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Although it may be one of the least expensive costs in your budget, hair and make-up is certainly something you don’t want to breeze past. Feeling comfortable and confident in your skin on your wedding day is a big deal and I want you to feel your most
Although it may be one of the least expensive costs in your budget, hair and make-up is certainly something you don’t want to breeze past. Feeling comfortable and confident in your skin on your wedding day is a big deal and I want you to feel your most
be-YOU-tiful.
be-YOU-tiful.
The first (and likely most obvious) opportunity to save money on hair and make-up is to Do It Yourself! Although DIY hair and make-up may feel a little risky or overwhelming, here are some tips you can use if you think doing it yourself might be your best option:
YouTube is your friend…the number of YouTube tutorials on hair and make-up is endless. You can even search for videos as specific as “natural fall coastal wedding make-up” and you are bound to have tons of recommendations pop-up. The same thing also goes for hairstyles. The world is your oyster when it comes to finding a look you want to replicate or even make your very own!
If you're note sure where to start, try this video below and go from there!
Practice, practice, practice!...After you have found your look on YouTube, it is time to practice. If you are not naturally a make-up gal, this part is crucial. Although I do not believe that it takes much practice to accomplish a look you like, I do believe that it takes practice to find confidence in your ability to produce your vision. It is likely that you may be filled with a bit of nervous or anxious energy on your wedding day, so ensuring confidence in your execution will save you a lot of stress and energy on the big day.
Keep it simple…one of the easiest things to do if you are going to DIY your hair and make-up is to keep it simple. And please do not mis-hear me…simple does not mean boring…simple means using the right tools and not over-extending what you are comfortable with. If you want to do a super, complicated braided up-do, but have never learned to French braid, then maybe go for a low bun with several, small 3-piece braids. All this to say, you know yourself, so just trust your judgement
You may need a bit more make-up than you think…Okay reading that, you may be like, “Is Halie suggesting that I need gobs of make-up to look beautiful?” and the answer is “No, absolutely not! You are already STUNNING!”. This tip is simply some advice I received that I thought was helpful. The first reason for this tip is that weddings are long and you want to ensure that your make-up is going to withstand the day including all the sweat, tears, and newlywed kisses <3. The second reason for this tip is because of the all-precious photos that you will be paying an arm and a leg for :P Having well-defined make-up can ensure that you look like the radiant, glowing, beautiful bride you already are. As I alluded to at the beginning, please only take from this tip what is helpful for you. You are already beautiful and you get to decide how you want to look on your wedding day no matter what anyone else suggests (including me too of course!).
What if I don't feel comfortable going the DIY route?
I will be the first to admit that hair and make-up are not my forte, so for those of us a bit less adventurous, here are a few other options...
Ask a Friend
Now if you have read my other post about Friendors, you already know my stance on including friends as vendors during your wedding day...it can be a great option if planned and communicated effectively! Here are a few pointers if you want to have a friend do your hair and make-up:
Pick a friend who is really good at hair and make-up...okay this probably sounds silly, but if you are going to have a friend do this for you, just keep in mind that it should be someone who regularly does their own hair and make-up. Don't let your friend Sue who picks up a curling iron once a year convince you to let her do your hair 😋
Again...Practice, Practice, Practice...I would recommend doing at least two practice runs of both hair and make-up with your friend to make sure y'all are on the same page. Great opportunities for test runs include: bridal showers, engagement parties, bachelorette parties, etc.
Give yourselves PLENTY of time on the day of...I would HIGHLY recommend intentionally building in some buffer time on the day of your wedding. Whether the humidity has changed or maybe your hair just isn't participating, don't add additional stress to your Wedding Day by planning your hair and make-up to tight against other elements of your timeline. Use your two practice runs to get an average time and then multiple that by 1.5 to get the amount of time you should allocate to your hair and make-up on the day of.
Remember touch-ups! Don't forget to add in some time for touch-ups throughout the night and especially before any big photo-ops such as family pictures or sunset photos. Ask your friend to come find you and bring everything they will need to give you a little spruce!
Look for someone new"ish"
Another option for saving money on your wedding look is similar to that suggested in my post on finding the perfect Florist…look for someone who is new-ish and looking to build out their portfolio. I have had great success finding these types of folks on platforms such as Thumbtack and Instagram. One thing to keep in mind when it comes to looking for any vendor, including makeup/hair artists on platforms such as WeddingWire or The Knot is that the vendors on these sites “pay to play”, meaning they pay a fee to have their business promoted on these websites. This model often discriminates against newer vendors who may not have the budget to market on these sites. Therefore, making sure you expand your search to non-traditional wedding websites will help you find folks who may better align to your budget.
Try a Beauty Counter
I may get some flack for this one, but remember we are on the search for BUDGET make-up and hair, so being creative is the name of the game! You may remeber heading to a beauty counter in high school just before Homecoming or Prom to have your make-up or hair done, but did you know you could employ this option for your wedding too. This option is best utilized for folks who live in a metrolpolitan area and are getting married in that same city. I highly recommend that if you go with the beauty bar option that you try it out before your wedding day and preferably try to book the same artist as well! Remeber that if you go this route, you will need to schedule extra time for transportation 🚗
Here are some recommendations on beauty counters to check out:
Sephora (Check out this Wedding Wire forum on Sephora Bridal Make-up)
MAC (Make-up)
Nordstrom (Make-up)
DryBar (Hair)
Have Car, Will Travel
The final option for saving money on hair and makeup is being willing to travel. Many hair and make-up artists often charge a fee to have them come to you. This travel fee can be fairly expensive, so looking for vendors that have studios around your venue or wherever you are getting ready and opting to go to them instead may help you cut the cost of a traditional make-up/hair artist substantially.
Whichever way you decide to go, just know that you are already beautiful! Any hair and make-up additions you elect to add to your wedding day look should be because you (and you alone) want them. The best way to enjoy your wedding, make great memories, and exude joy is to be unapologetically yourself!
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