Many brides expect the dress to be the hardest wedding-related decision they have to make — but often, it is makeup and hair styling that creates more stress and strife, especially on the big day. Undoubtedly you will stand out no matter what, but that doesn’t stop you from wanting glowing makeup and glamorous hair, in styles that are inherently different from all the other women at your nuptial celebration. To achieve this, you have probably already scheduled wedding-day appointments with trusted hair and makeup experts to perfect your beautiful bridal look — but what are you going to do about your bridal party?
Your bridesmaids deserve to get dolled up, too, but in a bout of subconscious jealousy or pride, you might unintentionally hog the hair and makeup services. To prevent any bad blood — or horrible hair — on your wedding day, here’s how to organize your beauty routine with your bridal party before you say, “I do.”
Make a Schedule
You don’t want to be the first person ready for your wedding — but you probably shouldn’t be the last, either. Unless you’ve hired a veritable beauty crew, you and your bridal party will probably have to take turns with makeup and hair, and the order definitely matters. It’s unlikely that any one will clamor for the first position because getting beautified earlier allows an entire day of activity to mar flawless faces and luscious locks. Someone has to do it, which means you have to nominate someone for the position.
Your most responsible bridesmaid should be scheduled first for a few reasons:
- She’s unlikely to be late, so the beautification process can begin on time
- She’s unlikely to complain and ruin everyone’s fun
- She likely knows that she’ll get touched up at the end
Your mother and mother-in-law-to-be should likely go earlier in the day because they will want to be available to help set up the ceremony and perform other wedding-related tasks. You should go second-to-last, only to be followed by any children in your party. Little girls usually don’t have any patience for the hair and makeup chair, so their stint will be short; plus, in going last, they won’t have much time to mess up their looks before the procession starts.
Know Your Style
Inarguably, you are the most important person on your big day — to be rivalled only by your spouse-to-be — which means your hair and makeup should look unbelievably good. While your dress is the primary indicator of your status, your hair and makeup should be unique among your bridal party. That means your style preferences should eclipse everyone else’s in every way.
Even if you can’t afford a top-tier hair stylist or makeup artist, you still deserve to look and feel your best. You can buy cheap hair extensions that make your hair thick and shiny — perfect for up- and down-dos, alike. You can also acquire inexpensive false lashes to take your look to the next level. Your bridesmaids can help you apply makeup and fix your hair, so you can still feel pampered on your wedding day.
Know Your Bridesmaids’ Style
Even if you want your bridesmaids to look identical, you shouldn’t force them into hairstyles and makeup they don’t like. Before you decide how you want your bridesmaids to look like, you should talk with them about their style preferences.
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Generally, bridesmaids have opposite hair to the bride; if you are leaving your hair down and loose, your bridesmaids should have controlled up-dos, and vice versa. Experts do have a few style suggestions to maintain balance and beauty amongst your bridal party:
- If bridesmaid dresses are one-shoulder, the hair should be down and styled toward the opposite shoulder.
- If bridesmaid dresses have high necklines, the hair should be half-up and half-down.
- If bridesmaid dresses are strapless or thin-strapped, the hair should be down and fall in soft curls.
Keep Everyone Calm
Something is bound to go wrong during the beauty process. Maybe your makeup is too thick, or one of your bridesmaids throws a fit about a hairstyle she agreed to the day before. No matter what happens, a top priority should be to keep everyone feeling calm and comfortable about the day ahead. Ideally, you can relegate this responsibility to your maid of honor or mother. Here are some things you can do to keep the mood positive during your beautification:
- Bring incense, candles or essential oils in soothing scents like lavender and peppermint.
- Have plenty of healthy snacks and drinks, like veggie sticks and sparkling water.
- Take breaks throughout the day to tell jokes, reminisce, or otherwise become grounded.
Your wedding day is important for committing to the love of your life, but when done right, it can also solidify friendships with your bridesmaids. A fun and flowing day getting beautiful can be as memorable as the actual ceremony, so you should strive to make it as effortless for everyone as possible.