5 beautiful wedding makeup looks for 2022

You've found your dream venue, locked in a date for your dream time of year, and your dream dress has arrived! With all these exciting decisions ticked off your wedding planning checklist, it's time to move on to planning your all-important wedding day makeup. If you are a makeup aficionado or enthusiast, this may prove to be one of the easiest decisions of your wedding planning journey, but if not, here are five beautiful wedding bridal makeup looks for your special day.

When planning your wedding day makeup, it is good to remember that there are no set rules. However, sage advice is to keep the focus on your look being 'you, but better’. Factors such as your dress style, venue location and theme will undoubtedly play a role in deciding your look. More importantly, you should aim to choose an elevated version of what you would typically choose for your everyday makeup. The most recent 2022 bridal makeup trends have focused on natural but elevated makeup, a distinct move away from contouring and the harsher highlighting trends of previous years. Instead, brides are embracing looking fresh, glowy and themselves, choosing one or their best defining feature to highlight rather than multiple - hello statement lips or fluttery eyelashes! This move toward a natural yet sophisticated style has seen luminous and sheer products alongside earthy tones and romantic, feminine blushes return to vogue.

Start by asking yourself these ten great questions when first deciding on your wedding day makeup look:

1. Do you prefer to look like you are or are not wearing makeup?
2. Do you have an 'iconic' or signature makeup look?
3. Do you prefer your makeup complexion to look matte, glowy or dewy?
4. Do you like a classic or contemporary look?
5. Do you like bold lipstick?
6. Do you like smokey or more natural eyes?
7. Do you like eyeliner around your eye?
8. Does your venue or dress style lend to any particular makeup style or 'look’?
9. Do you need your makeup to withstand heat, humidity, wind, or the cold?
10. What are your best or favourite facial features or what would you like to highlight most eg, eyes, lips, cheekbones, lashes.

Insider tip: While Instagram or Pinterest may be a bride's best friend when choosing florals or wedding themes, if looking for inspiration when selecting your wedding-day makeup, look more to 'red carpet' events - as these are often less filtered and edited.

Clean beauty look - subtly stunning

Moving away from the trends of contouring and heavy glam makeup, a 'clean beauty' aesthetic is for brides wanting to bring their natural look to their wedding day but with a slightly elevated touch. Luminous, minimalistic, elegant and natural, when executed, this look is stunning in the most subtle of ways. With a focus on 'your skin', but better, this look is all about minimal but intentional product usage. Achieve this look by starting with a brightening and hydrating serum, followed by blurring primer to conceal pores, and then cover with a luminous buildable foundation. The luminous finish will ensure an elevated glow without looking too heavy or shiny. To finish the look, pair it with lightweight mascara, a shade of nude lipstick or a shade to match your lip colour - the key is to get your lips looking neutral or as natural as possible.

Insider tip: While it is a well-known tip to drink lots of water year-round, it is essential in the lead-up to your wedding to keep your skin hydrated to assist with applying your makeup.

Statement lips - play up the pout

You cannot go past statement lips for an iconic and glamorous wedding day look. Whether a bright coral, impactful red, flashy pink or captivating fuschia, brides pair back other elements in their makeup to make the vibrant pop of colour the talking point. Choose a shade that compliments your skin tone while partnering beautifully with other wedding elements, such as the flowers in your bouquet or arbour. As usual, the golden rule for wedding day makeup looks applies 'you, just better' - so this is a great look for brides whose usual go-to is a statement lipstick or their preferred choice for their 'going out look’. On your wedding day, you want a look that resonates with you and is not a dramatic departure from your usual style.

Insider tip: Ensure your makeup artists chooses a long-lasting colour stay lipstick and that you are provided with a 'touch-up' lip kit.

Golden touch - earthy tones and golden times

This style is for brides who want glam beauty without overly bold or dramatic tones. Adding a warm glow and bronzed feel to your look, combined with fluttery lashes and eyeliner for added depth. Trade charcoals and grey smoke eyes for earth-toned smokey eyes. The key to achieving this look is to stick with the same colour palette across eyes, cheeks and lips for that bronzed goddess feel. Working well when transitioning from day to night, this look will match almost any styling aesthetic. Choose a bronzer that works well with your complexion and stick to eye shadow shades in either champagne, gold, copper, black, light or dark brown shades. Match and continue with similar tones for your lips.

Insider tip: On the most photographed day of your life, you'll want to ensure your smile is as picture-perfect as possible. Look to begin a beauty teeth whitening regime in the months leading up to your wedding.

Blushed cheeks - feminine and romantic

Soft, feminine, and romantic blushed cheeks are coming back with this look gracing wedding aisles across Australia. These rosy hues are here to stay, creating a 'naturally flushed' look that elevates the cheekbones and gives a healthy glow. For brides looking to enhance their natural beauty rather than have a considerable transformation, this look will freshen and lift the face while offering the right amount of colour to the complexion. With the return of blush has come the significant TikTok and red carpet trend of 'blush draping.' This can be a bit extreme for one of the most photographed days of your life; however, that much blush is not for the faint-hearted. Instead, opt for blushes that mirror your cheek colour when pinched slightly. As a guide, brides with pale/fair skin should opt for a light pink shade, brides with light/medium skin a peachy pink shade, brides with olive skin an intenser pink, and brides with darker skin tones can be well suited to warm and bright blushes.

Insider tip: Avoid doing any beauty treatments or using face oil or any exfoliants on your wedding day. Instead, arrive at your appointment with a cleansed face and a light moisturiser.

Lush lashes and subtle shimmer

Perfect for both daytime and evening, lush lashes and shimmering eyes will ensure all the focus is on you on your wedding day. For a prominent lush lash look, opt for extensions instead of a natural lash lift or 'fake eyelashes.' Eyelash extensions are semi-permanent customisable extensions glued to your natural lashes that not only look real but will alleviate any worries of mascara running on your wedding day! The level and quantity of your lash extensions will be determined by the level of 'lushness' you want to achieve. You can choose from natural, classic or hybrid, and as a good rule of thumb, it is best to choose lashes that are only 4-6 mm longer than your natural lashes. Lash extensions, by nature, will bring added drama and luxe to your look, so to achieve balance on your face, pair with other neutral makeup accents and a touch of stunning, shimmering eye shadow. Shimmering eyes are all about elegance rather than making a statement. Make sure you choose a sheer or fine shimmer rather than glitter to provide an elegant contrast for your lashes to highlight the eyes. Trust us. Your photographer will thank you for your choice on the day!

Insider tip: You must have a trial before the big day to ensure you and your makeup artist feel confident in producing the desired result. Book your wedding hair trial on the same day to get the most out of the experience and see your complete wedding day look.

Your wedding day makeup will be immortalised in your wedding album, so you want to aim to enhance and elevate your style and natural aesthetic in a way that makes you feel comfortable on your big day. When deciding on your wedding day makeup, remember, the most crucial factor will always be looking and feeling like you!