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Aug 23, 2023

25 Bold Lipstick Ideas for Every Type of Bride

From electric peach to burgundy, here are our favorite looks from real brides. Photo by Le Vie Photography If you’re planning a wedding, you know that there’s no such thing as “just pink.” There’s

From electric peach to burgundy, here are our favorite looks from real brides.

Photo by Le Vie Photography

If you’re planning a wedding, you know that there’s no such thing as “just pink.” There’s peachy pink, bright coral, and bubblegum. And red is never “just red," with options ranging from orange-red to burgundy and scarlet. The same goes for your lipstick. If you’re looking for a statement bridal lip, it’s not quite as simple as choosing your favorite color.

Finding just the right hue for your bold bridal look is critical since it will be the focus of your wedding day makeup, and will also serve as a reflection of your fearless personality. For instance, you may reach for baby pink or peach if you're the bubbly eternal optimist, or a plum or a burgundy for a moody but chic vibe. Are you the life of every party? Something punchy like electric coral or fuchsia might suit you best.

Ready to find your lipstick soulmate? We’ve rounded up 25 bold bridal lipstick ideas for every personality. Plus, tips and product recommendations from a team of experts.

Meet the Expert

Photo by Gianni di Natale Photographers

When you look up “red” in the dictionary, this is the hue they're referencing: a sexy, cool-toned scarlet. But since red can be fussy when kissing is involved, Dallas-based makeup artist Sarah Walsh recommends a liquid lipstick, like Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Fiery. ”You won’t have to worry about transferring and it’ll look freshly-applied all night long,” she says.

Photo by Janelle Elise Photography

Peach is the equivalent of a nude lip with champagne. It’s a little bubblier, a little brighter, and a little sweeter. “The best way to wear peach is in a satin or glossy finish, which also makes your lips look super full and healthy,” says Walsh, who recommends Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Peach Me paired with a smokey eye.

“To keep your gloss from transferring on your drink glass, moisten the edge of the glass with your tongue before taking a sip,” says Walsh.

Photo by Kayla Mendez Photography

A deep chocolate red has a vintage, 1920s flair, and we love this look with just a hint of flirty kitten-eye liner. Try Revlon Colorstay Suede Ink Lipstick in In the Zone for a color that skews a bit more red, or Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid Lip Color in Unveil if you want to commit to a true brown.

Photo by Le Vie Photography

If you find traditional weddings snoozy, a punchy orange-red lip (we like Nars Lipstick in Heat Wave) can spice things up on your big day. Walsh recommends pairing this with shimmery copper eyeshadow and smudged brown eyeliner.

Photo by Max Wanger

Some weddings are tear-jerkers, and some are all fun and games (and if you’re lucky, it’s a little of both). If you’re more about the good times, a playful orchid pink is the lipstick equivalent of a cheeky wink. Makeup artist Jenny Patinkin recommends Haus Labs Le Monster Lip Crayon in Fuchsia Shimmer which has the added benefit of a little sparkle.

Photo by Ryon Lockhart Photography

“This color says bride all over it,” says makeup artist Joseph Carrillo. That's because it’s as if you made out with a pink rose and were left with a sweet blushy color. Of course, roses don’t work that way, and kissing them is bad for your allergies, so we recommend sticking to an actual lip color like Ilia Color Block High Impact lipstick in Rosette.

Photo by Anna Delores Photography

If your aesthetics lean more moody, a plum pout adds a chic Victorian flourish to your overall bridal look. We like Hourglass Confession Ultra Slim High Intensity Lipstick in One Time for a dramatic purple, or R.E.M. Beauty Eclipse Cheek and Lip Stick in Standing O for a more stained look.

Photo by Oliver Fly

This saturated peony pink “doesn’t appear overly made up, but still has a wow factor and stands out,” says makeup artist Dani Kimiko Vincent. Try Kylie Cosmetics Matte Lipstick in Summer Somewhere or Dior Addict Lip Tint in Natural Peach to get the look.

Photo by Krisanne Johnson

Deep burgundy is a gorgeous option for a winter bride, and Vincent recommends Rouge D’Armani Matte Lipstick in 400 with a matching liner to pull the look together. To get an even crisper shape, use a touch of Tower28 Swipe Serum Concealer on an angled brush to clean up the borders.

“Red lips will appear darker than you might expect in black and white photography,” says Vincent. “Test them out by taking photos [at home] and seeing how they read in different types of lighting and photographs."

Photo by Michelle Shiers Photography

A milk chocolate cocoa, like Makeup By Mario Ultra Suede Lipstick in Fanda, is a beautiful bold update to nude. “I love this for an evening wedding,” says Vincent. “It feels slightly more formal than a daytime or lighter tone does."

Photo by Gianni di Natale

We can picture this playful fuchsia lip paired with clean, dewy skin and a simple slip-dress at a beach wedding. Vincent recommends Chanel Le Rouge Duo Ultrawear Liquid Lip Color in Bright Raspberry, which also adds hydrated shine.

Photo by The Bold Americana

There’s something cozy and bohemian about a deep terracotta lip. Carrillo recommends lining and filling the lips with Nars Lip Liner in Morocco, which will help the color to last longer, and then topping it with Merit Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick in Tiger.

Photo by Danielle Determan

Bold doesn’t just refer to color. Ultra-lined lips are a 90s pop star statement and would be perfect for a bride who has the glamour to match. “Start with a soft brown liner like Makeup Forever Artist Color Pencil in Wherever Walnut,” says Carrillo, who recommends topping it with a clear, hydrating lip balm.

Photo by Mo Davis Photography

If you took a peach and plugged it into an electrical outlet, it would turn out to be this punchy orange hue. This color basically screams funky desert wedding, but we could see it on any bride with a quirky sense of style. Try Mac Amplified Lipstick in Morange for a satin finish or Mac Powder Kiss Liquid Lipcolour in Resort Season for more of a diffused, matte look.

Photo by Pinnel Photography

Fruit punch is a red lip but with muddled strawberries and an orange slice topper. It has a bit more of a pink undertone, and would look great on a bride who doesn’t feel at home in red but wants the same statement lip. Look for a color with medium saturation like Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Lipstick in Carina’s Love.

Photo by Sharyn Hodges Photography

Wedding Barbie would reach for a classic Mattel pink, like Rare Beauty Lip Souffle Matte Cream Lipstick in Ascend. To complement the lip, she’d probably go for a monochromatic look, with a sheer wash of pink on the cheeks that matches the cool tone of the lip.

“After applying a light layer of lipstick, blot with a tissue and add a small amount of translucent powder. Finish off with another layer of lipstick and you’re good to go,” says Walsh.

Photo by Tess & Julia

A matte red and a black cat-eye are like Gene Kelly and Rita Hayworth—a silver screen match made in heaven. If old Hollywood is your wedding day look, you’ll need a trusty deep red like Anastasia Beverly Hills Matte Lipstick in American Doll (and hopefully, a lot of sequins).

Photo by Emily Magers Photography

A monochromatic mauve lip, cheeks, and eyes combo is a heavenly match. (We especially love this look paired with lots of flowy tulle and a romantic, candlelit wedding.) To make sure you have the color just right, use a multi stick on both your lips and cheeks, like Elf Monochromatic Multi Stick in Bronzed Cherry.

Photo by Emily Melissa Photo

A red lip that's darker on the outside and diffuses to a lighter hue on the inside creates a dramatic contour that also adds volume to your pout. Start with a dark red liner and blend it inward. Then, top with a lighter red tint like Benefit Liquid Lip Blush and Cheek Tint in Rose.

Photo by Harwell Photography

“Coral is such a happy, fresh color and looks great on so many different people,” says Patinkin, who recommends Nars Lipstick in Orgasm and a subtle rose gold highlight for a little extra glow on the cheeks.

Photo by Ivy Weddings

A baby pink lip is a fun and coquettish touch to a bridal look. Match it to a shimmery pink eyeshadow, as this bride did here, or keep the rest of the look simple with just a few swipes of mascara. Carrillo says longwear lipstick is a must for this look, and brides should try Vice Lip Bond Glossy Longwear Liquid Lipstick.

Photo by Juliana Moreira Pessoa of Brett Matthews Gallery

A glassy, high gloss lip is bold because it’s a little high maintenance, but if you’re willing to reapply every so often, the look is polished and sexy. Start with a nude or light pink lip color (something subtle will do here), and top with a thick gloss like Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment, which comes in several tinted hues if you want to amp up the color a bit.

Photo by Jenny Quicksall

A sunset wedding calls for sunset lips, such as a dreamy creamsicle shade that looks especially great on warm skin tones. We like the creamy texture of L’Oreal Colour Riche Satin Lipstick in Toasted Almond, which adds a healthy shine that will make you glow like the view at your ceremony.

Photo by Matoli Keely Photography

A glossy red lip is very “done up,” but a matte red gives off the impression that you were simply born with red lipstick and never looked back. Fill in your lips with a matte crayon like Nudestix Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencil in Royal and blot with a tissue to get the stained “I woke up like this” look.

Photo by Michelle Scott Photography

Berry season is all summer, and we mean both the fruit and the lipstick shade. This purple-hued lip is especially lovely on olive complexions, as seen on this bride. Take a cue from her and define the lash lines with a thin black liner, and finish the look with a blackberry hue like Kosas Weightless Lip Color Nourishing Satin Lipstick in Star Power.