Bridal Hair and Makeup Tips

How to Look Picture Perfect on your Wedding Day

Choose the right hairstylist and makeup artist. You may be tempted to let a friend or close relative take this on but think twice before using someone that is in the wedding party. It will be a busy day and delegating tasks to professionals is ideal.

Your makeup artist will ask questions about the wedding day look you’re going for (ultra-glam or natural) and they should do at least one trial run with your wedding look. Be honest about what you do and don’t like and take pictures inside and outside after the trial run. You want to have a good idea of what that makeup looks like on you in different lighting and in photos right away.

The same process applies to your hair stylist. Bring pictures or send them to your hair stylist before you go in for the trial run. Photos should be realistic examples of what can be done with your hair. Some styles call for long hair and that may require extensions for some brides. Ask to see photos of your hair stylists work especially bridal styles. If you will be wearing a tiara or a head piece of some kind, bring it to all appointments so that your stylist knows exactly what they will be doing day-of. Be honest with your stylist! If a hairstyle you loved in pictures doesn’t look as good in real life, tell your stylist that you want something different. They don’t mind! They are here for you and want you to look perfect.

You want your wedding makeup to look clean and stay flawless all day so make sure makeup artist is using a primer, foundation, and setting spray that will work for your skin. Eyelash extensions are good for all brides (even if you are going with a more natural look). They can really help to bring out your eyes in photos.

Hair cutting and/or dying should be done at least 2 weeks before the wedding. It is not advisable to alter your hair color dramatically right before your wedding. Hair can be finicky when taking on (or being stripped of) color and your wedding day is not the day to risk (accidentally) orange hair.

Bridal party styling should be cohesive, but your bridesmaids don’t have to have the same hairstyle to look good. Try to think of a creative element like a middle part, braiding, or even matching hairpins to work into your bridesmaids’ hairstyles so that they look like themselves but with complementary styling.

Make sure to communicate with your stylists the number of people they will be working on so there are no surprises or time crunches on your wedding day.

You are going to be runway ready on your wedding day. Take your hair and makeup trial run seriously, they are the best indication of how smoothly the start of your wedding day will go. Be honest about what you want but also be realistic. Pictures of brides on the internet have often been through crazy filters or photoshopped and all the rest. You should look like the most beautiful version of you on your wedding day and you will.

By Tracie Blanck-Clark