The Ultimate Guide to Wedding Elopement Hair and Makeup Looks
Your wedding day is a unique occasion you’ve been dreaming about this since you were just a kid, and now the time is finally here! For many women, creating your bridal look might seem challenging but we’re here to make it one of the most fun and creative parts of the wedding elopement preparation. Your wedding hair and makeup look should not only complement your dress and the theme of your day but also reflect your personality and make you feel confident and beautiful. With so many options available, choosing the right bridal style can tiny bit overwhelming. This guide aims to help you navigate through various possibilities to help you find the look that best suits you.
Key Questions to Find Your Bridal Hair & Makeup Style
First of all, there are some important questions to ask yourself to help you narrow down your options and decide on your wedding makeup and hair look. Let's make this fun and answer some questions before diving into specific bridal styles:
What is your style? Do you prefer a natural look, prefer the classic look, or do you enjoy experimenting with bold and unique looks?
What style have you felt most confident and beautiful in before? Do you like being comfortable and effortless or are you willing to compromise a bit of comfort for that daring look of an over-the-top dress? Or perhaps you prefer your identity to shine through your style?
Where is your wedding ceremony taking place? Outdoor or indoor? Will you be hiking and doing a lot of walking, or do you have private transportation arranged for the whole day?
Have you picked your wedding dress? Is it traditional, bohemian, modern, or vintage? Styling your wedding hair and makeup to your wedding dress is always a lovely idea!
Have you gathered some wedding inspiration from bridal magazines, Pinterest, or Instagram? Go and check to see the overall vibe you consciously or unconsciously chose, and let’s see which one of the following styles you most fit in.
Whether you’ve chosen a wedding hair and makeup artist for your wedding elopement, or you plan to do it yourself, having a good idea of the style you’d like to go for, will ensure you have a beautiful cohesive look, fulfilling the wishes of that little girl inside.
Elopement Wedding Hair & Makeup Styles
Timeless Classics: Elegant and Refined
When it comes to wedding makeup and bridal hairstyles, the “Timeless Classic Look" stands out for its enduring appeal and sophisticated charm. Elegant updos, characterized by a sleek, structured finish or effortless yet polished curls, are perfect for brides who desire an appearance that will remain beautiful and relevant through the ages.
Imagine a bride on the serene shores of Lake Garda, Italy, her high updo framing her face beautifully, with soft eyeliner accentuating her eyes. Her makeup, featuring hues of pink and nude, complements her radiant skin, creating a flawless and elegant look. To complete this look, subtle touches like delicate shimmer on the eyelids and dewy, glowing skin add a touch of magic. This combination ensures the bride looks radiant in every light, perfectly suited for both grand celebrations and intimate elopements.
Explore the galleries: Bea & Gioele, Isabel & Drew, and Hyojin & Adrian.
Bohemian Dreams: Effortless Beauty
For brides who embrace a free-spirited and natural aesthetic, the "Bohemian Beauty" style offers a perfect blend of relaxed waves, messy curls, and even flower crowns or bridal headpieces. This look is ideal for the nature-loving boho bride, bringing a sense of carefree elegance and natural charm to the wedding day.
Visualize a bride standing on the cliffs of Ireland, the wind gently tousling her relaxed waves. Her messy curls, adorned with a delicate flower crown, perfectly capture the free spirit. Her makeup, featuring soft browns and warm beiges, complements her radiant, dewy skin, creating a harmonious and natural look. Whether she is walking down a beach in Greece or among the wildflowers of Scotland, the bohemian bridal style encapsulates effortless beauty and a connection to nature.
This style is perfect for brides seeking a look that is both timeless and free-spirited. It offers a sense of relaxed elegance ideal for an outdoor intimate wedding elopement, making sure the bride feels as beautiful as the surroundings she is in.
Explore the galleries: Lauren & Justin, Grainne & Podge, and Paige & Spencer.
Modern Glamour: Contemporary Chic
For those drawn to the allure of old Hollywood glitz and glam, the "Modern Glamour" style is a perfect choice. Heavily influenced by the polished looks of modern celebrities like Kim Kardashian, this style emphasizes a sophisticated and polished aesthetic. It is characterized by a full face of glam and neat, elegant hairstyles.
Hollywood waves with glam makeup, featuring a flawless full-coverage canvas, dramatic shades like gold and bronze, winged liner, and bold lashes. This combination creates a cohesive bridal look that will make you feel like a Hollywood star on your special day.
We see this style well-suited for an intimate destination wedding, a glamorous elopement will be an excellent fit for this modern glamour style. These intimate ceremonies often occur in luxurious destinations such as Lake Como, boutique villas and hotels, or picturesque cityscapes. Although smaller in scale, these elopements exude a sense of style and elegance, focusing on the bride’s stunning appearance.
Explore the galleries: Keilah & Nick, Sunset & Tyler, and Jenny & Brandon.
Bearly There: Minimal Touches
For the bride who loves simplicity and understated elegance, the "Barely There" look is perfect. This style focuses on the no-makeup makeup look and straight, loose hair with simple textures, for a natural and effortless beauty.
Imagine a bride standing in a sunlit meadow, her straight hair gently flowing in the breeze, with a radiant, barely-there makeup look. Her simple beauty shines through, perfectly complementing the surroundings of an intimate wedding or elopement.
This “clean girl aesthetic” is all about your wedding makeup looking effortlessly put together, embracing simplicity, and highlighting your natural beauty. It’s a look that says, “I take care of myself, but I don’t try too hard”. This aesthetic is both timeless and versatile, making it a popular choice for a bridal look.
Explore the galleries: Julie & Albert, Tina & Klemen, and Feifei & Hao.
Unique Vintage & Rock’n Roll Bride
The vintage look is for everyone who loves to incorporate a bit of history into their style. Whether your look is retro-inspired, or channels the elegance or boldness of past decades, mix it in with a modern twist.
Here we’ll use an eyeliner that perfectly frames your eyes and bold lips. You might choose elegant finger waves, reminiscent of the 1920s, cascading softly around your face. Or perhaps you go for victory roll hair, a daring choice that harks back to the 1940s, or add a touch of the 70s rock 'n' roll spirit to your look.
The vintage variety of styles allows for a lot of personalization. Whether you want to lean more towards vintage glamour of the 20s “flapper” look, or rock 'n' roll edge, tailor it to fit your unique taste and wedding theme. Embrace the retro-inspired beauty, mix and match different elements, and most importantly, let your personality shine through!
Explore the galleries: Jilian & Brian, Karina & Torsten, and Monique & Alex.
Our Top Hair & Makeup Tips
Tip 1: Talk about your hair & makeup style with the artist beforehand
This type of conversation is crucial to make sure you and your makeup artist are on the same page. Talk about preferences, share with her inspirational pictures, make personalized adjustments, and set real expectations. This way, you can walk down the aisle with confidence knowing you’ll look your best.
When searching for wedding or elopement hair and makeup inspiration, focus on people who have similar tones and shapes as you. We all know the frustration of trying a new look that looks perfect on someone else but just doesn’t suit us the same way. To avoid this, find styles on individuals with similar skin tones, hair color and texture, eye color and shape, and facial structure as you. This doesn’t mean you can’t try new things, but it helps set realistic expectations about how the style might look on you.
Our Somewhere Crazy brides can use their Elopement Planning Tool to communicate with their elopement hair and makeup artist, share their inspirational Pinterest or Instagram boards, or any specific skincare or skin embellishments that they'll require for their day.
Tip 2: Accessories
Accessories can make or break a vintage-inspired look, so choose them carefully. Consider vintage hairpieces like a delicate birdcage veil adorned with lace and pearls, or a statement headband encrusted with rhinestones for a touch of sparkle. Pearls are timeless and versatile—think of a classic strand necklace, pearl drop earrings, or a vintage-inspired brooch pinned to your bouquet or dress. If you're going for a 1920s vibe, add a feathered hair comb or a beaded headpiece. For a 1940s look, opt for bold, red lip-matching earrings or a dramatic choker.
Bridal accessories such as veils, hairpieces, or wedding headbands are an important part of your bridal style. Make sure to let your artist know so that she can incorporate these details into the vision she has for your look. Back-and-forth communication is important to achieve the look you want!
Tip 3: Your Skin Tan
Thinking of adding a glow to your wedding day look with a spray tan to create a beautiful contrast between your skin and the white dress? We all love a nice tan, but if you’re using a spray tan, make sure to book a trial run in advance - it’s like a practice run for your tan! After all, it would be a shame to discover you’ve turned a little too orange on your wedding day. Plus, it gives you one less thing to worry about on the big day.
Tip 4: Hydration
Hydration is often overlooked, but it's the secret to glowing skin and shiny hair. We know, the weeks leading up to your wedding can be intense and stressful. But drinking plenty of water on the days leading up to your wedding will help your skin and hair so much more than you think! Trust us, your artist will thank you! So, brides, drink your water and keep glowing. Remember, your makeup is only as good as your skincare.
Conclusion
In conclusion, your wedding day is your chance to shine, so make sure to prioritize your style and comfort over fleeting trends! This is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and you’re the one who needs to love your look from every angle.
Think about the vibe of your wedding—eloping on the vibrant streets of Barcelona, enjoying the peaceful Lake Bled, hiking the Dolomites, or taking a helicopter ride to the top of the Swiss Alps are all very different, not only in their activities but also in terms of the style that will suit them best. Adaptability is key, so make sure your wedding elopement hair and makeup style is as fabulous as it is functional for all the hugs, kisses, and dance moves ahead.
Don't be afraid to mix and match styles if that's what makes you feel most comfortable and beautiful. But most importantly, remain authentic! Remember, the most stunning brides are the ones who own their look and let their unique style shine through. Embrace your quirks, rock that fabulous gown, and don’t forget—you’re the star of the show!
