Heads Up! Bridal Hair and Makeup

By Robbin Montero

"For brides who have a tendency to cry at the drop of a hat, an excellent remedy for running mascara is eyelash tinting."

Every bride strives to achieve the pinnacle of her beauty at the wedding. Her hair and makeup are the essential components of her picture-perfect appearance.

Are you pondering a French braid, ringlets, or flowing locks? Double-check with your personal hairdresser to see if he or she specializes in bridal hairstyles. If not, seek the services of a hairstylist that does. Ensure that the stylist is available on the day of your wedding and inquire if the styling can be performed on-site. Although more costly, it is worth the added expense, particularly if you are getting ready for the big event at a location such as a hotel, or even your mother's home.

Reserve the stylist and schedule initial hair appointments at least four to six months prior to the wedding. Expect to pay for at least one trial run to allow the hairdresser to experiment with different styles and achieve the exact look you envision for your wedding. It is important to bring your veil or headpiece for each session which you should expect to last one to one and a half hours.

Seek the services of a professional make-up artist who specializes in bridal make-up. Confirm that the artist is available to perform the services on-site, on the day of the wedding. Schedule the required trial run session two to six months before the wedding. Unless you wish to purchase make-up from the artist (if it is available), bring your own cosmetics to the appointments. Make-up will need to be touched up periodically throughout the wedding and reception so be sure to have the same make-up utilized by the professional available for this purpose. Opt for brands that last all day, avoiding anything that produces a caked-on appearance. To get an idea of how your bridal make-up will photograph, ask a friend to snap a few Polaroid shots of you after the hair and make-up trail runs to assure the effect is as dramatic and sophisticated as you had in mind. Remember, to photograph well, you may have to wear more makeup than you do on a day-to-day basis.

For brides who have a tendency to cry at the drop of a hat, an excellent remedy for running mascara is eyelash tinting. Tinting provides a dark appearance, and a thick, full eyelash effect, without the running of mascara.

If you don't already have a regular stylist, elicit recommendations from beauticians and friends to assist in locating a salon that provides both hair and make-up services. Some salons offer group discounts for you and your bridal party, while others will style the bride's hair and apply her make-up for free, or at a discount, if a certain number of bridal party members have their hair done there also. Some brides opt to pay for the cost of hair and make-up as a gift to their bridal party, or to assist in defraying the expenses. Verify the time frame required by the salon to service your entire bridal party. Ensure that ample time is allotted on your wedding day to have your hair styled and make-up applied. Aim for completion at least two hours prior to the ceremony for pictures.

Finally, check with your mother and mother-of-the-groom to see if they would also like their hair styled and make-up applied for the big event. Your flower girl will particularly be pleased if you offer her this special and grown-up treatment.

Pampering yourself for your wedding day will not only be noticed by the camera, but will also be noticed and appreciated by your groom!

Robbin Montero is a wedding coordinator and special events planner in Northern California.

©2007 Robbin Montero
707-579-5886
www.a-dreamwedding.com

This article cannot be reprinted without Robbin Montero's expressed written permission.

Photography: Dennis Urbiztondo