Weddings are a special moment for family and friends to witness a new beginning of their relation starting a new life with their loved one. According to Asiana Wedding Magazine, the UK British Asian wedding industry is worth more than £3 billion a year, with the average Asian couple spending more than £50,000 on their wedding. A traditional Indian wedding usually lasts a week, with three pre-ritual ceremonies before the main wedding, often followed by a reception. For the brides, it is important for them to look and feel good on their wedding day. Traditionally, Asian bridal makeup is heavy; therefore, having the right makeup artist to create the perfect look is crucial. Charny Bains is a freelance hair and makeup artist who established her business last year, Maharani Artistry. She explained how Asian bridal is unique. "Asian bridal makeup is definitely a trendsetter as all the looks are different with the bright colours and the intricate work definitely draws a lot of attention." According to market research firm Mintel, the UK beauty and personal care market in 2018 was £10.2 billion. Sahara Begum from Willenhall, West Midlands started Sahara Makeup Academy in 2006. "I wanted to be my own boss and wanted to travel and meet people from different backgrounds as I love the versatility of cultures, outfit styles and designs." "The best part of my career is being part of someone's special day, hence why we offer a bespoke bridal package where brides have direct access to me and can contact me as many times as they like." According to Fashion United, there are more than 900,000 weddings per month that take place in India, with more than 10 million celebrated annually. This means there are 30,000 weddings per day for the Indian wedding industry to service. Sahara spoke about how the bridal market has become popular. "Whether it's the venue, the flowers, the designers or the caterers, the bridal market is a profitable industry in itself. Everyone wants to make it a memorable day and deliver their best." "We at Sahara Makeup Academy use the best brands and products in the market such as MAC, Jeffree Starr and Bobbi Brown so the makeup last all day. I’ve even had clients who have worn the wedding makeup for the next morning." Charny likes to ensure her clients are satisfied so they feel at ease on their wedding day. "I like to achieve the desired look that my client has requested and ensure that they are comfortable." "The whole look is created around the clients expectations and the outfit(s) that they are going to wear, if the client is going to change their outfit, I would always recommend a versatile look." According to Bidvine, the starting price for bridal hair and makeup is from £200. "All artists charge differently for bridal services and also offer packages to cater for the client," Charny said. "My charge for bridal services vary depending on the client; if they want to change their looks, I would charge between £300-400." "For one bridal look with no changes, I charge £350 excluding travel costs." Rekha Padan is a full-time freelance makeup artist from Coventry who has been doing beauty for 16 years. Rekha explained how makeup helps to bring confidence and build self-esteem. "The unique thing about Asian bridal makeup is the eye makeup as the main attraction is the eye area which is the first thing people will look at. "These days makeup has become marketable due to latest trends and high-end brands. Everyone likes to be glammed up for family occasions from young children to grandparents." Sikhs, Muslims and Hindu's all fall within the Indian wedding category; however, some religions have certain ways of doing their bridal makeup. "There are certain differences in styles between cultures as Sikhs tend to want a more traditional soft look for the morning and a bolder look for the evening event; whereas Muslims tend to have a heavier look all the way through," Sahara said. "It has to be well blended and camera ready or else it can look very wrong under flash photography." The Asian bridal makeup process can be rigorous; therefore, Sahara recommends brides to research into makeup artists style and reputation. "Thanks to social media, there is a vast number of MUA's out there; however not everyone is of the same standard and prices are certainly not the same." "It's like paying for a designer brand so you will have to start researching and finding makeup artists to suit your budget." At Sahara's academy, they offer a trial based service where brides can come to trial their hair and makeup. "This can be done with or without the outfit and we have a play with various styles according to the brides features and wedding theme." "Once the outfit arrives, they can come for a second tweak of hair and makeup according to the outfit to ensure they get a perfect overall look for the big day as we want the bride to be happy and stress free." Charny also provides trials for bridal clients and does a thorough consultation with them. "I always recommend that they bring their outfit and jewellery so they can picture their final look and consulting them ensures the client is comfortable and happy." However, COVID-19 has created a massive impact to the wedding industry, with many couples cancelling or postponing their weddings for the year. A recent study from London-based wedding planning app, Bridebook showed that COVID-19 will impact up to 64% of weddings this year, and the wedding industry is set to suffer losses up to £87.5 billion. This has impacted makeup artists in terms of client base and financial struggles. "I have had many cancellations and currently I am not able to reschedule these appointments due to the uncertainty," Charny said. "I have made it a priority to ensure I am keeping my clients updated with the current situation to help them reschedule when required." As Charny manages her makeup and hair business on the side, she works full-time for Lloyds Pharmacy; therefore, is currently a key worker through this pandemic. "There is a lot of pressure on us to deliver results and reach expectations so I am taking each day as it comes, but I am dealing with the situation quite well." Rekha's client bookings have also been affected, as she had to reaccommodate bookings from December 2020 onwards. "Some brides have cancelled their wedding completely and changed their dates to 2021 which has affected my bookings, but I have some secured for next year," Rekha said. Sahara is offering online courses, as well as tutorials and advice on social media during this time. "We are not offering bridal or party service; however, clients can pre-book at a discounted price for next year." "We haven't taken any steps for financial support as we have been prudent with our budgets and planning, so we are hoping to continue where we left off when things get back to normal." Many makeup artists are facing challenges due to COVID-19, as this industry is customer-based and requires a lot of contact with the artist and bride to ensure their day is perfect. The pressures from this pandemic has put the beauty industry to a halt with the uncertainty of when and how they will get back to normal. AuthorPriyanka Patel - Editor for AURA
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