Is a wedding hair and makeup trial necessary and worth it?

You may ask yourself, is it really necessary to have a trial of your wedding hair and makeup? Your chosen hairstylist and makeup artist may be pushing for you to have a trial, telling you that is an important part of your wedding look, but is it really that important or is it just another thing to charge you for?

The short answer is: yes, a trial is an opportunity to have a dress rehearsal of your wedding hair and makeup and iron out all the hiccups before your big day arrives.

When you consider the amount of time, energy and resources that you have invested into planning your wedding, the amount of money that has gone into your wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses, the wedding photographer or videographer, catering etc, investing just that little bit extra time and money into a dress rehearsal of your wedding look really is a good use of resources.

What can you do to make your wedding hair and makeup trial as helpful as it can be?

1. Be clear on what you want.
   Have inspiration images on Pinterest, Instagram, printed, whatever medium it is have a few options to speak to your hair and makeup stylists. By having images of what you are envisioning, the time with your consultant can be as purposeful as possible. You have an illustration of what you are imagining in your head, this takes away the chance that your stylist might interpret the description you give in a way that doesn’t reflect what you want. Be open to suggestions from your stylist, they may have an idea that you haven’t thought of or seen yet.
2. It may also be helpful to explain what you don’t want.
   This may sound counterintuitive, but if you have had an experience where you have looked back on photos and thought ‘I really didn’t like my hair there’ or ‘I don’t look like myself here’, show these photos to your stylists so they can see what it is that they are to make sure they don’t do! Being clear from the beginning will save a lot of time and hassle later on.
   
3. Be sure to have your dress picked out and come with your jewellery and hair accessories to show the stylist and help you picture the whole look together.
   The neck line of your dress will impact what sort of hairstyle is complimentary. For example if you have a detailed neckline with lots of lace and beading, you will probably want to have an up-do, this way you can show off your stunning dress line detailing without your hair detracting from it.
   
4. Schedule your hair and makeup trials on the same day!
   This is important for a few reasons: your stylists will meet each other (if they aren’t from the same company or the same person), you can see the whole look together, your hair and makeup side by side to see how it all fits and you can make changes accordingly.

5. Bring one or two trusted opinions.
   Many professional wedding hair and makeup artists will testify that it adds a layer of stress to what should be a fun, relaxing day, to have the unsolicited opinions of too many people at once. Choose 1 or 2 people, whose opinion and style you really trust to come with you, who are prepared to sit around for a while patiently whilst you get dolled up.
   
   
6. Bring your own makeup.
   If you have sensitive skin and have found the holy grail of foundations, bring this foundation along with you to discuss with your makeup artist, maybe it’s a good one to use on the day too!
   
   
7. Prepare your skin and hair for the trial.
   Come to your trial with clean, moisturised skin and washed hair. You want to be somewhat of a blank canvas for your stylists to work with. Beware to not do something drastic the night before your trial like getting a facial when your skin isn’t used to it! This will ensure your hair and your skin are prepped and ready for the trial.
   
   
8. If possible, have the stylists come to you!
   Wedding stylists are often mobile makeup artists and hairstylists, meaning they will come to your venue on the big day. If you are looking for the best use of your time, get the stylists to come to you. This will save on having to arrange separate trial times for your hair and makeup and will reduce the amount of logistics you have to consider for this appointment.
   

A trial is a chance for you to get all the jitters out, the doubts about your chosen hair and makeup, to see with your own eyes how you will look on your big day. By having a trial you will gain confidence in your stylists having met them in person, you’ll also gain confidence that you’re on the same page after seeing what they can do, discussing it and tweaking your hair and makeup until it is exactly what you’re envisioning! Most hair and makeup companies will offer the trial for free when you book their wedding packages or for a small fee if you haven’t committed yet.

Why not make a day of it, indulge yourself and have fun with your one or two trusted friends, crank open a bottle of your favourite drink and why not plan a date night or night out after you’re done, you’ll be looking fabulous after all!