When's the best time to have your bridal trial? I always advise that the ideal time to hold your trial is 3-4 months before your wedding day so you should somewhere around 12-16 weeks ahead of the big day. There are a few reasons for this.
We recommend scheduling your beauty run-through about three to six months before your wedding day so that you have time to make any changes if you need them. To help, we tapped pros for their best wedding makeup trial and wedding hair trial tips.
Brides ask me all the time when they should have their hair cut and colored before their wedding, and usually recommend about 2 weeks before your wedding. This ensures enough to time to fix any color if it's not exactly what you wanted, and it's not too long so there won't be any grow out at your roots.
Bridal hair and makeup are purposefully scheduled about midway through the wedding beauty timeline.
If you are unsure of the makeup style you are looking for, this will give you the perfect opportunity to see what you like or do not like. It will give a baseline of what adjustments need to be made for the wedding day. A trial is a perfect opportunity to get to know your artist's personality and skill level.
The cost of a makeup trial can vary greatly depending on the makeup artist's experience, as well as the location they serve. With that in mind, average costs do fluctuate between $50 to $200-plus, but a general rule of thumb is that the trial should never be more than half of the wedding day price.
This one is up to you. We understand you might feel awkward about not tipping, knowing this person is going to be with you on the wedding morning and this could impact their opinion of you, but don't fret. “Tips are always nice and appreciated but never expected,” says Claire. “It's completely up to the individual.
If you have your heart set on a certain hairstylist or makeup artist, it's never too early to reserve your date! Many artists book out a year in advance.
We're not saying you should wear your wedding gown to your trial but we do recommend that you dress for the occasion. Wearing a blouse or dress that has a similar neckline to your gown can help narrow that disconnect and help you visualize your completed look for your wedding day.
Newlyweds: 60 to 90 minutes. Wedding Party: 45 minutes. Mother of the Bride and Mother-in-Law: 30 to 45 minutes. Others: 30 to 45 minutes.
Don't Try Out New Beauty Treatments
While these treatments can be beneficial to the skin, the truth is that they can be harsh and everyone's skin will react differently. It's never a good idea to try out a treatment that is brand new to you right before an important event.
Of course, you'll have to pay to have your hair and makeup done, but it is certainly worth it. The average wedding hair and makeup cost in the U.S. is around $300, but typically ranges from $150 to $600 depending on both your location and the intricacy of the wedding hair or makeup style you'd like.
Getting your makeup done first is a great way to start getting ready, however, there are a few things to keep in mind for the best results: Hot styling tools: If you're opting for a heat-free wedding hairstyle, getting your makeup done first is a great option.
We're talking at least a year. If you don't have that kind of time, it never hurts to ask about availability, but don't get your hopes set on any one photographer. Thankfully, there are a plethora of options out there to choose from, so you won't go without a photographer—even if your engagement is on the shorter end.
It's definitely a great way to help determine your PERFECT hair and makeup look, as well as find the best artist for the job! It can only help ease your mind, and enable you to feel confident and look your best on the wedding day!
A great compromise is to split the costs between the bride and the bridesmaids. For example, the bride could cover the hair services while the bridesmaids pay for their makeup, or vice versa. This approach balances the financial responsibility and makes it more manageable for everyone involved.
Plan for all hair and makeup services to finish at least 2 hours before the ceremony. This allows time for last-minute adjustments and ensures everyone is ready to go.
Ideally, we recommend scheduling your hair and makeup trial about three to six months before your wedding day; we call this timeframe the sweet spot! This timeline provides ample opportunity to make any necessary adjustments and to also not make you feel rushed.
Don't Forget to Tip. Even if you do several trials with different stylists and makeup artists before you make your final decisions, it's important to tip each one after every service (about 15 to 20% is appropriate for both the stylist and their assistant). Be sure to tip them after the big day too.
Will one hair trial usually be enough? I book one look per appointment, usually lasting for about two hours. Or I charge per style if the bride would like to book more time in one session. I've also had brides schedule two trials on two different days so they can really get a feel for each of their looks.
Scheduling the trial around 1 to 3 months before the wedding should provide you with enough time to get everything perfect for the big occasion. It may be worth waiting until AFTER you have your dress chosen. This will allow for the makeup choices to fit with the style of dress and avoid unfortunate clashes.
Book in for your final colour 1–2 weeks pre-wedding. Your timeline may vary depending on what you've done. For example, darker colours and lowlights or temporary colours will fade, so you may want to push things closer to the wedding date; on the other hand, highlights tend to look best after two or three weeks.
Trial Runs: Many brides opt for a trial run to see how their hair and makeup will look on the big day. This helps make any necessary adjustments ahead of time. The average cost for a trial run is about $75 per service.