Bridal Looks Inspiration Project

If you're a bride-to-be or you simply love bridal looks, this post is for you! Given the current crisis the world is facing, many have had to postpone their wedding day, either by a few months or even to more than a year from now. I truly empathize with you all and I wish you all the very best and sincerely hope that your wedding, on your new date, will be an even better affair. Think of the postponement as a time to save up a little bit extra to put towards your wedding, honeymoon or even your new house! There's always a silver lining, you just have to look for it 😊 .

If you had to change makeup artist or hairdresser because they were not available for your new date, I have some amazing people to share with you in this post. Similarly, if you are looking for the finishing touches in jewellery, to add to your bridal look, I have someone to recommend. If you are still in the early stages of planning your wedding for next year or the years after, I also have something for you in this post so keep on reading!

Those of you who follow me on Instagram know that I had the opportunity to go behind the scenes on a bridal look inspiration shoot on the last day of February this year. I had such a fabulous time as bridal looks are still among my favourite to look at, specifically the dresses. Thereby, I just couldn't let this opportunity pass me by.

Nowadays, bridal salons and designer houses take to social media to showcase their best dresses and looks and thus, we are never short of inspiration. However, we are not all blessed with model-like bodies and for this specific reason, Margarita, the amazing woman behind DaisyQ Design and DQD Bridal, has gathered a team of women to work on a shoot with the concept behind it being, to be able to provide brides-to-be with a more relatable portrayal of bridal looks using real women as models. 

I will start this by introducing you to the team of amazing women who worked together on this shoot, then I will move on to share the final looks with you at the end of the post, where you can admire each woman's work and book appointments with them pronto (all their pages are linked throughout the article, so please do check them out).

First up is Margarita, the brains behind this project. I had the pleasure of meeting Margarita for the first time, this time last year when she made me this gorgeous headband to wear for my pre-wedding photoshoot. I really like her work and I love how she likes to share her jewellery-making knowledge with others through her Instagram and Facebook pages. Margarita has been in the jewellery making business for a few years now and she has also been involved in the hairdressing and beauty industry so she knows a thing or two about bridal looks. Margarita was also one of the models in the shoot. Her jewellery was used throughout the shoot and I really had a hard time picking my favourite pieces!

Bridal Jewellery & hairpieces created by Margarita for her brand DQD Bridal

Hair for this shoot was left in the very capable hands of Annalise Azzopardi from D-Strand Hairstylist in Naxxar. Annalise has a lot of accomplishments under her belt; to name a few, she was one of ten hairstylists on a Giorgio Armani show in 2006, she participated in local TV program Venere for a few seasons and won the 2010 hairstylist award during the Malta Fashion Awards. I loved watching her work her magic in creating the models' hair - highly talented and truly mesmerizing I might add! All the hairstyles were matched to the different dress styles and necklines and the end results were stunning!

Annalise, from D-Strand Hairdressing, takes pride in being meticulous in her work to produce stunning end-results

Next, we have makeup, which was done by Vanessa Grech. Another truly talented individual who is very meticulous and professional in her work - her kit is truly extensive and she made sure the makeup would be picture-perfect in every step of the way. I could also observe she works in a really hygienic manner in spot-cleaning the brushes and keeping everything tidy as she goes. Again, the looks were matched to the dress styles and adapted to the models' features. I love when brides look natural and not too made up and I think Vanessa did a great job in that.

Vanessa Grech working her magic

The finished looks

Angelika Abela is the owner of Art Bridal Malta, a shop specializing in bridal gowns to suit all tastes. The gowns used for the shoot were all different and unique in their own way, to suit the different body types of course. Having a look at her shop's Facebook page, you will see you will be spoilt for choice and you will definitely find what you are looking for.

Angelika at work, making sure the dresses are picture-perfect - just look at the dreamy details!

Marina is the woman behind the beautiful bouquets made out of different materials such as paper, rope, and pearls. I wish I had known about her before as I would have commissioned her to create my bridal bouquet so I could treasure it for years. She has only recently moved to Malta but with her work being this good, I doubt she will have a hard time cementing herself as a household name when it comes to wedding flowers. She also creates bouquets for the home should you be interested. Marina was also one of the models in the shoot.

Beautiful bridal bouquets by Marina, to treasure for years to come!
Model photos by Katrin de Rusko

Lastly, but by no means least, we have Katrin de Rusko. For those of you who have heard the name before but not sure where, she was the photographer behind that controversial thrash in Maltese waters shoot. Katrin is an expert in her field and she truly captures the individual's soul through her lens. I was honoured to meet her and be introduced to her work. Should you book her for your big day, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Katrin de Rusko directing models for the perfect picture

The location for the shoot was at a private residence in Armier and it offered the perfect background for the shots - warm weather included! Feast your eyes on the final photos by Katrin de Rusko and do get in touch with the respective vendors to make your day a truly memorable one!

Look 1 - With the dress having thin straps, the hair was put in a half-up, half-down style to balance the amount of skin showing. A pretty accessory finishes off the look perfectly!
The style of the dress suits thinner silhouettes and it creates the illusion of curves in the right places
Makeup was kept simple with a soft smoky eye for impact

Look 2 - The colour and soft lace details of this dress give off boho vibes and thus the hair was done in loose, soft waves to complement this. A minimalist hair vine was added to finish off the look in true boho style
The makeup added an extra play on colour with colours complimenting the ones in the bouquet and the dress itself
This dress is a bit more conservative and is perfect for the bride who is maybe more conscious of her body type

Look 3 - The final look is aimed at the younger bride who loves playful details such as the soft tattoo-effect details on the shoulders. The glistening details make this dress look like it's straight out of a fairytale!
The feather earrings complement the details on the bouquet and the makeup is the perfect finishing touch to complement this look

Which look was your favourite? My personal favourite would have to be the last one as the dress is quite similar to the one I wore for my own wedding. I hope you found this post interesting and that it could come in handy in helping you plan your look for the big day!

All behind the scenes photography taken by me
Professional shoot photos by Katrin de Rusko