How to prepare for your Bridal Makeup Trial

Knowing how to prepare for your bridal makeup trial is important, so that you get the best experience possible, ahead of your big day.

As professional makeup artists, we believe preparing for your bridal makeup trial is just as important as the trial itself.

Every bride wants to look stunning on her big day, so your makeup trial is an important part of your wedding planning journey. It’s your chance to try out looks and find what works for you and your wedding, avoiding any potential disasters and giving you a good idea of how you’ll look.

But what should you expect? And what prep should you do beforehand?

Read on for our tips on how to prepare for your bridal makeup trial…

  1. Buy your dress

If you haven’t done this already, then hold off on booking a makeup trial just yet. The style and colour of the bridal gown you choose will dramatically affect your hair and makeup style choices too, so make sure you’ve got your gown, and any accessories you’re having, all sorted. Don’t forget to take pictures of your dress with you to your trial too.

  1. Check out your Make Up Artist (MUA)

When looking at MUAs, check out their portfolio to make sure you like their style before you contact them. So they can give you detailed quotes and info, you’ll also need to let them know your wedding date, the number of people having makeup, where you’ll be getting ready and what time everyone needs to be ready by. Finally, when you actually meet them, make sure they’re someone you can get along with; after all, you’re going to be sharing your space with them on the morning of your wedding!

  1. Allow plenty of time

We don’t just mean for the appointment itself, but also in terms of how long before the wedding too. Three months beforehand should be ample time, even if the trial doesn’t go well and you need to book another one. As for the appointment itself, you’ll be trying different looks, which takes longer than usual, so make sure you allow enough time for it to not feel rushed.

  1. Look for inspiration

Scouring Pinterest, bridal magazines and blogs for wedding makeup looks you like is a must. MUAs aren’t mind readers, so having an idea of what you like (and even what you don’t like!) is incredibly helpful. Also, if you like a lip colour in one image and the eye makeup in another, feel free to bring a collage of pics with you, so your MUA can create one cohesive look from what you’ve found.

  1. Be realistic

While images in magazines and online are a great source of inspiration, they can create false expectations, as many people don’t realise they’re often airbrushed or photoshopped to the hilt! What looks like a light, ‘no makeup’ look in an image often takes a lot more makeup to recreate in reality, which is important to bear in mind, particularly if you’re not used to wearing a lot of makeup.

  1. Be prepared for detailed questions

Any MUA worth their makeup brushes will ask you lots of questions about the details; everything from the style and colour of your bridal gown, bridesmaids’ dresses, flowers and colour scheme, to product allergies and what your mum’s wearing! Having an overall picture of what your wedding is going to be like will really help your MUA plan what products and colours to use for you and anyone else having makeup on the day.

  1. Do your ‘face’

Sometimes the most helpful thing for an MUA is to see what you look like in makeup YOU feel comfortable in. So while you might think it’s tempting to turn up au-naturel, ask your MUA if they’d prefer you to wear what you normally do, and then they can work with it and enhance it so that you look your most fabulous for your wedding day.

  1. Prep everyone else!

Chances are you won’t be booking makeup trials for your bridesmaids, but if you’re paying for their makeup to be done on your wedding day, make sure you tell them and your MUA if there’s a specific look you have in mind. You’ll also need to let your MUA know about any of their allergies and specific product requirements too. Forewarned is forearmed after all (and avoids any on-the-day awkwardness for everyone!).

  1. Wear it pale

Please don’t wear a comfy dark-coloured top or hoody to your makeup trial! While we love a hoody (who doesn’t!), the style, neckline and probably colour won’t be anywhere near what you’ll be wearing on your wedding day. So, pick a pale or light-coloured top in a dressy or smart-casual style and wear that instead. It’ll reflect the daylight on to your face, which is what your wedding dress will do as well.

  1. Take a friend

There’s nothing quite like the honest opinion of a trusted friend that knows you well. They’ll be able to tell if you’re comfortable, they know what looks great on you (and they’ll tell you so too!) and they’ll give you a confidence boost too. Plus, it’s a lovely girlie experience to share with your closest mate – you could even make a day of it!

  1. Have your treatments done

If you get lash extensions, brow grooming, or self-tan treatments (for example) done on a regular basis, make sure you book your trial for just after your appointments, so your MUA can get a true picture of what you look like every day. MUAs won’t bring their entire kit with them everywhere, so while small adjustments can be made, chances are you having a deep golden tan for your wedding day when you’re normally pale and interesting is going to throw your whole look out.

If your wedding has two brides, we clearly need to have two separate wedding makeup trials, so you don’t see each other. Let us know if that’s something you need.

So those are our top tips on how to prepare for your bridal makeup trial

Here’s a handy checklist of what to bring:

  • Photos of your wedding dress (and swatches if you have them)
  • Makeup pics for inspiration
  • Details, samples and swatches of bridesmaids’ dresses, flowers, colour scheme etc.
  • Details of and allergies for you and anyone else having makeup done on the day, and any products or brands you like or want to avoid.
  • A notebook to jot down skincare tips, ideas etc
  • A trusted friend for their honest opinion
  • Headshots of anyone else having their makeup done (or email them afterwards)
  • Your phone – you’ll want to take pics of what you’ll look like!
  • The means to pay a deposit and secure your date if you haven’t already

Finally, and we can’t stress this enough, don’t be afraid to speak up!

It’s your trial, your face, and your wedding, so please do speak up if you don’t like something, or want to change something – your MUA will appreciate it, and so will you if it makes you look even more amazing!

At Helena Victoria we love making brides look and feel their very best on their wedding day, so feel free to take a look at our portfolio and our services, or get in touch for a chat.