The big day has finally arrived and everything you have been planning finally comes to life! I love my job, and the wedding morning is my favourite part of it all. I always arrive in the morning, greet everyone with a happy smile and get ready to get going. Ideally I set up by a window with the most natural light. I'm rather unflappable and calm and follow my schedule to ensure everything goes smoothly whilst ensuring everyone is having a smashing time. To this day I have never had a wedding morning which hasn't ran to time so rest assured, I got you!

How do CREATE THE PLAN FOR THE WEDDING MORNING?

Your bespoke time plan will be discussed with you fully and created after the trial consultation . I will communicate to you via email with the schedule for the wedding morning so you will have a clear idea of what will be happening. The plan is designed so we have enough time but some leverage too just in case we need it. It will, however largely depends on where you are getting ready, the ceremony time, the number of people wanting makeup and if there is a change of location mid way through. I usually schedule 1 hour for the bride. 45 minutes for adult bridesmaids, 15-30 minutes for junior bridesmaids and 30 minutes for Mother of Bride and/or Groom.

I always keep the last hour free from doing any makeup (except touch-ups) so that you have enough time to get dressed. If you are getting ready offsite in an accommodation away from the venue and travelling to the venue for the ceremony, your time of finish for makeup will differ to allow time to travel. This will be discussed in detail at the trial so that it is relevant to your own personal wedding plans!

The same applies if you are having a “first look” with your partner. Your timings will reflect this - particularly when the bride has her hair and makeup done.

How do timings work with hair?

This all gets discussed at the trial but essentially we will ensure that hair and makeup runs along side by side with minimal disruptions. To allow for a smooth morning we will keep moving if someone isn’t quite ready for their hair/makeup by bringing someone else in their time slot. I find wedding suppliers all just have the same goal in mind, to provide a fun, relaxing morning for you and your girls so we work together to ensure this happens.

which order should i have my hair and makeup done?

This is the most asked question and honestly, there is no right or wrong answer. Usually, people prefer to have their makeup done nearer to the wedding time, however This all depends on what you are planning for your hair as some requires a few steps in the process (for example, a Hollywood wave) and for some it’s done in one go, like an updo. My main rule for makeup is to allow plenty of time for it to settle and your natural glow to come through which plays a big part in the final result, particularly for touch-ups and so for this reason I will never schedule the bride in last on the time plan. Depending on what the hairstylist decides, I usually schedule the bride 3rd or 2nd from last but this will be discussed in detail at the trial and if need be, I will drop a message to the hair stylist directly so we can devise a plan.

WHAT WILL MY BRIDESMAID EXPECT FOR MAKEUP?

I have created a comprehensive document specifically for your bridal party which outlines everything they will need to know, including what to expect, skincare prep, fake lashes and if there is anything they need to make me aware of. This gets sent to you after the trial however in a nutshell, I tend to do a uniform look but I always tailor it to each individual needs as I am conscious and aware that everyone is different. Mothers of Brides also get a unique service so they need not worry about the fear of having heavy makeup applied! You will all look beautiful though and I even pop some glitter and gloss for the flower girls for free.

Should we steam the dresses on the wedding morning?

Ideally, no! Try and get all of this done the night before. Steam plays havoc with hair and makeup and Its really not ideal to be doing this in the same room. If possible, try and steam dresses the night before so you can have one less job to do on the wedding morning.

I have gifts for my girls, when should i give this to them?

It’s really important to factor this in with timings unless you plan to do gifts the night before. If you are planning to give gifts to your girls on the wedding morning, please communicate this with your hair and makeup artist so we can allow some time for minimal disruptions and to stick to the schedule

Any other tips?

Yes, I have loads! I have worked at over 500 weddings, so ether isn’t a single question I can’t answer so I welcome any questions. I appreciate this is unknown territory to most of my brides, so It's really important to me that you feel happy and confident every step of the way so ask away, I will always be as helpful as I can. Alternatively you may find the answers to your questions in my helpful FAQ page.