How do you make sure you gel with the person who is going to sit in front of you for hours creating your dream makeup look for your wedding day? And what do you need to do to achieve your dream wedding makeup look?? That’s where Jane Truong from Makeup by Jane comes in with “Makeup Magic: Choosing A Makeup Artist For Your Wedding” for The Planning Issue.

The number of decisions you have to make when planning your wedding can be overwhelming! Do you know where and how to start planning for your all-important makeup look? I’ve had the honour of being the makeup artist for many brides, I’ve been there for my friends’ wedding journeys and I also got married myself last year. Therefore I would love to share some advice on choosing the right makeup artist and ensuring you are best prepared for your wedding day makeup look.

Image: Erin & Tara / Hair: Hair by JC / Makeup: Makeup by Jane

Research The Makeup Looks They Have Done

Do you connect with the looks in the makeup artist’s portfolio and does it align with what you are envisioning for your special day? Do you prefer a more natural, soft glam, or full glam style? Although most makeup artists can adapt to your brief and tailor it to you, the magic really happens when both your styles fit and mesh well. Choose a style and vibe that aligns with your preferences and what you want to achieve.

TIP: Start this process early! Popular artists can get booked out 1.5-2 years in advance!

Seek Recommendations

Ask your family members/friends/work colleagues. Have any of them had positive experiences with makeup artists and would they recommend anyone? Have you been to any events where you have loved someone’s makeup? Ask away! Recommendations combined with research will get you one step closer to securing the right artist.

TIP: Even though your friend may have loved their makeup, you might have different makeup preferences. So please look carefully through their recommended makeup artist’s portfolio to confirm whether their style aligns with your vision.

Get In Touch With The Makeup Artist

Ask for their availability and pricing to determine whether their services fit your date and budget. Once you have this information, you are in a better position to decide if they are right for you logistically and financially.

TIP: Provide as much information as you can when contacting your artist, such as the getting ready location, number of services, and the time you need makeup completed as this helps the artist provide you with an efficient and accurate quote, minimising unnecessary back and forth communication. The artist needs to factor in travel time as well as the size of your wedding party.

Image: La Moment Photography / Hair: Miss Aimmey / Makeup: Makeup by Jane

Book A Trial

Highly recommended as wedding looks are like no other, so you may be unclear on what your exact requirements are because you’re not used to wearing this much makeup or you may feel like you can go more glam than what you originally thought!  Like your journey in searching for the perfect wedding dress where you try on different styles and make customisations, you should treat your wedding day makeup look similarly! Take lots of photos of your trial makeup, then you can assess if you would like any adjustments on the wedding day.

TIP: Book your trials early as dates within peak wedding and events season get snapped up quickly!

Bonus tip – try to schedule these on the same day as engagement/pre-wedding photo shoots, hens/bridal shower, and/or also when you do your hair trial. To get the most out of your trial, put together your key wedding styling details to share with your artist – include inspirational images of makeup looks, hairstyles, your wedding outfit/s, accessories, and of course, the wedding location – so they can understand your overall vision.

Prioritise Preparing Your Skin Leading Up To Your Wedding Day

At a minimum, be consistent with your daily skincare routine to ensure your skin is in the best condition possible. It may be worthwhile seeing a beauty therapist or incorporating at-home skin treatments to take your skin to the next level. The better your skin, the better the overall makeup look will be (and hold for your long day!).

TIP: Start this process early (4-6 months prior). Do not use anything new close to your wedding day (approximately 1-2 months out) unless it is very gentle and you do a patch test. The last thing you need is any reactions/breakouts occurring close to your wedding day!

Image: Collections Photography / Hair: Koukla Hair Studio / Makeup: Makeup by Jane

Schedule And Set Up For Success

Your wedding day is one of those moments where it feels like if you blink, you will miss it. Therefore it is really important to create a schedule with realistic time frames which include buffer time. Then share the schedule with your artist for their review. The recommendation is for brides to go second last if possible unless there is buffer time (30 minutes or so), as usually towards the end of the getting ready time it gets busy with other vendors like photographers, videographers, florists, stylists, or coordinators requiring your attention.

Another factor to consider is the location you are getting ready in. The space sets the scene and vibe for the start of your day and serves as the background for your getting-ready photos. Choose a room/location that is well-lit and spacious enough to fit a table for your makeup artist’s kit as well as your wedding party members.

TIP: Take in all these moments and have fun while you and your wedding party are getting glammed up! Play some upbeat music to get everyone in the mood! It really is one of the most special parts of the day that you enjoy with your besties, and goes by way too fast. Make sure you or one of your wedding party members have packed a little touch-up kit so you can top up your lippy or powder away any shine before key photo moments to ensure your makeup remains on point all day!

Image: Erin & Tara / Hair: Miss Aimmey / Makeup: Makeup by Jane & Velvhetti 

Your wedding day really is one of the best days of your life! By planning ahead with research, open communication with your artist, and prepping all the finer details, you can feel confident that you will look and feel your best as the beautiful bride you deserve to be.  Be in the moment, take deep breaths, and enjoy all the magical and precious details stemming from your successful wedding planning!

Image: Blossom Daisy Creative / Hair: Cathy in Beauty / Makeup: Makeup by Jane

About Makeup by Jane: Makeup by Jane is a freelance makeup service specialising in weddings, special occasions, lessons, and shoots. Being able to help someone feel their most beautiful and confident self brings me so much meaning and joy, which is why makeup is something I have always loved and connected with so strongly. Not only is the technical side of executing the makeup according to the client’s vision really important, but, it’s also about the relationship and connection and doing the little things to make them feel they are cared for and special. From the initial inquiry to when everything comes together on the wedding day, at the core of what I do is to ensure you have the best experience possible in such a special life milestone celebrating one of the best days of your life.

Header Image: SoulFlare Weddings / Hair: Pearly Hairstylist / Makeup: Makeup by Jane