You have the dress, the shoes, and the groom, so what is next? Choosing a bridal hairstyle and makeup are the added elements to your whole bridal look. You want to look and feel beautiful, so choosing the right bridal stylist is very important. It is about you and what makes you feel not only amazing, but comfortable at the same time.  You want to be yourself on your wedding day! So we asked our hair and makeup expert, Gina Ludwig at Hair Comes the Bride to share with us five tips in choosing the perfect bridal stylist. Here is what she told us:

Finding the perfect bridal stylist can be a little overwhelming!  There are so many talented stylists out there, but, doing good hair and makeup is only one aspect that you should take into consideration when choosing a stylist.  Not all stylists are created equal and the right (or wrong) stylist can really make or break your wedding day experience.  Below are my tips for choosing the right bridal stylist for you:

• Style: Everyone has their own style and personality, they way they do things, including your potential bridal stylist.  The first thing you want to do when narrowing down your choices is to find someone whose style is in line with yours, someone who you think you will get along well with.  Your first impression of your potential stylist is going to be their website.  Do you like the look of it?  Do you like the photos?  The colors?  What they say about their business and their brides?  And, most importantly, their style of hair and makeup?  If you find a stylist whose “style” really impresses you, the next step is going to be to contact the stylist for information.

• First Impression: In my opinion, when you contact a vendor for information, if they don’t get back to you within 24 hours, if not sooner, MOVE ON!  I know this sounds harsh but there are too many choices out there and if someone doesn’t  get back to you quickly, it means one of two things, either they are disorganized or they don’t really care.  Both of which is not a good thing!  Now let’s assume your potential stylist has gotten back to you in a timely manner, I hope I don’t have to tell you that when you talk to them if they don’t answer all of your questions in a thorough and pleasant manner or if they are short, impatient, rude or rub you the wrong way in ANY way, MOVE ON!

• The Most Important Question to Ask: So you found a stylist who you really like.  Their style of hair and makeup is in line with yours, you get a good vibe from them, they got back to you quickly and answered all your questions in a pleasant and thorough manner.  Now comes, what I think is the most important question you can ask, that question is: “What is your policy if I am not happy for any reason?”  More specifically, “If I am not happy for any reason after my preview appointment, will you do another trial for free OR give me my money back?”  If a stylist has a proven track record of making brides happy and he or she is committed to being of service to their brides, they should not have a problem putting their money where their mouth is and guaranteeing the preview appointment!

• The Preview: Now, it’s time for your preview.  Your preview is a great way to see, not only what you are going to look like on the wedding day but to see what your wedding day will be like working with this particular stylist.  Remember, your stylist is going to be the vendor who is literally going to be the closest to you right before you walk down the aisle.  You are going to spend 3-4 hours with her/him along side your friends and family.  Your hair and makeup trial should be a good indication of what that time will be like.  If after your preview appointment you feel anything less than thrilled and completely confident, you should not sign a contract.  You should, depending on how it went, request another preview with your stylist OR find another stylist altogether.  AND, if you took my advice and went with a stylist who offers a guarantee, you really have nothing to lose since even those few hours you spent at the preview will help you determine what you do or don’t want next time!

• A Word About Budget: Most every bride has a budget and let’s be honest, it is usually one of the first things taken into consideration when looking for a stylist.  While, of course, there is nothing wrong with having a hair and makeup budget, keep in mind that compared to the other details of your wedding (flowers, food, venue, etc) your hair and makeup is going to be one of the least expensive.  Now, if you can find a stylist that you are thrilled with who is within or below your budget, awesome!  But, my advice is to take all of the other factors I have mentioned into consideration first and then look at budget last (not first like many brides do).  When it comes to your hair and makeup, it is too important a detail, don’t settle!  If going with your best choice, the choice that feels right for you ends up costing you even a few hundred dollars more than you budgeted, that is really not much when you look at the big picture and what you could potentially gain (or lose) by hiring the right (or wrong) stylist.