The Ultimate Guide To Wedding Makeup Timing

Makeup should be done first on the bride, then on the bridesmaids. To ensure that you get the best shots possible, have the photographer arrive at the venue at least one hour before the bride plans to leave. With this setup, the photographer can record the bride's final preparations, such as when she's having a flower pinned to her hair or putting on her last bit of lipstick. For a 4:00 PM ceremony with four bridesmaids and one bride, here’s how the schedule might look: 10:00 AM: Bride’s makeup and Bridesmaid 1’s hair. Your hair and makeup should be completed approximately 2 hours before your ceremony time if you are getting ready at a location away from your place of ceremony.

Time for touch-ups

Makeup should be done first on the bride, then on the bridesmaids. To ensure that you get the best shots possible, have the photographer arrive at the venue at least one hour before the bride plans to leave. With this setup, the photographer can record the bride's final preparations, such as when she's having a flower pinned to her hair or putting on her last bit of lipstick. With so much time on their hands, your photographer can capture exquisite close-ups of your wedding attire, accessories, and more. If you and your four attendants will be having your hair and cosmetics done, plan on spending at least four hours on the process.

Ceremony Start Time: Factor in travel and touch-up time. Hair and makeup should be finished 1.5-2 hours before the ceremony. First Look or Photos: If you’re doing a first look, your timeline should allow for hair, makeup, and photo prep at least 1 hour before the first look. For a 4:00 PM ceremony with four bridesmaids and one bride, here’s how the schedule might look: 10:00 AM: Bride’s makeup and Bridesmaid 1’s hair. Contrary to popular belief, the bride's hair and makeup should not be the very last service. Scheduling it toward the middle allows for adjustments and ensures you’re ready for pre-ceremony photos.

Your hair and makeup should be completed approximately 2 hours before your ceremony time if you are getting ready at a location away from your place of ceremony. If you are getting ready on site, for example at a venue that offers a 'Bridal Prep Room' such as The Valley Estate, you can be ready approximately 1.5 hours prior to the ceremony time.

The industry average per makeup application is about 45-60 minutes And 45-90 minutes per hair style, depending on the hair and styles chosen. Talk to your makeup artist and hair stylist in regards to their time requirements, as not all artists work at the same pace. Once you know their time needs, say 4 hours for example, you can then work out your start time. In this case it would be 8.30/9am. I’d say 8.30am just to be safe. I’d rather finish early and have my client twiddling her thumbs, than be running late and cause one stressed out and flustered bride to be late for her wedding.

If you have 5 people booked in for makeup on the wedding day, 5 hours needs to be allocated to accommodate this process. You will also need to factor in a set up time for the makeup artist, which I allow up to 30 mins before the actual start time of the makeup application. This is so that furniture can be moved around if need be to allow the makeup artist to be set up closer to good natural filtered light, setting up of the makeup station and for a quick chat with the Bride and Bridal Party about what looks will be created for the day.

Makeup takes 45-60 mins

Makeup takes 45-60 minutes on average. Not all artists work at the same pace, so it's important to talk to your makeup artist and hair stylist about their time requirements. Once you know their time needs, you can then work out your start time.

If you are getting ready at a location away from your place of ceremony, you should complete your hair and makeup approximately 2 hours before your ceremony time. If you are getting ready on site, you can be ready approximately 1.5 hours prior to the ceremony time.

Ceremony start time should be factorised with travel and touch-up time in mind. Hair and makeup should be finished 1.5-2 hours before the ceremony.

If you're doing a first look, your timeline should allow for hair, makeup, and photo prep at least 1 hour before the first look.

If you have 5 people booked in for makeup on the wedding day, 5 hours needs to be allocated to accommodate this process. You will also need to factor in a setup time for the makeup artist, which I allow up to 30 minutes before the actual start time of the makeup application. This is so that furniture can be moved around if need be to allow the makeup artist to be set up closer to good natural filtered light, setting up the makeup station and for a quick chat with the Bride and Bridal Party about what looks will be created for the day.

To ensure that you get the best shots possible, have the photographer arrive at the venue at least one hour before the bride plans to leave. With this setup, the photographer can record the bride's final preparations, such as when she's having a flower pinned to her hair or putting on her last bit of lipstick. With so much time on their hands, your photographer can capture exquisite close-ups of your wedding attire, accessories, and more. If you and your four attendants will be having your hair and cosmetics done, plan on spending at least four hours on the process.

Hair takes 45-90 mins

Hair takes 45-90 minutes to do, depending on the hair and styles chosen. Talk to your hair stylist in regards to their time requirements, as not all stylists work at the same pace. Once you know their time needs, you can then work out your start time.

If you are getting ready at a location away from your place of ceremony, your hair and makeup should be completed approximately 2 hours before your ceremony time. If you are getting ready on site, for example at a venue that offers a 'Bridal Prep Room', you can be ready approximately 1.5 hours prior to the ceremony time.

With so much time on their hands, your photographer can capture exquisite close-ups of your wedding attire, accessories, and more. To ensure that you get the best shots possible, have the photographer arrive at the venue at least one hour before the bride plans to leave. This setup, the photographer can record the bride's final preparations, such as when she's having a flower pinned to her hair or putting on her last bit of lipstick.

If you and your four attendants will be having your hair and cosmetics done, plan on spending at least four hours on the process. Ceremony Start Time: Factor in travel and touch-up time. Hair and makeup should be finished 1.5-2 hours before the ceremony. First Look or Photos: If you’re doing a first look, your timeline should allow for hair, makeup, and photo prep at least 1 hour before the first look.

Photographer needs 1 hour

If you want to get the best shots possible, have the photographer arrive at the venue at least one hour before the bride plans to leave. This will allow the photographer to record the bride's final preparations, such as when she's having a flower pinned to her hair or putting on her last bit of lipstick.

With so much time on their hands, your photographer can capture exquisite close-ups of your wedding attire, accessories, and more. If you and your four attendants will be having your hair and cosmetics done, plan on spending at least four hours on the process.

Ceremony Start Time: Factor in travel and touch-up time. Hair and makeup should be finished 1.5-2 hours before the ceremony. First Look or Photos: If you’re doing a first look, your timeline should allow for hair, makeup, and photo prep at least 1 hour before the first look.

Your hair and makeup should be completed approximately 2 hours before your ceremony time if you are getting ready at a location away from your place of ceremony. If you are getting ready on site, for example at a venue that offers a 'Bridal Prep Room', such as The Valley Estate, you can be ready approximately 1.5 hours prior to the ceremony time.

The industry average per makeup application is about 45-60 minutes and 45-90 minutes per hair style, depending on the hair and styles chosen. Talk to your makeup artist and hair stylist in regards to their time requirements, as not all artists work at the same pace. Once you know their time needs, say 4 hours for example, you can then work out your start time. In this case it would be 8.30/9am.

Setup time for makeup artist

The industry average for a makeup application is 45-60 minutes and 45-90 minutes per hair style, depending on the hair and styles chosen. Talk to your makeup artist and hair stylist in regards to their time requirements, as not all artists work at the same pace. Once you know their time needs, say 4 hours for example, you can then work out your start time. In this case it would be 8.30/9am.

If you have 5 people booked in for makeup on the wedding day, 5 hours needs to be allocated to accommodate this process. You will also need to factor in a set up time for the makeup artist, which I allow up to 30 mins before the actual start time of the makeup application. This is so that furniture can be moved around if need be to allow the makeup artist to be set up closer to good natural filtered light, setting up of the makeup station and for a quick chat with the Bride and Bridal Party about what looks will be created for the day.

Ceremony Start Time: Factor in travel and touch-up time. Hair and makeup should be finished 1.5-2 hours before the ceremony. First Look or Photos: If you’re doing a first look, your timeline should allow for hair, makeup, and photo prep at least 1 hour before the first look. For a 4:00 PM ceremony with four bridesmaids and one bride, here’s how the schedule might look: 10:00 AM: Bride’s makeup and Bridesmaid 1’s hair.

Your hair and makeup should be completed approximately 2 hours before your ceremony time if you are getting ready at a location away from your place of ceremony. If you are getting ready on site, for example at a venue that offers a 'Bridal Prep Room' such as The Valley Estate, you can be ready approximately 1.5 hours prior to the ceremony time.

To ensure that you get the best shots possible, have the photographer arrive at the venue at least one hour before the bride plans to leave. With this setup, the photographer can record the bride's final preparations, such as when she's having a flower pinned to her hair or putting on her last bit of lipstick. With so much time on their hands, your photographer can capture exquisite close-ups of your wedding attire, accessories, and more.

Frequently asked questions