CONTACT

HOME

LOGIN

MY ACCOUNT

THE BIBLE

finding your stylists

It’s exhausting and sometimes, downright depressing. But then, just when you begin to lose the last semblance of hope, you find the person who makes you feel your best. The person who gives you exactly what you’ve been looking for. The person you want by your side on the biggest day of your life. You find your hair/makeup stylist. Did you think we were talking about anyone else?

YOU SPEND FOREVER SEARCHING AND SEARCHING, EXPERIENCING EVERY EMOTION IMAGINABLE: INFATUATION, LOVE, HEARTBREAK.

finding "the one" can be tough

The information that can lead you to having the healthiest skin and hair of your life, you can start thinking about how you're going to show all that beauty on the big day. That means finding a team that makes you shine (in like, a dewy way, not a greasy on).

NOW THAT YOU'RE ARMED WITH ALL THE INFORMATION...

Plan Ahead

While booking your stylists doesn’t necessarily need to be the first thing you do after becoming a fiancé, it should be pretty high up on the list. Once you officially book your venue, you should begin reaching out to pros (don’t bother doing so before, since the stylists need your date and location to properly quote pricing). 

Compile a list of the necessary information for the stylists: date, venue or getting ready location, number of people they would be styling, and budget. Which reminds us…

figure out your budget

Hiring people to help you feel your most beautiful doesn’t need to break the bank- there are insanely talented artists in every price range. Never let anyone make you feel weird about how much or how little you choose to spend on your day of beauty. It’s a personal choice, so just find the amount that you feel comfortable spending on this particular facet of wedding planning, and never give it a second thought. No judgment or bride-shaming here! 

We will, however, judge AND bride-shame you if you believe the myth that you should barter with your beauty pros. Plenty of blogs out there claim that we quote high prices just so you can negotiate them down. We promise that this is a damn myth and you should never, ever do it. Our rates are based on a combination of our experience, education, and products, and factor in things like health insurance (we self-employed people don’t work for the man!), saving for the future, and so much more. We are not street vendors, so do. not. haggle. 

If you genuinely love someone’s work that is out of your price range, it’s okay to be open and transparent with them. Explain why you love their work and what makes you want to work with them, and they will let you know if they’re able to fall within your budget. Just keep in mind that beauty professionals can sniff out a price shopper a mile away (you’ve been warned). 



Gather Referrals 

We know this seems obvious, but people seem to get stressed about wedding planning stuff and immediately forget that they know someone who was recently in a wedding. Reach out to friends, family, co-workers, even that girl from high school who you occasionally stalk on Instagram and just posted a gorgeous bridesmaid photo. This is the best way to get recommendations and first-hand knowledge of what it’s like to work with a beauty professional. 

That applies to you too: If you’ve recently been in a wedding and loved your hair and makeup, ask the bride who her vendors were! We can’t tell you how many past bridesmaids reach out to us for their own weddings (it’s the best feeling ever).

Don’t feel pressured to hire someone based on a recommendation. If your cousin raves about her hair stylist but you absolutely hated the way she looked on the big day, don’t hire her stylists.
Don’t be afraid to slide into someone's DMs. See someone's glam that you LOVE tagged in a vendor’s photos? Be bold and shoot your shot! If that weird guy you met at a bar 3 years ago isn’t afraid to put himself out there, you shouldn’t be either. If you need a refresher on how to properly stalk social media, find our stalking section on our "gathering inspiration" page. 
 

reminder

  • Other wedding professionals are a great resource to find stylists! Your photographer has probably watched hundreds of beauty teams do their thing while capturing getting ready shots, so they’ll be able to tell you which are problem-solvers and which are just plain problems. Your planner can tell you which teams are a breeze to contract with and which ones will make you late to your First Look. Your venue will be able to tell you who is professional to work with and who’s a nightmare. When in doubt, ask the wedding experts! 

  • Love it or hate it, we are all living in a digital age with tons of information at our fingertips. Use it to your advantage by reading reviews of every beauty professional you’re considering working with to get a real sense of what the experience will be like. Most stylists will have a profile on The Knot, WeddingWire, or Style Me Pretty (or all three), so these are great places to start. 

  • Pro tip: Don’t just look at the rating each stylist has; actually read the comments from past brides. To be honest, it’s not that hard to get a blanket 5-Star review. It is hard to receive a less than perfect rating and handle it with grace. Search for reviews from a not-so-happy client, and listen to what went wrong and how the stylist responded. Trust us, these will tell you so much more than a perfect score will. 

  • Not every beauty professional has a website, but if they do, use it! A stylist’s website is a great way to get a sense of who they are, what they do for their clients, and how they run their business. 

ask your vendors

Read Testimonials
AND Reviews 

Very Important PSA:

CONNECTION IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS TALENT. 

If you hire the best makeup artist in the world but you can’t stand her, it doesn’t matter how pretty she makes you look. The scowl on your face from having spent all morning with her will negate all that beauty (okay maybe not negate it, but you won’t feel your best and that would suck). That’s why it’s so important to find someone you vibe with. 

ENERGY IS EVERYTHING

If you know you’re an anxious person and will probably be feeling a little stressed the morning of, look for artists with a calming presence. Or, if you want the morning to feel like a pump up party, search for a stylist who will match that energy. 


Make sure you feel comfortable asking questions and speaking freely with your stylists. You don’t want to feel awkward speaking up and end up walking down the aisle with a hairstyle you don’t love. It’s so important that you feel heard, cared for, and confident when talking to your stylists. Be sure to schedule a call or video meeting before officially booking so you can get a sense of their vibe (and to confirm they’re not a serial killer).

PREVIOUS

NEXT