Five things to consider before hiring a hair and makeup artist for your wedding

It’s “Wedding” season! As a makeup artist and hairstylist, I feel like every season is wedding season. Couples don’t just get married in June anymore; they get married year-round. And because of this, I’m hearing brides-to-be with horror stories about wedding beauty vendors and their experiences with them. That’s why I created this blog so that I can help give you at least five things to consider before hiring a hairstylist and makeup artist for your wedding.

Photographer: JW Baugh Photo

Brides tell me about consultations and hair or makeup appointments that are a total disaster. Or how they’ve hired their artist and the artist cancels on them the week of their wedding…sometimes THE DAY OF! This saddens me…really saddens me. It should be pretty easy to be matched with the perfect hair and makeup artist for your wedding if you genuinely know what you want, right? I believe it can be so; considering these five things can help you get on the right track to finding your beauty pro for your big day.

1. Referrals and Reviews – Most of us beauty industry professionals get our business from people that love our work and want to share us with the world. Remember that makeup artist that your bestie used? Check with your friends or family members who have gotten married to see who they would recommend. Ask about their experiences and if they think the pro would be a good fit for you. 

Reviews are the new referral! How many times have you looked at reviews on Amazon before making a purchase? I do it all the time, and that’s why I would suggest doing a Google search on a vendor you’re interested in working with. This gives you a good look into how they treat their clients and how well their work is.

2. Websites – When I lived in Maryland back, my first bride told me that she probably wouldn’t have booked me if I didn’t have a website.  She wanted to see my work…my “professional” work before picking up the phone to call for a consultation. Make sure your beauty pro has a professional website. This way, you can get an idea of what kind of work they do. If their vibe matches yours, then simply fill out their contact form (if they have one). If you don’t, then move on to another artist. Social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram have become sort of the new website so check them out there as well but don’t let that be your only resource.

Photographer: Teshorn Jackson

3.  Budget – This is THE most important thing. As a wedding hair and makeup artist, I sometimes get the short end of the stick when it comes to weddings because so much money has been spent on things like the venue, catering, the photographer, your dress, etc. So when it comes to hair and makeup, brides feel like it’s not as important as the other things or has simply run out of money. While those things are essential, hair and makeup are just as important, considering that you will be in 95% of the photos taken that day. You want to make sure you look your best…like you hired a professional and not someone who just graduated from cosmetology school six months ago. Prices will be based on experience, professionalism, product quality, travel, and the level of “glam” you want. Don’t sell yourself short!

Photographer: Michael Shear

4.  Professionalism – I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve heard that other artists were late to a consultation, late to the wedding, or, my favorite…won’t return their phone calls the week of the wedding. If I’m honest, brides do that to us all the time when inquiring about services. You’ll contact us for pricing information and ask tons of questions, and then we don’t hear from you anymore. If you’re not going to use a particular artist or vendor, please give them the courtesy of letting them know. Simply saying, “I’ve chosen to go with another vendor. Thank you for your time.” goes a looong way. Trust me; we’re not going to get mad at you because you chose someone else…trust me!

Frequently I’m hired to do both hair and makeup for weddings, but sometimes I’m only hired to do one service. I’ve seen it when other beauty professionals are so late that the bride is in a panic (secretly looking at me out the corner of her eye, hoping that I can save the day if needed). If you feel like your beauty pro is not up to the standard you’d like them to be, then don’t hire them. This is a chance you can’t afford to take. Stress levels can be high when planning a wedding, so alleviate that stress by making sure you do your research on your beauty pro. If the communication starts off bad…RUN! If they’re texting you their prices and they have no contract...RUN! It shouldn’t take a week for a professional to get back to you (unless they're on vacation or had a family emergency). If their brushes and makeup are dirty at your trial session…RUN! You don’t want to risk getting any infections on your wedding day.

Photographer: Kristen Giles

5.  Know Your Wants and Needs – You’ve been planning your wedding since forever, so when it comes to your hair and makeup look, make sure you can translate that into words. There is no such look as a “princess barbie queen.” And to be clear, the “Kim K” look is not a “natural” look. That is considered full glam and takes a long time to create. Learn more about wedding timelines here.

Share pictures of your inspirational photos and have an open discussion with your artist. It gives the artist a chance to see your vision so it can be executed the way you want and need it to be done. Remember that the artist or the photographer could have edited photos you see on sites like Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook, so be open-minded about things like acne, tattoo coverings, and other skin challenges. When researching your artist, look at their portfolio to see if they’ve done that updo you’ve been considering or that cut crease your looking for. Some artists don’t do looks that other artists have done, so always ask questions and never assume. This will help you and your artist be stress-free on your wedding day, allowing you to have a glamorous experience.

I pray that this information helps and that you are more confident in hiring a hair and makeup artist for your wedding.

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