Emily is amazing. She’s kind, funny, and awesome at her job. I have a lot of anxiety, and Emily really helped calm me down. She does a very professional job with hair and make-up. She listens to her clients. I did not want to look over done, and Emily listened to me. She helped me look my very best for our special day. If you are looking for a wedding beauty expert who listens, and cares, you should hire Emily.

I had an incredible experience working with Emily Henning at Northern Waves and highly recommend both her hair and makeup services! I originally booked makeup elsewhere and unfortunately did not have a great outcome. That’s when I found Emily—and she was an absolute lifesaver. She quickly pulled together an amazing team to take care of hair and makeup for all the ladies in my bridal party, making the entire process smooth, stress-free, and so professional.
Emily is organized, personable, and truly talented. She listened to what I wanted and absolutely nailed both my hair and makeup for my wedding day. I felt so beautiful and completely myself. My hair and makeup lasted from sun up to sundown, literally.

Working with her was one of the best decisions I made during wedding planning. I can’t recommend her enough!

Emily was the perfect choice for my big day! Throughout the process of booking with her, she was incredibly responsive, flexible, and transparent. Her contract and her communication was crystal clear and I truly appreciated that, especially while juggling what seemed to be 1000 things for my wedding!

The day of, she and her team were early, which was already a great sign for a smooth day. They were so kind, artistic, fun to talk to, and positive throughout the whole process. They contributed a wonderful energy that was so needed, especially with pre-wedding jitters! Myself and the entirety of my bridal party/family all LOVED how our hair and makeup looked, and all of our styles held throughout the night. Everyone was commenting on how well everything stayed put, but still felt light and comfortable. I personally felt that her prices were a steal for what she provided us with!

Emily, you and your team truly helped make my wedding everything I hoped it would be, and I am forever grateful for booking with you! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!

Emily is a true artist. Her communication is perfect and she worked very closely with me leading up to the wedding to help me prepare. We talked about different styles we could do with my long brown hair and she had the perfect idea in mind. The day of my wedding, Emily was incredibly punctual and created the most beautiful up-do that I could have imagined. I have received countless compliments on how amazing it looked. Emily also did my makeup and it looked flawless. I felt gorgeous and complete. I would recommend Emily to anyone. She will absolutely help make you feel like a queen on your special day!

My bridal party and I had a wonderful experience working with Emily and Dina for my wedding! They were very professional, skilled amd honestly so much fun to spend the morning with- everyone looked great! My hair and airbrush makeup looked great all evening, my hair stayed in place without pulling or pins digging into my scalp, and my makeup was exactly the enhanced natural look I wanted.

Working with professionals is expensive, but very worth it when they're as good as Emily!

This is Emily, owner of Northern Waves. I do not pay for advertising so I cannot reply to the 1-Star left on my page so I have to do it this way.

Please refer to the gallery to view her beautiful, unedited close-up photos from both makeup trials (her hair is curled in the first trial where the makeup is nearly flawless and blends perfectly without the strip lash being moved or any makeup wiped away-this one she shows in her review below). Her second makeup trial was complimentary (green sweatshirt), and she still chose Northern Waves for her wedding-day hairstyling.
I’m truly sorry you felt the way you did, especially considering the many efforts I (and others) made to resolve the situation. Northern Waves is my business, my passion, and I take everything I do seriously, especially when it comes to professionalism and transparency.
Throughout this process, I consulted with trusted industry professionals for support and guidance. Collectively, we agreed that I handled things with kindness, generosity, and flexibility. I rearranged important personal obligations—specifically, stepping away from a ticketed family event—to be present for your wedding, and I did so without resentment, simply requesting a few hours to arrange childcare, as we discussed. Additionally, I offered to settle for a lower balance than what was originally contracted.
You voluntarily signed a contract, without a trial, fully understanding that it was non-refundable. That policy was communicated clearly and repeatedly.
You were provided with two makeup trials, both of which were beautiful. At no point did I tell you that your preferences or opinions were wrong. However, your screenshots came through blurry, and it would serve no purpose for me to misrepresent that. You also acknowledged not being sure of what you wanted, which made things challenging. Even with inspiration photos, your vision was difficult to interpret—for both the artist and myself. That’s why we offered a second trial, featuring a different look—something we typically do not provide for free, but we wanted you to feel confident and beautiful.
I have a full record of our communications—demonstrating empathy, problem-solving, and multiple solutions (plans A, B, and C). I did everything possible to honor the contract. I remained patient and communicative, even when you asked for an immediate resolution to a significant financial matter. I never gave you an ultimatum—you demanded options, I provided them, and you selected “Option 1” with appreciation.
Regarding the backup artist: You were informed early on that she was attempting to adjust her schedule to accommodate your wedding. This wasn’t a last-minute request—we were both hopeful she could assist. She also expressed that your trial looks were beautiful and questioned whether she could improve upon them.
Our policies around makeup—such as providing your own lip color for touch-ups and mascara for hygiene reasons—were explained in advance. We do provide eyeliner, and your artist has confirmed she never said otherwise. All of this was detailed in the information I provided to ensure everyone was fully prepared.
Payment methods at the time of contract include credit card, Venmo, Apple Pay, or check. Clients are never pressured into a specific option.
Lastly, I was always open to a phone conversation. Every time you called, I either answered or returned your call promptly.
Many of the points mentioned above were discussed well in advance, both verbally and in writing.
My goal has always been to ensure that every person I work with feels beautiful, seen, heard, and supported. I strive to be fair and kind. But when I see an artist working tirelessly—mentally, physically, financially, and emotionally—to make a bride happy, I stand by her as well.
I sincerely hope your wedding day was everything you dreamed of.

Northern Waves was great to work with. Emma did all of the bridesmaids, our flower girls, and MIL's hair the morning of the wedding. Everyone was happy with their hair and she finished ahead of schedule.

I contacted Emily and her Northern Waves Team, knowing my Daughter was planning a destination wedding. We were extremely nervous at first because we were not familiar with any of the area vendors. Emily was extremely responsive and transparent regarding the services her Team offered and pricing for on-site hair and makeup. She was exceedingly professional in all her communication and gave a detailed description of hair and skin preparation leading up to the Big Day! My Daughter was a bit anxious on the day of her hair and makeup trial; however, upon meeting Emily, all her fears gave way to laughter and smiles! Emily was very positive. She listened to my Daughter's vision and made her feel (and look!) absolutely confident and beautiful! The wedding day was no exception! Emily and her Northern Waves Team arrived on time and prepared for my Daughter and her 4 attendants. They all had a fabulous morning together, laughing, listening to music, and sharing their stories with the Team. The overall results were truly stunning! The hairstyles and airbrushed makeup lasted throughout a very active night of dancing.
It was quite evident from our experience that Emily and her Team are highly experienced and skilled in the hair and makeup industry. I would highly recommend them for any special event!

Northern Waves and Emily were amazing!
Very professional. Emily set realistic expectations for my bridal hair based off of feeling my hair at my trial. I wanted a natural look which she made possible with the air-brush make-up. I have never felt prettier 😊 My mother and sisters were also happy with their hair and make-up!

Emily pulled out all the stops to make sure I felt beautiful on my wedding day. A prior booking fell through leaving me with no stylist or makeup artist just a few short weeks before my wedding. When I contacted Emily she didn’t even hesitate to offer herself as my savior on my big day to ensure I was taken care of. I would recommend her to anyone and everyone, my hair and makeup was perfect and lasted all the way into the next day! If you are looking for an amazing stylist and makeup artist look no further!