How To Find Hair And Makeup For Wedding

I did my own makeup for our nuptials, and I had a friend do my hair. It turned out beautifully, and I don't regret it for a second, but it wasn't exactly my first option. So, today is all about helping you figure out how to find a hair stylist for your wedding.

There is nothing I love more than getting my pilus done (full roll and ready? Yep please!), and getting my makeup professionally done is similar Christmas. And then I set my mind to finding a stylist. The problem is, I had several hurdles. Coin was tight, I didn't desire a crazy wedding industry vibe happening while I got ready, and our forenoon wedding meant that someone would take to come to me at about 7AM. Plus, I had no idea what I was doing.

I asked my hairstylist for a recommendation. He suggested someone in his salon who seemed cool, and quoted me about $300 for my hair and makeup. It felt like a stretch at the time, just worth it. I told her yes. She emailed me a week later to say she'd checked with some friends who'd done weddings before, and she needed to suit her quote. To $800. For just me. I cried, told her no thanks, and gave up. And cried once again, because WHAT THE HELL?

All these years subsequently, I want better for y'all guys. We produce a ton of hair and makeup tutorials, specifically and then that those of you doing your ain looks will feel confident and look hot. Simply I also want to requite you the info I badly wished I'd had on how to find a blindside up stylist. I interviewed APW's resident hairstylist Yesenia Republic of guinea of Fume and Mirrors Salon in San Francisco to find out all the things I wished I'd known. (Other than, rent Yesenia, she's the best. But perchance you're not in the Bay Area. Or maybe she's booked. In which instance, read on…)

1. A Free consultation, then a paid trial. We hear a lot nearly the paid wedding hair and makeup trial. You lot get your hair done up, so you leave to dinner. (In my instance, you go over to a friend'southward apartment, have her do your pilus, put on the makeup yous bought after the free Sephora consult, get tipsy on white vino, and then both go meet your fiancé a the divey-est indian place in the Tenderloin.) That'due south fun and important, only it shouldn't exist the outset step. If you lot don't already know your stylist, they should have yous come into their salon (or meet you for coffee if they're freelance) and spend ten minutes looking at your hair, talking about your wedding, and giving you their best advice. If you two experience similar a fit, and then yous book a paid trial. If you don't, you motion on, no harm no foul. A free consultation is manufacture standard, and more than that, industry advised.

Find a Cost That Makes you Feel comfortable.Yesenia's most bones advice is this: the amount yous spend on a stylist should never make y'all feel uncomfortable. At that place are stylists at almost every toll point, with the more than expensive ones being more experienced. So if an amount y'all're quoted doesn't piece of work for you, keep looking (and never experience shamed into thinking DIYing your hair and makeup isn't an option).

three. Travel Pricing. For me to not feel ripped off—particularly in the wedding manufacture—I always need to accept unbiased information on what to wait. Here was Yesenia's break down. If you need a stylist to come to you (early morning wedding ceremony, remote wedding, y'all'd just prefer it that manner) expect to pay as much as double their normal in salon cost, plus mileage for the stylist. As a business concern owner, my communication is this: instead of thinking of information technology as a huge markup, think of the price you get in-salon equally a markdown because all the overhead and logistics and travel are otherwise taken intendance of.

four. The Bride's hair is more expensive (simply probably not for the reason you remember). If you lot're looking to go your ladies' hair done, expect bridesmaids, moms, and other loved-ones hair to exist priced at about half what your hair costs. This isn't a random bridal markup, this is because the stylist is going to spend more time and care on your hair than on anyone else's. Yes, that's because she wants to make information technology as perfect as she can for yous (because damn information technology, it'due south your hymeneals day). But it's as well because she'southward going to invest fourth dimension in making sure yous feel emotionally taken intendance of. If yous're not feeling your hair, she's going to change it, or start over, or do what information technology takes. (Editor's note. I said, "Oh, I'chiliad sure the bride is unremarkably the most emotionally draining person of the agglomeration to piece of work with anyhow." And Yesenia gives me a blank, jaded expect and said, "Try the bridesmaids.")

5. Not pushy. More like Loving. I often point out that you spend a ton of time on your wedding 24-hour interval with your photographer, and they should really be someone you like. The same holds for your stylist. You spend less fourth dimension with them, but they're running the show while y'all get set, and get centered. They should be someone who makes you feel comfy, cared for, and confident. Yesenia emphasized that they should be informed, but not pushy. You lot're looking for someone who tin give y'all professional advice. "I think this or this would look swell. I'll do that if y'all want it, but here are my reservations about that style," is far more helpful than, "I'll do whatsoever you lot want." But they should never force their opinions on you. If yous say you don't like something, they should immediately respond, and endeavor to find something you do honey. And on the 24-hour interval of, as they're doing your hair, they should tell you what they're doing each footstep of the fashion, letting you sentinel, and ask questions and propose changes every bit needed. Yous know the TV makeover shows where they exercise your hair and then plow you around for the big reveal? Fun on Goggle box, only terrifying on your wedding day. On your wedding day you should feel informed and empowered. And pretty as shit.

And finally. I've run that "$300, no $800" quote past several stylist friends at present. Every unmarried one of them has looked horrified. Non simply at the $800-for-simply-me thing (though they seem displeased with that as well), but generally at the fact that someone tried to change their toll, once they'd quoted me. That, apparently, is non professional behavior. And so if it happens to you, skip the crying, and go direct to "side by side, please."

What take you learned about hiring a wedding stylist or DIYing your hair and makeup? What did you go right? What mistakes do y'all desire to salvage someone else from? Dish.