A wedding hair and makeup trial will help guarantee you’ll look perfect on your wedding day.
In fact, the quest for perfection is what a hair and makeup trial is all about. It’s essentially a practice run (or two), aimed at working out all the kinks before your wedding day. In an ideal world, you would get to meet the artist who will be working on your hair, or makeup, or both, and you’ll form a plan together for your wedding. Typically, the artist will create a look for you that is a preview, and you can discuss what you like about it, or wish to change.
Now, in some cases a hair and makeup trial can be performed by one person on the same day. In other situations, it will have to be split up among different artists. No matter what the case is, the trial helps you find the right person (or people) for the job. The artists may be professionals who you hire, or a skilled friend doing you a favor. Either way, it’s still important to practice.
Though hair and makeup trials aren’t totally essential, it’s good to have them if you are able to. One of the most important aspects to most people on their wedding day is that they look beautiful. No one wants to spend their wedding day uncomfortable with their image, or look back on photos with regrets. So, if you are able to schedule and enjoy a hair and makeup trial, it’s strongly encouraged that you go for it.
20 Wedding Hair & Makeup Trial Tips
When it comes to hair and makeup trials, there are lots of guidelines and advice out there.
I’ll share what I think works best for most people. Hopefully you’re able to take these tips and turn your hair and makeup trial into an awesome and useful experience. The goal is that you make the best use of your time, enjoy yourself, and learn from it. You’ll want to walk away from the experience even more excited than before about how you will look on your wedding day.
Let’s get into the tips!
1. Find an artist you know, love, and trust.
As with any wedding vendor, hiring a hair and makeup artist can be tricky. If you don’t know where to start, ask your friends for referrals. Look up reviews online as well. Before you meet with someone, find them on social media so you can see examples of their work. If they have a website, check it out. If you like what you see, it’s a sign that they may be right for you. And, when you meet with them, you can use examples of their own work to show them what you like.
2. Come prepared with photos.
Do a little research before you go to your hair and makeup trial, and come prepared with photos. For both hair and makeup, you’ll want to show your artist what you like so they can use it as a guideline for you. If you’re not sure where to look, start with your married friend’s social media pages. From there, branch out to a search engine like Pinterest, where you can gather a lot of ideas all at once.
3. Make notes of and listen to any of your artist’s advice or suggestions.
Look, you’re likely going to a professional hair and makeup artist for a reason.
They have education and experience in the very thing that you need help with. So, it will probably pay off if you listen to any advice that they give you. For example, they may suggest ways to improve the health of your hair, or a new cadence of trims leading up to the wedding. They may try to talk you out of a drastic change in hair color or length as well. They may also have some tips when it comes to washing your hair (or not) on your wedding day.
No matter what the tip is, pay attention to it so they can help you look your best. Of course, if your instinct is strongly telling you the opposite of what your hair and makeup artist is saying, you might want to get a second opinion just to make sure.
4. Wear appropriate clothes to your hair and makeup trial.
It’s important that you show up to your hair and makeup trial with some intention in your outfit.
It is highly suggested that you wear a top that is button down, or has a loose neckline. This is to help protect your hair and makeup should you want to change out of your clothes later. You may also want to wear something that is lightweight. You might be under some sort of smock or apron, and curlers, wands, and straighteners can get very warm.
5. Try to plan it with something fun to do afterwards.
Chance are, you’re going to be thrilled with your hair and makeup trial.
Because of this, try to plan on a fun event to follow your trial. For example, schedule the trial right before wedding dress shopping, a date night, your bridal shower, or anything else where the look won’t go to waste. It can also be an interesting way to try out your new look so you can scope out how you feel about it. You’ll be able to tell if it is comfortable enough for you, and if you should change anything for the wedding day.
6. Time how long the hair and makeup trial takes.
If you time how long it takes for your hair and makeup artist to do the trial, you can use that information later on when you plan out your wedding day schedule.
Yes, you can ask your artist how long it will take them to finish, but timing your experience will actually give you live data you can count on. Don’t forget, if they are also going to provide hair and makeup for your wedding party or family, ask how long each of them may take. Taking care of bridesmaids or those with short hair often takes less time than it takes to work on a bride. All of this information will help with your wedding day schedule.
7. Ask about any haircare or skincare tips you need to know leading up to the wedding day.
While you’re sitting there, having your hair and makeup trial going on, pick your artist’s brain!
Come prepared to your appointment with questions. For example, ask about products you should be using, or avoiding. Ask the artist about how to prep your hair and skin. Ask them about any treatments you should look into. Just go for it. Sometimes hair and makeup trials can last for hours, so you will have lots of time to find out your answers.
8. Be honest about what you like, what you don’t like, and how you would like to change it.
I know that some of us are always concerned that we will hurt other’s feelings if we don’t like their work, but when it comes to your wedding hair and makeup, it’s okay to be honest.
You don’t have to be brutal about it, but you should make it clear about what is working for you and what isn’t. Don’t be afraid to tell your artist if you don’t like something, or have another suggestion. This could go for just about anything, from the style of your hair, how any hair pieces feel or look, the color of your eye shadow, or even if you want or don’t want to wear fake eyelashes. Feel empowered to let them know the truth.
9. Take photos during the hair and makeup trial!
We take photos of everything these days, so this one is not really a stretch.
During your hair and makeup trial, you’ll want to take lots of photos, especially when it’s all done. There are a few purposes of these photos. First, they will allow anyone who isn’t there to provide you some feedback. You can also use these photos as a guideline for the artist on your wedding day, especially if another artist will be working with you.
Photos can also be used to to provide some information to your bridal party. You may want them to have their hair and makeup done, and this will show them what they could look like.
10. Ask how much the price will be for your wedding day.
One of the most important parts of the hair and makeup trial is to find out all the details you need to know for your wedding day, including pricing.
It can be awkward to ask, especially if the hair and makeup artist is a friend. But, it’s still important to talk about how much they will charge for their time. You will want to find out the pricing for your own hair and makeup, as the bride, and for others. Ask your hair and makeup artist if they will need any other payments for travel. And, if a tip is included in the price. After your hair and makeup trial, once you’ve agreed on a price for the wedding day, confirm it with an email or contract.
Also, keep in mind that your hair and makeup trial will probably cost something, too, so come prepared to pay your artist.
11. Be selective over who you bring.
Unlike wedding dress shopping, where there is often an entourage of friends and family present, a hair and makeup trial is often a more solo affair. Depending on the location and situation, you may want to bring one other person, but most people go alone. Hair salons can be tight on space and awkward for another person to be hanging out during the trial, too, so keep that in mind.
However, if you opt to bring someone, make sure they will enhance the experience. They should be able to give great feedback and be supportive.
12. Have a hair and makeup trial, even if you’re having a destination wedding.
Chances are, if you’re traveling for your wedding, you won’t have the opportunity to have a hair and make up trial with the actual artist who is there for you on your wedding day. Even if this is the case, you should still go ahead and have that trial with someone else. Ask that artist to take notes and give some guidance. Afterwards, use that information to provide to the artist who will be there on your wedding day.
13. Schedule the hair and makeup trial a few months before the wedding.
Many people wonder about the timing of hair and makeup trials. Ideally, you would have the trial close enough to the wedding so your hair won’t grow or change that much. However, it should be far enough away that you could remedy any damage and give treatments time to work. The same goes with any skincare changes. So, if you can book your hair and makeup trial about three or four months ahead of time, you should be golden.
14. The goal is to feel like yourself.
Remember, when you go into the hair and makeup trial, you want to come out of it feeling like yourself. If you find that you don’t feel authentic, that it’s just too much (or too little) for you, take it as a learning experience. You can always request changes that will help you feel more comfortable on your wedding day.
15. Go for it if you want to do your own hair or makeup!
One of the most famous brides who did her own makeup was Kate Middleton. She took some tutorials, invested in some quality products, and the result was amazing. And honestly, I get it. When others do my makeup it can often look awkward to me, and way too heavy.
If you want to do your own makeup, or even your own hair, you’ll still want to do a trial run (or two). Practice will make perfect in this area. Try out some new things, take notes about what works, and run your look by others for their opinions. If you want to just do your own trials, and then have a professional create your look on your wedding day, that’s fine, too. Just give them your notes and opinions and be prepared.
16. Decide on hair styles after you pick out your dress.
Okay, this may be a big one. Don’t commit to a hair style for your wedding until after you’ve decided on your dress or outfit.
Depending on the what you’re wearing, you may want your hair to showcase certain features. For example, if your dress has an amazing back to it, you may want your hair up. Or, if you have a dress that has no straps, you may want your hair cascading down. Either way, the style of your outfit may help you make some decisions about your hair as well.
17. Arrive with a clean face and hair.
This may need to go without saying, but attempt to come to your hair and makeup trial with a clean slate for your artist to work with. You may be particular about makeup, and that’s fine, but be as minimal as possible. You don’t want your artist to have to do extra work just to prep their canvas.
Also, depending on your hair, you may want to avoid any products going into the trial. When in doubt, ask your artist what they suggest.
18. Know what you want to avoid.
Sometimes deciding on what you want from your look means narrowing down what you don’t want. If you get overwhelmed with determining what you like, start focusing on what you don’t like and come prepared to tell your artist about that instead.
19. Listen to professional opinions, but don’t be afraid to provide guidelines.
Working with an artist during a hair and makeup trial is a collaboration. This means that you will both be giving and taking information from the other person. To respect that balance, be sure to listen to their professional opinions. However, also give your parameters and guidelines so they know what they are working with from your perspective.
20. Splurge on new products, high quality stuff, and anything to help with styling your hair.
Even if you are going to use the artist’s supplies on your wedding day, now is the time to update your stash with quality products that will treat your hair and skin right. This means clean and effective skincare, hair styling tools that protect your strands instead of damage them, and upgrading anything to allow for new technology. Use your wedding as an excuse to invest.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Well friends, I hope you’re super prepared now for your hair and makeup trials. The main takeaways are to be prepared for your appointment, start getting really clear with your vision, and working with your artist to execute an amazing wedding day look. Enjoy the process!
More From Hummingbird Wedding Advice:
How To Create A Wedding Health & Beauty Plan
How To Start A Skincare Routine Before Your Wedding
Did you find this post useful, inspiring? Save THIS PIN to your Wedding Beauty Board on Pinterest!
I would like to hold a wedding this year, and that is why I’ve decided to start looking for the perfect venue. Thank you for sharing here as well the importance of choosing the correct dress. Aside from this, decors must be considered too.