Three brides on their wedding day beauty lessons and regrets
A wedding is often described as the most important day of a person’s life—an occasion filled with love, joy, and celebration. But for many brides, it also comes with an immense, often unspoken pressure: to look the most beautiful they’ve ever been. From months of skincare prep and intense workout regimes to the hunt for the perfect dress, hair, and makeup, the expectation to achieve ‘perfection’ can feel utterly overwhelming.
As 2025 brides look towards their special day, we’ve gathered some beauty advice from the people who know best: past brides, on their wedding day beauty lessons and regrets. From one bride to another, here’s what you need to know before you say "I do."
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Camilla Elphick, Founder and CEO of Luxury Footwear Brand
Camilla Elphick got married on Saturday, 14th August 2021 in the Wiltshire countryside. The ceremony was held in a quaint church at the end of her husband's family garden. "It felt incredibly personal and intimate—a truly magical setting," she tells Hello! Fashion.
When it came to glam for her special day, the founder wanted to look like herself, just with a little extra polish. "I absolutely loved my makeup by @yasmin_salmon,"Camilla admits. "It was important that my makeup lasted from day to night so we focused on creating a long-wearing, flawless base while keeping any shine to a minimum."
Wedding day beauty regret: "I was really stressed in the lead-up—there was so much to organise. My skin, which is usually clear, flared up, and looking back, I wish I’d taken a little more time to relax. My advice to any bride: stress less. The base is the most important thing for your makeup to sit well."
Beauty advice for future brides: As a luxury footwear brand owner, here are her top tips for bridal foot care.
Get a pedicure and shellac in a chic, neutral shade—it’s fool proof.
If you’re having a destination wedding, wear compression socks on the flight to avoid swelling.
Don’t wear socks or tight shoes on the morning of the wedding as they leave marks. Slippers only.
The night before, put your legs up against the headboard while wearing a hydrating face mask. Just don’t do this on the day, your makeup won’t sit properly on freshly masked skin
Have a few pairs of shoes to change into—your feet will thank you later.
You can easily get lost in Pinterest and Instagram looking for the ‘perfect’ bridal makeup or hair. Just remember these are edited to look a certain way and everyone is different.
Lily Worcester, Beauty Editor
Beauty Editor, Lily Worcester, tied the knot at Cowdray House, a stunning English country house nestled in the rolling hills of the South Downs National Park in West Sussex. Unlike our summer brides, Lily got married on a cooler day in December 2021. She let her chestnut locks flow freely with subtle, effortless waves. "Every time I've experimented with up-dos, I haven't felt like myself. Instead, I've almost felt a bit self-conscious. On my wedding day, I wanted to be my most confident self," she reveals.
Wedding day beauty regret: "My tip is a little left field but is genuinely something I wish I had done. The wet and breezy ride to the church loosened a pesky clump of my hair. If only I’d had a decent-sized mirror waiting for me." She advises, "A quick check before walking down the aisle and again at the reception would have saved me a lot of photo editing later.'"
My skin, which is usually clear, flared up, and looking back, I wish I’d taken a little more time to relax.
Chessie Mathis, Account Director
PR Director, Chessie Mathis, decided on a stunning destination wedding on the Greek island of Corfu. She tied the knot on the 18th of May 2024. "I’m not someone who wears a lot of makeup so I wanted it to be very natural, bronzed and glowy, " she reveals of her wedding day glam. "Getting married in the late afternoon in Greece, you benefit from a warm golden sun so I wanted to make sure my makeup complemented this."
If you're having a destination wedding Chessie's hero products to keep your hair sleek and makeup sweat-free is hairspray and the iconic Charlotte Tilbury 'Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray.'
Beauty advice for future brides: "There are so many beauty treatments out there that it can feel very overwhelming about what you should do and when you should start. In my opinion, you are marrying your best friend and someone that loves you no matter what, so you should do what makes you happy and feel good, and not what you think you should be doing to fit in with others or current trends."
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"You can easily get lost in Pinterest and Instagram looking for the ‘perfect’ bridal makeup or hair. Just remember these are edited to look a certain way and everyone is different. When you have your makeup trial, test your products and find a look that you love and feel yourself in, then stick to it. Happiness glows from within, so this is what will shine through on your special day."
