Makeup/get Ready

You should ask your MUA how long the services will take and base it off of that. If your ceremony is at 6 pm and you want to do any photos before, I would plan to be ready by 4:15-4:30. It will take time to get into your dress, shoes, jewelry, etc. so I would suggest having your hair and makeup finished by 3:30-3:45.

View Quoted Comment Thank you so much caytlyn! this is SUPER helpful.

Seconding above, talk to your hair and makeup artist. My ceremony is at 5 and we’re planning to be done with hair and makeup at 2 since we’re doing a lot of photos before the ceremony. Talk to your photographer as well about what time you need to be ready for them.

View Quoted Comment Thanks Liz! My photographer will meet me to take ‘get ready’ pictures. I’ll get my hair done the day before to cut down on time. Thank you so much for your input! It does help me.

Your hair/makeup team makes timelines every day as per of their job and they know based on your trial how long it will take.

View Quoted Comment Thank you Michelle! I appreciate your feedback.

Ask your stylist how long it will take to for both of you. I'd imagine about 2 1/2 hours at most. It depends if you're doing a first look too. I'd say maybe around 2pm. that way you'll have time to relax, get dressed, and do a first look if you want.

View Quoted Comment Thanks Tara! I will reach out to her and ask.

My ceremony was at 4PM, and we had bridesmaid and my family pics starting at noon. That being said, I had my hair done at 8:00 AM and makeup at 9:15. Amazingly, both held up until around 11PM that night. The only thing that didn't was my lip color, but thankfully my sister, one of my bridesmaids, had a similar gloss that she used to touch it up.

View Quoted Comment Did you take pictures in your wedding dress? I am debating if I should have the makeup and hair artist come to the venue.

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Yes, most of the photos taken before the ceremony were of me in my dress. We took a few of me *with* my dress, wearing the clothes I wore while having my hair and makeup done. I didn't have hair and makeup done at the venue, but at a hotel down the street.

View Quoted Comment Okay, that’s something to consider. We are staying at a hotel that’s about 5 mins from the venue. The only thing is I don’t want her to see me before the wedding.

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You can work with your photographer to coordinate pictures just right to make sure you don't see each other. When my husband and I decided not to do a first look, we talked to our photographer, and we were able to split our pre-ceremony photos with our families and parties. It worked out really well. I'm sure your photographer can do something similar.

View Quoted Comment That might actually work! And fortunately we will have two photographers. We might be able to pull it off. Thanks Kristen!

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Even better! Two photographers makes things easier all around for everybody. My sister and her husband actually had a married couple doing their photos. The wife did our family's picture before the ceremony, and the husband took care of my BIL's. The only reason we didn't hire a second one is because our guy insisted he could do it all on his own, and he did. You're welcome! Glad I could help. Good luck with everything!