Frequently asked questions

Trials

When should I book in my trial?

A trial should be no later than 3 months before the wedding date. As long as you have decided upon your dress and main colousheme or theme, there is no time too early- trials can be done anytime from 3 months to 18 months in advance. Helen does get extremely booked up in advance, so always recommends booking a date in the dairy as soon as possible to ensure a good choice of dates!



Can I reserve a weekend date for my trial?

Helen is available for trials at weekends during low season; beginning of Novemeber- end of March . During peak season; beginning of April- end of October, Helen is only able to offer weekday trials, as weekends are reserved for wedding bookings. If you are looking to reserve an off-peak weekend date for your trial, please remember to book well in advance, as these dates go very quickly!



Are trials necessary for the entire wedding party?

Absolutely not! It is only compulsory for the bride to have a pre-wedding trial, however other members of the wedding party are more than welcome to have one too if they would like! A trial is always recommended to any member of the wedding party who has sensitive skin, or is at all worried or nervous about having her makeup done on the wedding day. If there are several bridesmaids, it is sometimes quite nice for at least one bridesmaid to have a trial, which will give an idea as to what the make will look like.



Can I use my makeup trial for a special occasion?

It's probably best not too! Although many brides leave their trials looking very close to the way they will look on their wedding day, sometimes it is necessary to trial 2 types of foundation, or even 2 different eye-makeups, this is to make sure the best possible look is achieved on the wedding day itself. Makeup at the trial may be applied in a slightly different order to on the wedding day, in order to make decisions on different elements, so will generally not be as polished as on the wedding day itself.



Can I bring along a friend or relative to my trial?

Of course! It's a great idea to bring along a friend, bridesmaid or mum to your trial to give moral support and a second opinion. It is suggested not to bring too many people though, as too many opinions can sometimes be more of a hindrance than a help!



How long will my trial take?

Bridal trials usually take 1.5- 2 hours in total. Please allow around 1 additional hour per person for other member of the wedding party having their trial on the same day .



Where will my trial take place?

Trials take place at Helen's home address in Maidstone. In-depth directions and information will be provided in advance of your trial . There is plenty of free parking available- both at Helen's home address and on the road.



Booking

How early should I book in my wedding makeup?

As soon as you know your date! Helen takes wedding bookings up to 3 years in advance. Peak dates tend to go very quickly, however this is not always the case, so it is always worth checking to see if she is free! She takes a booking fee of £50- this is redeemable against the final total due. Without a booking fee, dates can only be reserved 7 days from initial enquiry.



How do I reserve my wedding date?

Please contact Helen to check availability- she will aim to get to get back in touch ASAP (within 48 hours) to confirm if she is free! To confirm the wedding date she will requires a small booking fee of £50 (within 7 days of initial enquiry), which is payable via bank transfer and redeemable against the final total due on the wedding day- details for this will be sent to you in reply to your enquiry. She will also need the following additional information: Contact telephone number Email Address Number (or approximate number) of ladies requiring makeup Address she will be coming to on the morning of the wedding Ceremony venue (if different from the above) Time of the wedding ceremony.



I am worried about paying a deposit before having my trial- how do I know you're the right makeup artist for me?

I understand it can be very tricky to pick a makeup artist based on portfolio alone! There are so many makeup artists to choose from, and how do you know if you will like the finished look, or even click with the makeup artist in person? Although it is important for me to take a £25 deposit to reserve the wedding date (within 7 days of initial enquiry) to ensure that the booking is confirmed, in the unlikely event you are unhappy after your trial for any reason, please contact me within 3 days, and I will be more than happy to refund the deposit without question.



Do you require minimum numbers for wedding bookings?

It depends on the date! Please see requirements regarding minimum numbers below: Saturdays April - October: minimum bride plus 3 additional adults. Fridays and Sundays April - October: minimum bride plus 2 additional adults. All other dates: No minimum number. If you have a small wedding party but would still like to book me for your peak wedding date, Helen can accommodate this, however a supplementary charge may apply.



Is there an additional fee for travel on the wedding day?

Helen offers free travel on the wedding day within 20 miles of her home adress in Maidstone, Kent ME159AL. For bookings over this distance, an additional fee of 40 pence per mile is payable each way, however this is sometimes discounted for large bookings- please contact Helen for a quotation. For bookings over a distance of 75 miles from her home address overnight accomodation will be required (usually £35-40). If you would like to book your destination wedding, please contact Helen for a personalised quotation- flight and accomodation charges will apply. Toll and parking charges if encurred will be added to all bookings.



How far do you travel?

Helen covers the entire UK, and is also available for destination weddings worldwide!



I have a large wedding party, are you able to cater for all of us?

The number of ladies Helen is able to apply makeup to is very much dependant upon the amount of time available. She has worked alone on parties up to 10, however this is not always possible due to venue start/ ceremony times. Helen is happy to arrive as early as you need me even if it's extremely early! She is also happy to travel to 2 different preparation adresses if necessary. For large bookings an assistant makeup artist may also be reserved for a £50 supplement, this can help to reduce prepation time.



How could Coronavirus (COVID-19) impact my wedding day?

Please see Helen's terms and conditions page for a full list of guidelines, and terms regarding COVID-19.



Payment

How do I pay my booking fee?

Please first contact Helen to check her availabilty for your date. If she is available, she will include in her reply account details for the booking fee, which is payable via bank transfer.



When is payment for the wedding day due?

The final payment for the wedding day is due 1 week before the wedding via bank transfer, it can also be paid in cash on the wedding day. The £50 booking fee paid to secure the wedding date is redeemable against the final total due.



Do you accept cheques?

No, I'm afraid not. Helen does however accept payment via bank transfer or cash.



What happens if I cancel my booking?

Cancellations for secured wedding day appontments will incure the following charges: Less than 2 weeks notice: 100% Charge will apply Less than 6 weeks notice: 50% Charge will apply Over 6 weeks notice: No further charges will apply excluding £50 booking fee already paid. If in the unlikely event you are unhappy after your trial appointment (within 3 days), Helen more than happy to refund any booking fee made . In the event of the wedding being postponed, Helen will endevour best to accommodate the new booking arrangements, however if she am unable to do this it will be considered a cancellation.



The Wedding Day

When will you arrive?

Helen will arrive at the venue at least 15 minutes before she is due to start makeup, to set up her kit and have a quick chat to talk through any last minute questions or requirements. She always allow plenty of time for travel to ensure she is not adversely affected by any unexpected traffic delays.



How much space will you need?

Helen is able to work in a very small area, however it is ideal to have somewhere to lay out kit such as a table or bed. Please let her know if you would like me to bring along an additioinal table. It is ideal to work opposite good natural light, such as a large window or patio doors. Helen will bring along with me a professional makeup chair, and also a ringlight if starting makeup before sunrise.



How long will makeup take?

Depending upon style of makeup, 1 hour for bridal makeup and 45 minutes each per additional lady. Younger bridesmaids usually take less time 20-30 minutes, and flower girls around 5-10 minutes each. Helen allows 15-30 miunutes (depending upon the size of the wedding party) for final touches at the end of preparations, including lipstick/gloss, finishing powder and last minute alterations. She will aim to finish makeup around 1 hour before the ceremony (or the time you will be leaving if you are getting ready elsewhere), this will enable you to have time to get dressed, speak to the registrar and have a well earned glass of Champagne! It also makes sure there is no last minute rush and everything is kept nice and relaxed!



What happens if you are ill?

In the extremely unlikely event I should need to cancel your bridal day makeup due to illness, I shall endeavour to provide a replacement MUA, who I personally recommend to cover your event. If this is not possible 100% refund will be given to you. Should I need to cancel, due to unforeseen circumstance beyond my control, i.e. weather condition/accident/act of god, the same conditions will apply.



Preparation

I have eyelash extensions already applied- are you able to work around these?

Absolutely! Many brides have eyelash extensions applied and canbe easily worked around. They will be needed to wipe over gently to remove excess eyeshadow dust etc, so recommend they are applied by your technician at least 24 hours in advance.



How can I make sure my skin is at it's best on the wedding day?

There lots of ways to ensure your skin is at it's very best on the wedding day! Preparing your skin correctly will ensure you get the best makeup application possible. Please see blog post "How do I prepare my skin for my wedding day" on my blog page for lots of hints and tips!



I am considering a lash lift- is this a good idea?

Lash lifts and tints can look amazing and tranform the look of your eyelashes, many of my brides have this treatment in preparartion for the big day. Please DO NOT however, have a lash lift if you are hoping to have false eyelashes applied, as this can make application extremely difficult.



Should I have an artificial tan in preparation for the wedding day?

For brides deciding upon a spray tan, only a light tan 2/3 days before the wedding day would be suggested for the most natural look, and to help decrease the chance of transfer onto the wedding dress or consider a gradual tan. If you are planning to have a tan for your wedding day this would also be recommended this before your trial to get the most accurate idea of what makeup will look like on the day.