8 THINGS TO KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO WEDDING MAKEUP

With 15 years of bridal beauty experience under our belt, we have seen it all! For most brides, this is the first time they are ever planning or being a part of a wedding. For us, we have had hundreds of bridal clients, and know what to be prepared for. There are many tips and tricks that can be helpful when planning your wedding and we want to share 8 key things for you to think about when first starting your wedding beauty journey. They may be simple, but they can make a big impact on your wedding day!

1. SAY YES TO HIRING A MAKEUP ARTIST

Do yourself a favor and decide to hire a makeup artist. You might think you can just do your own makeup or have a friend do it on your wedding day, but there are so many things to factor into that decision. Makeup artists have a kit worth thousands of dollars, filled with products that will help you to look your very best. This is our job! When we do makeup for a wedding, we are layering products in a specific way to make you look amazing, not only in person, but also in photographs and on film. An artist can also give you advice on what will be best for your specific features and what colors to use to achieve your perfect bridal look. This is a day that everyone will be looking at you and moments will be captured for a lieftime. Spend the money. Hire the makeup artist.

2. DO YOUR RESEARCH

Not all makeup artists are created equal. Just like any planning you do for your wedding, research is key! It's important to know what kind of look you want for your big day before you start. You want to find an artist that matches your style, and who can follow through with that look. Some artists can do any look thrown at them, and that's amazing! But, it's also rare. Most artists have their specialty down pat. Some artists can whip out a natural bridal look like no other. Others are great at a full coverage look with smokey eye, and lots of color. Take a look at their website and Instagram, if they have it, or even a Facebook page. Read reviews and find out how long they have been in business. Also make sure that they have experience in the procedures of a wedding day. An artist might do amazing work on a single model for a photo shoot, but it's much different when that artist has a timeline to stick to and needs to do makeup on nine girls all while trying to balance different requests and styles. Can that artist survive an eight hour day? Ask around if any friends or family members can recommend someone. Being confident that they can deliver will make you feel so much better on your wedding day!

3. BOOK EARLY

If an artist is good, they will get booked early. We are talking sometimes a year or two in advance! So get on it ASAP! Also, be aware that you might be competing with another bride to book your same date. If you know you want that artist, sign the contract. Of course, do your research and read that contract thoroughly! This will guarantee that they are all yours. If you wait on it, you might have another bride swoop in and sign on the dotted line before you. Ask the artist if they have any other brides asking for that same date. This might help you to move things along faster. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions before signing, but be aware that the longer you wait, the chances of losing that artist might grow. Contact Fresh Face Beauty HERE about booking your wedding makeup

4. SCHEDULE A BRIDAL TRIAL

We can't stress enough how important a bridal trial is. Not only for you, but for the artist as well. That's why at Fresh Face Beauty we require a bridal trial to happen at some point before the wedding. A trial is for experimenting and creating a look that you are happy with! It's also to make sure everyone is on the same page before the big day comes. With that being said, come prepared for your bridal trial. The first thing we ask our bride's when doing a trial is what kind of look are they wanting to create? When the bride comes back with an answer of "I don't know, do whatever" we know there could be trouble. This is your wedding day! You might have spent $50,000 on the venue, flowers, cake, and your wedding dress, but the one thing everyone will be looking at all day is your smiling face. Plus you are going to be photographed! This is your time to dream and feel beautiful. It's also important that you come with 2-4 picture example's of what you want as a starting point. That way you and the artist can have a place to start from for talking colors, what will work best for you, and how you want to feel. (Click HERE for an entire gallery of pin-able wedding makeup inspiration pictures) If you say do whatever, the artist will. And you might not be happy with it. Take the time to research a look you want, and don't be afraid to speak up! At the end of your trial be honest. If you don't like the lip color, say something. If you feel like it's too heavy for your taste, then say it. As artist's, we want to make sure you feel the best you can and are happy. Again, this is the time to get it perfect so on the day of your wedding you look and feel confident.

5. SKIN CARE

A lot of brides feel lost when it comes to skincare and how they can prepare to look their best for their wedding. It's important to consult with an Esthetician in your local area (book a facial with Fresh Face Beauty HERE) six months to a year before your wedding to talk about what products and procedures you will need to get your skin looking it's best. Don't wait until two weeks before your wedding to get your first facial. Your skin needs time to adjust and react to new things. One thing that really makes makeup look flawless is skin that is happy and hydrated. You will need less foundation and concealer to cover up blemishes. Plus your skin will glow from the inside out. Invest the time and extra money on your skin and you won't regret it! We have created the perfect Wedding Beauty Timeline just for you, so you know what beauty routines to implement and when. Click HERE to check it out!

6. SUN TANNING AND SPRAY TANS

Every bride wants to look amazing in their wedding dress, and sometimes that means getting a tan to avoid weird tan lines and to achieve an even skin tone. But, there are a few things to keep in mind before you do this. If you are going to go the route of sun tanning, either outside or in a tanning bed, you want to do it gradually. Don't go sit out in the sun for six hours, three days before your wedding. A sunburn is the hardest thing to color match and cover up when it comes to foundation. Using makeup to cover up a sunburn can irritate the skin and also create an ashy look, especially on the face. Owner Candace Miller once had a bride who went into a tanning bed every day the week leading up to her wedding - her face was literally cracking and bleeding in areas. It was a nightmare to say the least! Be very careful with your skin leading up to your wedding. Also, keep in mind that if you get a spray tan before your wedding, your artist will need to match that color on your face. Be smart and let your makeup artist know if you are doing anything dramatic so we can be prepared with the correct tones to match it.

7. GIVE YOURSELF EXTRA TIME

The morning of your wedding will go by FAST. This is such an important time because it can set the vibe for your entire day. It could be fun and calm or panicked and stressed. What can you do to make sure you achieve wedding morning bliss? Give yourself extra time. We always schedule a 30 minute buffer when creating your wedding beauty timeline right at the very end for touch ups, taking down shine, and adding lipstick. Some brides argue that they don't want to start 30 minutes early, and we get it. That's 30 minutes less of sleep and 30 minutes less time to do stuff, but trust us, it's needed! The morning of your wedding, you will have people asking you tons of questions that you will be pulled aside for. Consider the pause you'll take when the photographer shows up, and answer their questions. You might even have a bridesmaid that shows up late and pushes the entire timeline back. It's an important 30 minutes! Give yourself that grace. If you don't end up using it, that's okay - you now have extra time to relax and drink a mimosa. But if you don't have it, you might feel frantic and regret it in the end.

PS: Don’t put off writing your vows until the morning of your wedding. Trust us. Just dont. haha

8. CONSIDER SOME VIP TOUCH-UP TIME

So, it's your wedding day and you are feeling amazing! Your hair is perfect, the dress fits like a glove and your makeup is on point. You've chosen to do a first look with your fiance before the wedding at 1pm and the wedding starts at 4pm. In between you will be taking lots of photos, maybe shedding a couple tears of joy, and also kissing your hot future partner, all before you even walk down the aisle. Your lipstick is almost all the way gone and you have been sweating because it's a warm day. Don't you wish you could turn to your makeup artist and have them touch you up? No matter how good your makeup artist is, you will sweat, you might cry, you will be talking and laughing and kissing and your makeup will do its best to stay in place, but we can't fight nature. We encourage brides to add keeping their artist to their beauty budget. At the very least, keep them around until you walk down the aisle. Trust us, you will be glad you did when you get your photos back! Click HERE to download our Service and Pricing guide to learn more about what we offer in this area.