Wedding Day Makeup Artists: 8 Questions To Ask Yours

Your wedding day make-up will be a crucial decision. However, finding the right make-up artist can sometimes be a difficult task. One way to make it all easier on yourself is to come up with a list of questions you can ask potential make-up artists to ensure they cover all aspects of the wedding day make-up look you're after. 

Knowing how to find the right make-up artist for your wedding day is essential; you want everything to go as smoothly as possible, so we've covered eight questions you should keep in mind when speaking with potential vendors.

1: Ask for a portfolio or list of references & qualifications/training history

In the age of technology, it's common for any brand, business, and even individuals to have references, google ratings, and portfolios. Asking to see these before working with a make-up artist is essential because it allows you to see what past clients have said about them. It's also a good idea to see where or how your make-up artist was trained and what experience they've had and give you an overall picture of the differing looks the artist themselves excels at.

2: Ask for a schedule to be provided

A lot is going on during every bride's wedding day, so make sure you can work out a schedule with your make-up artist who works for both of you and fits in whoever will be included. Some brides may choose multiple make-up artists; one for the bride, one for the bridesmaids, etc. If you're going to be using a single make-up artist for all, ensure that they'll have enough time to get everyone ready. You don't want the make-up artist being in an insane rush. If you're using multiple artists, then be sure to line them up schedule-wise to fit the days' proceedings. Asking upfront how long the make-up will take is something we would recommend to any bride looking at make-up artists.

3: Is a trial included in the cost of the package

In the lead-up to your wedding day, you'll want to do a trial run of make-up to make sure it's going to look the way you want it to. Most brides schedule this at the same time they'll pick up their wedding dress. This is so they can get a clear idea of how they'll look for their day. When it comes to budgeting for your wedding, it's easy for extra expenses to pop up out of nowhere if you don't stay ahead of everything, so just check in with your make up artist to be sure the trial is a part of your overall package or whether it may cost more on top. Always ask for an outline of the overall costs and what you're going to get for your money.

4: Do you charge a travel fee?

Another potential extra expense that can impact your budget is the travel fees that some vendors may charge. Ask your make-up artist ahead of time if a travel fee will be part of their package or an extra on top. As always, it's best to avoid any confusion by asking questions up front.

5: What products do you use?

If you have any allergies, it's essential to convey that to your potential make-up artist, and be sure to ask them if any of the make-up products they plan on using for your wedding day could contain anything that may impact your allergies. Not only are your health and safety the most important thing, but you'll also want to avoid any breakouts of negative skin impacts on your special day!

6: What will happen if you can't make it to my wedding?

Sometimes things out of our control will happen in life, and no one can predict the future, not even make up artists. Having a backup is a good plan just in case, and often, make-up artists will have friends or colleagues in the industry that they'll recommend in case of emergency. As a precaution, I would ask this question to make sure everything will run smoothly, even when it doesn't. 

7: Get to know them, even on a casual basis

Meet them in person or have phone conversations prior. Your wedding day is such a unique and vital day to you; it's a day you want to celebrate with the people you love, and having vendors that you get along with and will make your day run smoothly is going to be essential for you too. We're all human, and we're all different, so be sure you take some time to get to know your make-up artist on a fundamental level to ensure you'll have no added stress on your big day.

8: Is hair included in the package/do you do hair?

While some make-up artists are trained to do hair and make-up, many are not. It's generally easier to have someone do both, but as always, personal preference is critical here. If you're expecting your MUA to do hair, too, be sure to ask if that's something they're capable of doing in advance, so you know whether you need to find a hairstylist as well as a make-up artist. Don't forget to factor this into your budgeting and on the day schedule.

Ultimately, being as prepared as possible helps you have the smoothest wedding day you can. Have we missed any questions you think we should add to this list? Let us know in the comments below!