A wedding hair and makeup trial is offered to help you visualize your look and to give you peace of mind that there will be no surprises come wedding day. Professional hair and makeup artist, Tia, from Beauty Unveiled by Tia, shares everything you need to know to prepare for a wedding hair and makeup trial.
1. When is the Right Time to Schedule a Trial?
“Keep in mind, trials are not mandatory. However, if you choose to do a trial, when to have it done is completely your choice. If you are an early planner and have found your wedding dress and accessories a year before your wedding, you can schedule a trial right away. If you have not, you can schedule up to a month prior to your wedding day. I recommend it to be within the 3-4 month range before your wedding.”
“In terms of exact timing, keep in mind most stylists have their weekends reserved for weddings. So scheduling a trial on a Saturday or Sunday can be very challenging. The best time to book is Monday-Thursday.”
2. How Long Does a Trial Take?
“Although my brides typically know the look they want to achieve, I will book out an hour for each trial service. This allows time to assess your skin/hair to determine the best products and techniques to use to achieve your vision. After the look is completed, we reserve time to try hair accessories and your veil. This is also a time for me to really get to know my clients before their big day. Building that trust and relationship is important.”
3. What should I do to Prepare my Face and Hair for the Trial?
“For your makeup trial you will be asked to come with a clean, moisturized face. We love the idea of having your hair conditioned, however, it is not the best choice for hair trials. Clean, dry, unconditioned hair is ideal. Conditioned hair will not hold a style as well.”
4. Do I need to bring anything to the trial?
“If possible, wear a white or ivory shirt so you can get an overall vision of what your makeup will look like against a color similar to your dress. Bring hair accessories and your veil if you plan on using one. However, if you do not have your veil in time, no worries! We can quickly and easily incorporate it the day of. We have a lot of experience doing this.”
5. Are hair extensions necessary to complete my ideal look?
“Hair extensions are a great option if you want to add volume or length. I recommend purchasing clip in hair extensions from Amazon. They are not going to be the best quality, but that is actually ideal. You will likely only wear these a handful of times so you do not need a high quality hair extension. Less expensive extensions are easier to style because they are not healthy and silky smooth. Do not feel like you need to spend hundreds on hair extensions.”
6. Do I need to purchase my own hair accessories before my trial?
“Hair accessories are often an afterthought. Many brides decide against them because they have already had their hair trial and are not sure what the accessory will look like with the finished style. I recently invested in a variety of hair accessories so my clients can try them out and purchase them at the hair trial. This has been very successful because you can visualize the finished look right then and there. Obviously not every stylist does this. Consider asking your stylist about hair accessories before your trial.”
