WHY HELLO there! First of all, I am so excited get my blog up and a running. As an active makeup artist in the Idaho Treasure Valley, I have many, many thoughts running through this head of mine and I simply must relay them in some fashion to you brides out there! Lately the big question has been WHY spend money on a makeup artist for your wedding? My answer is WHY NOT spend that little extra to look and feel your very best on your wedding day! Sadly bridal magazines, websites and blogs don’t really incorporate makeup artistry into their bridal budgeting checklist and it becomes an oversight. Don’t wait until it’s too late to book your makeup artist! Who else is in charge of making you, the BRIDE, look perfect on the big day?

So I ask, in the scheme of all the money that goes into your wedding, is professional makeup really that expensive? This is the service that will solidify looking flawless on the big day and in photos for years to come. Similar to the time and thought you’ve put into your wedding dress, you should put the same energy into considering your makeup artist. Take a look at their portfolio, credentials, and reviews and ask yourself if this is someone you can trust to get the job done. I typically recommend a quick consultation at a coffee shop or an email conversation to get to know the artist before you commit to their services. Although professional makeup artistry is my career, I am not here to sell my services so much as to properly educate brides on the importance of this service for your wedding day. This is a day you have waited your entire life for and you are the center of attention. Yes you can have a stellar dress, veil and jewelry, but nothing and I MEAN NOTHING will be as memorable to your guests or your future husband as looking into your flawlessly joy filled face.

When a bride tells me she has a friend or family member who can do her bridal makeup on the big day, I honestly cringe a little. Not to say they aren’t good, but anyone can buy some brushes, hit up Sephora and call themselves “good at makeup.” It is out of true concern for the bride that I suggest against having anyone besides a professional makeup artist for the wedding day. In my experience, a friend or family member will do an amped up version of their everyday makeup with their everyday makeup. It makes sense, they do it everyday on their own face so what’s so hard about applying it to another’s face, right? WRONG!  A key rule as an artist is to learn what techniques and colors will enhance the bride’s individual features while incorporating their personal style. For example, winged eyeliner and nude lips aren’t for everyone, but if that is all that is available for the bride to wear on her wedding day, she may be stuck with it. Unfortunately, it is very hard telling a friend or family member you don’t care for your makeup application versus a trained professional whom you’ve only met a few times that will handle the situation with care. Hopefully you’ll have a great first experience with the professional and will feel completely confident moving towards your wedding day with them at your service.

Let’s talk about product. As a professional artist, I have invested THOUSANDS of dollars into a professional kit of prestigious brands I am confident working with. I trust these products to be long lasting and photogenic for my bride on the day of her wedding. Not to say great brands aren’t available to the public, but there are some brands that are reserved just for professionals. The proper use and care of these products is just as important as the ingredients that make them superior to other brands. Professionals typically replace makeup on a regular basis since most brands release new formulas and much like food, reach an expiration date. There is also a never ending cycle of sanitary measures a makeup artist must take for quality assurance. The makeup, brushes, sponges and surfaces all must be sanitized and cleaned properly between every client in order to meet health standards.

So, is a professional makeup artist worth it? I hope after reading this article you agree that yes, it is worth every dime. No one has a higher responsibility of making you look your best on your wedding day besides your makeup artist. When you are questioning the price, I hope you consider all of the factors that go into the career of being a makeup artist such as unpaid hours communicating, furthering education and cleaning or replacing product on a very regular basis. A bride must ask herself if the extra couple hundred dollars is worth saving the stress of the unknown and perhaps saving a friendship if the application goes south. I wish you a wedding filled with joy and the confidence to move forward with the love of your life!