention to detail. You will need to be aware of symmetry: do both eyes match perfectly? Also be aware of blending and colour matching, as the camera will pick up different shades in your face and neck. Also be mindful that if highlighters are not applied properly, the camera picks them up even more.

Have your makeup done in the strongest, brightest-possible light and use a magnifying mirror to make checks. Remember that lighting can also change how your makeup can look on camera; don’t practice your makeup in the evening.

The bridal party doing their own makeup at home


2) It’s all about the base

A really important part of achieving bridal makeup that photographs well is getting your base right. Your foundation should be natural and not too heavy, otherwise it can look a bit plastic in wedding photographs. Your foundation should look like skin rather than looking cakey, so consider opting for a lightweight foundation which can be built gradually.

Your wedding makeup should not be too shiny or too matte. From a wedding photography point of view, if your base is too shiny it can appear greasy on camera, whereas if a base is too matte it can look a bit dull and flat. 


3) This is the one time we don’t recommend sunscreen!

We all know how important it is to wear sunscreen, but this is the one day we suggest you steer clear of using it on your face. Avoid any foundations with SPF in them, as if your wedding photographer uses a flash the SPF will make your face appear whiter than your body. This is because Zinc molecules in SPF reflect the light, causing skin to look white and ghostly in wedding photographs.

 

4) Emphasise your eyes

Defining your eyes correctly will lead to some beautiful wedding photographs!

When it comes to wedding make up, we suggest that your eye makeup may need to be a couple of shades darker than usual. Define your eyes using eyeliner, carefully-applied eyeshadow, and maybe some individual lashes to help your eyes stand out.

Wedding photographer North Wales

5) Make it last

Lastly, it’s important to ensure that your wedding make up has staying power! Setting powders are great for this, or you could try a fixing spray. Your setting powder shouldn’t sit in fine lines and should help to create the look of naturally perfect skin which lasts all day.

Holly the bride having her makeup done

I’ve been a wedding photographer for around 20 years now, photographing weddings in Cheshire, Chester, North Wales and beyond. Along the way, I’ve picked up lots of tips for helping brides to look their absolute best on their big day. If you’d like to chat to a professional wedding photographer about any questions you might have, get in touch today: I’m happy to help!

5 reasons why I love being a wedding photographer in North Wales

As a wedding photographer based in Flintshire, I’m ideally located for weddings across North Wales. I love working at wedding venues in North Wales: the area is famous for its stunning scenery which makes the ideal backdrop for wedding photography.

If you’re thinking about getting married in North Wales, I can thoroughly recommend this beautiful part of the world for your big day.

Here are 5 reasons why I love being a wedding photographer in North Wales…


1. The North Wales countryside is a wedding photographer’s dream come true!

Think towering mountains, rolling green hills, pretty villages and breathtaking views. When it comes to show-stopping countryside, North Wales is hard to beat!

Some of my favourite North Wales wedding venues to shoot at are set amongst stunning countryside. For example, take Tyn Dwr Hall in the Dee Valley- one of my all time favourite wedding venues to work at. Tucked away in the Welsh countryside, this stunning Grade II* wedding venue is nestled amongst ancient woodland and is steeped in history. Tyn Dwr Hall’s beautiful grounds feature magical waterfalls bordered by trees and wildflowers, and the venue is surrounded by ancient forests and countryside with panoramic landscapes: the perfect setting for unique wedding photography.

Tyn Dwr Hall North Wales

Tower Hill Barns is another example of a North Wales venue set amongst beautiful Welsh countryside. Tucked away in the Welsh hills in a little village called Trevor near Llangollen, Tower Hill Barns sits amongst pretty gardens and a wild flower meadow, surrounded by gorgeous views of the surrounding North Wales hills.


Another venue in North Wales which lends itself particularly well to dramatic wedding photography is Ruthin Castle – a 4 star mediaeval luxury hotel situated within the glorious Clwydian Range in North Wales. My favourite place to shoot at Ruthin Castle is in the stunning grounds where I’ve captured some really unique images of couples surrounded by the castle ruins, with the views of the Clwydian Range beyond.

North Wales Wedding Photographer


2. North Wales has some stunning coastal scenery

There are not too many wedding photographers who get to spend time shooting at beautiful coastal wedding venues, so I feel very lucky that I’m based near such outstanding coastal scenery. Wedding photos on the beach, or with the sea as a backdrop, always look incredible.

One of the coastal venues that I love to shoot at in North Wales is the Quay Hotel in Deganwy: a stylish coastal hotel with breathtaking views over the Conwy Estuary towards the medieval Conwy Castle. As a wedding photographer, the best thing about shooting weddings at the Quay Hotel is the idyllic scenery. There are expansive views across the water to majestic Conwy Castle, which makes for unique wedding photography. When I am asked to be the wedding photographer for a wedding at the Quay Hotel, I make the most of the unique coastal setting by taking couples for a special photo shoot on the nearby beach. Not every couple can say they’ve had their wedding photography on the seashore, so these shots make for some really memorable photos!



Chateau Rhianfa is another coastal North Wales venue that is a wedding photographer’s dream. Not only is it a real-life fairytale castle, it is also located in a beautiful and unique setting overlooking the Menai Strait, which means there are countless opportunities for waterside shots.

One of my favourite features of Chateau Rhianfa is the outside terrace;I love capturing shots of guests enjoying a glass of fizz out on the terrace with the breathtaking views of the Menai Strait and the Snowdonia mountain range as a backdrop. As a wedding photographer, those are the kind of photo opportunities that stay in your mind long after the day has passed.

  



Chateau Rhianfa North Wales

3. Whatever your taste, North Wales has the dream wedding venue

Having worked as a wedding photographer at many of North Wales’ wedding venues, I really believe that whatever your tastes, North Wales has a venue for you.

I’ve been lucky enough to be the wedding photographer at coastal hotels, fairytale castles, stately homes, and rural venues in the North Wales countryside. Whatever size your wedding is, or whatever your theme, you are sure to find a venue to suit in this beautiful part of the country.

It also means that I am never stuck for inspiration when it comes to capturing unique images!

Chateau Rhianfa Wedding Photographer

4. I even love the North Wales weather!

This might sound like a strange one, as North Wales isn’t exactly famous for endless hot sunny days! Working as a wedding photographer in North Wales has definitely taught me that sunshine is never guaranteed, however, whatever the weather throws at my couples on their big day, I’ve learned that can always result in stunning wedding photography.

Wedding Photography North Wales
Award winning wedding photographer
Tyn Dwr Hall Wedding North Wales


Whatever the weather, you can capture some amazing outdoor wedding photography. In fact, “bad” weather might even make your photos even more interesting and beautiful! I would advise brides and grooms to not worry too much about the weather: it really is the one element of your day that you can’t control! Instead, embrace it whatever happens and take the opportunity to work with your wedding photographer to create some truly unique images.

5. North Wales is perfectly located near to Chester and Cheshire

Whilst a lot of the weddings I shoot are in North Wales, I am based on the border of Chester and Cheshire too, and this means that I get to experience the best of both worlds as a wedding photographer. One day I may be shooting a wedding at a rural North Wales stately home, and the next day I’ll be capturing some gorgeous shots at a chic city centre hotel in Chester, or a rustic barn venue in the Cheshire countryside.

I always feel very lucky to be a wedding photographer in this area of the country as we have so many beautiful venues to choose from, which means endless inspiration for wedding photography!

If you are thinking of getting married in North Wales I would love to discuss your plans for the day. I’m a professional wedding photographer working in North Wales, Cheshire and Chester and would be delighted if you got in touch for a chat.

A Cheshire Woodland Wedding

I’m really excited to share this gorgeous wedding with you, especially as it was at such a unique venue- Cheshire Woodland Weddings. It’s a stunning Cheshire wedding venue with lots of opportunities for beautiful wedding photography, but on top of that guests can enjoy outdoor activities such as archery, crazy golf and shooting!

It was my first time as a wedding photographer at this venue and it was a pleasure to be part of this incredible day capturing images of Kym and Ashley along with all their friends and family.


Kym and Ashley’s Cheshire Woodland Wedding

I started the day by joining Kym and her bridal party getting ready. It’s always lovely to spend time with the bride and her bridal party before the big event- it’s such an exciting and special part of the day. All the girls looked fabulous with make up by Glam by Sam and hair by Jennifer Webb Hair Studio. Kym’s stunning dress was from WED2B. I then made my way over to spend some time with Ashley and the groomsmen who were enjoying some pre-ceremony beers!






Kym and Ashley then chose to do something quite unusual: a pre-ceremony ‘first look’. Kym surprised Ashley by appearing behind him in her wedding dress, and it was clear to see the emotion written all over Ashley’s face as he saw his beautiful bride to be! As a wedding photographer it was a really special moment to capture.

 

Cheshire Woodland Weddings is the ideal venue to embrace the great outdoors, so it made perfect sense that the ceremony was held outside. Kym and Ashley exchanged their vows within an enchanting thatched shelter nestled in 15 acres of Cheshire woodland, with their guests taking in the view.



 



The wedding party was also joined by a special guest: the wedding rings were flown in by an owl! Those of you who know me will know that I’ve previously had a funny experience with a ring bearing owl, but luckily the owl at Kym and Ashley’s wedding was far better behaved!

 

 

 

Wedding photography at Cheshire Woodland Weddings

Being a wedding photographer at Cheshire Woodland Weddings is a completely unique experience, literally a breath of fresh air! This venue provides the perfect opportunity for guests to truly take in the great outdoors and Kym and Ashley certainly made sure that was the case, with their guests sampling archery, shooting, and crazy golf! It was great for me to be the wedding photographer at such a unique wedding.


After the ceremony everyone enjoyed a glass of fizz in the woodland and at the nearby waterside gazebo, which was the perfect opportunity for some lovely wedding photography. I managed to steal a few minutes with the happy couple to capture some shots in the stunning Cheshire woodland. I also captured some great aerial shots of the wedding party, as well as some fun images using smoke bombs.



   



We then headed inside for dinner. Cheshire Woodland Weddings offer a beautifully rustic barn which has a capacity of up to 200 guests, which features a fully licensed bar, space to eat, drink and celebrate! The wedding cake was by Simply Vegan Cakes and looked stunning!




Then it was time to enjoy the evening party and first dance. Entertainment was provided by The Brightons, and as you can see from the photos everyone had a fantastic time!



Some of my very favourite photos from this wedding were actually the ones we captured right at the end of the evening, where I took a little time outside with Kym and Ashley to shoot some stunning images in the woodland as night fell. The festoon lights draped in the trees are magical, and it was a perfect end to this Cheshire woodland wedding. 

 

Cheshire wedding photographer

If you’re thinking of getting married at Cheshire Woodland weddings (or anywhere else!) and are looking for a professional wedding photographer, I would love to chat about your plans.