Is waking up at 4am too early?

I started hair and makeup at 6 for my 11am ceremony but we had two hair stylists for 5 people and I was the only one getting makeup done so this sounds right if only one person is doing everyone.

No way I would ever wake up at 4am for my wedding unless it was at 5am. Mine was at 2pm. I woke up at 8. And had plenty of time for hair and makeup.

I had 14 people getting hair and makeup, my ceremony was at 4pm but I needed to be ready by 1:30 to get in my dress and start pictures. Our hair and makeup people started at 7am.

Maybe you can have a second person doing hair and make up to speed up the process? My wedding was at 6 and we needed to be at the room by 9. So I understand it does take a lot of time and since yours it at 12 it doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room. I think your best bet would to have a second person doing hair and make up.

I would be pretty annoyed if I was told to get to someone's house at 4:30 AM for pretty much anything, that's SUPER early. Especially for people traveling in the night before. Can she bring another artist or an assistant? I had to hire two artists and one assistant to we didn't have to be there for more than 5 hours getting ready. That many hours seems pretty crazy for getting ready.

Here's a great place to start looking! https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-ideas/10-questions-to-ask-a-hair-stylist

I can't find the other thing I'm looking for, but it's an article about how long it takes for HMU per person. If I remember correctly, each person is 45 minutes, and you, the bride, are closer to an hour and a half. 7x45 minutes is 315. Divide by 60, comes to 5.25, so 5 hours and 15 minutes. Plus you brings to 6 hours and 45 minutes.

If you start at 4:30, that brings you past your noon ceremony! Is she bringing someone else with her? What about padding in the schedule? Plus, travel time to your venue, if it isn't at your house.

To be honest, though, your HMUA knows what she's doing. You hired her for her expertise and knowledge of the business. I'd press back and ask how long she takes and how she got to show up at 4, and start at 4:30.

The above numbers are totally not to scare you, I promise! I thought I remembered those numbers being the average for HMU per person. I could be entirely wrong.

Like I said, I'd ask how she got that number. It's not uncommon to wake up very early for this kind of thing, either! I woke up at 3:30 for my own sister's wedding when I was a BM, and I was on site. HMU started at 4! She had a 1 PM ceremony, and only one hair person and one MU person- we were done by 11:45, got to the church up the road by 12:15, so she could hide.

In my opinion: dear god yes. If it were me, I’d see if the HMUA could bring more people to help, to move quicker. If I were a bridesmaid and heard 4am as my call time, I’d opt out and have mine done elsewhere on my own....5 hours later at like 9 am.

You know yourself (and your crew) best though. If you can wake up that early and be functional, go for it! Though, you probably can’t ask the kids to be there that early. I for one can’t wake up functionally at that time— id be better off pulling an all nighter and just being tired later.

N ot being a morning person, I made sure to not start hair and make up until 10am (for my 3:30 wedding). We had 4 girls (for hair and make up) and the 2 moms (for hair only), and went to a salon. They had 1 person for make up (that was the time consuming bit, they scheduled us for an hour each, so our total getting ready time was 4 hrs). Then they had 2 girls doing updos and another woman handled the blowouts for the two ladies not looking for an updo.

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My hair and makeup artist gave me the same #s they scheduled like 2.5 hours for 2 hair/makeup, 1 makeup only, and me (bride) with 1 person doing my hair and makeup and other doing the other girls! I don't think for the # of people that is unreasonable especially if only 1 artist is doing it. If you can you should ask if she has any assistants that can help... If not, I would suggest providing breakfast as an incentive.

View Quoted Comment Oooo! That's a great idea! Loving that last line! While the HMUA sets up, home cooked food like pancakes with apples, or eggs and bacon for protein! (But I always think about food, lol!)

Sounds like you need a team of three to divide and conquer for your early wedding.

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Hahah I love food, and like sleeping in.. Even at like 8 am, I personally would still want breakfast!!!

That seems very early to me. I thought it was too much to ask my girls that did not spend the night to arrive to my house by 7:30 to start getting ready at 8. 10 of us total need hair and makeup. My HMUA actually arrived around 7:45 and was done by 1 (we needed to be at the church by 1:30 for our 2pm ceremony). She had one assistant with her. Do you have that option?

This isn’t what you want to hear but yes, this is incredibly early. I would rather do my own hair and makeup and show up at 10am. I get up at 4am for work during the week and even i think it is absurd.

Oh my. I dont think I'd even be willing to get up that early for my own wedding!

Do they have the option to opt out and do their own hair & makeup?

I definitely would not be happy if I were in a wedding and was asked to arrive that early. Keep in mind it’s going to be a looong day for everybody involved. Not sure what the time line is on the reception, but the last few wedding i’ve attended didn’t end until 10-11 pm. Being constantly busy all day, you and your girls are going to be exhausted by that point regardless. I would definitely try to find another few hands to get things moving a bit quicker.

If I had to be somewhere at 4:30, unless they’re next door, I’d need to wake up before 4. I don’t roll out of bed wide awake. I like to start my day with a workout, a hot shower, and a cup of coffee, in that order. If I have a 15 minute drive, I’d have to get up at 3:15.

I was in someone’s wedding where they surprised me the night before that I would need to get my hair done at 6am (previously told 7 am) and I was not happy, I might’ve spontaneously combusted if she had said 4am lol.

Thank you everyone for the feedback. The person I had scheduled for hair and makeup doesn’t have an assistant and because it’s an early wedding I preferred having everyone getting ready at the same location. With that being said, I took advice from the coments and was able to get a second makeup artist. Thankfully the girl that was recommended to me by my mom was available for my day and it’s a plus that she has an assistant. They will be in charge of both hair and makeup as well as the girl I originally booked so with 4 people working on hair and makeup, We are now looking at a start time of 7am which is so much better than 4am!

View Quoted Comment That's sounds much better for your situation and your BP! I'm happy you're able to make it work. Now you get to be even *more* excited! Congrats!

I’m also up at 4:30 am. My ceremony is at 11:30 am and hair and makeup starts at 5:30 am for myself and the moms. I need to be ready by 8:30 am for first look at 9, so I feel your pain!