BRIDE TO BE

So you Just got Engaged?!

Here is what you need to do next when booking your wedding makeup & Hair artist and what happens next!

Photographer - Rob Dodsworth Photo The Dialhouse - Reepham

So you just got engaged and you’ve started the process of planning your big day! Here’s some top tips in booking your hair and makeup artist!

Once your date is locked down, it is important that you start locking in your suppliers early on. Due to high demand, most sought after suppliers will be booked up anywhere from 1 to 1.5 years in advance or even longer, on peak dates. This is usually for weekend slots from April to October.

There will be a lot of artists online with a wide range of styles and each artist has their own M.O. that is unique to them. It’s not one artist fits all. Its great to get recommendations from your photographer, wedding planner or even wedding venues as they will have an understanding of your style and they will have likely worked with the artists in the past.

Photography - Through The Woods We Ran Venue - Narborough Hall, Norfolk

Wedding Dress Designer Olivia Howes

Once you have found your hair and makeup artist, be sure to contact them as soon as possible. We artists hit the ground running in each New Year and start our bridal trials for that current year and get booked up incredibly fast.

Check their websites for their prices and booking information so that when you do get in touch, you both can begin to build a rapport, get you booked in and get your date held. Remember that suppliers will not hold your wedding date until contracts and booking fees are completed. So if you get in touch with a date but wait to book your artist, it is very likely they have filled the date if you wait too long.

It is also important to get in touch early if you would like your artist to travel for your wedding as they may have weddings booked on the day before and after your big day. So if you find an artist you love, get in early to ensure they are able to commit to your travel requirements.

Photographer Ania Aimes Photography Granary Estates, Suffolk

Many artists will have a minimum booking. The reason for this is during peak wedding season, artists are often reliant on wedding season as their main income with their season tapering off during the winter. We completely rely on our season to see our small businesses through the quiet months and if artists take on a single person booking it limits them being able to accommodate any additional clients during that day. Most artists will have a minimum booking number between April and October.

When you have your booking confirmed, its time to secure your trial date if its within the same year. The artist will give their recommendations and it is likely that the trial will need to take place during the week due to wedding bookings on the weekends.

Sometimes its a good time to arrange a trial when you also have a dress fitting or maybe dinner plans that evening. It makes a day of the trial and prepping and lets you see how the hair and makeup wears and allows you to enjoy the look, longer!

Photographer - Laura Williams Weddings - Waresley Park Estate, Cambridgeshire - Petal and Metal Bridal - Joanna Southwell Bridal Brand Mentor - Hall & Co Event Design - Felisitis Greis Couture Bridal

Your bridal trial is a great opportunity to get to know your artist and vice versa. I personally like to hold trials in my Norwich Studio which has beautiful lighting and is the perfect space to try out your looks for your big day. Many artists will allow someone else to come along with you for the trial if they are not having a trial as well, but bare in mind that their spaces may be limited. I have space for up to 4 people but only recommend that number if everyone is having a trial.

Trials typically take 2 to 2.5hours depending on the styles you are trying. Personally on the trials I conduct, I like to chat through what your wedding vision is, what your flowers are like, your colour theme if you have one, the venue and your dress. I then discuss your daily hair and makeup routine and what you would typically do different, if anything, when going to a special event. This enables me to get a hair and makeup personality and allow me to gauge what would make you feel the best but also most like yourself.

Pinterest boards are fantastic for inspiration and I will often offer up my boards to add to it. One thing to bare in mind is that it is the artists’ job to create your dream look but also offer advice and give honest feedback on which styles would best work for you and what might need to be altered from your inspiration images.

Photographer - Beth Moseley Southwold Pier, Suffolk

After your successful hair and makeup trial, your artist will advice on timings and leading up to your wedding day, the artist will send you a timetable breakdown. I, myself, often send a breakdown in timings which allow for wiggle room. Sometimes start times can be early and might often require an assistant (which will have been discussed before on during the trial). Depending on your ceremony start time, location and taking into consideration whether you may need to travel to the venue, your start times may be earlier than you had anticipated.

If you artist requests an early start time, just know that they are arranging this time to ensure that everyone is relaxed and has an opportunity to enjoy the wedding prep morning. No artist wants to put any time pressure on their bride and bridal party in the morning and therefore an earlier start time will enable everyone to ease themselves into the big day without stress. The worst thing would be for the bride, bridal party and artist to feel their are rushed.

Rest assured that your artist will make your morning a calm, lovely and enjoyable experience, regardless of your start time.

Photographer - Benjamin Mathers Cromer Hall, Norfolk

After your big day, you will be in a magical whirlwind of love, reliving your amazing day! One of the best things artists get, after we complete a wedding is that lovely email or card after the big day, knowing you had the best time. Because, to be quite honest, we spend the rest of the weekend, wondering how your big day went and hoping it was as amazing as you’d hoped! It is also the absolutely best when an artist receives the professional images from your wedding! It’s like their final piece of artwork and they also get the opportunity to see the day unfold through the amazing shots!

Another thing that helps all wedding suppliers is your reviews! Our little businesses would be nothing without our wonderful clients and it helps so much for futures brides to see your lovely words! So don’t forget to spread the love one FB and Google Reviews!

I hope this info helps and that your wedding planning goes well! And if you are booking me or have already booked me, I cannot wait to work with you and be a part of your wedding journey!

Much love!

Ash x