How To: Create a Makeup and Hair Schedule for your Wedding

Ryan Larson, the founder of Savoir Flair Wedding Coordinating joins us today to discuss how to create an effective Makeup and Hair Schedule on your wedding day. She plans all types of weddings and is based in Southern California. Take it away Ryan…

The reason you should sit down and take the time to do what can be a crazy puzzle of a schedule is that there are many elements to take into consideration. For one, you want the ladies to get their hair and makeup done as late as possible BUT with lots of buffer time built in.

Many brides assume they will just tell the makeup and hair people and the bridesmaids to get there at 8 or 10 am and then just have a mass getting ready day.  But in the end this gets so messy with timing and puts more stress on people.  If they know what time they are needed and that there is plenty of time built into the schedule, everyone will have a better day.

First of all, these are standard times based on MOST makeup/hair stylists in the wedding industry that I’ve come across over the last 9 years.  However, some artists have different requests so be sure to check with your artists to be sure this is the time frames they need.

Standard time needed:

Bridesmaid’s hair: 45 min.

Bride’s hair: 1hr.

UNLESS, the bride or one of her maids are getting hair pieces.  If that is the case you will need to add 15 min. to 30 min. to each of the times above.

Bridesmaid’s makeup: 45 min.

Bride’s makeup: 1 hr.

UNLESS, the bride or one of her maids are getting fake lashes.   If that is the case you will need to add 15 min. to each of the times above.

HERE IS WHAT A TYPICAL MAKEUP/HAIR SCHEDULE LOOKS LIKE FOR MY CLIENTS:

Hair and Make-Up Schedule

HERE IS WHAT A TYPICAL MAKEUP/HAIR SCHEDULE LOOKS LIKE FOR MY CLIENTS:

TOP 5 TIPS FOR STRUCTURING YOUR “GETTING READY” TIME ON THE WEDDING DAY:

1. Tell the ladies to be in the getting ready room at least 15 minutes prior to their scheduled time in case the artist is ready for them early.
2. Tell the ladies (nicely of course) that if things are running behind and they are in the makeup chair when the bride is to be, they need to high tail it out of there and get back in after the bride is ready. A late bride puts the entire day off schedule.
3. If a bridesmaid is having an updo, having hair that is a LITTLE dirty is best. Not a lot dirty though. They could wash it the night before or early the next morning but not right before their schedule updo appointment if possible. However, if they are wearing their hair down they should arrive with it washed and blow dried already. (even if they are getting a special blowout).
4. Make sure you think of food. It’s a simple thing but many brides forget this important element on the wedding day. And you don’t want a fainting bride or a cranky bridesmaid. Schedule a time with the hotel for a tray of finger sandwiches to be brought up and remind the ladies to eat BEFORE putting on their dresses.
5. When scheduling, try to schedule those with kids later in the day so they can show up as late as possible. And try to schedule the maid of honor DURING the bride’s appointments as well so she is available to help the bride dress.

Again, for all of these notes please check with your own makeup/hair stylist on timing. These are standards but some stylists have different ways of working. Some stylists will have an assistant do all blowouts and set rollers and then have the bridesmaid or bride get in their chair just for the style. In this case, adjust your schedule accordingly and have the assistant have 30 min with the bridesmaid and then 15 with the stylist for instance.

Ryan Larson, the founder of Savoir Flair Wedding Coordinating in Los Angeles, plans everything from intimate destination weddings to dazzling receptions all over Southern California. She is a monthly contributor for Marriage.com and is a wedding planning expert. Visit her website for more info or give her a ring at 818-631-4957