I had the joy of photographing a Philadelphia wedding with Fawn Monique’s bride Melissa. Fawn is an incredibly talented Philadelphia makeup artist for bridal, grooming, fashion, editorial, runway, film, television, global campaigns, and special effects. Here, she gives you the inside scoop on everything you need to know about makeup and getting ready for your big day.
How long have you been in the industry? Going on 17 lovely years, and I love every minute of it. It is such an honor to be a part of my brides special day.
Do you offer hair & makeup? I do makeup primarily and some bridal hair. I also have a team of artists/stylists that I refer out to, that I have worked with for years their work and personalities are excellent.
Are you onsite or a salon? Both. I travel to any location even out of the country, and I have a private studio at 113 Van Brunt Street Moscow, PA 18444.
What is the huge benefit to having an onsite makeup/hair stylist? It makes it easier for the bride, you don’t have to worry about traveling to your venue after getting all your services done , or the fear of getting stuck in traffic. Its great because when the team is onsite everything runs smoother and its more relaxing for the bride on her big day. I know a few of my friends who have looked into sites such as https://beautybooker.com/ when it came to finding a makeup artist for their wedding day or a special occasion. Getting help from a professional just saves a lot of time and allows you to stress less or not at all, which is what we all want when it’s time to get ready!
How far in advance does a beauty team book out? My team books out almost 2 years in advance. We only take one bridal party per day to make sure that the bride is completely honored on her special day.
What’s your most popular coverage/look? A lot of brides don’t want their makeup to be strong on their day, so I get a lot of requests for natural looking makeup, which still takes an expert hand to create since the look will be in a photo/video shoot all day.
Are there any additional fees to be aware of? Faux eye lash applications can run $15-30 per person and they really do complete the look and pop the eyes. Travel Fees: Some salons/ artists will charge double to come onsite, I don’t I only charge a travel fee of mileage in state (flight/hotel out of state) depending on the location. It keeps it affordable for my brides/ bridesmaids so that way everyone has the ability to get their makeup / hair done with out spending a super fortune.
What is your favorite type of wedding beauty look? I love when the bride lets me enhance features, I play up the eyes with the strength I know they need for the camera but not loosing the personal beauty of the bride, its takes an expert eye and hand to know how to paint a face to look beautifully natural in person and still shoot flawlessly on camera.
Is there a type of style that you wish was more popular?! Um… theres a lot of things I wish weren’t so popular… lol these days with the world of Pinterest a lot of advice is being given out there for contouring and highlighting that is way to strong and not correct for everyones face shape. I love when the bridal party trusts my hand and allows me to paint their features enhancing them to look their best, look flawless all day/eve, and photograph great.
What’s your favorite beauty item? I have a lot!! I would have to say my new LOVE is my Artis Brushes they are wonderfully soft, amazing at blending, and vegan. HANDS DOWN THE BEST I even have my own personal set for my makeup!!!
Where is your favorite venue or place in Philadelphia? I’ve enjoy the Crowne Plaza, Kimmel Center, Greystone Hall, and Mountain Spring Resort (not in Philly but my favorite)
Are there any tips you would want couples to know when scheduling their makeup/hair? Call as soon as you get your date, since we only do one bridal party per day we book dates up fast. And trust our referrals if we can’t do it we know the best people to recommend, that provide excellent service to do your wedding. It’s always best to get your makeup done by a trained artist, not just someone who is good at makeup. By asking if they have been trained at a school such as The Beauty Academy then it will stop you from someone who doesn’t have any technical knowledge of makeup. You want to look your best for your wedding so hire the best.
Any other questions that your couples may ask often, or topics you’d want future couples to see? This is a great platform to help educate future clients. Airbrush isn’t needed for everyone. Traditional makeup lasts just as long and looks just as fabulous as airbrush. I do both and love both. If you have a person in your party that doesn’t want to get makeup done (because they may have had a bad makeup experience in the past) have them watch the first couple applications and they may change their mind after seeing great makeup done. I’ve had that happen plenty of times its great to have all your bridesmaids/moms/grandma/
Wedding Venue: The Manor House at Commonwealth, Horsham PA
Table decorations: Nancy Galler’s Floral, Allentown
Wedding Cake: Bredenbecks Bakery
Bridal Dress: Alfred Angelo Sapphire Collection
Bridal Shoes: Betsy Johnson
Grooms Tux/Suit: Military attire/ Yves Saint Laurent, The Country Bride and Gent
Grooms Shoes: The Country Bride and Gent
Bridesmaid Dress: Alfred Angelo
Makeup Artist: Fawn Monique
Hair Stylist: ReVive! Hair Salon Allentown, PA
Florist: Nancy Galler’s Floral, Allentown, PA
DJ/Band: East Coast Event Group – Eric
Transportation: Prime Time Limousine
First Dance Song: Forever, Ben Harper
I love these! Philadelphia is lucky to have a wedding photographer like you in their area. Stunning!