WEDDING MAKEUP | The ultimate guide to your wedding day makeup

Awww yeah. You've popped the big question. You've saved the date. You and you lurvvvvvve are getting hitched!

As the day draws nearer, you're probably arranging all your kickass vendors, locking in contracts, and having consults and trials where necessary.

But there's one thing you may have overlooked in your quest to get everything done and it's REALLY important: your wedding makeup.

Why is it important?

Your wedding day is likely to be the most photographed day of your life. While the dress, the catering and the blooms are all ultra important things to consider, bridal beauty nees to be high on your list too!

Your wedding makeup is an accessory — except guests are going to be zoning in on your face much, much more. Start thinking about your makeup and hair early on — perhaps right after you lock down your dress. That way your whole entire vibe goes together. Your wedding day beauty requires a certain level of organisation, and the earlier you start to think about it, the less stressful it will be on the day- trust!

Booking a pro vs DIY

Perhaps you're more of a DIY kinda person. Some brides love the idea of having a bridesmaid or friend fix their hair, shoot their pictures, or even doing their own makeup.

Whether you’re enlisting the help of a professional or going down the DIY route, there’s plenty to consider. Some things to really think about and weigh up include the cost of the additional stress and time involved in doing these things yourself. Hiring or using a friends gift or talent for your wedding might not always be desirable. It could cause unnecessary tension in the relationship.

Your wedding day is a time for you to have fun and enjoy yourself. Do you really want to be stressing over a malfunctioning hair straightener or running around frantically trying to secure a false eyelash, while trying to find your fave lipstick amongst all the slight pre-wedding chaos?

It makes sense to leave your wedding makeup and hair in the hands of an expert, with all the best products, tools and techniques to create a flawless look for you on your special day. That way you can sit back and relax knowing that your bridesmaids will be on time, and you get that all-important time to prepare and chill without worrying about a single thing. A makeup artist can take away that added bit of stress that you don't need on your big day, and it's a peaceful timeout for you and a welcome dose of calm.

Your makeup artist will be experienced in making you look great and feel confident on and off camera and will also be using tried and tested, long-lasting waterproof products.

Deciding on your look

So you've decided to book a pro. Well done, your day is about to become a lot less stressful! Once you've booked your makeup artist, it's time to start planning your preferred look, so by the time your trial comes around you are fully prepared.

Gather pictures from magazines or online that you like. Really think about how that makeup will look on you rather than how pretty the girl in the picture looks. You don’t have to like the entire look but you may like the eyes or the dewy skin or the lip colour. It is also really helpful to your makeup artist to know what you don’t like.

The most important thing is for you to feel comfortable and confident on your wedding day.

How to choose a beauty stylist

Finding the right stylist to do your hair and makeup can seem like a marathon effort.

We recommend choosing a team that you trust and vibe with. Book an artist you feel comfortable with, that you communicate easily with and who you feel you can trust. The makeup artist’s first priority is to provide beautiful wedding makeup, for sure- but they should also help to boost your confidence and soothe your raw nerves in those last hours before you walk down the aisle.

In addition to providing beautiful makeup in the style requested, a bridal artist must be mobile, be able to work with unpredictable lighting and space in various settings, remain cool, calm and supportive, and adhere to a tight schedule.

Go through their portfolios and make sure their style matches what you're looking for. Are they experienced with wedding hair and makeup? Having your makeup and hair styled for a wedding or formal event is a specialty. Just as in any profession, makeup artists can specialise in any number of areas. Those who work with brides will understand their particular needs better.

Do you have a large wedding party (4 or 5 or more?) Often it's best to book a separate makeup artist and hairstylist to ensure everyone gets done on time (hair and makeup always takes longer than you think!)

Once you've chosen someone, schedule a trial with them, and book them for your wedding day.

The trial run

Trial runs are a run-through of your wedding day hair and makeup. They give you the opportunity to try out different looks and refine one you like until it’s perfect.

Most stylists charge a fee for a trial run, but it's nominal, and the price is worth it for the peace of mind and knowledge you have locked down that perfect look.

It's an important first step because you need to figure out what look you want and make sure you and your makeup artist are on the same page. The last thing you need is a spur-of-the-moment smoky eye when you wanted a lighter look. It will also be your opportunity to bring in the pictures of styles you love and talk over things you like and dislike with your stylist.

There are tons of questions you're going to have about your wedding day hair and makeup. Deep breaths. By the time you walk down the aisle you are going to look fantastic. And in the meantime, we're here to answer your questions!

Some basic tips for your trial

Bring along some photos of looks that you like and looks that you don’t like. Makeup is a very personal thing and your idea of natural might be very different to your makeup artist’s.

Remember also to be realistic! A lot of photos you see are airbrushed and have the colour enhanced.

Be honest about your expectations and speak up if you don't love the look you end up with. Many brides have more than one trial before they settle on a style they love.

See our trial checklist here!

When to book everything in

Most brides choose their makeup artist and/or hair stylist and book them for their weddings about 6-12 months before the wedding. There's no hard and fast rule to any of this, you just want to ensure you don't miss out on scoring your ideal stylist.

At Killer Queen we generally book 6-12 months in advance, and we book out pretty fast for Saturdays, particularly in peak wedding season.

A basic timeline

6-12 MONTHS BEFORE

Start collecting photos of your favorite wedding hair styles and makeup ideas. Need some help on where to start looking? Read our post on where to find the BEST wedding inspo on the web

12 months up your sleeve? Start thinking about whether you want to grow your hair or make any major changes while you've got time.

12 months before the big day, research makeup & hair pros in your area and get in touch with them to get quotes and check their availability.

3-6 MONTHS OUT

3-6 months before the wedding, finalise your makeup and hair stylist and book a trial run. Pay your deposit and book the wedding day for you and your wedding party.

Consider what other beauty treatments you'll need for the day and book 'em in at least a week or 2 before (eg nails, brow shaping, tan)

BONUS: Killer Queen provide a free beauty prep checklist to all our brides to help plan and get this stuff sorted!

1 MONTH OUT

4-6 weeks before your wedding, get a hair trim. If you straighten or curl your hair professionally, do this at least one month before the wedding so your hair has time to relax.

2 weeks before, get your hair colour touched up. Confirm your hair, and makeup appointments at least a week before the big day.

How to prepare for the day

Staying hydrated

Makeup is a magical thing but it can only do so much. Therefore, you’re going to need to put in some work in the run up to the big day to make sure your skin is looking its very best.

Try to drink 3 litres of water a day for at least two weeks before your wedding and you will notice a vast improvement. Skin will glow from within and you will also see a big difference to the appearance of fine lines and pores.

Up your skin care game

Before you even start to think about makeup, you need to get a good skincare regime in place. This is something you need to start focusing on as soon as you set your wedding date! Get your skin in good condition not only for the big day itself but also for your trial. If you want fresh radiant skin for the wedding, you need to put the work in beforehand. Makeup won’t look as good or last as long on neglected skin. Invest in a toner that will break down the dead and dull layers of the skin and reduce breakouts, followed by a luxurious moisturiser. A good moisturiser is key.

Protect yourself with SPF

You should already be incorporating a good SPF into your beauty routine, but if you're not, now is a good time to start.

What to expect on the big day

Your makeup artist and hairstylist will know exaclty how much time is needed to do your wedding makeup and hair.

At Killer Queen, we always provide our brides with a schedule for their day, so they know where everyone has to be and when.

You can sit back in relax knowing that we're watching the clock to ensure your prep is going to plan, without having to think about it yourself!

We hope this guide has helped you with some ideas to plan your makeup for your big day. These steps will hopefully help you help you hone in on the things that are important to you and provide plenty of inspiration.

Grab a wine and happy planning!

Have a question? Feel free to get in touch with me

I LOVE awesome parties and alternative weddings and know a lot of great wedding vendors that do too!

Making you look and feel amazing on your big day is the core of what I do, and I'd be over the moon to help you out with ideas, beauty prep advice and ways to stay zen on your big day.

Killer Queen are all about modern glam for rebel brides who go their own way, and we’re passionate about creating the perfect vision that speaks to your style and individuality. We pride ourselves on our fun, relaxed and personable approach to your wedding day beauty.

We love meeting hella cool couples who wanna shun tradition and do things their way!

If that's YOU? Get in touch today- we'd LOVE to hear from you about your crazy cool plans!

Click here to browse our wedding day info!

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Hey, I'm Danee!

I’m a makeup & hair artist and all-round creative with a serious cheese fetish and a hankering for tequila. A badass beauty disruptor and educator with nearly a decade of clocked miles in the beauty industry. I’m a playlist ADDICT who also stans for writing, drawing, inhaling 70s design and 90s pop culture; and have a mad love affair for thrift shopping, sleeping, and going on roadtrips!