Let’s talk timelines

Yesterday I opened my laptop to multiple requests for proposals that had come in over the weekend. And ya’ll, not a single one had a realistic window for hair and makeup services. Needless to say, a blog post about timelines seemed “timely” (I’m sorry… couldn’t help myself.)

Here’s an example of the kinds of inquiries we’ve been receiving:

How many bridesmaids, mothers or other ladies IN ADDITION TO THE BRIDE will need hair and makeup? 5
What time is your ceremony? 4pm
Do you plan to use your venue’s bridal suite for hair and makeup services? YES
If yes, what time are you able to access the bridal suite? 12pm
What time do you need hair and makeup services completed by? (Generally this will be 3 hours prior to the ceremony if you’re doing a first look, 2 hours if not.) 1pm

Do we see the problem here? Six ladies need hair and makeup, we can’t access the space where hair and makeup services are to occur until 12pm but everyone needs to be ready by 1pm. That gives us exactly one hour for hair and makeup which isn’t enough time for even one person, let alone six.

Here’s the issue. More and more venues are implementing tighter time constraints on when you are able to access your venue, and most brides have never had a wedding before and have no idea how much time hair and makeup will take. The beautiful bridal suite with multiple hair and makeup stations may have been one of the things that sold you on your venue, and now you’re faced with the very real possibility that you won’t be able to utilize it the way you had hoped due to the time limitations.

So what is the solution here?

Our team has run into this issue literally hundreds of times, and as a result we have multiple solutions to offer our brides on how we can work around this situation.

First - it’s important to understand what a realistic hair and makeup timeline is going to look like.

Generally speaking, whether you use our team or not, you can expect each hair and makeup service to take about 45 minutes, and you will likely need one artist for every 5-9 services booked (one service = either one makeup application or one hairstyle). The absolute minimum amount of time needed is probably two hours (this is how long it takes to do just the bride’s hair and makeup with a single artist.)

Below is an example from one of our recent weddings where we had four artists booked for 11 ladies’ hair and makeup. Each artist did 5-6 services each. Our timeline was 5 hours - from 10am to 3pm, and the bride’s ceremony was at 5pm. This gives the bride about 30 minutes to get dressed, an hour for pre-ceremony pictures, and 30 minutes to hide away in the bridal suite while guests arrive (if this bride had been doing a first look and additional photos prior to the ceremony, we likely would have needed to back up this entire timeline by an additional hour for a 2pm finish time)

*Bride + 9 hairs & 11 makeups with four artists = 5 hours*

This timeline looks great, right? Well here’s what you didn’t know… the venue from the wedding above typically does not allow brides access until 12pm, so this bride added on additional time at the venue in order for us to be able begin services at 10am This is Option 1 - adding on additional time at your venue. This may be an expensive option depending on the venue, but it may also be your only choice if you have your heart set on having everyone’s hair and makeup done on site and you don’t have access early enough for your hair and makeup team.

Brides out there who are still searching for a venue, know that if you want to utilize the bridal suite for hair and makeup, you may need to add on additional time. a 9-2 or 10-3 hair/makeup timeline is very typical for a 5 or 6pm ceremony. If your venue does not allow access until later, we recommend finding out what the additional charge will be to get in earlier and factor that price into your budget from the beginning (and remember, the earlier you need to be ready for pictures - the earlier hair and makeup will need to begin too.)

Now let’s say it is just not an option or not within your budget to add on additional hours at your venue. Or maybe you have an earlier ceremony but would like to avoid having to start hair and makeup in the wee hours the morning. Perhaps this next option would work best for you: Option 2- adding on additional artists for an expedited timeline. This option will also have an additional cost associated with it - you’re just paying for additional artists rather than additional hours at your venue. Most bridal businesses will have an additional fee for each artist and also will require a certain minimum per artist regardless of how many services they actually do. However, the “extra artists” option may still be less expensive than adding on additional time at your venue, PLUS it also has the added benefit of requiring less time overall for hair and makeup.

One important consideration - in order for this option to be feasible, your venue must have enough space for each artist to work. If your venue only has enough room in the bridal suite for a limited number of artists (the vast majority can accomodate about 3 artists comfortably), we will need to also utilize the groom’s suite or an area outside of the bridal suite (such as setting up a table in the hallway) to create enough space for additional artists.

Here is an example of an expedited timeline we executed a couple of years ago. In this scenario, the bride had both an early ceremony time and also couldn’t access her venue until a certain time (even with adding on more hours). To meet the tight time constraints, we added additional artists for a total of seven for these 15 ladies hair and makeup (without time constraints, a booking this size could have been accomodated with only five artists.)

Since our minimum # of services per artist is 5 for a Saturday wedding, and each artist only had time to do four services, the fifth service was charged as an expedited timeline fee which ensures each artist is still able to make their minimum. This venue also has a massive bridal suite and adjoining bathroom that was easily able to acommodmate the additional artists.

*Bride + 13 hair/makeups with 7 artists = 3.25 hours*

When it’s not within your budget to add on more hours at your venue or to add additional artists, Option 3 is to start at an offsite location and then transfer to the venue once you are able to access it. The plus side is that you don’t have to add on any additional time at your venue or additional artists. However there will be a fee for your artists to break down and pack up their kits, drive to a new location and set up again. This also takes time to do so you will have to begin hair and makeup about 30-60 minutes earlier (depending on the distance between locations) in order to build in a window for the artists to move locations. However the transfer fee is most likely less costly than it would be to add extra hours or extra artists.

Here is an example of what a timeline with this option looks like from a wedding we did just last weekend:

*Bride + 5 hairs & 6 makeups with two artists = 7 hours (includes 45 minutes to transfer to venue)*

Similar to Option 3, Option 4 is when we utilize an offsite location for hair and makeup, but only the lead artist transfers to the venue once it’s available. Typically this artist will do ONLY the bride’s hair and makeup at the venue while the rest of the bridal party stays behind to finish their hair and makeup at the off-site location. This option is often one of the most cost-effective solutions since you only need to pay a single transfer fee for one artist instead of all the artists.

The only downside to this option is that it splits up your bridal party for part of the day, and you may have envisioned being surrounded by all your best friends sipping champagne while getting your hair and makeup done at your beautiful venue all morning. That being said, it is worth pointing out that you may find the 1-2 hours of quiet and calm before everyone gets dressed and begins pre-ceremony pictures to be a pleasant respite from all the wedding day hustle and bustle. If you are the type of bride that needs a little time for solitude, reflection and decompression before (or after) being surrounded by a lot of people for an extended amount of time, then this option may be extra appealing to you.

Here is an example of a timeline where only the lead artist transferred to the venue from a wedding we did this past summer.

*Bride + 8 hair/makeups with three artists = Approx 5.5 hours (includes 30 minutes to transfer to venue)*

And finally, the simplest solution of them all. Option 5 is to choose an off-site location for hair and makeup, and only utilize your bridal suite for getting dressed. This may not be what you envisioned when you booked your venue, but if you aren’t able to access the venue further in advance than 2 or 3 hours prior to the ceremony - this option is probably the most logical solution. And bonus - it also won’t incur any additional fees from your hair/makeup team or your venue. Large hotel suites (the kind with separate living and dining areas) are typically comfortable for hanging out in, have great amenities (like room service!) and will have no limitations on how early we are able to begin. A family member’s home or an AirBnB may be a good option for a getting ready space as well. Your timeline won’t feel rushed, and you’ll have plenty of time to get dressed, have all the special “first look” moments and take almost all your formal group portraits prior to the ceremony so you’ll be able to enjoy the cocktail hour with your guests afterward.

Would you like to chat with us about the unique timeline needs of your wedding day, or get a specific quote for one of the options listed above? We’d love to chat with you! Request a quote or schedule a phone consultation and we can discuss our customized solutions to ensure your wedding day goes as smoothly as possible.

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