FAQ
Why should I get my makeup and hair professionally done?
Firstly, weddings can be stressful, and often the last thing you need is the added pressure of making sure your makeup and hair are perfect. With a professional on hand, you can put your feet up and relax. Alison has had more than 20 years’ experience in helping brides look gorgeous on their big day in a fun and stress-free environment.
Secondly, Alison specialises in beautiful hair and makeup that enhances natural features and has a polished finish that is difficult to create without professional products and expertise. Just as importantly, she can help to ensure that your fantastic look will stay put all day, and look beautiful both in person and in photographs.
How long will it take?
For makeup, Alison allows 45 minutes each for bridesmaids or mothers of the bride, and an hour for the bride herself. Hair is usually around 1 hour per head, however some styles will require longer. For both hair and makeup, the timing is usually around an hour and forty five minutes per person, and around two hours for the bride.
Both makeup and hair can be done more quickly if necessary, but having a wider time window often means a more relaxed environment on the day and allows some flexibility in case of unforeseen delays in the wedding preparations.
How much will it cost?
For full details on the costs of services, please see the Price List.
What is the best style of makeup for me?
Everyone is different, so it’s important to tailor the makeup design to each individual person. Alison’s most requested style is for an enhanced natural look – appearing absolutely gorgeous, while still being yourself – but others prefer a more dramatic makeup style. Alison works closely with clients to achieve exactly what they are looking for, and also to tailor their preferred style to accentuate their most beautiful features.
I’ve been told I need to have heavy makeup so that it looks good in my wedding photos. Is this true?
Alison wishes to quash that rumour once and for all! Beautiful makeup will always help you look gorgeous in person and in your photographs – no heavy application is needed to achieve this, particularly if you would prefer a natural look. This has been Alison’s experience over the past decade, and is something that is consistently shown in the photographs from the weddings she has worked on. To see this for yourself, please visit the photo gallery.
What kind of products do you use?
Alison is very fussy about my makeup products and only uses the very best. This includes a carefully chosen selection of the best commercial and professional products available, including:
- Stila
- Nars
- Charlotte Tilbury
- Kevyn Aucoin
- Bobby Brown
- MAC
- Swiss botanical brand Arbonne
It’s important to use high quality products because they can give a flawless look that feels light and natural, not caked on. Also, wedding makeup needs to remain looking perfect throughout the whole day and night, which is simply not achievable with inferior products.
I’m not sure what hairstyle I want. Can you help?
Many factors determine the best hairstyle for you. For instance, the kind of dress you will be wearing, the environment you will be in (ie. outside in windy conditions), the general theme of your wedding, your face shape, and the natural cut, style and texture of your hair. Your wedding hairstyles could range from sexy, tumbling curls, to elegant Hollywood waves, to textured Boho braided styles, to a sophisticated up-do, and the easiest way to determine this is to have a chat about your ideas and work together with Alison to find the best style.
Do I need a makeup and/or hair trial?
It is certainly possible to have great wedding makeup and hair without a trial, but most people prefer to have the confidence that comes with a full discussion and trial run beforehand. Not only does it allow Alison the time to find the very best possible look for you, but can also reduce time and stress on the wedding day. For more details, see the Hair and Makeup Trials page.