Kelly A. O'Keefe is the woman behind the faces at many Back Bay weddings, fashion shows, and photo shoots.  She works with Newbury Street designers, just won "Best Makeup Artist, Wedding 2012" from major wedding website The Knot, and is opening a second makeup studio in Hingham, Tryst, to compliment her first, Blush, in Hanover. She took time out to give us insight into the wedding and makeup industry as it is today.  

• You do a lot of wedding makeup. What's your favorite place for a wedding in Back Bay? 

This is tough because of the sheer number of options; there are so many in the Back Bay, from the classic New England elegance of the Eliot Hotel, to the hip, young, modern rooftop pool-deck vibe at the Colonnade, to the ultimate luxe experience at the TAJ.   We do a lot of weddings at the TAJ and Four Seasons --last year we did 47 weddings!

My personal favorite is The Four Seasons – it makes my heart skip a beat – it really does, I just love everything about it; they do an over-the-top job in terms of service and elegance, it is perfection wrapped in the quintessential Boston bow and worth every penny if your budget allows.  

That being said, I do love a small wedding at a fabulous place. We do a number of smaller weddings at some Back Bay restaurants and it’s a nice twist that offers more intimacy than halls and ballrooms that you tend to get for typical wedding venues. Mistral is divine for weddings – not only for the food but the atmosphere.  And I cannot forget my new fave: TICO, which is so fun for rehearsal dinners.  I could see a young, hip couple renting the whole place.  

• What should brides look for when choosing a makeup artist?

 Communication should be seamless and clear; the makeup artist needs to understand and be able to interpret the look you want to achieve.  You need to feel comfortable with this person, because a lot of time is spent in the months leading up to the wedding planning and hashing out ideas. 

…Other a down payment on your first home, it is probably one of the biggest investments that couples make, and the pictures document this event and will be around for a lifetime(either in albums or in the iCloud), so you want to look amazing.  …It may sound corny, but I become fast friends with all my brides because of the time we spend together.  The investment in building this relationship and getting to know them -- that’s important to me.   

• What's your own best makeup experience?

A mother of the bride had been in a horrific accident that had literally crushed almost every bone in her face the year before her daughter’s wedding.  She had numerous reconstructive surgeries and significant scar tissue.  Makeup is a magical thing, and through that magic I was able to apply her makeup in a way that could color correct, contour and highlight.  The end result made us all feel pretty wonderful when the mom looked in the mirror and said “I feel pretty again.”  That is one amazing thing about what I do: when a woman feels attractive it brings confidence.  When you feel pretty you can take on the world!

• Has the legalization of gay and lesbian marriages in Massachusetts affected your business at all? 

Yes, this year I was honored to be involved in one of the most special weddings in my career.  Two brides from Chicago asked me to provide makeup for their wedding day, and as I witnessed a story of love and a journey, I became a part of their journey.  My brides actually had vendors tell them they wouldn’t work with them because they were a lesbian couple.  Their wedding was powerful and enlightening. The legalization of gay and lesbian marriage gives me the gift to make more couples shine on their wedding day. (Editorial note: a full spread of photos from that wedding can be viewed here on photographer Kim Thiel's blog.)

• What's trendy right now? 

Breathtaking trends are going on right now!  There's BohoGlam, which has a bit of a 40’s feel, as well as lace applique, thigh high slits and the shocking intro of the black wedding gown, plus there's lots of fashion forward couture styles.

• Have you ever had a bride ask for something crazy? 

Thankfully they usually listen and we create an amazing look together, but, I have one bride that stands out.  She requested white eye shadow from lid to brow bone with feathers glued to her eyelashes.  Sometimes as an artist you just have to say “I fold!”  I can’t be responsible for that kind of regret years later when they are looking at their wedding album.