“How much should I plan to spend on my bridal makeup trial run?”

if you recently started planning your wedding, you must be so excited to jump in! you may also be wondering how much to budget for your hair and makeup.

hi! I’m Kelli, founder of The Understated Bride based in Los Angeles, California.

our style is to bridge the gap between bridal + editorial beauty. how? by collaborating with you to create an original, fashion-forward look.

in this post, let's address some questions you may have about booking a trial run for your bridal hair + makeup.

if you’re one that likes to plan ahead, here’s an idea of what you should expect for the trial run or “preview” (as I like to call it!) of how the wedding day experience will go. I don't see this as a test of your artist’s skills - after all, you reached out because you love what you’ve already seen! so let’s start with a comparison of the same day, with the same artist - yet two different scenarios.

Let’s imagine for a second…

envision waking up the morning of your wedding day - relaxed, yet excited for the joy that this day brings.

having met your artist a few months ago, you have peace of mind that she will arrive right on time! so, you check your phone to respond back to all those wishing you love + happiness on your special day. as your bridal party trickles in for their beauty prep, you enjoy mingling with everyone. your maid of honor puts on a wedding playlist with your faves, and the excitement of the day has finally begun! you refer to your custom beauty prep timeline* and head off to shower.

now it’s time to get your makeup + hair done! in the preview session, your artist noted any preferences you both discussed. since you have followed her custom recommendations, your skin is smooth and glowing! at this point, your beauty plan is now in action, and you can expect your look to last through the night. thank your customized skin prep plan* for that!!

when your hair + makeup is complete, your artist hands you a mirror.

“this is exactly what I wanted! a more enhanced, elevated version of myself.

s o o o glad we figured out these details beforehand.”

now that both of you are completely happy with the look, it’s time for you to get into your dress!!

On the other hand…

now let’s imagine another scenario, with the same artist, but no preview beforehand.

you wake up, and immediately reach for your phone to message your artist, whom you haven’t met before today.

“hi, just wanted to make sure you were arriving at 8am.”

as planned, she arrives promptly and starts on your bridal party right away. everyone is having a wonderful time so you go ahead and start getting ready for your appointment. while you wait, you shower, complete your typical skincare routine (if any), and brush your teeth.

finally, it’s time to get your hair + makeup done! you’ve saved a bunch of inspiration photos to show her and cross your fingers that she'll be on the same page. her portfolio looks amazing, so you hope you’re in good hands. she asks you some questions and gets right to it!

first off, she notices your skin isn’t as hydrated as she would hope, so she advises you to start drinking some water. she then lets you know she’ll need to spend some extra time prepping your skin for makeup. you’re nervous about the time delay, but you remind yourself that the wedding can’t start without you!

gauging the reactions of everyone around you, you start to relax as you hear their comments.

“you look gorgeous”

“I can’t wait to see you in your dress!”

your artist is relatable + easy-going, which allows you to unwind and enjoy feeling pampered. finally, she hands you a mirror and asks if you’d like any adjustments. she did exactly what you asked for, but now you’re having second thoughts.

“I’m so sorry! I thought a dewy look would suit me, but I realize that I prefer my skin to look more matte. another thing - I know I originally wanted thicker lashes but do you have time to put on individual lashes instead? and what do you think about adding winged liner? I was also thinking to pull some hair down to cover my ears a bit.”

before making these adjustments, she lets you know that she’ll need an extra half hour. you agree, and let your photographer know that you’ll be running late.

after the ceremony, you notice that your artist was right. dehydrated skin affected the wearability of your makeup. your skin sucked in all the moisture it could get, leaving the makeup looking dry and a little flaky in areas. what’s even odder is that your oily areas aren’t dry at all but seem to need to powder often to remove the shine! this is inconvenient, since there isn't much time to check on your makeup between the speeches, dinner, and dancing.

at this point, there’s not much you can do. so you decide to just enjoy the rest of your wedding experience.

After all, it’s only makeup, right?

in both scenarios, your artist is professional, skilled, and a great fit for you. so what is different?

the common theme is that without the preview, you may run late + feel more on edge if things don't go as planned. another side effect is how long your makeup lasts without enough preparation ahead of time. skin prep in the months beforehand is the KEY to long-lasting makeup.

our intention is to provide a glimpse of the getting ready process before your wedding day. this is also an opportunity for us to collaborate ideas for your hair + makeup, taking your features and preferences into account.

What costs and other details should I plan for?

now that we know what your wedding day could look like after booking a preview, let’s talk about money/logistics. and it all depends on a few details:

In-Studio or On-Location Appointment

is the artist traveling to you? if so, expect an extra fee to cover the transportation costs + extra time set aside for travel. this is typically calculated by the round-trip mileage from the artist’s base location + can range from $0.575 - $2 per mile.

Makeup Only, Hairstyling Only, or Both?

are you requesting both makeup/hairstyling? as these are two separate skill sets, your artist may prefer to hire a second professional. this allows each expert to focus on one type of service, with a shorter appointment time. if you and your artist have discussed having one person do both, that is common too! expect to double or possibly triple the time set aside for the appointment. your artist will need time to set up + break down both kits as well as transition between both types of services.

Plan Ahead for Gratuity

while optional, gratuity is customary for exemplary service. if you are happy with your preview experience, show your artist by giving them a little extra! although 20% is standard, any percentage between 15-30% is always appreciated. most artists prefer cash, and some have some easy e-transfer options available - such as Venmo or Zelle.

Appointment Length

preview appointments typically take longer than the wedding day appointments. you may want to try a few different looks and/or make adjustments as you go along. a well-seasoned professional may charge the same rate (or slightly lower) for a preview as they do for your wedding day. this is affected by where the preview is held, and how many other appointments the artist is able to book that day.

for example, I offer both in-studio and on-location preview appointments. although I am able to provide either hairstyling or makeup services, I do prefer doing one or the other. when available, I hire a trusted artist to work alongside me. tag-teaming benefits you by allowing me to devote my focus on one skill at a time. typically, I’ll schedule 1.5 hours per service to allow for adjustments or a style change, if requested.

now that you know the in’s and out’s of preview appointments, it’s time to use this newly learned info. choose an artist whose style, processes, and professionalism resonate with you. if you don’t know where to start, you can access our preview rates by inquiring below!