Wedding Makeup: By Bids

For all those bride-to-be’s, one of the most difficult things about a wedding is the actual makeup artist. This can absolutely make or break your wedding; especially since photos generally tend to last forever – especially in this day and age of digital everything! 

When I first started calling around to find out the average cost of makeup, I was actually shocked at how much it cost – each event averaged around RM1000; and with Malay weddings usually consisting of the nikah and two receptions, it definitely is a significant part of the budget. 

The other issue is the possibility of makeup looking amazing in photos but extremely thick in real life (yes, because we’ve never gone to a wedding and barely recognized the bride!), or having natural looking makeup that doesn’t really come through in photos. 

Bids, or Khairul Abidin, was one of the first MUAs that a friend recommended. It also turned out that he had done makeup for a few friends, and everyone had such positive things to say about him that I decided to book him. 

I texted him about three months before my wedding and booked him for my dates. He was really easy to contact, and got back to me within 12 hours to confirm his availability. He didn’t even ask for a booking deposit (which initially made me nervous, but a friend who knew him assured me of his professionalism). 

He also followed up with me about a week before my wedding to re-confirm the time and place. 

True enough on the day, he came on time in his black baju Melayu and his massive luggage filled with makeup (it’s a dream for some girls to own so much makeup!). 

Despite being the first time meeting him, I felt very much at ease and he was so friendly and chilled. It turns out he does this part time, and works as an editor at EH! Magazine when he’s not busy making people look fabulous – and he was very affordable to boot! I think he works with Khir Khalid on occasion, so he probably gets the genius from there. 

I didn’t have a particular look that I was trying to go for; and the only thing I emphasized is that I just wanted to look natural, and look like myself – and Bids did exactly that. I looked like myself, but like a glowier, prettier version of me! I loved his makeup style, and how easy he was to deal with. It also helped that Bidin would talk to me throughout and ask how I liked the makeup, and what colours I liked. 

He also told me to go ahead and eat when I was hungry (win!) because he assured me the makeup would last. 

Nikah makeup

Makeup for reception

Time wise, it took about one and a half to two hours for both hair and makeup to complete, which he had informed me beforehand. As my events were in the morning to afternoon, he actually stayed until midway through the reception to actually make sure the makeup stayed.

In any case, please remember that no amount of makeup will help you if you haven’t gotten enough sleep the night before, and taking care of your skin is the most important part of the whole process prior to the actual event. 

For bride-to-be’s, check out the hashtag #ByBids on Instagram to check out his work - couldn't recommend him more!

Pre-Wedding Thoughts

Two days before the wedding.

Dresses for both receptions aren't finished yet. There's a possibility the last fitting still won't go exactly the way I want it to. I've forgotten to pick up those perfect hangers with our names engraved on it that I thought would look perfect in photos. There's a hundred and one things to do and many more that I'm sure we'll forget and will slip our minds.

Friends are asking how I'm so calm. I don't know what there is to stress about honestly; with such an amazing supportive network of family and friends, who have put so much time and effort into everything. I was able let go of certain things and just leave them in the hands of other people, and trusted that they would follow through with the best of intentions.

To be honest, I wasn't even that keen on the idea of marriage.

A wedding is just a symbol, and naturally you want the best for you - but it is more symbolic of a beginning of a marriage; a journey between two individuals to come. It is the marriage that will mean everything in the years to come, and that shouldn't overshadow the event itself. 

A wedding is exactly that - an event. That thought was never far from my mind.

That said, the event definitely belonged to mama, and it was her handiwork and her touch that crafted it into the event that it was, and I am thankful for that. People raved about how wonderfully personal everything was, and to expect a thousand people and create that atmosphere for them was nothing less of a marathon.

Thank you everyone who have been part of the journey. 

I couldn't have wanted for more.

Getting Married

I hated my nose.

Then I met a man who loved the things that I hated about my physical appearances.

Needless to say, we will be getting married end of this week.

Sometimes it seems like a surreal thought. Sometimes it seems like this whole farce was something unnecessary, a social construct to bind us both together through ceremony.

But perhaps it is just this dream world I’m living in, and it’s time to wake up.

I hope that when I wake, it will be next to you.