Do you need a make-up trial?

It really dependson what you want. have you seen this mua work before? are you comfortable having make up done by someone whos never done it before...the trial is just a practice run to make sure you like your make up, and to play around with it a bit before the big day...

For me, it is something that I wouldn't be comfortable not having. I live about 8 hours away from where we are getting married but I will specifically plan a trip needed so I can have my hair/makeup trial.

I don't personally wear much makeup. The makeup that I do wear on a daily basis is all very natural and light. I know that I am going to have to go heavier on the wedding day, simply for the sake of photographs, and the trial will give me time to "get used to it." I don't want to only have it done on the day of my wedding and be completely shocked (and possibly hate it). I also don't want to give someone I don't know free reign on my face the morning of the wedding either without knowing what to expect.

So yea, it's going to be a pain in the butt and a major expensive to have the trial done, but it will be a necessary evil.

Maybe I'm crazy, but I'm doing my own makeup. The same look I do every day. May go CRAZY and wear lipstick, which I usually don't. I just can't imagine letting someone else do my makeup. Call me crazy. I am totally having my hair done though.

I went back and forth on this, but ultimately decided to do a bridal session, so that will serve as my hair and makeup trial. It really just depends on how important it is to you. I spent more money on my photographer than any other single item (except for food and the open bar), so I figured hair and makeup sort of goes along with that...because what's the use of awesome pics if I don't look my best?

I know brides who have done the bridal session and/or trial and hated it so had it changed. Wouldn't it stink to experience that on the morning-of?

SoontobeMrsC....I don't think it is necessary, but I know I would not trust someone on the day of your wedding without knowing her work. It's really a personal choice.

Julie....LMAO....I actually broke down and bought lipstick that lasted allegedly all day. : )

I did a make over at the Estee Lauder counter. Most of the product I wear is from EL, but I figured, I may splurge on their Double Wear line. I absolutely hated what the girl did to my face. However, I really learned alot about highlights under the eyes and different ways an old fart like me can take some years off her face. I hadn't had a make-up lesson since I was wearing Cover Girl in high school.

I just had my trial.. I went in, telling her I had no idea what i wanted, and it came out perfect. So, I am happy I saw it, but I would have been fine on the wedding day, having her just come and never meeting her before...

I wouldn't. The girl that did my make up for my e pics didn't listen to me when I said

1. I don't wear make up every day so want it natural

2. I don't want black

3. I don't want eyeliner under my eye

4. I don't want it heavy

So needless to say I am not going with her for my wedding pics. If you are used to wearing make up (foundation) daily and are used to it then maybe you don't need it.

We spent 20 minutes removing a large amount of make up she had put on. I just wouldn't want to wait until my wedding day to discover this. Good luck!

I'm doing a trial only because I chose MAC airbrush makeup and I've never used it before. I want to make sure it's going to be ok before my wedding day. Otherwise, I personally wouldn't waste the extra $100 it's going to cost me.

But, since my hair and makeup should be FAB on that trial day, FH is taking me for a very romantic night out afterwards

For sure I will be doing a trial. I didn't like how my makeup looked in person when I got it done at Sephora for my engagement photos. I was upset, frazzled, and almost started crying. However, it looked fabulous in the photos, it was just different than I was used to. It is worth the extra money to me to prevent any unnecessary freak outs.

I wouldn't have been comfortable not doing a trial first...I wanted to make sure it was exactly what I was thinking of in my head...and with very little time for massive changes or having to start over on my wedding day, I wasn't going to chance it. I've known my MUA since I was 18...I have full and complete trust in her...but this was also my wedding day...I wanted to look my absolute best I possibly could. I would personally do the trial, but if you think you'll be fine without doing one, then don't...it's your time and money.

Thanks for the advice ladies. I think I am going to go ahead and do one. Its only $50 and it will be worth it to have the peace of mind. I will have to look at the pictures for a lifetime and if the makeup turns out bad, I know I will regret not having a trial. I appreciate the input!

I'm a professional makeup artist and I agree with the previous posters. Its necessary to make sure you achieve the proper look. It also saves time on your wedding day from having to set aside time for a consultation when that time could be used to do something,else. Although most makeup artists are good at visual re-enactment, if you still happen NOT to like it, it won't be enough time to make changes to it. Going to a makeup trial saves disappointment plus the makeup artist can save your info on file to bring along on your wedding day. But if you've seen the artist's work and trust it then skip it but make sure you send as many examples as possible of what you'd like between now and your wedding day so there are no surprises or delays. Hope that helps!

I would! I had one done last week and I’m so glad I didn’t wait till the day of the wedding to find out what it would look like! First off the makeup artist didn’t show up at the salon for our appointment and then when she did call me back almost 2 hours after our scheduled appointment she said she had an emergency but came to the salon with her friend and a bunch of shopping bags like they had been shopping all day but she apologized and I met her a few hours later for a free consultation. I told her that I wanted a pretty natural look and by the time she was done I looked like I was ready for my turn on the stripper pole! It was really bad…I think I’m going to find someone else that is a little more reliable and mindful of the time and actually listens to what I want.

I drove 2.5 hours and paid $50 for my make up trial and thought it was a great deal (especially for how much I paid for the actual wedding day makeup) and I am SO glad I did. I loved my trial makeup, but on the wedding day, we changed it a little, using less brown, and more pink to make me more "blushing" and it was perfect! Absolutely perfect! So because I had to trial, she knew to do a different color on me. I also did my hair trial that day. It was great because I could see how well the makeup and hair stayed and how my skin would react (I'm super sensitive) so for me, it was win, win, WIN all the way around!

A 3.5 hour drive one way, so I'm assuming this will be a 7 hour round trip? Egads, you'd be spending about that much in gas.

Umm. Normally I'd say yes, but in your case I would just allot MORE time to makeup the day of, so you can re-do something you don't like. Including hair and makeup, you might want to space out 3-4 hours. Yep, four hours (2 hours for makeup, 2 hours for hair). I'm a wedding photographer and I know that hair and makeup always takes way longer than anticipated. I've seen a wedding get delayed almost an hour because the bride couldn't get her eyelashes just right!

I would, just make sure there are other things you can do that are wedding related in town..I had my trial, decided to try same place as my hair, and the girl was horrible, I was almost in tears knowing I wasted money on it..she never told me i needed to bring my own foundation, she used dirty makeup brushes, used scissors when my fake lashes were already on to trim them, I was so paranoid she'd cut my lashes..I looked like a corpse basically..I tried her after one mua flaked on me already..I decided screw it, I'll go to sephora, do a few trials in the town where I live to learn how, buy my own high end makeup and do that..it turned out great!

I wouldn't have usually had much of an opinion on this because I do my own makeup every day, and I don't wear a huge amount of it. BUT every time I see myself on film, I look like a dead woman.

Well, today, I had the privilege of having my makeup done by a team that was doing the makeup for a very high profile Valentines Day wedding contest. It was amazing; I looked fantastic (for me, lol) and my two brides looked like themselves only gorgeous and (this is important) camera ready.

It took a LONG time for these two brides to be made up, and these were the top pros in NYC. They looked AMAZING. They were THRILLED.

So what did I learn from this?

Makeup that we do ourselves is fine for every day, but it is not fine for cameras, especially modern ones that magnify every inch of us.

Makeup takes time to look both natural AND gorgeous

It's expensive, but it's expensive that is worth every cent; it's not thousands of dollars more; it's probably manageable and you'll be so thrilled.

Well said, Celia!

If you do not want a trial and the salon does not require one, do not bother. On the other hand, most salons do require one. They do not want the liability of you having your makeup done and hating it. I would have it done because the last thing I would want would be to look like a totally differenterson on my day! It is your decision though.

It's not required but I have decided to do it. I am going to see if I can schedule my trial the same day as our engagement shoot, so I will look fabulous in our e-pics. If not, I will try to do it when I meet up with some of my bridesmaids to go dress shopping. That way I don't have to make the trip just to get my makeup done. Thanks ladies! You all have been very helpful.