Bridal Makeup & Hair:What to Expect When Your Engaged

So you are getting married!  You are super excited, I mean you found Mister Right!  Now you have a list a mile long that needs to be done (THANK YOU Pinterest 😊).  Like many Brides, this is your first wedding (hopefully your last 😉 LOL),  and you’ve never had to hire a someone who specializes in Bridal Makeup and/or Hair?! Sound familiar?

I get countless clients wondering why there is more than one appointment and everyone, whether they ask me about it or not, would like to know what each appointment entails.  I often get asked if there is anything they need to bring, and if there is anything they need to do beforehand so they can be prepared for their appointment(s).

     Needless to say this post has been a long time coming!  I decided to write this for two main reasons.  The first, is so you have an understanding of the importance of each appointment, and answer some of the most commonly asked questions regarding each appointment.  The second reason is to help you understand the importance of hiring a Professional Stylist & Makeup Artist for your special day.  Hiring an artist who specializes in Bridal Hair and Makeup means that not only will you look and feel beautiful, but you will have fun and feel at ease during the entire process-both on your wedding day and the appointments prior to the big day!  

Why is there more than one appointment?

The first appointments with your chosen stylist and/or makeup artist are probably one of the most vital parts of your wedding prep - right up there with dress fittings! You want to look and feel your best right?  I mean, this is YOUR day, the day that many of us have dreamt about since we were little girls!  (It sounds silly but you KNOW its true! ;)) 

There are many reasons of why you need to think beyond skill level(or at least right up there with it ;))when choosing your artist. In this blog I will touch on some reasons reasons why.  

Choosing your Artist for your special day! 

Be picky!!-Trust me, that’s what us MUA  are hoping for when we first meet you!  That you have compared us to other local artists and you found something about us that set us apart from the rest!

Hopefully you have already done this hard part, which is finding the right artist for you.  Well let’s talk a little bit more about this.  

What does “finding the right artist for you” mean? 

Your wedding day, and the moments leading up to your “I do’s”, well, it is a very personal experience, to say the least.  It is crucial that you are confident in your artists skills and you feel comfortable with them and their abilities as an artist. Your artist should be someone who not only can deliver the look you want on your wedding day, but should be someone who resonates with you and compliments your day.   

Meet the Bride 

I offer an optional appointment called “Meet the Bride”.  This appointment is reserved for new clients only, and is the very first appointment you make with myself when inquiring about Bridal Services.  This appointment was designed after years of working with brides, and knowing that one stylist/artist is not going to be the right fit for every bride.

      Knowing early on if you and your stylist are NOT a good fit, or if there is just something off with the connection, can save both parties some very preventable headaches.   There are absolutely NO obligations with this appointment,  making this ideal for brides who are just shopping around for their stylist/artist for their special day!

     Making sure that you and your  stylist/artist are compatible, and is someone that you can trust to make you feel and look your very best, is more than crucial.   Most importantly, this ensures that your wedding day goes smoothly, with lots of laughs, and the only tears that you might shed- are HAPPY ones:). 

Consultation 

Just like a “Meet the Bride” appointment, the consultation is another opportunity for you to meet your stylist/MUA in person prior to your Wedding Day. However, unlike the “Meet the Bride'' appointment, that could better be described as a meet and greet, the consultation appointment is much more detailed and in depth.  We sign agreements, discuss arrival times of myself and other vendors, we calculate your estimated total, go over cancellation policies, etc.  The consultation also helps me picture the feel for your wedding, and gather all the important details of your wedding day, to ensure I do everything on my end that everything runs smoothly.

The consultation is also the appointment where I want to see what YOU visualize on your wedding day!  I want to see any and all inspiration pictures for both hair and/or makeup styles that you are drawn to.  Remember, I want you to feel and look your VERY best!  Together, we discuss ideas and make decisions on which look may work better for you and your wedding concept.

I also ask that you go to my website, find Online Forms & Contracts, and fill out all applicable contracts/agreements to the best of your ability.  Please PRINT and BRING to your appointment the Wedding Hair & Makeup Contract.(you do not need to bring any other forms :)) If you do not have all the information prior to your consultation-that is OK!  I just ask that you have the forms completed 7-14 days prior to your wedding day :). 

Bridal Hair and/or Makeup Trials

The wedding day can be quite overwhelming, there is always so much going on with so many people, and Weddings are just an exciting day in general! Knowing you have had a trial and you were happy with your look, can really put you at ease so you are able to ENJOY your morning of pampering as you prepare to walk down the aisle and say your “I do’s”. It is reasons like THIS that the trial is not optional.  I mean could you imagine the morning of your wedding being unhappy with your look??  The trial is absolutely essential and ensures for both parties that your wedding morning can be a morning full of beautiful, fun memories as you are transformed into the most beautiful version of YOU.  

Sometimes during a trial appointment  we go through a couple hairstyle choices, or make changes to the original look we were thinking in the beginning before we actually tried it out on you. Once again, this is why Bridal Trials are not up for negotiation.  The morning of your wedding is NOT the time to find out that you don’t like the way a winged eyeliner looks on you!  

    Hopefully during the Trial you will start to put your mind at ease knowing that I am truly there for YOU.  Nothing is rushed, and I take my time and carefully listen to you and your ideas as I begin to create a personalized, timeless, elegant look that will enhance all of your best features.   It would be awful to not feel like you, and its my role to help you still feel yourself, but the best version of you that you have ever felt 💗.  

Your wedding day is a beautiful day full of wonderful memories.  It’s an honor to be a part of such an important day in a woman’s life,  and my ultimate goal is to ensure that you FEEL and LOOK your best on your wedding day, and that you have an enjoyable experience.

What Do I Need To Do To Prepare Before My Trial?

It is a great idea to have a photo of your dress/ outfit before you book in for your trial. Preferably a photo of you in your dress!  I usually recommend around 3- 4 weeks prior to your wedding day, but this can be booked before if you wish. Your dress is probably one the most important things for me to know about during the trial. The dress can help us visualize how your hair should be worn, so that you feel comfortable, but also so it can compliment the dress.

BUT I do ask that you also bare in mind your hair length, thickness, and your hair color. This can also change how a hairstyle looks, but also what will work with your length/ thickness. Of course padding and extensions can be used for certain hairstyles, so if you are really keen on one particular hairstyle, but you are wondering if your hair can manage it, just ask me, I might just have a solution!  Finding a style that works for YOUR hair can save you a couple hundred dollars, by not needing extra services like hair extensions.

It is also a brilliant idea, to select some hairstyle images that show off the front of the hair. We tend to find, and be drawn to, lots of images of the back of the hair, but often I find that what makes or breaks a hairstyle is often the small differences to the front. This is what we and others see most, so it is quite important to at least think about the front detail.

In regards to finding makeup images, I think it's great to look at some "inspiration images" for ideas, but makeup can look VERY different on different peoples faces.  I ask that you bring in/or show me pictures of you where you FEEL beautiful, or you really liked the way you looked in a photo.  I also like to see images of what YOU wear on a daily basis. This allows me as an artist to picture what you are used to seeing yourself as, then I can create a look that is not too far off, but just a more  polished version of you.  

Where Do I Find Inspiration Photo?

Pinterest is a great tool, if you do not use it already for gathering ideas and creating essentially a digital mood board. This is great to show me at any of your appointment!  I’m sure I’ll ask LOL! I love to see what you find beautifu!  As your artist it gives me ideas as I create a look tailored to you. 

Should I Wash My Hair Before A Trial?

 I always ask my clients to wash their hair that morning or night before :). I as that you make sure your hair is clean and dry, and yes you can blow dry it.  NO you cannot use curling irons or flat irons.

How Long Is A Trial?

On Average a hair and makeup trial lasts 3 hours, however if we are really close to perfecting your look, with a few small changes then this can extend to around 4 hours. I also really love to chat so sometimes this happens if we are just getting along great :)  However, in some instances if we are just not "feeling it" it may be that you need to go back and look at some more images, and really focus on what you do and don't like. This may require another trial. It can be a bit of a minefield, and sometimes its better to stop and come back, than to keep on going where you may start to feel stressed. This can be quite normal as you have never pictured yourself as the bride before. Please don't panic if this happens. This is why we give ample time prior to your wedding, so if we do need to tweak anything we have time to do so.