It should be the first thing considered but after the dress, invitations, catering, and constant budget adjustments your makeup and hair may find its way to the bottom of your wedding’s to do list. You will never be photographed more on a single day than you will the day of your wedding. Don’t get stuck being the butt of your grandkid’s jokes! Trust a professional carrying a stellar track record with your face and hair. It wouldn’t hurt if that professional had a few celebrity customers under their belt to boot. The wedding know-it-alls at Chicago based blog BEUWeddings.com have got your back with a simple checklist compiled by none other than celebrity makeup artist Sonia Roselli. Sonia boasts clientele the likes of Linda Evangelista, Vanessa Williams, and Elton John (but she turned down Madonna?) among many more. In this article she tells us what to look for in a so-called pro and how to avoid being duped moments before showtime.
1. Book Your Wedding Makeup and Hair in Advance
Great makeup artists and hair stylists book up to 12-15 months in advance. Don’t listen to wedding sites and bridal magazines that tell you to book 3 months out because that is simply not enough time!
For on location services, my recommendation is to book 6-12 months out at the very minimum and closer to 12-15 months out in larger cities, like Chicago. Don’t wait until the last minute or you’ll miss out on your top choices of top talented artists and stylists! Makeup and hair should be scheduled soon after you book your photographer. However, if decide to go with a salon, you can wait closer to the date. Make sure to call the salon and ask them how you should proceed since scheduling will vary by the salon you choose.
2. Read Online Reviews
Research and read online reviews about your artist and stylist. A couple of great sites to check out are Yelp and Wedding Wire. When it comes to makeup and hair, beauty is subjective to each and every person. I’ve seen the most beautiful makeup and hairstyles on brides who have said they hated the way their makeup and hair turned out on their wedding day.
The professionalism of the artist and stylist who is creating the look is just as important as what a woman sees when she looks in the mirror. When reading online reviews, take into consideration how the team handled their overall wedding day. Were they on time? Did they keep the wedding moving smoothly? Were they pleasant to be with? The whole experience is just as important as how your look is created. Overall, if they have many great reviews and a few bad ones, chances are the person who left the bad review didn’t communicate well with their artist and stylist and was left feeling less than happy about the entire process.
3. Schedule Your Makeup and Hair Trials in Advance
Most makeup artists and hair stylists charge separately for trials so don’t spend your entire wedding day beauty budget on multiple trials. Not only will it break the bank, it will leave you dazed and confused.
Choose your top 2 favorite artists and stylists that fit your style and schedule your appointments as soon as you can. Makeup and hair trials are done so you can work together with the artist and stylist to figure out what best fits your style and needs. Remember to keep an open mind because the look you may think you absolutely love, you may end up hating.
At your trial, if you feel a connection with your artist and stylist…seal the deal and move on. Time is ticking and being indecisive will only make things more complicated for you. The more trials you do, the more you will drain your bank account. The longer it takes you to decide on an artist and stylist, the higher the chance they will be booked by someone else. Come on ladies, don’t let this be an issue for you!
Read the rest of Sonia’s tips here…
Featured photo: www.celebrityclose-up.com
Additional photos: Kari’s own