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This bride said “I don’t” to caked-on wedding cosmetics.
A Tennessee woman’s decision to go makeup-free on her wedding day sent the internet into a tailspin.
Earlier this week, Nashville-based TikTokker Calynn Chapman uploaded a video taken just eight minutes before her walk down the aisle, completely makeup-free.
This choice took other users on the app by surprise, with her video amassing more than 25.9 million views and 31.3K comments.
In the March 30 clip, Chapman, 25, beamed at the camera, explaining that she was “hiding in the bathroom” while getting ready to say “I do” to her fiancé at the altar.
Her long, glossy brunette tresses were styled in cascading waves and parted to the side, complementing her elegant white ball gown and romantic veil as she recorded the moment.
Regarding makeup, however, Chapman revealed that she felt “the most beautiful” without any, choosing to go barefaced. White text over her video read, “Fun fact: I wore no makeup on our wedding day.”
Chapman noted in the caption of her upload that this was something she “went back and forth on during the entire engagement.”
She further explained, “I never wear makeup, but it was my wedding! But at the end of the day, I decided against it and I felt the most beautiful I ever have just being naturally me.”
In a follow-up video, Chapman detailed her unusual choice, revealing she was raised in a church that prohibited makeup.
“I didn’t learn or get into it because I simply wasn’t allowed to wear it,” she shared in the April 1 clip.
Her simple look was primarily motivated by her desire to save money and not spend “hundreds and even thousands of dollars” to hire a makeup artist for her wedding.
The Knot reports that the average price for bridal hair and makeup in 2025 is $290.
Additional expenses for one’s big day often include hair and makeup trials ($225–$350), airbrush makeup ($10–$25), intricate styles and extensions ($30–$50), false lash application ($10–$25), wedding nails for hands and feet ($80–$160), and gratuity ($50–$75 per service).
As Chapman shared in her second video, “I didn’t want to spend that money and potentially not like it.”
She stressed, “I decided I was going to go natural,” adding that her husband is “used to” seeing her “that way.”
Viewer opinions were split, with some encouraging the use of cosmetics for one’s nuptials, and others favoring an au naturel look like Chapman’s.
Beneath her initial post, one user wrote, “Nothing on your face???” as someone else added, “U coulda used a little lip gloss but ok.”
An additional user wrote, “One thing about Girls who don’t wear makeup …they will always tell you they’re not wearing makeup… Like yes sweetie we can tell.”
After scrolling through similar comments, Chapman told Newsweek in a recent interview, “People assumed that I was hating on girls who decide to wear makeup or that I thought I was better than them by not wearing makeup.”
She further clarified that this “was not the case at all,” and that she watched many “gorgeous” bridal makeup videos and even considered replicating them, but ultimately didn’t. “I just wanted to share my experience,” she continued.
Many users in the first video’s comments section were very supportive of Chapman skipping the glam chair.
“Why’s everyone getting mad about what SHE decided to do on HER wedding???” one asked.
Others praised her “beautiful” and “amazing” wedding day look. “No makeup and yet you’re still glowing,” one gushed.
One other TikTokker wished that going makeup-free for special events could be “more normalized.”
After Chapman’s videos went viral, Zoe Burke, a wedding expert and editor at Hitched, weighed in on the debate.
She explained to Newsweek that if you’re not accustomed to wearing makeup like Chapman — or simply don’t enjoy it — there’s no need to start on your wedding day.
“Your partner loves you for who you are, not what you put on your face,” Burke said.
She also shared a tip for brides-to-be who might be questioning whether to add beautifying time to their wedding day itineraries.
“If you’re unsure, it’s worth having a meeting with a makeup artist or two to see if you like what they suggest, but if you want to be barefaced and natural on your big day, go for it.”
