Taylor Imus and her fiancé, David, had been preparing for their big day for six long years since their engagement in 2016, but their plans took a painful turn just five days before the wedding.
"It hit me right in the face," said Taylor, recounting how a friendly game of softball ended with her face swollen after the ball unexpectedly bounced and smacked her in the head.
Highlights
- Taylor was hit on the head by a softball just 5 days before her wedding.
- Despite a concussion, Taylor decided to proceed with the wedding.
- The makeup artist masked Taylor's bruises with expert techniques.
- Post-accident, Taylor's wedding photos showed no signs of injury.
"I was knocked out cold and rushed to the ER. This happened on Monday evening, and my wedding was just five days away, on Saturday!"
Photos released after the accident showed just how hard the ball had hit the bride, with dark, swollen bruises around both of her eyes and an additional wound on her forehead right where the ball had hit her.
A woman was left unrecognizable just five days before her wedding after a softball game left her face swollen and bruised
Image credits: tayzer05
"The first thing I thought was, 'My wedding is in five days!'" she said, sobbing.
But Taylor had more urgent things to worry about because, after being sent to urgent care and undergoing an MRI, the doctor told her that she had sustained a concussion.
The bride faced headaches, balance problems, vision changes, and confusion that kept her out of work for a month. Despite the setback, her spirits were kept high by her husband, David, and the support of her family, friends, and coworkers.
Image credits: tayzer05
"My husband supported me through it all, working while I had to be off work for a month," she explained, confessing to feeling devastated after the diagnosis.
Even though she felt dazed and hurt all over, Taylor decided to push forward with the wedding, confident that the bruising would go down. "My family, friends, and coworkers were all hyping me up, making me feel beautiful. I never thought to postpone; I was just positive my bruising would decrease in five days."
Taylor's followers marveled at her wedding photos, where she magically appeared without any bruising—thanks to the work of her makeup artist
Image credits: tayzer05
Photos of the wedding show the bride looking bright, happy, and healthy, almost as if nothing had happened. However, this wasn't the result of her body miraculously healing, but rather the painstaking work of her makeup artist.
Leading up to her big day, Taylor recorded her progress. The swelling on the left side of her forehead, right above her eye, was almost as big as a tennis ball.
"The makeup artist had her work cut out for her," she said. "It was her hardest job, but she nailed it."
Image credits: tayzer05
Taylor's makeup was so well done that her viewers couldn't believe she had sustained such a tough injury beforehand. Many congratulated the makeup artist for her work, and others asked the bride to share her contact information.
"You have to tell us who your makeup artist was because they did amazing!" one follower wrote. "If I hadn't seen the before pictures, I never would've known!"
"Your makeup looks flawless!" another said. "That artist is a wizard!"
The bride finally revealed the identity of her makeup artist in a follow-up post, replying to a viewer that it was Tabetha Morrison, sharing her TikTok profile. "Tabetha works wonders!" she said.
Taylor's makeup artist explained that it was one of the most difficult jobs of her career, revealing the secrets behind the bride's look
Image credits: tayzer05
"It was actually one of the most challenging projects I've ever dealt with," Tabetha explained to Bored Panda.
The makeup artist went into detail about the techniques she used to conceal the extent of the bruising and injuries Taylor had sustained.
"There were so many layers of bruising and discoloration, I had to use several different tones of color correctors to even out her skin," she added. "I used primarily yellow, but also needed some orange and green for certain areas."
Image credits: tayzer05
The active and festive nature of the event meant that Taylor's makeup had to withstand her dancing and moving around the wedding. "I attribute the coverage and longevity to the makeup brand I use, which is Temptu airbrush foundation," Tabetha said.
She explained how using silicon-based products makes the end result water, sweat, and tear-resistant. She used a thin layer of One Size by Patrick Starr, a setting powder that kept everything in place to make it all come together.
"I was super pleased with the end result, and Taylor gave me amazing feedback, saying that it stayed in place and looked flawless all day."
Taylor assured her viewers that she's recovering well after sustaining a concussion that required her to limit her physical activity
Image credits: tayzer05
Since her original video was uploaded on November 14, it has amassed more than 4.1 million views. Many of her viewers asked Taylor for updates on her health. She assured her followers that she was evolving well and that her health insurance ensured she didn't have to spend extra for her treatment.
A concussion is a complex injury affecting memory, concentration, and motor function. For this reason, patients have to rest and limit physical activity as much as possible during the first 48 hours after an accident.
As per Mayo Clinic, activities that require a lot of concentration should also be avoided, as the brain needs to recover.
Contrary to popular belief, however, it's recommended to gradually increase these activities after that initial period as they "have been shown to speed up recovery." Light exercises like jogging and riding a stationary bike are encouraged as long as the symptoms don't worsen.
Netizens were initially shocked and confused by Taylor's photos, with some going as far as to believe she had been a victim of domestic violence
Image credits: jbpetersphoto
"Girl! I thought you were saying he hit you?" a viewer asked worriedly.
"NO! He's the best! 13 years together," the bride explained.
"Thank god! I was about to grab a baseball bat," another follower joked.
"I found the group of people who get their exercise by jumping to conclusions, just like me!" a viewer wrote.
Others congratulated Taylor for not giving up on fun activities and sports.
"Okay, but so many women give up their sports and interests. I'm kind of loving that an upcoming wedding didn't stop you from having fun!" a fan stated.
"Absolutely not!" Taylor replied.
Bored Panda contacted Taylor, the bride, for comment. Those interested in Tabetha Morrison's services can contact her on her website.
"Your makeup is flawless!" Viewers reacted to the story with a mix of worry and wonder, as the bride looked perfect despite sustaining a harsh injury
