Your Wedding Morning
Timings…a question I get asked about a lot! It sometimes comes as a bit of surprise what time I plan to arrive to start hair and make up and this is one of the things which I’m asked about when it comes to planning a schedule for a wedding morning. To answer a few FAQ’s for my brides I’ve written this blog post so you can learn what to expect on your wedding morning from me including what time you can expect me to arrive, when we’ll begin hair and make up on your wedding morning, who I usually start with and what’s included in my schedule plus a few tips!
What time will we start hair and make up on the wedding morning?
This varies for each wedding and generally depends on the size of your bridal party, time of your ceremony and what kind of hair and/or make up everyone would like to have. Usually, I will ask what time you need to be ready by and work back from there to make a schedule - if it looks like I will need to arrive before 7am this is when I would look at booking an assistant to help me or recommend an additional stylist.
What are your typical timings?
Generally speaking, for members of the bridal party (bridesmaids, mother of the bride etc) I like to allow thirty minutes per hair, forty five minutes for make up and approximately one and a half hours for the bride. I also like to allow time to set up (fifteen minutes is plenty), time for touch ups before I leave and some time for everyone to get dressed and have photos before the ceremony. My schedule is usually created with a plan to have everyone ready forty minutes to one hour before you’re due to get married depending on preference!
What time should we plan to be ready for?
Thirty minutes to one hour before your ceremony.
(one hour if you’d like photos with bridesmaids before you leave!)
If you aren’t getting ready at the same venue - you will need to allow time to travel to there, in which case I usually plan to create my schedule working back from the time you intend to leave your home/accommodation.
If you’re getting ready at your marriage venue - we can plan for you to be ready thirty minutes/one hour before the ceremony, although please remember that in some cases you may need to allow time for your meeting with the registrars before walking down the aisle (approximately 15 minutes).
Who goes First?
Most of the time my schedule for a wedding morning will ensure I start with the bridesmaids or mother of the bride, followed by the bride’s hair and make up either last or second to last so that you feel as fresh as possible closest to your ceremony.
As a bridesmaid don’t be surprised if I assign you a 7am start time, even if the ceremony isn’t until the afternoon - I will always allow time for touch-ups at the end of my schedule to make sure you feel fresh before you walk down the aisle, as if your make up has only just been applied and hair recently styled!
What’s involved with hair and make up ‘touch-ups’?
I understand your wedding morning (and entire day!) can be an emotional event and I am always prepared for some happy tears on the wedding day - this is why I allow extra time at the end of my schedule to touch up any make up which may of gone awry or reapply lipstick if you’ve had a celebratory glass of champagne that morning while getting ready.
Usually if I style the bridesmaids make up early in the morning I won’t apply lipstick until this time so they can enjoy some breakfast or drinks without worrying about it.
The ‘touch up’ time is also good for final hairspray spritzes, applying fascinators or hats for mother of the bride, an extra mist of make up setting spray and double checking all hair grips are secure for you to relax and enjoy the rest of the day!
What if I have a separate hair or make up artist?
If you’ve chosen to book two separate stylists (for example an independent make up artist and myself for hairstyling) I will be happy to create a schedule which fits around theirs! The chances are we may of worked together before and I’m always happy to work with their timings so that together we can create a harmonious schedule for your wedding morning. Please feel welcome to send me a schedule if they’ve confirmed timings with you already or I can let you know mine first - the aim is to make things as easy and enjoyable for your wedding morning as possible, it’s all part of our job!
If you have any questions about your wedding morning that I haven’t included in this post or that you’d like to ask about please feel welcome to get in touch!
Sarah x
Top Tip
All Photos in this blog post are from Lucy and Mark’s West Midlands wedding captured by photographer Greg Murray