Bridal Beauty Tips from The Styling Stewardess

Beauty insight for the big day is on every bride’s mind, so we sat down with North Texas wedding hair and makeup artist Kaleigh Simons from The Styling Stewardess to bring you the 411 on the latest bridal beauty tips and trends! Read on for her expert advice to make sure you’re every bit the blushing bride on your wedding day!

Q. What advice do you have for a bride trying to find the right look for her day?
A. For hair and makeup, we always recommend going with a fancier version of what you normally do. So if you always wear your hair up in a pony, you may feel more comfortable with an updo because hair on your neck may bother you. On the other hand, if you always wear your hair down, maybe go with a half-up or a side-swept look; having your hair up could make you feel uncomfortable if your hair is usually down and is your security blanket.  The same goes for makeup. If you never wear much makeup, I wouldn’t go crazy on your wedding day because you won’t feel like yourself. Stick with what you’re used to, but just a glam’d-up version of that…with the exception of false lashes. Everyone should always wear false lashes! Pinterest is great and may help narrow down your search. I always suggest looking at pictures that feature your same hair color; this should give you a better expectation of how your hair will look. I have had brunette brides show me pictures of braided blonde hair styles, and they ended up being disappointed because the braid wasn’t as noticeable on them—I had to explain that blonde hair shows detail and texture better than brunette hair. So again, looking at pictures that feature your hair color, and even skin coloring, will help you and your stylist set realistic expectations.

Q. Do you recommend doing a trial run before the big day?
A. Yes! We always encourage our brides to do a trial, and especially for a gown fitting. That allows them to see the entire look together to make sure they really like how their hair is styled with their dress.

Q. What beauty trends do you predict for this fall/winter?
A. Bridal party members have been requesting braided styles for a while now, but going forward, I expect brides to start embracing braids as well. I also predict that full flower crowns will fade out and will be replaced by more subtle flowers accents incorporated into hairstyles. For makeup, I think matte lips will be replaced by a more glossy look. Fresh faces with a strong brow and light, natural lips will remain in style!

Q. What should a bride to do prepare for her wedding?
A. It’s never too early to research vendors and start booking them. It’s one less thing you have to do later! When booking a hair and makeup artist, look at the stylist’s Instagram to see if you like their style, then look at their reviews on multiple sites. Referrals from friends are always the best, though, because you can ask them detailed questions and learn more than what you typically find in reviews. I start booking weddings six months out, but because we are a large company with multiple stylists, we are able to take more than one wedding per Saturday. If a bride chooses to have her wedding on a non-typical day, like Friday or Sunday, we can accommodate that booking about three months out.

Q. What is the most important beauty and/or hair product every bride should have?
A. Lipstick! Every bride should have a go-to lipstick for wedding day touch-ups! Even beyond the wedding, if you’re running errands and don’t have time to do full-face makeup, throwing on some lipstick will instantly make you feel more put together.

Q. Any other insider tips you have for brides-to-be?
A. Do whatever is going to make your wedding day less stressful! If that means meeting with your stylist just to go over questions, or doing three trials, then do it! If you need to bring your stylist with you to your destination wedding or want to bring your posse to your trial run, do it! It’s your day and you need to do whatever is going to make you comfortable and happy.

Beauty Photos 2 & 3: Elisabeth Carol Photography