Morning Lovelies! Michelle from Twobirds Bridesmaids is here all day today to answer all of your best girl fashion questions….so please leave your queries in the comments sections and Michelle will shower you with her expert knowledge.

Michelle: So you’ve asked your closest girls to stand by your side on your big day and after gracious acceptance (perhaps accompanied by squeals of excitement and discussions on hen locations), the next big question is “What will we wear??” And then the penny drops.

It’s your job to make sure these ladies look and feel gorgeous, with their varying shapes, size and personalities.

First things first, where will you find inspiration?

• Magazines have great spreads on suggestions for bridesmaids and the March/April issues for each of the big magazines always contains a bridesmaid special so make sure you grab that.
• Blogs are a great (and free up-to-the-minute) source and you can often search inspiration boards for colour ideas.
• The boutiques you visit for bridal gowns will also often have a selection of bridesmaids dresses to try and if not, ask them for recommendations.
• Pinterest is also a great place to look for inspiration and makes it very easy to share images/links with your bridesmaids.

So what are the key considerations?

Budget:

If you’re hoping for help from your girls on the cost it’s important to have these conversations early on rather than in a busy shop trying on dresses. Many brides cover the cost of the dresses but ask that the bridesmaids choose and pay for their own shoes and accessories, something they would use again. (A lot of bridesmaids have been happy to contribute to their two birds dresses as they know it’s something they will wear again afterwards.)

Set your price point and be prepared to stick to (or around) this. Don’t consume yours and your maids time visiting boutiques that it’s unlikely you will be able to buy from and check prices on the website before you make appointments to try.

Colour and Length:

Ask your bridesmaids to have a look at inspiration areas themselves too and get together to share ideas over a few cocktails before you shop. Try and have an idea of colours and lengths you are looking for before start trying on so that you have some focus to the day, especially if you have lots of bridesmaids. You may end up with something completely different, coral when it was navy you had in mind but it’s good to go having narrowed down the rainbow a little!

Also think about skin tones and hair colours, there are a lot of colours that suit all girls; navy is a real crowd pleaser, olive green is amazing on blondes and very sexy on brunettes too, aubergine can be worn by pretty much every person on the planet and looks great. And try red, you’d be amazed how many people it suits that have never worn it and makes for very striking photos. Vintage nude tones can be tricky so be prepared to thing outside of the box to complement your theme rather than match if it doesn’t suit all of your girls.

Think outside the box:

We all have very set colours and shapes that we wear for everyday clothes because that’s what we wear. A bridesmaid boutique that stocks a good range of colours is a great way to try something new and leave the dress on a few minutes if it’s not something you are used to. Ater you get over the initial shock of change, some colours are real growers and I personally love it when girls leave our boutique exclaiming, “I can’t believe I’m going to wear peacock blue, I never wear any kind of turquoise colour!’

Shapes:

if you’re looking at dresses on the high street, try lots of different necklines! Here at twobirds, we love working to find the best style to suit the body shape and that’s the genius of having one dress that wraps so many ways, you can have all your bridesmaids with some uniformity in the colour and length but then rocking their own shape.

A sweetheart neckline is great for showing off a good bust and teemed with a capped sleeve can cover up the tops of the arms should you wish. A one-shoulder style suits lots of shapes and works well to detract from broad shoulders. Petite figures suit a cross over style either twisted or flat. For those who would like a little extra something in the bust, a dropped waist works well to create a shape illusion and if all else fails, stick on silicone cups are a genius invention! We all have parts of our body we’d like to improve, try rather to focus on the bits you do like and show them off as much as possible – good legs, go short! If you’re blessed with a bust, a nice open neckline while still being ladylike will look fantastic, show off what you have with style!

Support:

The one thing we talk about most in our Notting Hill flagship boutique is boobs – all day long! Of course we all wear a bra every day but when it comes to evening wear, sometimes you can get creative and still look and feel great. Girls are amazed at how supportive our dresses are once they let us guide them to the best shape for them. The people serving you should be experienced, passionate and knowledgeable in what will suit each bridesmaid so let them guide you.

Timings:

Try and get all of your bridesmaids together at the same time to try on dresses and bear in mind a lot of boutiques require an appointment. Weekends between January and April fill up fast so book early to avoid disappointment. If you have the luxury of time before your wedding, shop out of bridal season during the summer. If you’re going for the high street, there will be a lot more choice in the summer for dresses too. Also bear in mind that if you are going for a bespoke dress or a classic bridesmaid dress there will likely be a lead time for the dresses to be made which is almost as long as your wedding dress – order early to avoid disappointment or rush fees.

Pre and Post Natal:

Don’t get scared if one of your bridesmaids suddenly announces the joyous news that she has a little one on the way. In this day and age, it’s common to see a gorgeous bump coming down the aisle and we go gooey when we see pregnant women in our dresses. Be mindful of the time restrictions your maids will have if they are giving birth a short time before the wedding and go for an option that is going to be simple. Avoid time-consuming fittings and give them the support and coverage they need; use cups etc if they need to. Our dresses with a bandeau are a great option so consider something with an undergarment if possible.

Please leave your questions ladies and I will answer them as best I can!

Love Michelle x

Happy Friday Lovelies! those of you that follow the RMW Facebook page may already have your questions at the ready for Mariam Jensen and her Make-up Masterclass but for those that don’t Mariam is going to be around all morning to answer any queries you may have regarding your W-day cosmetics or skincare, be it application techniques or just what products to buy. I can’t even begin to explain how excited I am to see your queries and the response – I may learn a fair few things myself!

Mariam Jensen: A few years back I was in your shoes. I remember buying all the magazines, going to the shows, studying The Knot as if it was the bible. I was a little overwhelmed with all that had to be booked and still stressed over the one thing most people expect me to do myself – my makeup!

As a makeup artist I toyed with doing my own, but then there was a big part of me that wanted to have the whole pampered wedding experience. A very good MUA friend of mine offered to do my makeup and my bridal party, so it was a no-brainer. It was so nice to sit back, sip a glass of champagne and even do a few of my bridesmaids’ makeup to cut the nerves! In the end everyone felt and looked amazing, which really showed in our pictures.

Gowns by Beverly Lister, Photography by Nobu Yamaguchi

Makeup is really important for ensuring a bride and her bridal party look and feel great! The makeup looks should be harmonious, complementing the bride and bridesmaids, bringing out their best features.

Not everyone’s budget will allow for a makeup artist so I recommend brides do a little research about products, looks and colours that will look good on them for their wedding day. The best way a bride on a budget can learn is through private makeup lessons, consultations at makeup counters and even research on the net. Keep in mind too that good makeup doesn’t have to break the bank, most makeup artists use and recommend products that vary in price from inexpensive to those that are a bit of a splurge!

Some makeup artists offer private lessons and tutoring, this is a really cost-effective way of learning how to do makeup, but also pick up the professional hints and tricks for ensuring your makeup looks it’s best on your most important of days. A lot of my clients who are getting married overseas choose this option as sometimes there is no budget for flying out their makeup artist.

If you do have a budget for hair and makeup, that’s great! This will alleviate the stress of concealing imperfections and applying your false eyelashes on your big day! It’s also great to have a pro on hand to apply a flawless base, but also bring out your best features – making you feel and look like a million dollars!

I highly recommend researching for the right makeup artist for you. Check out recommendations from friends and vendors, the artist’s websites/portfolio, their work in the press, and check out their credentials to see if they fit the bill. Chances are there is an artist or two that would be appealing to you so I would get in touch and perhaps have a chat with them to see if you think they might be a person to have a trial with.

Some really important things to consider when it comes to makeup for your wedding day is:

Is this product waterproof?

Will my foundation last throughout the day?

Does the foundation transfer (not good with a white dress!)?

Do I feel comfortable in the makeup?

How does the makeup photograph?

Do I feel comfortable with my makeup artist?

Do I feel like I am able to do my makeup well myself?

Keep in mind you will need to emphasize your makeup a little more than usual to have it looking its best on your wedding day. The makeup look you go for should not be a stark contrast to how you usually wear your makeup. For example, if you have never worn red lipstick before, your wedding day probably wouldn’t be the best time to experiment with a new look. The same goes with dark, smokey eyes – there is a good chance that you will feel overdone is you have never worn this look before.

When I sit down with a client to design a makeup look for their wedding, I always look at the dress and hair for inspiration for the makeup. This is the same creative process that I go through in my professional work, whether you are working with a model, celebrity, or bride. If the dress and hair has a more bohemian, distressed feel I almost always recommend a soft, sultry eye with gorgeous flawless skin. Then again with a more classic dress and hairstyle, liquid eyeliner and a more defined lip will usually look great. The best things about this process is no two brides are the same and even though some looks have common-threads, they are always bespoke.

Gowns by Beverly Lister, Photography by Nobu Yamaguchi

To get your skin looking it’s best, I recommend:

Drinking at least two litres of water a day to flush out your system

Get facials at least once a month, doing your last one no later than 10 days before your wedding (to prevent breakouts).

Keep caffeine consumption at reasonable levels, too much is not good for the skin.

I am a huge fan of Kim Snyder’s Beauty Detox book and drink her Glowing Green Smoothie nearly every day, I kid you not, you will feel great and your skin will glow!

If you have skin concerns such as acne, try seeing a dermatologist early on to tackle future breakouts and to ensure your skin looks its best for the wedding.

Get into the habit of a good skincare routine for day and night. Not only will this make your skin look and feel better, you will also be protecting your skin – helping to keep it looking its best. Skincare doesn’t need to be expensive to be good, just get into the habit of properly cleansing (not makeup wipes), toning, treat (if needed), and moisturizing. As Shu Uemura said, “Beautiful makeup starts with beautiful skin.”

Please feel free to ask me absolutely anything about make-up and skincare, I look forward to your questions!

Mariam Jensen x

You can see more of Mariam’s stunning work on her website www.mariamjensen.com