Happy Wedding Wednesday, friends! This week, I’m addressing a question brought up in the private Facebook group for our brides and grooms by one of our October brides: “How many make-up/hair trials should I go on? I am a little picky about make-up, but the trials are also really expensive! It is normal to go on more than one?
And the first thing I thought of was ooh – Jen will have all kinds of tips for hair and makeup for our #ADSbrides!
Meet Jen
[ezcol_2third]Let me introduce you to my friend Jen Martens, the talent behind the chair at Jen Plus Colour. Jen is my go-to gal in the desert for hair and makeup – I just adore her. She’s quickly become a friend of mine, and someone I will refer everyone to for their wedding or session (and she’s also great at the salon for cuts, colors, etc.). Jen has been in the industry for 14 years, doing typically over 60 weddings a year. Yeah, she’s just amazing – and she absolutely recommends trials for her brides. She said, “… doing a hair and makeup trial is SO important. As a professional, I need this time to note down the specifics; Do you like brown eyeliner or black eyeliner? Do you like your ears showing or covered? Does your hair go flat really easy or does it hold a curl? Etc.”[/ezcol_2third] [ezcol_1third_end]
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So when I asked Jen about doing multiple trials, she said: “A second trial? These are typically not necessary. I have done one or two second trials in all of my years. Please remember: a wedding hair and makeup trial should not be where you see if you like your artist’s work. That is what their portfolio is for! Do you have a photographer take a few pictures of you before your wedding before you make a decision to hire them?! No, you see their portfolio and can tell right away if you like their work!”
I would also add that trials are also a good opportunity to see how well you mesh together – just like with a photographer, you want to make sure you actually like the person and can get along with them. You’ll be spending time with these people on your wedding day – so you want to make sure you like being around them. The less stress on you = the happier you’ll be, especially on your wedding day. If you just don’t jive with the hair and makeup artist – it’s simple: don’t hire them.
Jen agreed, saying, “Make sure you LOVE the artist’s work and it is similar to the look you are going for. Bridal stylists are not one size fit all and they DO specialize in particular looks. For example; Are looking for a super structured updo and the stylist’s portfolio doesn’t have one? Do you want a cut crease and heavy contouring and the artist has only images of natural work? Your professional should be branding themselves with the style they specialize in. They may be capable of creating that different look and you may need to ask. But keep in mind that if they don’t do a lot of it. It isn’t their specialty! Make sure you have communicated with the professional before you meet in person. Don’t rely on a friend or coordinator to do all of this for you! Keep in mind that you will be spending a lot of time on your wedding day with this person. Your wedding day hair and makeup artist should make you feel comfortable and at ease. They should be easy to talk to and fun to be around. You will regret working with someone that you don’t like!”
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[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_2third_end]So while making sure you get along and loving their portfolio is super important, Jen’s last piece of advice is vital: “Make sure to read their reviews and recommendations!! This applies to ALL your wedding professionals. You only have one shot at your wedding day and you should work with pros that do weddings (and lots of them).” (For example: you can see Jen on Yelp, and Wedding Wire). Ask for recommendations from wedding planners and your other vendors, too! Remember: we’re all here to help you and we’ve worked with a lot of vendors, and are always happy to refer the ones who we know will take care of you on your big day.
I asked Jen if she noticed any big trends lately, and she said it’s [/ezcol_2third_end]all about brides embracing their individual style. “I love that brides who wear their hair down everyday are choosing to forgo updos and brides who love wearing a signature lip are wearing it on their wedding day as well. It’s totally on trend to take your everyday style and amp it up.”
Individuality: now there’s a trend we LOVE!
Until next week! xoxo
Do you have a question for Jen about hair and makeup?
Ask away in the blog comments!
Photos of Jen by Nancy Zinzun.
