Finding the BEST Makeup Artist for your Wedding Day
/You said YES! Now where to begin?!
You find your dream venue and book the date that you will celebrate for years to come. You start researching — photographers, florists, dress shoppes, dress designers, hair stylists, makeup artists, invitations, calligraphers, videographers, planners/day of coordinators, honeymoon destinations, & you go crazy pinning every idea that you find on Pinterest. There are SO. MANY. DETAILS!
It is so important to plan ahead, of course you want to make sure you’re able to book the vendors that you love! But my advice is this — take one detail at a time. Breathe. I am here to help you answer one of the most important questions you’ll have in all of your wedding plans!! (*insert winking emoji here*)
Photographer | Jennifer lam photography
How can you find the perfect makeup artist FOR YOU when there are thousands of makeup artists just on Long Island alone?!?!
BE REALISTIC. When looking at a makeup artists work, whether it be on their website or social media, try to make sure that their posts look REAL. As the saying goes, “Instagram VS Reality.” MANY makeup artist share photos that are edited; so their clients skin is completely smooth, they have no wrinkles, their eye liner is extremely black and edited to show lines of perfection, their eye shadow is blended on an iPhone app, etc. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Even the best celebrity makeup artist in the world (Hey, Mario!) cannot make the bump of a pimple totally disappear. So if that after photo doesn’t show ANY of the acne bumps that the before picture had, it’s most definitely edited. If you zoom in and pay close attention to the detail, it is easily detectable. They may be very talented, but their deceitful picture may make your expectations too high for what they are truly capable of.
Look for an artist that has a similar style to what you like. If you normally don’t wear a lot of makeup on a regular basis, whether you feel like you don’t know how to apply it or just don’t have the patience (whatever the reason), you are not going to want a makeup artist that only does FULL glam looks. Yes, you want to look the most beautiful bride on your big day, but that doesn’t mean you need to have 45 layers of concealer and an eye treatment that takes over your face. Your makeup can be as dramatic as you’d like, but doesn’t have to be overwhelmingly prominent. There is a difference between full glam and clown. You can still have a dramatic eye, WITH a natural look that is still YOU. Most makeup artists (unfortunately) do not offer the versatility of both full glam AND clean beauty. That’s exactly where I have found my niche in the bridal world, specializing in NATURAL GLAM that still looks like you.
Be Inspired. Have an idea as to what you’d like to look like on your wedding day. Again, be realistic, but you can browse color palettes, eye treatments, and lash lengths that you like on Pinterest or Instagram. Look at wedding photographer’s pages to see what looks other real brides are going for. You don’t have to know exactly what you want, but getting some ideas is always helpful. This will give you AND your makeup artist a chance to discuss the type of makeup look in the reference pictures and alter it’s design to YOUR features.
Do your research and read reviews. You can find the top wedding makeup artists on Google, The Knot, and Wedding Wire. Do your homework. Look at their tagged pictures from the clients themselves. Check their website. Read about who they are, where they were trained, how long they’ve been working on weddings, etc. Take a look at the reviews to see what past brides have to say! I recently saw a very popular makeup artist (with gorgeous work on Instagram) that had reviews on Google saying that she never showed up, or sent an assistant the day of the wedding! Make sure you are comfortable with and TRUST the company or person you are hiring!
Speak to the makeup artist. Your wedding day is not only one of the biggest days of your life, it is a very personal day. Don’t be afraid to ask questions! (i.e. Does the makeup artist have a contract, does she/he put together a timeline for you, will THEY be the one doing your makeup, how long will the MUA stay on your wedding day, what do they need to hold your date, are they certified, what happens (God forbid) if they cannot make it the day of, etc.) It is so important to look and feel your best, but also to be COMFORTABLE with who you hire; especially the morning of, when your nerves and jitters are extremely high. I joke that my brides become my friends- but it is so true. Yes, I am your makeup artist, but I am there with you through your planning process, and more importantly as you sit in my chair only a few short hours before you’re walking down the aisle! I make sure that I can do as much as possible to not only make my brides look and feel GORGEOUS, but am also there for them as a friend- and that is priceless. I give my brides the treatment that I would want on MY wedding day.
Insider tip: When contacting a makeup artist that you are interested in, keep in mind that we book VERY quickly, especially for the wedding dates that fall between the months of May to November. It is so important to keep the conversation going. Once you receive the initial booking information, book your trial ASAP, ask questions, let the makeup artist know that you’re interested. If you ask for information and then do not respond for months, it is not guaranteed that your date will still be available. So, answer the makeup artist when they send you an email or a follow up!
Ask other vendors. If your photographer or videographer is booked, ask them for recommendations. They are familiar with artists in the wedding industry and how their work photographs. After all, the makeup artists work is displayed up close in THEIR work! The best makeup artists usually have a great rapport with other industry professionals. If you have a hair stylist or, even better, a Wedding Planner/Coordinator, they should also have great recommendations!
Book a bridal preview (aka trial). This is truly the only way that you can determine if a makeup artist is the right fit for you; seeing it for yourself. A trial is so important! This is the time where you sit one-on-one with the artist and discuss exactly what you’re looking for. It is also very important to tell the artist what you don’t like. Even if your description is only “I want to look like me” or “Glam me up all the way!” I, personally, start my trials with a natural option, then we enhance from there to give you options. This is usually the time when I become best friends with my brides. (lol) We design the vision for your wedding look together, and always have a great time doing it! (I’m really funny, too! ;) )
Insider tip: Try to book your bridal preview on a day that you may have something planned. For example, your engagement party, engagement pictures, bridal shower, or even a night out. This way you have a chance to see how the makeup wears and photographs.
BUT, don’t wait until a month before your wedding. Booking your preview as early as possible gives you enough time to secure another makeup artist if you’re unhappy. It is also helpful for the makeup artist because if you don’t book with them, they will be able to secure another bride for your date. (We are all running small businesses, so even though we LOVE what we do and our brides are our priority, we still need to secure clients in order to keep our businesses up and running.)
Follow your heart. When you click with someone, it makes all the difference. Just like finding the perfect dress, or the man you just “knew” you would be marrying; finding the perfect makeup artist will be the same feeling. Make sure that you LIKE your makeup artist. You’ll gain trust and KNOW you will leave the makeup chair feeling confident, beautiful, and SO excited to look like that on your wedding day!
So much goes into planning and hiring the right vendors for you and your fiance. Just because one vendor was great for your best friend, doesn’t mean they’ll be the fit for you; it is definitely not a cookie-cutter decision. So do your research, reach out to the artists you like, follow your gut instinct, AND most importantly, enjoy the adventure of planning your most special day!
Although it feels overwhelming at first, it goes by so quickly and everything always works out the way it was meant to be! It’s amazing how your wedding plans truly do just fall together, you’ll see! So, embrace every second! (and book your bridal makeup with LG Artistry!)