How to choose hair and makeup artist for your wedding | Tips for Brides
I have asked my friend Evie from EVIE'S MAKEUP to share her tips on how to choose your wedding hair and make up artist .
There are so many things to consider when you’re planning a wedding. It can be a minefield to know what to look for in each supplier. Over the past 10 years, I have been lucky enough to be part of (on average) 65 weddings a year and I can pretty much recall all of them.
Over this decade, I have picked up some tricks in knowing what to look for in your suppliers. Of course, my speciality is wedding hair and makeup so I really do know what to look for when making your enquiries.
You may be lucky enough to find someone who does both hair and makeup in the style that you like. Other times, you may need to book two separate people. Both are totally fine. If you are booking one person to do both, just check how long it takes them to do each person and whether they will be bringing an assistant if needed. The last thing you want is to be rushing around on your wedding morning hoping that your artist will have enough time to get you ready.
I always leave around an hour extra time for touch ups and cups of tea (I’d much rather be sat with a cup of tea than clock watching to make sure you are ready!).
Picking a hair and makeup artist:
Are they local to you or your venue?
It’s quite common to get married in a location that isn’t central to where you live. When looking for a makeup artist, pay attention to where they are based. Sometimes it’s easier to have someone that is local to the wedding venue. Bear in mind that you will either need to travel to your stylist for the trial or pay their travel costs to visit you.
Do they create the hair styles that you like?
It’s really easy to find a hairstylist. There are hundreds of us. But really, we all have different styles. Some of us are very good at neat, classic buns, chignons and curls, others of us are better at relaxed up dos and boho vibes (I’m the latter). It’s so important to find an artist that creates looks in the style that you love.
Finding an artist and realising that they can’t create the style that you like adds extra time and money to the equation. I spent quite a few years perfecting the style that I love and I am useless at the others as they aren’t my style. Concentrate on finding the artists who are perfect for your day.
Are their makeup styles the same as yours?
Really have a good look on their Instagram and website to see their portfolio. It’s so easy to get swept up in seeing models that are beautiful without really checking whether it’s the makeup that you like or the model. Look for the real brides on their pages and check the lighting. Check to see if the photos look like they have been altered at all (a lot of
makeup artists have started using apps to edit images - making the teeth whiter, smoothing fine lines, brightening the eyes). If you are unsure, ask for a few more images or a video of any clients that they have done the makeup of recently.
Do you get a good vibe from them?
You will be speaking to most hair and makeup artists via email and sometimes things can get lost in translation. Ask for a quick phone call to discuss ideas before booking a trial. That way, you can get a feel for their personality. Sure, they are there to offer a service to you, but you will be spending quite a few hours with them, both at the trial and on the day. You want someone who you can get on with and feel totally at ease with, especially if you want to make some changes.
Above all - don’t be afraid to say what you want when it comes to a trial - we appreciate it so much. We want you to be happy and would hate for you to leave the trial not feeling like yourself or as though you wished you had spoken your mind about trying something else.