We lived in a big semi detached house and since our dad left my mum, sisters and I had been really close. Mum has always worked hard and we have a lovely home but we’ve never had enough to be wasteful.

Sophie was 19 when she met her fiancé. They were made for each other and we were so pleased when they announced their wedding plans. A big wedding was planned with all the tradition and excess but on our modest budget. My other sister, Annie, was 17 and adamant she was going to lead a single life but was completely on board with being my sisters bridesmaid. I didn’t really have a role but my girlfriend agreed to be the second bridesmaid, to help with the symmetry of the day that Sophie insisted on.

I was 16, my girlfriend a few months older than me so when they got together they all teased me about being the youngest but I kind of liked it. I was proud to be the one in the house that kept things calm. Everyone loved Kate when I first took her home. We were very similar and made for each other, both slim, same height and we both had mousy blonde hair although hers was a few inches longer than mine but I was catching up as had decided before I left for college I would grow it out a bit.

So, the wedding plans were progressing well and Sophie was so happy about her wedding day. With Four weeks to go, dress rehearsals were about to start.

On that Thursday night I took a call from Annie, she had a lecture at college that was delayed and now going to keep her late. It didn’t seem an issue to me but Sophie had arranged the hair and make up rehearsal that evening. It was ok as Katie was due to pop in so she could get involved. I was chilling out.

Only about an hour after Suzie (the hair and make up friend) arrived Sophie walked in to me and WOW!

‘Oh Soph you look gorgeous, really pretty!’

‘Thanks Titch’ (my occasional nickname) ‘I think this is my look for the wedding!. Hey, is Katie coming round? The bridesmaids have different dresses and flowers so her make up will be different and needs to be tried. It’s essential we practice on her aa Annie isn’t coming home yet, and it’s the only chance we have. Suzie has to be going in about an hour and we can’t really wait’

‘I’ll text her!’ I text her….

5 minutes later …

‘Hey, Soph, she can’t come! She’s got a problem with her family and really can’t get here’. This is when things got tense!

‘Oh my god, I can’t believe this. Everything will be ruined, it needs to be practised and without a model it won’t be any good’’

I thought this was a bit extreme and she even had a couple of tears so I was desperate to help.

‘Can’t you be the model?’ I stupidly asked.

‘It wont be a real test on me. I have the wrong skin complexion and hair colour, it won’t be enough to make the decision and I want to be able to look at us together to make sure we coordinate! What are we going to do now?’

Suzie winked at me….

So there we were, starting to think about who could stand in but no one we knew was close enough to get there quickly enough, or right for it. So, I said ‘to clarify what do you need?’ (To try and help us think a bit harder of who could help).

‘Well, soft pale skin, mousy blond hair….’ She started to smile ‘ someone with an hour to spare and someone…who….wants…the best for their adorably gorgeous sister’

I immediately knew what she was getting at!

‘Hold on, you can’t mean…me? But….I’m no good I have a boys face and bad skin. My face is all wrong’.

This is when Suzie sealed my fate ‘actually’ she said ‘you have a really good skin tone, lovely clear skin and your face shape is perfect and looking at photos of you with Katie I think it is a perfect idea for a difficult situation, to help your sister make sure she’s ready for her special day. I have 50 minutes left’

Gulp!

‘How about it Titch?’

…’48 minutes’ Suzie chimed in…

‘Really! But what if…are you sure? can I really do what you need?’

‘You need to sit still for 48…no, 46 minutes. I’m running out of time’ [suzie]

Sophie just batted her impossibly long perfectly primped eyelashes at me.

‘Ok, ok…where do you want me ‘ I said, reluctantly, with a big sigh but feeling like I had no choice!

‘Oh thank you so much’ Sophie said as we walked up to her room with Suzie grinning all the way behind me, I think she was enjoying it!

So I sat, the girls talked for a couple of minutes and I was instructed to take off my black TShirt. My sister slipped a vest over my body, well I thought it was a vest at first but it was actually a white satin cami top with spaghetti straps that Sophie grabbed from the nearest draw. I complained…but both insisted it was necessary and no time to change now anyway. It was so the neck was low and they could blend the make up in, apparently!

I was sat in front of a mirror but Sophie covered it to stop me seeing what was happening as Suzie got to work.

Sophie laid on her bed, feet up in the air behind her back wavering around. She was smiling and chatting as Suzie practised on my ‘delicate face’ [Suzies words!]

The first layer was a skin tone foundation that went on as a cold cream then was smoothed and messed with all over my face as it seemed to turn into a soft fine power. It had a slightly perfumed smell but it was ok. The Blending and smoothing seemed to take ages. Suzie, all the time she was smoothing it out kept saying how lovely my complexion was and that I wouldn’t need too much to get the result she was looking for and my face was so smooth and cute that I’d be a lovely looking bridesmaid. I had to remind her a few times that this was a one off as a huge favour to help them. I was ignored. I’m sure the hour was close to being over when she finally finished on the base coat and started with what looked like a pallet of colour.

‘Ok, so the dresses will be pale baby blue, with soft pink flower details and a cream underskirt. So we’ll go with those colours’. Suzie felt the need to explain what she was doing. Not sure if that was for my benefit or Sophies?

‘A little pink on your eyelids first. This one’s called ‘powder pink dust’ then a covering of pastel blue - simply called ‘baby’ on the arch of your brows and blending them in’

‘Hold on’ Sophie came to life ‘I think it needs to be a bit darker on the blue, and can we line the eye with eye pencil in a darker blue to a wing in the corner? I think that will look best and I want it all a bit heavier, more obvious’

‘You’re the boss’ said Suzie…more blue eyeshadow, more strokes of the blue eyeliner and I could now feel my eyelids heavy with the perfumed powder…

‘Ok, some blush to make those cheeks pop!’ Suzie. Narrating again! ‘Lovely, pink and lush! This is called ‘Rosie’ and I think it goes really well with the rest of your make up, really cute and girly…perfect for your special day as a bridesmaid’

I stood up ‘now hang on! This is a favour to get you out of a fix and it feels like you’re just making fun of me’

A wink…

Sophie stepped in ‘it’s ok Titch, I’m so grateful!’ As she spoke her beautifully made up face was looking at me with such a hopeful slightly sad pout I just sat, defeated in my objection.

‘Don’t forget the mascara Suzie’…Sophie wanted to make sure the look was complete.

So black mascara was smoothed on to my lashes, then my eyelashes were curled and more mascara finished them off.

‘He he’ Sophie!

‘What’s so funny’ I said sinking further into the chair, not that it helped my predicament.

‘Sit straight’ [Suzie]

‘Oh, I just know that mascara Suzie is using is super long lasting so I am picturing you’re lovely big bushy eyelashes when mum gets home later, ha ha’

‘What!?’

‘It’s ok, we can take this all off and most of it will be gone soon enough’ said Suzie ‘but you might want to keep it for the evening, it would be a shame to waste such a beautiful make up job!’

‘Ugh, really! Let’s get it finished then off’

‘Love u Titch’ Sophie was not helping!

I was sure it was now more than an hour and a half!

‘So eyes are good, you have some Colour in your cheeks and we just have lips to go but first let’s tidy your hair up!’

‘Hang on, I didn’t agree to that! I said now really worried.

‘It’s ok, a brush, a line of small flowers on a hair band and we’re done. It’s needed to make sure the make up works with it!’

‘Ok’

So my hair was brushed, fiddled with, hairspray, more brushing, a hair ‘pretty’ hairband, more brushing, more hairspray….and it was done. I could feel it so now was not only aware of my heavily powdered eyes but also the hairband holding my hair into a look that Suzie described as baking a bit like a ‘Pixie Cut’ and ‘Cute’

‘Ok, now’ she said with clearly something in mind ‘we need to decide what’s best for your lips. Such a pretty face we need some colour but not too dark as we need to remember you…I mean…the bridesmaids will start their day at the church so it needs to be appropriate and then a quick touch up can help for her evening look, a bit more grown up and sexy’…

‘Are we out of time?’ I asked

‘Oh no, it’s ok’ said Suzie ‘I don’t need to be away in a rush today’

What! I thought but didn’t say anything as she was starting to prepare my lips. A thin very dark line was drawn around my natural lips before a slightly wider, more creamy, pink lip liner to accentuate my lips, Suzie said.

Then Suzie and Sophie had a big discussion about colours and whether they should be glossy or matte and I started feeling quite sleepy while sitting there, in my predicament, thinking that I won’t be going anywhere for a while.

‘Ok, we will start with a pale pink, this one is called ‘Barbie’’ she chuckled ‘ and we’ll make this one nice and glossy. Then she stroked my lips with a clear liquid. ‘Hey, what’s that?’ I asked

‘I think you’re enjoying this as you sure do want to know all about it!’ She replied ‘it’s a primer, to give your lips a little lift and slight plump before the colour’ another wink.

My lips started to tingle slightly. Then she held a very pale pink tube up with the words ‘Barbie’ along the side. The lid came off and, squeezing the tube, she stated to smooth the creamy paste on to my lips. I was sure she winked once more and held eye contact as if she was teasing me while she slowly applied the lipgloss.

‘Push your lips together honey’ she said. ‘Blot them to make the barbie pink nice and even’

I did as instructed.

‘Now the glossy top coat’ a wink and a smile.

The gloss was applied and more blotting then she stood back and admired my new ‘Barbie’ lips. ‘Hmmm, she said, maybe too pale, what do you think Sophie?’

‘A bit pale I say’ said Sophie.

Suzie then wiped away the lighter pink and started to touch up the foundation while I sat eyes increasingly heavy while sitting for so long.

‘How much longer?’

‘Soon be done’ chuckled Sophie.

‘Ok, a darker pink, moisture intense lipstick and top coat?’ Suzie was definately enjoying this!

‘Oh how sweet’ Sophie said, ‘it’s call ‘pretty in pink!’ Perfect’ a huge grin.

So the liner was reapplied, a bit more primer and plumping then the soft smooth lipstick was spread over my top lip, then my bottom lip creating the illusion of slightly fuller than the shape of my actual lips and more blotting. A top coat of gloss. More blotting and I was ready…

They both stood back. They both looked at each other, clapped and did a little jump and Sophie confirmed that was exactly the look she had imagined. Phew! I was done..

‘Hang on little bro…I mean, sis’ (ha, ha)’ and she took a photo!

‘What!’ And another

‘Hang on, that wasn’t part of the deal’ I said.

It’s ok, she said ‘I’ve got photos of every stage and a bit of film of you dozing off and looking all dreamy so plenty to mark the occasion by’

Then Suzie sprayed a very fine mist on my whole face.

‘Hey, now what?’

‘Oh, it’s fixing spray for longer lasting make up’ another wink ‘well I must be off, lovely helping you today and I look forward to doing it all
Again on the big day’ another wink..

‘Right Soph, now she’s gone I need to insist this all Comes off and I get back to normal’

Sophie said she had to share the look with our sister and mum and that she though it would be best if my neck wasn’t bare in the photos…she produced a satin shirt or blouse that seemed to have a flat front to it with a tie neck. ‘Slip this on, it will hide everything below you chin and make you look less like you and more like any random model’

I gave up, I did as I was asked. The blouse was light pink and very soft and silky…it fitted perfectly, Sophie tied up the neck.

Standing in front of Sophie’s vanity unit, mirror now uncovered, I was asked to smile and pout and tilt my head. She took a few photos of me, some close ups of the make up and then a few of us together, selfies she said that were ‘to remember and make sure we can get the right look again on her wedding day’

When the photos were over, and Sophie finally agreed enough was enough, I went to the bathroom with some make up remover and took it all off….I did take a moment to admire the look for a while before i removed it, and must admit I looked pretty good.

The next morning nothing more was said, Sophie winked at me at least three times during breakfast and mum did comment on how good my eyelashes looked ‘full and dark’ but nothing more was said, until a few days later when Sophie and I were home alone again…

To be continued