Margo and Me Blogger Jenny Bernheim's Top Tips for Your Wedding Hair and Makeup Trials

I've heard so many brides say that they didn't feel like they looked like themselves on their wedding day because of over-the-top beauty. Maintaining a natural, fresh-faced look was very important for me. Nikki DeRoest and I worked to come up with a look where I felt and looked like myself, playing up my regular day-to-day look by adding lash extensions for a bit more glamour. Nikki suggests finding an artists whose work you've seen and bringing reference photos to work off of.

Read on for the behind-the-scenes look at my hair and makeup trial, picking up some tips and tricks along the way!

For my look, Nikki started with the skin to create a clean palette to build the rest of the look upon, prepping with a moisturizer and then Keh Gen Do Aqua Foundation, which she applied with a damp beauty blender. Concealer came next (I swear by the Keh Gen Do's concealer and typically use it for all over coverage too), under the eyes and other areas that needed a bit more coverage.

Nikki used the Dior "Eye Reviver" palette for my eyes, with a soft shadow on my lid, a highlight under my brows, and a subtle crease-defining accent. The black gel liner in the palette was used for a strong cat eye, which Nikki starts by drawing a dot where she wants the line to go on the outside of each eye, checking for symmetry, and drawing a line out to the dot since the point of reference helps in keeping it straight and even.

Loreal's Miss Manga mascara and some lashes amped things up. To get the retro '60s look I was after, Nikki used a nude pencil to line my lower lash line and make my eyes appear bigger and more open. A champagne-colored shimmery shadow dotted in the inner corners of my eyes added a highlight.

Nikki suggests picking up longwear products so they stay put from morning until the party's over.

To give brows a bit of texture, Nikki used Maybelline Brow Drama, which not only tints but fills out brows too.

On my cheeks a peachy blush warmed up my complexion with a highlight and contour for dimension. Nikki's trick for that perfect natural glow? Dabbing a little ointment (like Aquaphor) onto the top of cheekbones. Instant dewiness.

I also remember the moment I realized I needed to wear a bolder lip because I would look at myself in photos and wonder where my lips were. I came to realize that for photos wearing a darker shade for special occasions was a necessity. So Nikki lined my pout with a nude pencil before applying gloss. I ended up going pinker in the lips (wearing Dior's lipstick in "Swan") on my big day, but this test was a good practice round.

For my wedding hair, my style icon has always been Brigitte Bardot, so we played up her love of a loose, cascading curl and brought in volume with a half-up, half-down look. It was all about being fuss-free.

I kept a brush nearby to keep it soft and full during my summer soirée. We tested out how various accessories, like a headband and barrettes would look too.

Doing a hair and makeup trial is helpful to nail the look you want on the big day and also a good idea so you don't have any added stress in the hours leading up to the ceremony. And communicating with one another is also key so you can be totally in love with the way you look.

For all things #JenFredWed2015

and check back here for more insight and inspiration from the wedding!