A little prep goes a long way to make sure your hair and makeup looks (and lasts!) through happy tears, hugs and dance moves!

Don't keep this is a secret - share it with your VIP's!

Skincare and Makeup Preparation

• Gentle exfoliation - it's always a good idea to do this as well as any dermaplaning 24 - 48 hours beforehand to ensure makeup goes on smoothly to help it last longer.  

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• Wash/cleanse your face and remove all traces of any long lasting lippy + waterproof mascara so that we have a nice clean blank canvas to work on.

 

• Apply your usual face serum + day creams as long as it's been tried + tested with makeup. ​If in doubt -  skip this step and we'll select the correct skincare for your skin type.

 

• TOP TIP: Don't use body cream or night cream as a substitute for face cream as this will be too rich for the makeup to sit on and your makeup will slide right off quicker than a prosecco fulled promise at 2am!​                                                        
• Worried about sunburn? Rest assured that we have SPF for your face readily packed too!  Too late? Check out   Sunburn at the Altar for some quick fix tips!

Our Wish List...

~   WINDOW ~
Applying your makeup in natural daylight by a window is a winner.
If you've booked a photographer they will appreciate this for a nice natural getting ready photo too.

~ SEATING  ~
​We want you to be comfortable when having your makeup applied so a chair or bar stool with back support will do the trick.
If you've a large wedding party we'll need more than 1 chair as not all of our artists/stylists are able to bring their own.

~ A TABLE ~
Ideally a large dining table or work top to pop our products works wonders but we understand this isn't always possible. 
If you could clear some space on a coffee table/side table/foot stool instead this would be grand.

~  POWER ~
Our hairstylists will need access to a spare plug socket or two to plug in their heated appliances. 

~ FANS ~
During the Summer months it can get pretty warm whilst getting you ready so if there's no air con - a paper/desk/handheld fan or two can come in super handy.  Sometimes you'll find a floor fan tucked away in your hotel wardrobe. 

TIP: If you're staying at a hotel it's always asking at the reception desk if they can help you out with a fan the night before so that you're already prepared.

Hair Preparation and What to Wear

• Wash your hair the day or evening beforehand and ensure it is fully dried on the morning (unless otherwise recommended by your stylist).  

• Skip treatment oils/masks or other leave in products that can weigh the hair down (again, unless otherwise recommended by your Stylist)

• TIP: Working a mousse into damp hair after your last hair wash will help your curls last longer!

• Booked for a Blow Dry only? Washed and 80% towel dried hair is peach!

• What to wear? A dressing gown, zip up hoody, shirt or loose fitting top does the job nicely to avoid messing up your freshly styled hair or smudging your makeup on a tight fitting tee. 

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• Wearing a strapless, low back or bardot style neckline?  You may want to remove your bra to avoid any bra strap print marks for when you slip on your dress.  Trust us - these marks can hang around longer than an ex who mistakes silence for an invitation!

• Steaming the outfits? Another job to do the the night before...  Hot steam + freshly applied makeup/styled hair = the unofficial cardio session nobody booked, where makeup melts and curls clock out early!

Order of Service

As we offer a relaxed and laid back approach to getting ready we don't usually prepare a strict timeline as these tend to cause more stress than a wedding day seating plan! 

However, if you'd prefer us to prepare one for you - just say the word.

Some services will take longer/shorter than others but generally we allow 30 - 45 minutes per service and 1 hour per service for brides or special occasion hair + makeup.

As a rough guide we like to carry out hair + makeup in the following order: 

1. Mums + Guests 
2. Bridesmaids or Groomsmaids
3. Bride
4. Maid or Matron of Honour
​5. Flower Girls*

* Flower Girls tend to get very excitable and find it hard to sit still afterwards which is why we style them last to minimise the risk of them messing up their hair within 5 minutes after it's done!
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If anyone has any special requirements such as a medical condition or a baby to feed we always try to be flexible and work around this. 

​Please let us know in advance where possible so we can plan for this. 
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Wedding Prep in Hayling Island

Last Minute Touch Ups

We aim to have you ready at least 1 hour prior to your event so that you can get dressed and sip on something chilled to calm any nerves.

We allow some buffer time to make a final check before saying goodbye to check that you're happy with your final look. 

TIP: If you're not feeling something, say it!  Silence is NOT golden in this situation!
We'd much rather tweak a lip colour than let you quietly hate it all day!

During the buffer time we'll make sure your hair is picture perfect and that your lipstick is freshly applied. 
We'll also mop up any makeup mishaps such as smudged mascara or lipstick.

Some of our artists also carry mini touch up kits or lipsticks + lashes for you and your wedding party to purchase. 

Please speak to our artist directly at the time for prices.

Please have bangers + mash (cash!) available for any impromptu purchases as not all of our artists + stylists have the facility to accept payment by card. 

Otherwise you'll need to remember to bring your own lip product with you so that you can re-apply it later on in the day.

Wedding Makeup at Kingston Country Courtyard

Tissues and Straws

Although we use long lasting primers, powders and setting sprays you may want to arm yourself with a couple of essential products to preserve your makeup throughout the day - straws + tissues!

Straws:  For you to sip your drink through whilst getting ready to avoid your lippy from slipping off.  

Tissues: If you're prone to oily skin, you can use it to dab (not wipe!) away at your T Zone if you start to shine or if you're hit with a wave of emotions!
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Image: Kirsty Louise Photo

Hide and Seek!

Whilst we love a game of Hide and Seek it's our least favourite game to play on your wedding day! 

If your house or venue is trickier to find than the perfect nude lipstick - here's a couple of tips...

• Connect to the venues Wifi sooner rather than later.  Some venues in the sticks have limited phone signal and no 5G                                                              
• Tying a balloon to a nearby lamp post or mocking up a handwritten wedding sign is a simple and inexpensive way for all the important people on your wedding morning to find you. 

 

• Alternatively, flip us an email no later than the day before with a short description of how to find you and any landmarks to look out for as well as any security codes/gate codes for us to gain access.

 

• Staying at a Hotel? Let us know your Room Number once you've checked in.  If your room is named rather than numbered it's super handy to let us know which floor you're on so we're not dragging our kits up and down the stairs like gym equipment!

For peace of mind you might want to take a note of all of your key wedding suppliers contact numbers in one central place to pass on to your wedding party for any last minute thoughts that you need to communicate.  

Olga can be reached by phone or WhatsApp 07787 566564.

Keep calm and have your play list ready! ​This is your time to relax and enjoy the pampering before the party starts!

If your party wants to send through their hair and makeup ideas to us beforehand feel free to do so here.

Oh and finally........if you're after good weather for your wedding -  superstition is to bury a sausage the night before!

If you have any questions at all - please do not hesitate to get in touch!