The Importance of Hiring a Professional HMUA for your Wedding
There are so many things to consider when planning a wedding, whether it will be a grand event, or an intimate backyard ceremony and party. I myself had a small backyard wedding, and never realized how much work it actually was being a bride-to-be! Of course, I can’t recommend anything more important than hiring a pro-photographer, but you HAVE to look your best in those photos! One of the “next” most important things I always suggest for the newly engaged, is to hire a reputable Hair and Makeup Artist (HMUA). The importance of hiring a professional HMUA for your wedding day is well understood by any photographer in the wedding business. However, as a Bride-to-be, you many not see what all the fuss is about. So, I got together with a couple of pros that I have worked with to give you both a Photographer’s and a HMUA’s perspective on it.
From the Photographer’s Perspective
I totally understand the high costs of planning a wedding. Even my small family-sized wedding ended up costing way more than I had initially expected. You’ve got your dress, bridesmaids dresses, your venue, groomsmen suits/tuxes, photography, officiant, decorations, food, beverages, music…the list goes on and on. When you look at the prices for each of these, hiring a professional HMUA for your bridal hair and makeup is a minor drop in the bucket at about $100-$300, depending on the services you choose and the reputation and experience of the artist you hire. If you’re spending hundreds, or thousands, of dollars on your dress and photography, you should absolutely look your best from head to toe – and a professional HMUA is the way to get this perfection.
I have learned from experience that brides who have had a professional HMUA are much happier with their photos and portraits than those who opted for a talented friend or non-professional (or themselves) to do these things for them. As a photographer, I am also happier with the results – the better the makeup and hair, the less retouching I have to do in the end, and the more finished and polished my brides look!
From the HMUA’s Perspective
Each of the artist’s I talked to completely agree with photographer’s perspective on the importance of hiring a professional HMUA. Below are a few more things that they pointed out that I haven’t already mentioned:
- Your wedding day hair and makeup is what brings your final look together. Professional HMUA’s have spent years perfecting their skills to help you achieve any look you can dream of.
- Even brides who prefer a natural look will look their best allowing a professional makeup artist create the best tones, shadows, and highlights for that photo-ready perfection every bride dreams of.
- A pro-HMUA will have the knowledge of what types and brands of makeup look the best on camera, and in person too, and what products and tools will perfect your chosen hair style.
- Hiring a professional will help reduce your stress on the big day, and give you a big boost of confidence knowing that you’re going to look amazing and beautiful!
Feature HMUA’s
Stephanie Michelle Hair – Virginia Beach, VA
www.stephaniemichellehair.com / www.facebook.com/stephaniemichellehair / www.instagram.com/stephaniemichelle_hair
Stephanie and I worked together at Cecilia & Luis’s wedding this past fall at The Williamsburg Winery. She did some amazing things with Cecilia’s hair, including custom hair pieces that you couldn’t even tell were there!
Stephanie started with cosmetology school her senior year of high school (you go girl!) and has been working in the field since age 16. She has been a hairstylist for 16 years, with 8 years of that being dedicated to formal and editorial styling. She provides both standard and luxury hair services and is a color specialist in addition to being a bridal stylist. Her salon’s bridal styling services start at $75 and she will travel pretty much anywhere!
When I asked Stephanie a few questions about her services, the number one thing that stood out to me is how much she loves styling for brides – “My career never gets old for me, I’m constantly meeting new brides every year and building a relationship with them, their friends and family. It brings me so much joy to help them bring their dream to life, how they envision themselves walking down the aisle. It makes my heart so full!”
A couple more bits of advice for Brides-to-Be from Stephanie:
- Pick an HMUA that has experience with formal and editorial styling. Perfecting a hairstyle is a true form of art…I have yet to have a bride come to me with something I cannot do, I always find a way.
- Have everyone in the bridal party get both their hair and makeup done as well. This way everyone looks their best – you can always tell in the photos who skipped out on hair and makeup!
Dhalia Edwards Makeup – Virginia Beach, VA
www.dhaliaedwards.com / Dhalia Edwards Makeup / www.instagram.com/dhaliaedwards
Dhalia worked alongside Stephanie on Cecilia’s makeup it was flawless in every photo! Stephanie and Dhalia frequently work together on weddings, and make an awesome team.
Dhalia has been doing bridal makeup for about 10 years. She and her team have worked with some of the most recognized photographers, agencies, crews, and talent in the area. While she loves working in that exciting industry, her “absolute favorite place to be is working with a bride on her wedding day!” In her work, she often emphasizes to her clients the importance of skin care for flawless makeup – “It starts with the canvas first, take care of that and trust me you’ll look radiant with or without makeup.”
Mrs. Edwards has a studio in Virginia Beach which offers all areas of makeup services including airbrush, traditional, and natural – and complimentary false lashes are included with any service (what an awesome deal! Don’t forgo the lashes – they make a HUGE difference in your photos!). Services start around $85, and go up from there depending on what you are looking for (keep a look out for special events and holiday deals!). Travel within Hampton Roads is included, but they will travel anywhere for a small fee. If you are interested in booking with Dhalia or her team, I strongly suggest contacting her as soon as you have a date in mind, as she typically books 7-10 months in advance.
A few more tips and ideas for Brides-to-Be from Dhalia:
- You want to feel pampered on your special day. Don’t have your friend or friend of a friend do your makeup unless they have a legitimate business and offer you a contract. I’ve seen so many brides looking for a professional HMUA at the last minute because that “friend” was unreliable.
- Be sure that any artist you hire has a large array of makeup shades and brands and different lash styles and lengths. One type of foundation isn’t going to work for every type of skin and requests for amount of coverage. The same goes for lashes, as everyone’s eyes are shaped and sized differently.
- If you really want a bold lip color for your wedding day, but you are worried about that first kiss and getting it all over your husband, go with a natural lip color for the ceremony and then take it up a notch for the reception and come in with that fun shade you wanted. It’s party time now!
All-in-all, this is one of, if not THE biggest days of your life. You want to look, and feel, your best, and the easiest, most stress-free way to do that is to hire professionals. Besides, who doesn’t love (and deserve!) a little pampering?
The importance of hiring a professional HMUA is right up there with that of hiring a professional photographer. No one wants to be disappointed in how they look before they walk down the aisle, or when their images are delivered by the photographer. So, make sure you include room in your budget for you (and your girls!) to have a professional hair and makeup artist make you look amazing!
Getting married? I’d love to chat with you about your photography! Contact me today for a consultation.
Other posts you may be interested in:
Why Include a Second Shooter? | Hampton Roads Wedding Photographer