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How to Choose a Wedding Make-up Artist


Natural wedding hair and make-up at Wadhurst Castle

The wedding season is nearly upon us and so begins for me, a very busy 6 months. I have been working with brides for over 15 years across the South of England and no two weddings are the same.

Sure there are popular styles of dress each year, a similar colour scheme and hair style but each bridal party is unique and that's what I love about weddings. There is always a personal touch to each one. To me, being able to make everyone, not just the bride, feel gorgeous and confident, makes my job so enjoyable and worthwhile. Having been a bride myself, I know how it feels and how everything comes together in the end even though you worry it will all go horribly wrong! The flowers will arrive, the dress will fit and the guests will turn up. Relax! Have a glass of something bubbly and enjoy the moment.

So how do you choose your wedding make-up and hair artist? You've looked at their website, you like their work but how do you know if they are the right one for you? Which qualities should you look for?

Being Calm & Organised

Look for someone who is calm, organised, works to a schedule and has plenty of wedding experience. Time really does fly by and with the best will in the world, there are always distractions from the morning so you need someone who is able to work efficiently. Make sure there is always contingency time added into the schedule to allow for any disruptions.

A Good Listener

You might have everything planned with regards to the styles you want or you might not have a clue! Find someone who will listen to your ideas but who will also offer advice on what will work for you. Booking a trial is essential as it allows you both to try out different styles until you find the perfect one. Remember styles will often look different in 'real life' but they give you a great starting point and a good hair and make-up artist will be able to work on this to create your perfect style.

Friendly

It's not just about the hair and make-up, working with someone on their wedding day is a very big deal and you need someone who is good with people and will be able to work with everyone in the bridal party, even the trickier ones! As make-up artists, our clients experience is important to us and being part of such a special day is a real privilege so make sure you book someone who will make you feel pampered and gorgeous!

So how do you find out these qualities? I would suggest reading previous brides testimonials in the first instance. Do they tell you anything about their experience? Emails can't always give a true idea of someone's personality so if you're still not sure, have a chat with them on the phone or arrange a chat over coffee. You will also learn a lot about your make-up artist at your trial.

How can you help a make-up artist? Give them as much information as possible about what you like and also what you don't like. It's all very useful. If you have absolutely no idea what you want, don't panic! The trial is perfect for trying styles out and it is amazing how quickly you realise what you like and what you don't like.

Booking a wedding make-up make-up artist can seem daunting but with the right questions asked, you should have no problem finding someone who suits you.

 

I offer wedding make-up and hair services covering Wadhurst and the surrounding areas in East Sussex, West Sussex, Kent, Surrey and London. For more information you can contact me via my website (www.nicoladowney.com/contact-me) or call me on 07771 858410.

 

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