3 Wedding-Day Beauty Tips for Brides Who Wear Glasses

Many brides who wear glasses every day splurge on a new pair for their wedding—when you're choosing special occasion clothing and jewelry, why wouldn't you?—but accessorizing your look with even the chicest frames can require putting a little extra thought into your beauty routine. Prepare for every makeup challenge, from too-long false eyelashes to shadows that get lost behind your lenses, with these tips from professional makeup artists.

Prep Your Eyelids

Keep your eye makeup in place by prepping eyelids with a little bit of primer, says Mar R., creative director of Team Hair and Makeup, Inc.. Primer will ensure shadow stays where it belongs, without creasing or fading. "It's all about staying power," says Mar. "Eye primers are a little more tacky in their texture and meant just for eyes."

She also suggests trading creamy concealer for water-resistant options and finishing your face with a dusting of triple milled powder under your eyes to stop products from fading. "When wearing glasses, there's heat between your glasses and your skin," she says. "This can melt your under-eye makeup. Using setting powder, which is very fine, will act as a barrier."

Test Out a Few Styles and Shadow Colors

The colors and application method you choose for your eye makeup plays a major role in your big-day beauty look—whether you wear glasses or not—but may require a few tweaks to make sure your eyes stand out (in a good way) from behind your frames. "For a natural look, definitely stick to the taupes and pinks," says Mar. "Use a brown eyeliner, but go in between the lashes with black so that the eyes have definition, but there's a softness about them."

If you're planning on eyelash extensions, choose short, individual add-ons that give a fuller look without bumping your glasses every time you blink, and skip dark shadow: "Even in a soft ombré effect, it will not only darken the eyes, but create [under-eye circles]," says Mar. But for some brides, a dramatic look is preferable, says Katherine McCall, event coordinator at Face Time Beauty, so it's worth testing out a few styles to see what you like. "Because glasses can sometimes hide eyeshadow details in general, we recommend a fun pop of color or a dramatic smoky eye to bring out some definition," says McCall.

Be Yourself

Though it can be tempting to trade your glasses in for contacts, you shouldn't hire a makeup artist who pushes you to do so if it makes you uncomfortable. "Every bride says, 'I just want to look like myself on my wedding day, but better,'" says Mar. "If you're used to wearing your eyeglasses day to day, then don't compromise on the wedding day. If you're not used to wearing contacts, don't—stick to what you know."

Consider upgrading your frames for a special occasion pair that makes a dramatic impact, ties into the metallic accents of your jewelry, or complements your wedding style, but don't feel like you have to ditch them to make your makeup work. "A professional makeup artist will be able to work with your glasses without the mentality of having to work around them or asking you to get contacts," says Mar. "Be yourself and look like yourself."