The best subtle bridal make-up inspiration

Planning your wedding can be stressful - from finding the perfect dress to booking a venue that fits your brief - but your make-up look should be one of the more fun things to tick off the list.

While there can be a lot of pressure to look a certain way, we can't stress this enough: your make-up should make you feel like the absolute best version of yourself, and the most important thing is to feel comfortable. Whether you're one for a red lip, prefer to keep things fresh, or feel most at home in a punchy blue eyeliner - your beauty choices should bring you joy above all else.

Don't usually wear make-up? It's always okay to go bare-faced if that's what you wish, despite what others may have you believe. But, if you are looking for some inspiration for the big day, we have ideas aplenty to get you started.

Meet the experts

• Amy Conway, Bobbi Brown's global pro-artist
• Lisa Eldridge, make-up artist

How far in advance should you do your make-up test?

Great make-up artists will always factor in the wedding dress when creating your beauty look. "If the dress is intricate or has a lot of embellishments, I’ll keep the make-up more neutral or soft so the focus stays on the gown. On the other hand, if the dress is simpler, I might opt for a more dramatic make-up look to add a bit of glamour," says Conway. "The make-up should always enhance the dress, not compete with it."

She recommends scheduling in your make-up test two to three months before the wedding. "This gives us enough time to experiment with different looks, see how the make-up complements the dress and hairstyle, and make any adjustments," Conway tells Bazaar.

What to consider when planning your bridal beauty

Dress aside, do think about your wedding venue, ceremony time and destination, as these will determine the type of products you or your make-up artist needs. It's also useful to speak to your hairstylist to ensure your hair and make-up looks harmonious.

Doing your make-up test in advance will also grant you the opportunity to "experiment with the look in different lighting and with different outfits, ensuring everything feels right," says Conway.

When putting together your beauty moodboard, Eldridge suggests steering away from following trends but rather, sticking to what you personally love most, or going for something classic. "When looking back at photos in years to come, you don’t want your wedding make-up to feel dated. I look at someone like Grace Kelly on her wedding day, and I think, that could’ve been yesterday," she says, name-checking Kelly and Bianca Jagger as go-to bridal muses.

What to keep in your bridal handbag

On the big day, Eldridge recommends that your maid-of-honour (or whoever's in charge of your bridal handbag) has a concealer (her Pinpoint Concealer makes on-the-go touch-ups easy) and a pressed powder compact on hand, along with a small fluffy brush to keep shine at bay.

"Make sure to bring along your chosen lip colour too, to top up your lipstick throughout the day," adds Eldridge.

The most beautiful wedding make-up inspiration for brides