Wedding Beauty: Hire a Pro? Or Do It Yourself?

Sure, doing your own makeup is easy: You do it every day. But if the budget allows, having someone come in and make you look movie-star fabulous is a great way to pamper yourself. Of course, depending on your destination, it might be difficult to find a makeup artist. In New York, it won’t be a problem, but in a small coastal village in Mexico, it might. Your wedding planner can help you find somebody, or you can also ask for recommendations from other vendors.

Just make sure to have your makeup artist do a trial run the first day you arrive to make sure you like the look your makeup artist creates for you. Two hours before the wedding is not a time for experimenting!

If putting your face in someone else’s hands is too nerve-wracking, a great option for DIYers is to get your makeup done back home and learn how to duplicate the look once you’ve reached your destination. The best place to start is the department store makeup counter or specialty shop of your favorite brand of cosmetics: They’ll have everything you need available for purchase, and many of them will do your makeup for free or apply their fee toward product purchases. (Don’t be nervous if you usually do your beauty shopping in the drugstore; this is their job!)

You can also hire a professional makeup artist, who might be able to teach you some great tips and tricks, but they might not have everything you need available to purchase. Since they’re working for a fee, rather than on commission, they’re more likely to give you their undivided attention and be willing to spend more time with you.

Either way, have your makeup artist show you step by step what to do. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and make sure you’ll know what to do on your own. You might even have him or her do one side of your face and you try doing the other yourself under their guidance. Ask for a face chart to use as your guide you so you can achieve the same look on your own.