DivaDust - Ashleigh Koefod

I have too many to choose from! My last wedding of 2020 was pretty memorable - it was up in the Scottish borders at the most divine venue I've seen (and I've seen a fair few)!. The bride was from North Tyneside like myself but had seen the venue and fallen in love. She hit lucky because the Scottish Covid restrictions on her date were a lot more relaxed than England and she was allowed twice as many guests .... and the following day these restrictions were tightened so she really did pick the right date and place! It was just before Christmas and the makeup was that winter glam style that works so well at that time of year.

classic, glamorous, long-lasting, polished, perfection

my reputation - it's so important to be known as one of the best in my area and I nurture my reputation very carefully.

Don't lose sight of what the day is about - the two of you and the celebration of your love and lifelong commitment to one another. You don't need a huge, costly event in order to do this.

Memorials to lost loved ones is always a favourite of mine, whether that be something tucked in a bride's bouquet or a discreet photograph at the venue. It's also nice to see little touches on the tables at the reception - things to get people on the same table connected

From my first email/message I'm transparent about my pricing and explain the breakdown of prices for both the wedding day and the trial. A small deposit secures the booking. A makeup trial then takes place around 6 weeks before the wedding and during this appointment a bespoke and individual look is created for the bride to be and any of her bridal party who also want to have a trial. During this appointment we also go through all the timings for the day so they are fully informed of who needs to be where and at what time. Any final adjustments are made to the wedding day cost and I ask for a pre-payment towards this (usually £50) 7 days after the trial. The final balance is payable any time before or on the wedding day. I keep in touch with the bride on the lead up to her wedding as I know that's when nerves kick in and I like to make sure she is reassured of our commitment. On the day we turn up and make sure the bride and the bridal party are aware of the timings and we keep a firm hold on these timings to make sure everyone is ready on time and looking and feeling amazing.

It is a huge privilege to be invited to be a part of a bride's morning on her big day, in her inner sanctum with her close friends and family. This is something I will never take for granted and always hold dear.

Take care of your skin on the lead up to your wedding day (I will often give advice at the trial on this). Don't have any facials in the week prior to the day in case of breakouts or reactions. Don't try anything new just before the day (eg. lash extensions, brow treatment).

I have a few tactics for this - what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another! The usual way of keeping a bride calm is a bit of friendly banter. Brides are often nervous about the same things - the walk down the aisle being the main one and over time I've picked up ways in which to reassure a nervous bride. The bride is in my chair just before she gets her dress on and one of the most common comments I get in my reviews is that I have been calming and reassuring during this time.

Makeup by experienced professionals will last the course of the day and provide the longevity needed for the emotions and the kissing and the dancing! The only thing a bride will need to touch up will be her lipstick. On hotter days in the summer it is also useful to have a powder compact to hand to blot away any shine.