Recently, I have been getting a lot of questions regarding trials. This topic has been discussed in a post sometime ago but this is an updated version for the Modern bride.
Your wedding is a memorable day of your life, you want to ensure your day is beautiful and relaxed. An important step to ensuring this? Having your makeup look planned before your big day.
Here are some tips to guide and help you prepare for your Bridal trial.
- Create a mood board of looks that best describes your vision.
From experience, the term ‘I just want to look natural’ can be interpreted in many ways. Natural makeup to one bride may mean using only nude shades and to another bride may mean a soft smokey eye. So images of the look on a bride with a similar skin tone to yours goes a long way to helping the make-up artist understand your concept.
- Research
Very important! Aside recommedations, make sure the Artist has a good portfolio with a variety of “Real brides”. Also check testimonials from their brides.
- Should I have a proper trial to test the makeup before booking the artist?
Only you can make that decision, majority of my brides retain my services before doing the trial due to my limited availability.
- 6 months before the wedding is the best time to have your trial.
I’ve had brides do trials a year ahead but get influenced by trending looks on social media and have another trial a month to the wedding to change the look and then get confused on what look to stick to. I’ve also had brides that book their trials with other makeup artists just a month to their wedding, not happy and call me last minute for a trial but I am not available. 6 months is ideal, that way if you are not happy with the original makeup artist you have time to book another artist.
- Bring only a trusted person on the day.
Please do not take your 12 bridesmaids to your bridal trial appointment! All 12 ladies will have different opinions and this will stress you out. Bring only one person that knows you very well and will offer support during the consultation session.
- The Trial Session
Best time to have your trial is during the daytime when you have sufficient natural lighting. Indoor lighting can be deceiving.
Arrive with your face clear of any makeup, this gives the artist a good base to work on.
Please inform the artist ideally before the date of any allergies to certain products.
Go over the discussed mood board. Please note, a makeup look will not look the same on 2 different brides. Its up to the artist to tailor it to suit your facial features.
Do not be scared to ask questions regarding the look.
After the trial, take pictures in natural light from different angles.
Another tip is to have some bridal accessories like earrings or a veil to wear before taking pictures. This will also help you see how the makeup will look on the wedding day.
Try and wear the look for the rest of the day to test out the longevity of the makeup.
Photography – Aljosa Videtic
- Book the Artist
If you are happy with the session book the artist as soon as possible. Many brides drag this step as they want to test several makeup artists as well.
This is where doing your research comes in handy. It becomes expensive testing out various makeup artist but if you have done a good research, the trial session should be a good one.
- Be open minded
Please be open minded to your artist’s recommendations and suggestions. Sometimes we all get stuck in a particular routine and though it may not be what you do “everyday” remember that a makeup artist do this for a living, having spent thousands of pounds and years in training. They know how certain colors and intensities will read in pictures and how different lighting situations can affect a particular “look”.
We all want you looking and feeling like yourself but with a va va voom effect 🙂