Bridal angst: Glam up, Islamabad!
Severe dearth of make-up artists forces brides to either make a compromise or go ahead with a very costly affair.
ISLAMABAD:
Islamabad’s ‘bridezillas’ almost come to an irritating halt when the time to pick the most suitable make-up artist arrives. With weddings becoming ever more elaborate and extravagant, emphasis is put on every single detail – from the last stitch on the bridal outfit to the garlands draping the entrance.
But when it comes to make-up, blood boils as the pressure mounts with only a few options to choose from.
Brides in Islamabad feel that there are insufficient options available to them when it comes to selecting the appropriate make-up artist. The other metropolitans of the country, Karachi and Lahore, have a plethora of seasoned and emerging artists providing their services to the hordes of brides. But with just a few hand-picked names such as Tariq Amin, Sobia’s and Daniella’s, Islamabad does not have much to offer.
A very annoyed Hira*, 25, recounted her frantic journey around Islamabad in search of an artist.
“I could not afford to call anyone from outside Islamabad so I had to stick to the options available here,” she explained. “Sobia was very rude and did not want to sign me, while Tariq Amin was unsuitable as I wanted a traditional look.”
She finally booked Alle’ Nora, not because she was the most well-known artist, but because she was the best option left. “Even though I was satisfied and very happy with my make-up, I wish there were more artists in Islamabad to choose from,” Hira lamented.
The times have changed – brides have eased up on the traditional red lips and the white face paints and are instead going for tanner, more natural looks.
With this change breaking through the realm of bridal make-up, it has become increasingly hard for brides to choose an artist, as many have yet to join the bandwagon. People in the past have had make up artists fly in from Dubai, Lahore and Karachi, but this option is available only to those who are able and willing to spend the extra bucks.
Pashmina Ahmad, 25, also felt that her wedding process would have been much smoother if there were more options.
“I almost called Janie from Dubai to do my make-up but, thankfully, Alle’ Nora had just opened up, so I booked her right away,” she shared.
Most of the make-up artists tend to mass-manufacture brides, all of whom look pretty much the same.
Ahmad said, “Apart from Tariq Amin, Sobia’s and now Alle’ Nora there isn’t much of an option [in Islamabad].”
Sharmeen Aziz Kapasi always wanted Tariq Amin to do her make up, so she did not have any trouble signing her make-up artist. However, she also feels, “If Tariq was unavailable on my wedding day I would have never hired anyone in Islamabad to do my makeup and would have called Ather Shahzad or Khawar Riaz from Lahore in a heartbeat.”
With make-up courses available around the globe, including Lahore and Karachi, it is perhaps easy to say that Islamabad is waiting for fresh make-up connoisseurs to come and glam up the brides of tomorrow.
*Name has been changed upon request
Published in The Express Tribune, January 12th, 2011.
Islamabad’s ‘bridezillas’ almost come to an irritating halt when the time to pick the most suitable make-up artist arrives. With weddings becoming ever more elaborate and extravagant, emphasis is put on every single detail – from the last stitch on the bridal outfit to the garlands draping the entrance.
But when it comes to make-up, blood boils as the pressure mounts with only a few options to choose from.
Brides in Islamabad feel that there are insufficient options available to them when it comes to selecting the appropriate make-up artist. The other metropolitans of the country, Karachi and Lahore, have a plethora of seasoned and emerging artists providing their services to the hordes of brides. But with just a few hand-picked names such as Tariq Amin, Sobia’s and Daniella’s, Islamabad does not have much to offer.
A very annoyed Hira*, 25, recounted her frantic journey around Islamabad in search of an artist.
“I could not afford to call anyone from outside Islamabad so I had to stick to the options available here,” she explained. “Sobia was very rude and did not want to sign me, while Tariq Amin was unsuitable as I wanted a traditional look.”
She finally booked Alle’ Nora, not because she was the most well-known artist, but because she was the best option left. “Even though I was satisfied and very happy with my make-up, I wish there were more artists in Islamabad to choose from,” Hira lamented.
The times have changed – brides have eased up on the traditional red lips and the white face paints and are instead going for tanner, more natural looks.
With this change breaking through the realm of bridal make-up, it has become increasingly hard for brides to choose an artist, as many have yet to join the bandwagon. People in the past have had make up artists fly in from Dubai, Lahore and Karachi, but this option is available only to those who are able and willing to spend the extra bucks.
Pashmina Ahmad, 25, also felt that her wedding process would have been much smoother if there were more options.
“I almost called Janie from Dubai to do my make-up but, thankfully, Alle’ Nora had just opened up, so I booked her right away,” she shared.
Most of the make-up artists tend to mass-manufacture brides, all of whom look pretty much the same.
Ahmad said, “Apart from Tariq Amin, Sobia’s and now Alle’ Nora there isn’t much of an option [in Islamabad].”
Sharmeen Aziz Kapasi always wanted Tariq Amin to do her make up, so she did not have any trouble signing her make-up artist. However, she also feels, “If Tariq was unavailable on my wedding day I would have never hired anyone in Islamabad to do my makeup and would have called Ather Shahzad or Khawar Riaz from Lahore in a heartbeat.”
With make-up courses available around the globe, including Lahore and Karachi, it is perhaps easy to say that Islamabad is waiting for fresh make-up connoisseurs to come and glam up the brides of tomorrow.
*Name has been changed upon request
Published in The Express Tribune, January 12th, 2011.