What to Expect at Your Bridal Hair and Makeup Trial

What to Expect at Your Bridal Hair and Makeup Trial

Getting married is one of the biggest life events you’ll ever prepare for and becoming a bride is an incredibly unique journey for every woman. Your planning list seems endless and making sure that everything is done and perfect for your big day is often daunting and stressful.

How you look on the day is also paramount. All eyes are on you so it’s important that you choose what’s right for you and what makes you feel beautiful so that you have peace of mind as you walk down the aisle.

The Consultation and Trial

Your hair and makeup consultation and trial should ideally take place 6-8 weeks prior to the wedding. During this consultation, our stylist will ask you a series of questions to gain an understanding of the styles you like.  Bring photos as we don’t always speak the same language! We will advise you about what will work best to accentuate your features and compliment your dress.  Your role is to have an open and honest relationship with us and to tell us what you think!

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Just like you would bring your shoes and the proper undergarments to a dress fitting, you need to bring all the proper goods to your hair and makeup trial. Bring your veil, headpiece, flowers or barrettes to your appointment so you can see what they will look like with your hairstyle. Come with your hair prepped as you would have it the day of your wedding: preferably unwashed with little to no product as possible. Same for your face. Show up with a fresh face (moisturizer is okay).  We can provide makeup wipes if you are coming from work and applied makeup in the morning.  As with the hair, your stylist will ask questions regarding colors you normally wear and how you want to look on your wedding day.  Provide input and let us know if you don’t like something.  We can change it.

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Depending on the hair style, we may recommend hair extensions to provide extra volume – even if you are entertaining an up-do.  We offer both rental and purchase options so that you can choose what works best with your budget.

What Does “Trial” Mean

It is important to note that a trial is just that – a time to see what you like and what you don’t like, what works and what doesn’t.  We will take notes and photos so that we can review them on your wedding day and use the same colors we used at your trial.  That being said, you may decide, upon getting home, that the red is a little too bright, or that you really do want the winged eyeliner your maid of honor decided is too dramatic.  It’s ok.  We are happy to make those adjustments to ensure you are the best version of you on this day!

On-the-day Preparations

We provide a tentative timeline with each and every invoice we send you.  This provides a snapshot of the timeframe it will take on your wedding day to style those you’ve contracted us to pamper.  We create this as soon as you secure your date so that we can catch any issues (i.e. you can’t get into the venue as early as we need to start) and adjust accordingly.  The timeline is finalized 30 days before the wedding allowing you time to communicate it to your bridesmaids and anyone else receiving services.  Making sure that everyone is ready to hop in the chair when assigned will ensure the day flows smoothly and keep us on track!

bridal hair and makeup trial

Remember

Wedding planning can become super stressful, especially as your day gets closer. Your wedding hair trial and wedding makeup trial is important, so kick back, relax, and be pampered! Go in with a positive attitude, bring a pal or your mom if you want to, and let yourself have a good time while you get beautified. Trust your inspiration and your stylist and you’ll leave nothing but happy!

Choosing Your Hair and Makeup Artist

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June is bridal show month in Phoenix and we always see an increase in calls from brides asking when they should book hair and makeup services for their wedding day. A licensed, experienced makeup artist is worth his/her weight in gold because he/she will be able to help you identify styles/looks that will compliment your dress while still allowing you to look like you. This being said, highly sought after artists book quickly. With that in mind, you should book your hair/makeup artist no less than six months before your wedding as noted in the WeddingWire vendor wedding checklist below.

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Finding the Right Hair and Makeup Artist

Referrals are gold.  Ask your family, friends, wedding planner, venue or anyone else who’s opinion you value.  Wedding blogs, bridal magazines and social media outlets can also provide insight into who you may want to call.

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Things to Consider

A good hair and makeup artist should be able to identify your skin tone, suggest the most appropriate colors for your complexion, and recommend hairstyles based on the shape of your face, the style of your dress, your accessories and your personality.  You need to be prepared to show photos of the hair and makeup looks you like to provide a foundation with which to start.

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Booking a Trial

Schedule your makeup trial 30-60 days before your wedding date.  Trials are typically held in the artist’s studio or salon and offers you and the stylist the opportunity to create your hair and makeup look and make changes, before your wedding day.  Unlike dress shopping, which typically involves your bride tribe, your trial is not a spectator sport so it is best to minimize the number of bridesmaids that want to join you.  Salon space tends to be limited and too many bodies (and opinions) may prove distracting for the stylist.

This is your time to bond with your stylist, to provide feedback, to ask questions or seek advice and to be comfortable with the finished look.  Your stylist will take notes (and hopefully photos) to document the finished product to eliminate any confusion on the big day!

The Wedding Day

Ideally you will want stylists/artists that will travel to you.  Some may charge a travel fee depending on your location but this shouldn’t deter you from booking an established experienced artist.  The hustle and bustle of a hair salon may not allow you to feel as pampered as you need to feel on your wedding day.  Be sure to ask, before booking, if your styling team will travel to you.

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