What to Expect at Your Wedding Hair and Makeup Trial?

What if your perfect updo falls out before the first dance? Or your ‘natural’ makeup looks cakey in photos? These common bridal fears are preventable with one key step in the planning process: a professional wedding hair and makeup trial. 

Think of your trial as a test run to make sure your wedding hair and makeup look is exactly how you want it on your special day. It’s your opportunity to test, refine, and collaborate with your artist to guarantee everything feels exactly right before your big day. 

Timing is everything when booking a hair and makeup trial. Most artists recommend scheduling it two to three months before the wedding. This is a sweet spot where your hair length and skin tone are close to the final day, but there’s still time for adjustments if needed. 

Expect to block out four hours for a comprehensive and un-rushed session. At Miranda Lynn Hair & Beauty, we dedicate four full hours to each hair and makeup trial. This allows time for one makeup look and two hairstyle options, along with any adjustments and refinements. It is important to us that you leave your trial feeling confident. If after four hours you are still feeling unsure, you can book another wedding hair and makeup trial. A trial isn’t about achieving perfection in one attempt, it’s about collaboration and clarity. 

Your wedding hair and makeup trial is your opportunity to explore different options. When you’re working with a seasoned professional, they will make any adjustments during the trial and confidently execute your finalized look on the wedding day. 

Your Pre-Trial Checklist: How to Arrive Prepared

Walking into your trial prepared is the secret to making it successful. For the most accurate preview, wear a top with a similar color (like white or ivory) and neckline to your dress. You should also arrive with clean, dry, day-old hair and a clean face free of any makeup. Feel free to apply moisturizer or use any skincare products you typically use! This gives your stylists a blank canvas and ensures the products perform their best from the start.

Bringing a few key items helps your artist see the complete picture and finalize crucial details. Before you head out the door, gather these essentials:

• Inspiration Photos: Bring a few of your favorite looks for both your wedding hair and makeup. Please come with a few pictures of what you like and even what you don’t like! Be mindful of heavily photoshopped and unrealistic photos from Pinterest. We always suggest choosing photos from your makeup and hair stylist’s portfolio, as they understand exactly how the look was created and how it will translate in real life. 

• Your Veil or Headpiece: This is non-negotiable! Your stylist needs it to test placement and build a hairstyle that supports it securely. This prevents unnecessary adjustments or delays on your wedding day. At Miranda Lynn Hair & Beauty, we have veils available in the studio for brides who may not have theirs. 

• Your Earrings & Necklace: Seeing how your jewelry pairs with the hair and makeup ensures everything feels cohesive and balanced. 

• A Photo of Your Dress: Context matters. A quick snapshot helps guide decisions about texture, volume, and overall aesthetic. 

During Your Wedding Hair and Makeup Trial

Your trial appointment begins with a detailed consultation. This is your dedicated time to discuss your vision, referencing the inspiration photos you brought. Your artist will ask about your skin type (oily, dry, sensitive, acne-prone), how your makeup typically wears, your comfort level with makeup, and your hair type including how it holds curls and how it naturally falls. This consultation is the most effective way to communicate your vision and ensure the final look feels authentic to you. For hairstyles that require our rental extensions at Miranda Lynn Hair & Beauty, please note that the extensions cannot be taken home, so you may leave with a slightly adjusted version of your final style. 

From there, your artist will begin creating the look. A trial focuses on perfecting one complete style rather than trying several different bridal hairstyles from scratch. From there, they will make strategic adjustments to refine the look: hair placement, curl structure, lip color, or lash style. 

Once your wedding hair and makeup are complete, you’ll move on to photo documentation. Professional makeup and hairstyling can look different on camera, so your artist will likely take photos from multiple angles, both with and without flash. Your artist will send you these photos and keep them for your wedding day as reference to ensure consistency. 

At Miranda Lynn Hair & Beauty, we follow up after your trial with an email outlining the changes we discussed. We will also ask if there is anything else you want to change on the day of the wedding after you’ve worn the look for a few hours. We keep a whole file on you with both pictures and notes. 

"I Don't Love It": How to Give Constructive Feedback

That moment of seeing the final look can be nerve-wracking, especially if it doesn’t quite match your vision. It may feel uncomfortable to voice your concerns, but remember your artist’s number one goal is your happiness. 

The best way to give feedback is to start with something you genuinely like, identify one specific thing you want to change, and then remind them of the overall feeling you're aiming for. This transforms a potentially vague complaint into a collaborative, problem-solving conversation.

Instead of saying, "I don't know, it just feels like too much," be descriptive so your artist knows exactly what specifics you are talking about. Try the formula: "I absolutely love how you did my eyeshadow! For the lipstick, could we try something a bit more of a soft pink instead of this shade? My goal is a look that feels really romantic and natural." 

This gives your artist clear, actionable direction for change.

This process is about refining the style to fit you. Even after you’ve perfected the look together in the chair, adjustments can still be made on the wedding day if needed.

The Post-Appointment Wear Test

Now that your trial is complete, it is time to test out how the look truly wears! Live in your hair and makeup for at least eight hours to simulate your wedding day. This is your chance to see if your curls droop, your skin gets oily, or the foundation settles into fine lines. A style's ability to last from the first photo to the last dance is what you want from your bridal hair and makeup. 

Pay close attention to:

• Do your curls hold?

• Does your skin become oily?

• Does the foundation look cakey?

• Does anything feel heavy or uncomfortable?

Check your makeup in bright, natural daylight, under indoor lamps, and most importantly by taking a selfie with the flash on. This quick test mimics how professional photography captures makeup and can reveal any unwanted "flashback," which appears as a white cast in photos.

Comfort is just as important as appearance. If the look didn't last the entire day or feel right, these specific notes are exactly what your artist needs to hear. This helps determine if you need tweaks or should book a second trial to figure out a different plan. 

Finalizing Your Wedding Look with Confidence

You've collected wedding hair and makeup ideas – your trial is where those images become a reality. When your wedding day arrives, there should be no surprises – just excitement, calm, and the feeling of seeing the best version of yourself. 

Are you ready to secure your wedding hair and makeup team? Wedding dates book quickly, so the first step is reserving your date with Miranda Lynn Hair & Beauty. Once your date is secured, your bridal trial will be scheduled two to three months before your wedding day.

Inquire today to reserve your wedding date, we can’t wait to make you look like the best version of yourself!