If you have seen my client work, you would probably have noticed that the majority of my clientele are Brides, and therefore, a lot of my blog posts may be focused on Bridal Makeup. In this blog post, I’ll be giving you the lowdown on Bridal Trials, or as some artists may call it ‘Bridal Previews’, which is basically a glimpse of what you could expect to see on your Wedding Day. I prefer to call it a Bridal Preview, as it is an indication, or pre-viewing of what you have requested for the look that you would like on your Wedding Day, as opposed to ‘trying things out’. Frequently asked questions about trials :
Do I really need a trial?
In short, yes. On a day as important as your Wedding, trials are essential.
Not only will you get to get to meet the artist you have chosen for one of the most important days of your life, most likely for the first time, but you will also work together to create and experience the look you would have on your wedding day by discussing the kind of makeup you usually wear (if any) and ideas or requirements and concerns you may have.
You may also discuss the details of your wedding (theme colours, style of your dress etc). It also provides the opportunity for you, as well as your artist and trusted friend to collaborate and share ideas on any improvements or changes pertaining to your look for your wedding day, as well as map out the time frame needed to create your desired look in order to work out your Wedding Day timeline.
(Please do however limit the number of people you choose to have in your preview session (if any), as too many opinions may cause more harm than good).
The time between your trial and wedding day will also allow for you to make any necessary adjustments you feel are needed, for example, more of a wing – or none at all, less or more blush / contour, eyeshadow, lighter or heavier foundation coverage.
As much as an artist may be experienced, as previously mentioned, this is most probably the first time we are meeting you and therefore have only a slight idea of your personal style so we don’t always get it right the first time. Imagine all of this stress on the morning of the wedding, knowing there’s something you want to adjust, but can’t quite put your finger on it?!
Recommending a preview to you, is not about the money. As you have read above, it is beneficial to the both of us and gives us both peace of mind! Most of the time, you’ll find that Trials aren’t free, simply because it’s time spent and product used – trials are generally quite a bit longer than your usual makeup application, due to both you and the artist discussing what it is you’d like, and changes being made to the look if necessary.
How far in advance should I book my trial?
This is a question I get from my clients a lot, and to be quite honest with you, when I was starting out, I didn’t always know how to answer this question – simply because I didn’t know, what I didn’t know. Over the years I have learnt when the right time to have a trial is, and why. I would say roughly 4-6 weeks prior to your wedding day would be the best timeframe to have your trial done. The reason for this is that the condition and tone of your skin will most likely be the same, or similar as it would be on your Wedding Day. This also allows for (God forbid this ever happens) any irritations or allergies caused by any products used during the trial to clear up in time for the wedding day, and as mentioned above, gives you enough time to gain clarity on the look created during your trial and whether you’d like it to be exactly the same for your wedding day.Some brides prefer to have their trial done on the day of their engagement shoot or bridal shower, I would however suggest having your makeup trial done on the same day as your hair trial, or dress fitting to get an idea of the final look rather than killing two birds with one stone – there is no right or wrong answer though, it all boils down to preference.If you’re booking your trial on its own, and not securing a package with your artist, be sure to get the ball rolling on securing the Wedding date as you stand the risk of your chosen artist being booked on your chosen date.
Tips:
Make the most of you trial session with your artist. This isn’t a time to sit in the chair and be silent. Remember that you’re not only paying for the service, but that the look created is what you’ll be wearing on your Wedding Day while being photographed for hours on end, so it’s important to be vocal and express your needs or concerns. If you aren’t happy with the way your liner looks, if you feel your lashes are too dramatic or you aren’t happy with your lip colour, let your artist know. As I like to ask my clients – “How do we make you LOVE it??”. At the end of the day, you’re the one who needs to be comfortable with the final look, and trust me, artists prefer you speak up than pretend to be happy with the result.
Come prepared with images of the look you’re going for, as well as the jewellery you’ll be wearing (or what you have in mind), this includes any hair accessories, as this may assist your artist in incorporating them into your makeup look. But also, remember to be realistic, especially if you’re using images of a celebrity as your inspo image. Everyone has different features and a different bone structure, so the image is merely for us to draw certain aspects from, as what looks good on J.Lo, may not look as good on Kim Kardashian.
Try you best to have your trial done in the morning, or around the time slot you'd have your makeup done on your Wedding Day to see how the makeup would last on the day. After your trial, be sure to take lots of photos throughout your day to see how your makeup photographs, how it looks at different angles, as well as how it shows up in images with a flash in the evening.
As I’m sure you’ve gathered, the answer to your question is YES, having a trial is essential! It is however also important to keep an open mind and allow the artist to do their job as they may use colours or techniques out of your comfort zone, yet you may be pleasantly surprised at how they compliment your features. Trust the artist, as you have chosen them for a reason, and changes can always be made afterwards!
I hope this had given you all the information you need to proceed with booking an artist for your Wedding Day, and of course if you have any additional questions, ask away!
Have you recently had a Makeup Trial for your Wedding Day? Feel free to share your experience.
Xoxo
Cleo
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