On the wedding morning, the bride is not the only one getting ready. Often the madrina, the mother of the bride, her sisters, the bridesmaids or her friends have their makeup done too, and each of them has a different makeup, a different timing and her own place in the schedule. Planning that morning well is what gets everyone ready on time and the bride to the ceremony looking freshest.
Who the madrina is at a Spanish wedding
At a Spanish wedding, the madrina is the woman who walks the groom down the aisle, usually his mother. She appears in many of the ceremony photographs, which is why her makeup matters almost as much as the bride's. Abroad, the closest role is the mother of the bride or groom, and everything below applies to her too.
What the madrina's makeup shares with the bride's
The madrina often has mature skin, and then her makeup starts just like a bride's: with deep, careful skin preparation. That preparation is what makes the makeup last the whole wedding without settling into lines. For her skin, the madrina gets the same care as the bride.
What the bride's makeup includes and the madrina's does not
The bride's makeup has steps the madrina's doesn't: masks, massage and red light therapy before I start. Those steps leave the skin rested and glowing for the longest, most photographed day of the wedding. The bride also takes a makeup touch-up kit with her to keep her makeup fresh into the night. The madrina doesn't need that kit, because her makeup is designed to hold without touch-ups.
How long wedding guest and mother of the bride makeup takes
Wedding guest makeup takes about an hour, and between an hour and a half and an hour and forty minutes if her hair is done too. The madrina's takes about an hour as well. The bride's takes an hour and twenty minutes, because it includes the skin preparation. From these times the schedule of the morning is worked out, counting back from the ceremony.
If the madrina wears a mantilla, the traditional Spanish lace veil, her makeup is the same. What changes is the schedule, because placing the mantilla takes a while, and that time is set aside in the plan for the morning.
The order of makeup for the bride, the madrina and the guests
The usual order goes from least to most in the spotlight: the guests first, then the madrina, and the bride last. Whoever is seen most at the ceremony finishes latest, so she arrives with freshly done makeup. Even so, the order adapts to each wedding, and sometimes the madrina goes after the bride because the schedule calls for it.
How long before the ceremony is the madrina's makeup done?
Usually just before the bride's, in the second-to-last slot, so her makeup is fresh at the ceremony. The order adapts to each wedding's schedule.
When a team is needed
On my own I make up three people. Beyond that I bring a team, with one professional for every three clients, so nobody has to start at an impossible hour and everyone is ready on time.
When the bride already has another makeup artist
Usually it is the bride who books hair and makeup for the whole group. But sometimes the bride already has another professional, and the person who gets in touch with me is the madrina or the family. Then I look after only the family and the people closest to the bride, with the same care as if it were their own wedding.
That was the case at a wedding at Torre de Tramores, Benahavís, where I looked after the bride's family and friends, and at a wedding at Casa de la Era, Marbella, where I got the bridesmaids ready.
What the madrina and the guests need to bring
From the madrina and the guests I only ask for a reference picture of the makeup they like and a photo of the dress they will wear. The picture shows me the style they are after, and the dress, the colours the makeup has to go with. Nothing else is needed.
