Zoe Taylor Talks Bridal Style

Zoe’s Bridal Style

Where was your wedding dress from?

Temperley London. I only looked in one place and had it made for me bespoke. It was a really special experience. I was treated like a princess and it made it feel all so real…

Did you find it easy, or difficult to decide what to wear for your wedding?

I never imagined I would get married, so I didn’t have a clue what I was going to wear! I love Temperley, it’s my favourite brand and I wear a lot of it, but never in a million years did I think I would walk down the aisle in it. It was my absolute dream come true.

Was what you ended up wearing similar to what you initially saw yourself in?

Through work, I have known Alice (Temperley) for years and I just called her up and said I wanted it short and a bit 60s rock and roll, and I left it to her and her amazing team. We met up a couple of weeks later to look through the sketches. I knew I would love whatever she did.

Did your family/ friends have strong opinions on what you should wear for your wedding, and if so, how did you manage this?

Everyone wanted to know if I was going to be wearing short or long, as I ALWAYS wear short dresses. Literally, every day of my life. Of course, on the day, everyone said “I knew it was going to be short,” but whether they did or not…

With hindsight, if you were to give yourself a piece of advice when creating your wedding look, what would it be?

I love my dress so much – it now hangs on the outside of my wardrobe so I can look at it every day. My experience creating this piece with Alice and her team was second to none, and I loved every minute of it. It was such a relief to know I had the very best in business making it for me. I didn’t need to worry at all!

Where did you get your shoes and did they stay on all night?

Emma Hope. They were black velvet flats and they did stay on all night – they were so comfortable!

Did you wear any accessories? If so, what were they.

I had a veil which made me feel very bridal. My 3 year-old daughter now loves wearing it.

Describe your engagement ring and wedding band to us and the story behind them.

My engagement ring is very unique. It is a diamond solitaire ring which slots inside another star shape ring covered in tiny diamonds. My husband designed it himself and I love it so much. We both chose simple gold wedding bands.

How many bridesmaids did you have and what did they wear?

I had my two girls Delphi ( 7 months old) and Aiya ( 3 years old), my nieces D’Arcy (14) and Florence (11)
They all wore the same dress from Monsoon, it looked beautiful, and a pair of white Nike Air Max.

Zoe’s Hair and Make-up

Describe your wedding make-up and hair to us?

My make-up was the same as every day – a lot of liner and mascara. My hair, a modern day, Jane Birkin (I hope!)

As a make-up artist, did you do your make-up/ hair for your wedding?

I did my make-up for the wedding, with the help of my assistant Lily. I got my amazing friend Ben Jones to do my hair – again I just left him to do what he thought would be best. He is so good and I was so happy. I’ve fallen into this amazing pattern of getting him to keep an eye on it when we are on jobs and my wedding hair was an extension of that.

Did you do any skin prep/ hair prep in the lead up to your wedding?

Ben Jones gave me a trim the week before and I went to see Debbie Thomas (www.dtomas.com) a few times in the run up. She is the best and I have been seeing her for almost 8 years now.

You mainly work on editorial and celebrities for make-up. How does working with brides differ?

I think brides just want to know they are in safe hands, and it’s nice to work with someone to make sure they feel amazing on their big day. In terms of make-up, what’s important is that it stays on and continues to look amazing all night long. With editorial, looks change a lot, and are obviously far more creative, depending on lighting changes and clothing changes. It’s far more representative of texture and colour than traditional western bridal make-up.

What’s your one, most valuable piece of advice when doing a make-up look for a wedding?

Always do it in very good or natural light. Relax and take your time.

What’s your best tip for keeping wedding make-up on all night?

Go for a waterproof mascara. I love Chanel Le Volumne waterproof, and for liners try Sisley Phyto Khol Star Waterproof – they have really pretty colours. Or go see Claire Linett ! (www.eyelush.com)! Then once you are happy, set your makeup with Urban Decay’s setting spray, All Nighter. This really does what it says!

Do you have any tips for making sure your make-up looks great in both real life and in your wedding photographs?

It’s best to do your make-up for both real life and photographs. Don’t go too heavy on your base as it will probably end up on your guest’s cheeks as you kiss them. When applying your make-up, make sure you do add in a primer as this can really help to increase the longevity of your makeup, and remember to set it.

What’s the biggest mistake you think women make when it comes to wedding make-up?

Going for a style they don’t normally do as they are paying a professional to come and do it, so often think they should try something new. Always have a trial and make sure you look like a better version of yourself. I do think it’s really special to have someone to do it for you as it gives you one less thing to worry about.

Zoe’s Wedding

Style

It was at Christmas time in an oak paneled candle lit room. It was very magical!

Stationery

Old fashioned

Flowers & Decor

I really wanted Juliet Glaves (www.julietglaves.com) to do my flowers because she is so unusual in her approach. She is a genius and an artist and grows most of her flowers on her farm. We met through work as she does all the Temperley campaigns. I couldn’t believe it when she said she would do it! I gave her no brief, I just knew she would do something beautiful. After the wedding someone brought the bouquet home and hung it in my hallway to dry. I love seeing it there every day.

Food

Menu Created by Jemima and Lucy at Tart London (www.tart-london.com) and the catering was done in-house at the venue. Our incredibly mind blowingly delicious and beautiful cake was by Cake of Dreams (www.cakeofdreams.co.uk)

Music

We had two friends DJ

One standout moment

I loved every minute and feel incredibly lucky to have married the man of my dreams.

One thing you wish you’d known before planning your wedding

The staff at the venue finish the wedding cake unless you specify that you want to take it home with you…… my little girl Aiya has never forgive me for not saving her any.

Zoe’s Life as a Make-Up Artist

How did you end up becoming a make-up artist?

It was always my dream to be an artist, being a make-up artist was my way of painting every day.

You’re a Chanel beauty ambassador. Can you explain what that means/ entails?

I absolutely love working with Chanel as an ambassador as it’s so varied. I do press days, VIPs and celebrities, tutorials, inspiration days, beauty shoots, training- whatever they want really, I love the brand! It’s so iconic. I don’t just work with Chanel however. I have lots of beauty and fashion clients as well as celebrities and musicians. Working as a make-up artist means that whilst I am a freelancer, I am always working in a team of very talented people, creating something new and beautiful.

How would you describe your aesthetic/ personal style?

I come from an art background. I love painting and when I am doing make-up for people, they often ask if I paint. My approach I think represents this. I love to see beauty in everything, and I love to create beautiful things, but not always in the traditional sense.