How to prepare for your bridal beauty team
The morning of your wedding day should be filled with excitement and anticipation for this momentous day, but it can also be a little daunting and hectic to think of all the ways to prepare for it. The goal is to create a relaxing, organized, and spacious space where your team can work their magic but know your not alone; your beauty team is also there for you to help contribute to this goal because lets me honest—no one wants to feel stressed on your wedding day!
So here are a few ways on how to prepare your home, bridal suit, hotel room and bridal party, to create smooth vibes only and get you pumped to walk down that aisle!
1. Choose a Spacious, Well-Lit Room
You want to make sure your bridal room has plenty of space for everyone to spread out. It doesn’t have to be a huge ballroom – but having enough room for your hair and makeup team, you, your bridal party, and a few extra helpers is crucial. Bonus points if your suite has large windows for natural light! Good lighting is essential for makeup application (no one wants to be surprised by dim lighting when they see their look for the first time). But don’t fret if the lighting is not epic; your beauty team is always well prepared with their own portable lighting system to light you up.
2. Clean Up and Declutter
A tidy room can make all the difference when you're getting ready. A clutter-free space helps everyone stay calm and organized. Take a few minutes the day before to tidy up or ask your venue to make sure the space is neat. Having your beauty team arrive to a cluttered work space will take time away from getting yourself and bridal party ready, as they will have to prepare and tidy up their work space before setting up with their kits and tools. Even with buffer times in place throughout your morning schedule, you wouldn’t want to use that time for your artist to be cleaning but more for unforeseen delays that can pop up throughout the morning; A.K.A —- bridesmaid slept through their alarm.
3. Make Sure There Are Plenty of Power Outlets & Table Space
You might not think about it right away, but your hair and makeup team will likely have several tools to be plugged in and a much bigger kit set up than you imagined. A spacious flat table top for kit set up, outlets for hair dryers, curling irons, straighteners, and makeup lights will all need to be taken account for. Make sure there are plenty of accessible outlets, and if needed, bring additional power bar/cords so no one is left scrambling for an outlet. Bi-fold tables, are great to have on hand to set up, as these are perfect for your beauty team to set up on, with ample space.
4. Comfortable Seating for You and Your Bridal Party
You’ll be in the chair for a while, so comfort is key! Make sure there’s a comfortable, sturdy high bar stools for makeup and a comfortable standard size chair for hair. Studio/Actor chairs can be rented for extra comfort and style but if you are getting ready at a hotel or entertainment venue, ask the day before for appropriate chairs to be brought to your room or space to be ready and set up for the morning. Let’s also not forget about your bridal party or additional guests – have extra seating available so everyone can relax while they wait for their turn and enjoy a mimosa. Consider having cushions or cozy blankets available for added comfort!
5. Plan for Your Bridal Party's Hair and Makeup Timing
If you have a large bridal party, it’s important to coordinate everyone’s timing. Provide this timeline to your beauty team in advance so they know exactly how to coordinate your day and who is of upmost importance to be completed first. Of course, when i say that you would think— well the bride would go first, duh? but that’s not always the case! Typically a beauty team would coordinate the morning schedule with the bride being processed second to last. This is to allow the bride to sleep in, relax, do her morning routine with ease, grab a coffee, a bite to eat, answer coordinator/vendor questions and handle the tiny details before settling into the beauty chair uninterrupted. Who goes first can very by the day of schedule, photography schedule or other traditional ceremonies that may take place that morning but typically; the Maid of Honour and mother/mother in law of the bride would settle into the first act of the beauty schedule. Mums are so excited for their daughters and sons wedding day, that they typically like to be done their hair and makeup early so they can get back to helping prepare for the wedding day and host family and friends that they probably haven’t seen in quite some time. It’s always great to have your Maid of Honour done earlier so she can help later in the day; answering questions and ironing out minor details, so you, the bride, can have a calm uninterrupted time getting ready. This is also pivital for your artist and hair stylist in getting you ready on time without delays. The more you are interrupted and need to get out of the chair to assist with last minute details, it will delay your processing and the artist work flow.
6. Organize Your Bridal Party's Hair and Makeup Expectations
Every member of your bridal party has their own style preferences – from the amount of makeup they want to the type of hairstyle they like. A few weeks before the wedding, ask your bridal party to share their makeup and hair inspiration photos and any specific requests with you. Creating a Pintrest board with sub categories for each member of your bridal party is a great and easy way to show your beauty team the hair and makeup inspiration your bridal party is looking for. The inspiration photos do not need to be EXACTLY the look you like or want but give examples of the intensity, style and colour pallet you like and want to see. This will help your makeup and hair team prepare accordingly, save time on investigating each look and make sure everyone feels confident and ready to feel extra beautiful for the day.
7. Prepare a Touch-Up Kit for Everyone
You’ve got your wedding day look locked down, but your bridal party might need a few quick touch-ups throughout the day. A small touch-up kit with essentials like lipstick, hairpins, powder, and hairspray for your bridal party will keep everyone fresh. You can ask your makeup artist or stylist what products are best for this and have them ready to go in a designated area. Makeup teams, usually will give a touch up lip kit of the colour they used for each bridal member they process but it’s also a cute touch to have a lipstick touch up gift for each bridesmaid. Some bridal teams would also have touch up kits for purchase that you can ask to have prepared for your bridal party and take the stress off yourself with preparing touch up bags for everyone.
8. Stock Up on Snacks and Hydration
Getting ready can take a few hours, so make sure your bridal suite is stocked with snacks and plenty of water. Fruit, granola bars, or light bites are great options. Stay away from anything too heavy (like greasy foods) that might make you feel sluggish. Keeping everyone hydrated and energized will make the whole morning feel smoother and more enjoyable. Makeup and Hair Artists are work-a-holics and often forget to stop and take a sip of water or a quick bit; if its possible in your morning schedule, add a 5- 10 minute break for your team to eat and hydrate. If not, offer water, coffee or a small plate of nibbles that they can graze on throughout processing. Asking and providing dietary alternatives to your beauty team is always so appreciated and really makes them feel cared for.
9. Have an Extra Mirror Handy
Having extra mirrors in the room for both the bridal party and the hair/makeup team is essential. Your beauty team will need a larger mirror for styling, but smaller handheld mirrors can be great for everyone to check their look once they’re ready. It’s a small detail, but having enough mirrors can save a lot of time when it comes to making adjustments and checking the final look.
10. Set the Mood with Music
Music sets the tone for the day. Whether you want to play calming tunes to relax or upbeat songs to get everyone excited, a good playlist will help everyone feel at ease. You can even ask your bridal party to contribute their favourite songs to a playlist, making it a collaborative and fun start to the wedding day.
With these simple yet effective tips, you’ll be well on your way to a smooth, stress-free wedding morning. When your beauty team arrives, you’ll be ready to sit back, relax, and enjoy the magic as they work their magic – leaving you looking absolutely stunning for your walk down the aisle.
Happy wedding day prep!
“Your beauty team is with you every step of the way to help you prepare, relax and enjoy every moment taken, to get you to the altar”
— Sam Lee
