Why Choosing the Right Makeup Artist is One of the Most Important Wedding Day Decisions You Will Make

There’s so many decisions to be made for your wedding! I get it! The venue, the photographer, the planner, the florist, the DJ, the caterer, the dress– the list goes on!

Sometimes it’s hard to know where having your makeup professionally done fits into the mix, and how much of a priority should be placed on booking an artist early in your wedding planning process, and also how much of your budget should be allocated to beauty services.

Here’s my guide to choosing the right makeup artist for your day and why this is one of the most important decisions you will make for your wedding.

Your Face Is the Center of Everything

While that might sound a little daunting, think about it! You will be the center of attention, you will be wearing the beautiful dress, your hair will be gorgeously arranged. Most important, though, your face will be in hundreds of photos that will be shared with friends and family and be keepsakes for years to come.

You are investing thousands of dollars for the most amazing photographer, so make sure that you are hiring someone who can make you look comfortable, elegant, classy, help you look like yourself, and help you feel beautiful in your photos. Don’t skimp on the budget when it comes to the most important subject of your photos– your face!

Your Makeup Artist is the First Vendor You See On the Wedding Day

Imagine your makeup artist walking into your hotel room, 15minutes late, coffee in-hand (had time for that!?). Her makeup doesn’t look so great today, and it really looks like she accidentally slept in and threw together her clothes, hair, and makeup in a hurry. You’ve been checking the clock and had been starting to worry that she wasn’t coming at all. While she’s setting up her kit on the window sill (because she needs the light and didn’t bring one with her), she talks about how she broke up with her boyfriend a couple days ago, and how she’s an emotional wreck. She got in a fender-bender yesterday and now has a bunch of car repairs to pay for… all while slowly going through the motions of doing makeup. Is she going to be able finish everyone on time?

Let’s just stop here! This is so stressful to me, but it’s so common. The cascading effect of a vendor arriving late, bringing their drama into your space, making you more stressed than you already are, leads to a less than amazing wedding day experience.

An artist might be able to do beautiful makeup, but do they also:

• show up on time (early)
• bring the proper equipment (full bridal kit with professional lights)
• look professional (clothes, hair, and makeup tidy at the very least)
• leave their drama at home
• understand and respect that they are in your very personal space

These are the qualities of a vendor that will be an asset to your day and not a drain, and a big part of what you should be considering when hiring a makeup artist for your wedding.

It’s so so so important to vet the first vendors you will see on your wedding day with a phone call or in-person interview. The first few hours of one of the most scheduled days of your life are crucial to making the rest of the day go smoothly, so make sure you hire someone who can really deliver not just the look you want, but the atmosphere in the room as well.

Looking Like Yourself IS Important

Some brides want a more dramatic, made-up look for their wedding, but in my experience, the majority of brides want a “look like myself, but enhanced” look for their day, or a “I woke up like this” vibe.

It’s important that you feel like your best self on your wedding day (the most photographed day of your life)! Whether that’s more glamorous, or the most simple makeup ever, the point is that you feel like YOU!

Keep in mind that the more “natural” and “effortless” the look, the more skill and restraint it takes for your makeup artist to achieve. The most expensive makeup artists in the world are the ones who can do magazine covers with celebrities photographed up close where you can’t even tell that they are wearing makeup, but they somehow look amazing.

An artist who charges budget rates probably won’t have the listening skills to really understand what will make you feel like yourself, or have makeup skills to achieve it for you.

In Summary

Hiring an amazing wedding makeup vendor contributes a great deal to your wedding day.

• They are the first vendor you see
• They set the tone for your whole day
• They contribute to your wedding morning atmosphere
• They bring professional makeup and the light needed to work in
• They provide the most personal service on your day with care and respect
• They listen to your needs
• They have the skill to achieve the natural, effortless look that lasts all day
• They help you feel like your most beautiful self
• They help you feel ready for the most photographed day in your life

For these reasons, it would be a mistake to place makeup services for your wedding at a low priority. Booking early, and budgeting adequately for your beauty services will add so much fun and ease to your wedding day.

If you would like to learn more about how Rachel Jordan Beauty can help create a relaxing atmosphere for your wedding morning (and also achieve that effortless “look like myself but better” look), we would love to talk with you!