If you’ve booked a makeup artist for your wedding I’m sure you’ve already saved a dozen inspiration photos of your vision; but you may not know what else you can do to before the wedding day to ensure you’ll get the epic look you’re dreaming of. New England makeup artist, Jennifer Viveiros of Jennifer M Viveiros Studio shared a few tips for you to set your artist and yourself up for the best wedding day makeup experience, and I’m sharing them with you today!

1. Have a trial 1-3 months before the wedding day

“Have a trial 1-3 months before the wedding day for a more accurate representation of your final look. Having the trial a year out isn’t beneficial for anyone, it’s just too far out. A artist’s kit and skill level changes frequently, skin care treatments will have time to take effect, and colors, attire, and over all style will be finalized. Besides all that, an in-demand artist will book up quickly and may not provide trails that far out. Look at reviews, consult with other trusted vendors (wedding planners) and look over a portfolio! That is what will help you make a decision on which artist is right for you. You don’t necessarily need a trail to decide that. Do your research!”

2. Consider table space and lighting

“You will be shocked by how much table space we need. This is not your average makeup bag – this is literally luggage filled to the brim with product. An end table is just not going to cut it. If you are not booking a wedding suite or conference room, make sure you have plenty of room for all these extra people. Also, most artists bring lighting but absolutely nothing beats natural light. Setting up near a natural light source is always best!”

3. Timing is everything

“Today is most likely not the day you are gonna sleep in, especially if you are doing a first look. Most wedding timelines are at minimum 4 hours – 6 hours depending on your headcount. If you want that beautiful makeup you see in an Instagram post, it’s going to take time. 45 minutes per person is typical, even for the most natural look. The last thing you want is to feel rushed the morning of your wedding – it sets the tone for the whole day. It is always better to be early than late – always! Also, marriers almost always go second to last…not last. Again, the last thing you want to do is rush and miss out on the florals arriving, speaking with your photographer and hanging out with your party those last precious moments of your morning.”

So take it from Jennifer – trial timing, your getting-ready space and your wedding day timeline are all important factors in getting the killer makeup experience you’re going to want on your wedding day. And if you want to make sure your timeline works seamlessly across your entire vendor team you can head over to our planning services and we will make damn sure it does.