If you feel comfortable in the amount of makeup you are wearing, it will show in your pictures. It is important that when you look back at your wedding photographs, you recognize the face that is smiling back at you. Most importantly, make sure that your wedding day makeup makes you feel like the beautiful bride you are.

The best way to insure this feeling is through practice. Practice makes perfect, and your wedding makeup is no exception. Whether you are having your makeup done professionally or you are doing it yourself, practice is the key to achieving your perfect look. If you are going the professional route, make sure you schedule at least one trial session with your makeup artist before the big day. You will need to make sure that both of you are on the same page, and it may take a couple of sessions in order to achieve this. Likewise, if you are choosing to do your makeup yourself, you will want to practice many times, experimenting both with colors and techniques. You can also go to a makeup counter at your local department store to pick up some helpful hints and special products that will help you apply your makeup flawlessly. Remember, practice is the best way to ensure you remain stress-free on your special day.

This section looks at the different elements of creating the perfect face for your perfect look. The best way to achieve flawless wedding day makeup is to fuse all of these elements together, highlighting all of your features but not allowing any one area to overpower.

Face

The key to a flawless face is having a foundation that matches your skin tone perfectly. You want to make sure that the foundation you use blends easily into your skin, virtually disappearing before your eyes. The last thing you want is to see foundation lines around the outside of your face when you look at your wedding photos. To ensure this does not occur, check your foundation in natural light. The artificial lights found in your bathroom and department stores are often deceiving. You will also want to find a foundation that works with your skin type, not against it. If you have oily skin, you will want an oil-free matte formula that will help minimize shine. If you have dry skin, find a foundation that doubles as a moisturizer so your skin will look fresh all day.

Concealer is a good idea for all brides, since you probably won't get as much sleep as you should the night before the wedding. You want to be careful with concealer, however, since using too much can appear cakey, and actually draw attention to those areas you are trying to minimize. A good way to make sure your concealer blends perfectly is to mix in a little bit of your foundation before application. This way you are sure to get the clean, fluid look you want.

The next step is finding a light, loose power that will set your foundation and concealer, and take away any excess shine. You don't want to load up on powder, as this will only cause you to get shinier faster. Rather, you want just enough to keep your makeup in place and reduce shine for your photos. It is a good idea to keep your power on hand through out the day, as you will need to reapply before your photos and other special events.

When you decide on your blush color, you will want to find something that will provide you with a natural glow. You will want to use a little more blush than you do for day to day wear as you don't want to appear washed out in your photos. Just be careful not to get carried away. You want to appear natural and not overly made up, which is easy when applying blush.

Eyes

It terms of eye color, it is best to choose muted, neutral colors that compliment both your dress and the other colors you are using on your face, such as your lips and cheeks. Using white or other light eye shadows on the inside edges of your eyes will help brighten and open them up. You can also use this same light color on your brow line for added definition. Beware o