Shades of Lipstick for Every Bride

It’s generally recommended that brides stick to their hair-and-makeup comfort zone on their wedding day. It makes sense; your look should be a chic upgrade to your everyday aesthetic, something that makes you feel most like your charming and radiant self. That being said, we’re here to advocate for a little fun when it comes to lip color. Consider this: for the non-Taylor-Swift-types, lipstick might be something that feels overly conspicuous at the office or even a casual cocktail party. At a wedding, however, atmospheric conditions align to empower your cheekiest, flirtiest, and most charismatic of personas to emerge. And if you hit just the right note of ease and upgrade, you can achieve a lovely-yet-striking lip color that stands out in a sea of rosy neutrals. Keep reading for more from our Maggie and Midgley brides! (And don’t forget our Fairytale Princess Quiz, just for funsies.)

📷: Redfield Photography

CHERRY RED LIPS
Start with the shade Queen Cleopatra achieved by grinding bugs into a paste (you know the one: classic carmine!). Cherry red lipstick evokes beauty, health, femininity, and exuberance, and shows up great on film. (As a general rule, go a little brighter with lip color than you think to avoid looking washed out in photographs.)

PINK AND CORAL HUED LIPSTICK
From red, dial it up to pink and coral hues. Think bright fuchsia with chic and understated eye makeup, or luxe rouge-hued satin with a smoky eye. Just don’t get too glossy on this end of the scale; it’s destined to disappear before you ever reach the altar. And while matte textures are all kinds of scrumptious in photos (i.e. Pinterest), they tend to get a little flat IRL.

NEUTRAL BRIDAL LOOK
If you do want to go the neutral route, opt for nudes and beiges. They aren’t as photo-ready as the red scale, but offer a sexy and modern look nevertheless. Channel Cara Delevingne and Gigi Hadid with smoky eyes and bold brows, or go beachy glam with bronzed lids and a dewy highlighter.

DEEP MAUVES AND PURPLES
Give in to the dark side with deep mauve and purple hues, including a dark plum stain or plush magenta. Dark reds make you look vampy and mysterious… your photographs will look striking and sophisticated for years to come!

SWITCH IT UP
Still not convinced? Go classic for the ceremony and switch to a party-ready pout for the reception. A fabulous shade of electric pink or smoky plum is guaranteed to get the festivities rolling.

Other ways to incorporate these iconic little tubes of magic: have your bridesmaids wear matching shades of lipstick, give candy-colored cosmetics as favors, or request a makeover party or department-store outing as part of your bridal shower. Above all, have fun! Donning lipstick should be playful and fabulous, not a maintenance chore or surrealist nightmare. And besides, half the pleasure is experimenting: try a few shades during your bridal beauty timeline, take some selfies, and test out your new look at a party or friend’s wedding. Transformation strikes in unexpected ways…