Hello friends! Every bride wants to look and feel her best on her wedding day, which is why your makeup artist is an essential member of your wedding team. Do some online research and ask friends in the area for recommendations. Once you have a list of makeup artists to vet, set up a couple consultations. This is where you can discuss your look, their fees, their recommendations and more. Some artists will charge, while others offer this for free so be sure to clarify before booking your meeting.
Here are some questions you should be sure to ask:
- Do you work with brides often? Working with brides is very different from working on shoots, editorials, etc. Not only is the makeup style different, but emotions run high and your makeup artist will need to adapt.
- What look do you think will work best for me? You should always have some sort of vision for yourself, but getting your makeup artist’s opinion will help you feel out how in sync you are.
- Do you have experience working with my skin type? It’s helpful if your makeup artist knows how to navigate particularly oily skin, or a certain skin condition.
- Do you charge by the hour or by the job? Hourly charges can be tricky, especially because the schedule tends to shift on the day-of, no matter how tight of a ship you run. Be sure to ask about any extra fees, such as traveling on location.
- What types of techniques do you use and do you charge extra for these? Some makeup artists, for example, may charge a separate fee for airbrushing, false eyelashes and other extras.
- Will I need to provide my own makeup and supplies? Your makeup artist will usually have her own arsenal of makeup and brushes but some require you bring your own. Factor this into your final cost – specialty makeup isn’t cheap!
- How can we handle touch-ups? If she can’t stick around to help or if the fee is out of your budget, ask if she’ll teach you how to touch up on your own.
- Do you have any other commitments on my wedding day? Many makeup artists will have multiple events in a day. This isn’t a deal breaker, just be sure to plan for it in your schedule.
- What’s your contingency plan if you get sick or suddenly can’t make it? This, unfortunately, does happen from time to time! Ask if she’ll have a backup person to send.
You may also have a makeup trial scheduled during your consultation and you’ll need to do some separate prep for that…something I’ll go over in a future post!
xox,
Mindy
Header image courtesy of Flickr/EventPhotosNYC
