How did we meet?

When I was coordinator of the hair and makeup department in Portobello Institute (back in 2011 I think!) we needed a hair tutor and lovely Lorraine came into my life!

How did you break into the make up industry?

I was national trainer across Ireland for a brand called Jane Iredale Ireland.

I was educating beauty therapists how to use the products and they started asking me to do their wedding make up! They past me to their customers. So my brides for the first few years were beauty therapists and their pals!

I think I did the makeup for every staff member of total well being in Sandyford, one even flew me to Manchester! This was 2006! I adored bridal makeup from the start and still do 18 years later!

What’s the process when you meet a bride?

They come to my studio and we skin prep which includes a mini facial and hydration mask. We chat for a little while about their day, their dress, their bridal party, their partner, their vision, how they see themselves and then we start makeup to create the perfect timeless version of each individual bride.

Niamh also is the founder of a brilliant  make up brush brand Nima Brushes!

Every make up artist in Ireland has Nima brushes in their kit!

What is your fun part of being a make up artist?

The fun on the wedding morning. Arriving to happy smiley faces so excited about the day ahead. Its the biggest party anyone will throw in their life!

Being surrounded by the people you love most in the world as well as marrying your best friend, so there’s super excitement, giddiness and it oozes throughout the morning. I also love seeing my hair pals and having the banter across the morning. It’s high energy and it’s just amazing.

I like to think I bring a balanced level of calm, creativity and craic!. I do a lot of conferences for international speakers and I’ve been called the ‘makeup whisperer’ on occasion.   I have a way of diffusing levels of anxiety about what’s to come and I think something like that is important when working weddings. I get the job done but we’ll have fun in the process

Take some time out on the day for just the two of you.

Just before the meal when the venue are seating guests (this can take a good half hour) sneak away to your room or a private part of the hotel and have a drink together.

This is a fun way to hear about each other’s mornings, the ceremony and laugh about silly instances that might have gone wrong but in the long run it didn’t really matter because you’re together.

Wedding planning can be stressful so this is the time to sit, breathe and say ‘we did it’!