Your day, your way

Ulster Tatler speaks to makeup artist Bliain Fitzpatrick to get advice on all things bridal.

When did you start out doing makeup?

My introduction to the world of makeup and beauty began in 2007 when I moved to London to study art, I got a part time job with a beauty company and from there I moved to other premium makeup brands within the West End of London, developing my skills from amazing artists of the time.

What do you love most about your job?

The element I love most is the result, I love the look on a client’s face when she sees her dream look realised, and it’s a great privilege to be part of a wedding day. I also love working with beautiful products.

Do you have any particular career highlights?

Stand-out moments for me are varied between working on fashion shows, editorial campaigns and working with clients that love being pampered and that get excited about makeup and skincare. It is such a personal service working so closely with clients and developing a look that they want to present to the world, it’s a real honour.

What makes bridal makeup different to other makeup jobs?

Bridal makeup is different because it is more of a collaboration, especially because you build a relationship with the bride over a period of time. The look itself has a lot of considerations, especially in how the makeup will photograph, therefore, a bride often has to wear MORE makeup on her big day so that it translates through the camera lens. The look itself needs to be planned in advance so that no time is wasted on a busy wedding day morning changing things around and experimenting – that is all explored in the trial.

When should a bride to be book makeup for her big day?

This really depends on the amount of time between proposal and wedding date. I’ve had brides book me with two weeks’ notice, some two years notice. My advice would be to book a trial as soon as possible and then secure your artist after that. Tastes and styles can change very suddenly so I would encourage a trial as early as possible so that a relationship can be built with your artist to discuss ideas and looks casually on the run up to the wedding.

What does a bride need to consider when choosing her makeup artist?

There are factors to consider other than if a makeup artist is good at applying makeup: I would consider rapport, personality, style, hygiene, budget, and quality of work. Ask yourself the question; would you be happy with your makeup artist to attend the wedding as your guest? If the answer is no, they are probably not the artist for you. After all, a wedding is the most special day and should feel comfortable at all times.

What are the trends in bridal makeup for 2023 and beyond?

Trends aren’t always important when it comes to bridal makeup especially as it is such as personal day – what others are doing isn’t so important. However, in general, makeup has made a return to pretty, feminine beauty makeup. We are moving away from the super severe draginspired cut creases and harsh lines of recent years and opting for elegance again, which I’m a huge fan of.

Do you have any tips for keeping makeup looking freshly done for the whole day?

This all begins with how well the skin is prepped on the morning of – in general I love to spend around 20 minutes just prepping the skin to begin with. I start with MAC FIX + and saturate the skin, I build in a suitable eye and face primer such as Strobe Cream or Bobbi Brown Vitamin enriched face base and I layer the base work in stages. A good setting powder such as Mac Blot powder and a lipstick/gloss should be all you need the rest of the day for touch ups.

What are the dos and don’ts when it comes to wedding day makeup?

The DO’S really are just being yourself, if your signature look is to always have a winged liner and a bold red lip then keep that going on your big day. If you suddenly remove your signature look you won’t feel like yourself and most likely will feel uncomfortable the entire day. Don’t over complicate your makeup, stay away from wet cheek glosses and glitter – this will get everywhere as the day is long and lots of contact with other people can make this hard to maintain.

What is your advice to anyone with a big bridal party, do they need to book more than one makeup artist?

This really depends, I would allow around one hour per person on the morning of, for good quality, well-prepped makeup – that’s how long good makeup takes. Bridal parties are often around 6-8 people, any more than that, your makeup artist will most likely bring an assistant on the day.

An Grainan Hotel in Donegal held its wedding showcase on Sunday 19th February. e event ran from 1-4pm and was an opportunity for couples to meet the hotel’s wedding team and check out over 50 exhibitors. An Grainan Hotel is located in the village of Burt, only 10-15 minutes from Derry, Letterkenny and Buncrana. e hotel opened in 2006 and is one of the North West’s premier wedding venues.

For more information on dates & packages, get in touch with the award-winning and experienced wedding team by emailing: weddings@angriananhotel.com or calling 00 353 74 9368900 - ‘Make it Special, Make it An Grianan’