At my beauty salon in Maghull, the phone starts ringing about winter wedding lashes around now. Some callers are brides with a date in December. Others are mums of the bride, bridesmaids or guests who want to look their best in the photos. Whichever you are, a little planning makes the day far easier.
Winter weddings bring their own challenges. There’s cold wind outside the church, warm rooms inside the venue and plenty of flash photography. So in this guide I’ll share how I plan lashes for a December wedding, from the trial set to the final appointment.
How I Plan Winter Wedding Lashes Step by Step
Every wedding set starts with a conversation. I ask about the dress, the venue and how you usually wear your make-up. I also ask whether you wear glasses or contact lenses, and how your eyes cope with wind and cold. Then, together, we decide what kind of look suits you and the day.
I’ve been doing lashes for many years, since I qualified at Hugh Baird College in 1999. In that time I’ve learned that the best wedding lashes look like you, only more so. After all, you want to recognise yourself in the album twenty years from now.
Why a Trial Set Is Worth It
If you’ve never had lashes before, I’d always suggest a trial set first. It lets you see how they feel day to day, and how your eyes respond. It also gives us time to change the length or fullness if you’d like something softer or bolder.
Book the trial well before the wedding, ideally a few weeks ahead. That way, any changes can be made calmly rather than in a rush. In practice, most brides tell me the trial took away all their nerves about the final set.
Classic or Volume for a Winter Wedding
Classic lashes place one extension on each natural lash. They give a lightweight, natural look, and they suit women who already have plenty of their own lashes. Volume lashes work differently. I gather several ultra-fine lashes into a fan, then place that fan on one natural lash.
Volume lashes are not clusters, which is a common worry. Because the lashes are so fine, the fan weighs the same as a single classic lash, or even less. As a result, volume suits women with fewer natural lashes who want more fullness. Many brides choose volume for a winter wedding, because candlelight and evening receptions suit a softly fuller eye.
Timing Your Final Appointment
Timing matters more than most brides expect. I’d suggest booking your final set a few days before the wedding, rather than the day before. That gives your lashes time to settle, and it gives you time to get used to them. It also means one less thing to squeeze into the busy last day.
If you’re travelling to a venue in Formby, Ormskirk or further away, think about the wedding morning too. You won’t need mascara, so your make-up artist will thank you. Meanwhile, tell me your date as early as possible, because December Saturdays fill up quickly.
Candlelight and Flash Photos
Winter weddings are often lit by candles, fairy lights and a roaring fire. That warm, low light is lovely, but it can make eyes look smaller in photos. Flash photography is the opposite, since it flattens everything. So a set with a little more definition through the outer corners often photographs well in both.
That said, I won’t make a set so dramatic that it looks heavy close up. Your guests will see you across a table as well as in the photos. Instead, we’ll find a balance that works from both distances.
Cold Wind, Warm Rooms and Happy Tears
Cold wind makes eyes water, especially standing outside for photos by the church door. Then you’ll step into a warm, dry venue for the meal and the dancing. Happily, lashes cope with both. However, try to dab gently under the eye rather than rubbing it.
Tears are almost guaranteed at a wedding, and nobody wants mascara running down her face. That’s one reason lashes are so popular with brides and their mums. Keep a clean tissue handy, and press it softly under the lash line rather than wiping across it.
Lashes for Mums, Bridesmaids and Guests
You don’t have to be the bride to want lovely lashes. I see a lot of mums of the bride who want to look fresh without heavy make-up. Bridesmaids often book together too, so the photos look balanced.
For guests, the same timing advice applies. Book a few days before, and let me know about the day so I can plan a suitable look. If your eyes are sore, red or sticky before your appointment, rebook rather than go ahead. I would never apply lashes to an eye that isn’t healthy.
Keeping Your Winter Wedding Lashes Lovely Afterwards
Many brides go straight off on honeymoon, while others head into Christmas with a full diary. Either way, your lashes can carry on looking lovely. An infill appointment takes 30 minutes, and infills are best every two to three weeks. So you could book one in for the New Year once the excitement settles.
If you married in summer and want a comparison, my post on volume lashes for a summer wedding covers the warmer months. You’ll also find more detail on my volume lashes Liverpool page.
Book Early for December
I’m the only therapist at the salon, so you’ll see me for your trial and your final set. That means I remember exactly what we chose, and why. For winter wedding lashes, that continuity really helps.
Brides come to me from Maghull, Lydiate, Aintree and Crosby, and the salon is easy to reach. Call me on 0151 909 6116 or contact us with your wedding date, and I’ll help you plan.
