why you should always book a trial

Trials are one of the most important things that should be on your pre-wedding checklist. And not for the reason you’re probably thinking i.e. to “try” out your makeup artist. 

Ideally, you should be comfortable booking your beauty vendors prior to testing them out. That’s why looking through portfolios and reviews are vital to making sure you’re booking someone whose style is already in the realm of what you’re hoping for. I totally understand it can be confusing because it is literally called a "trial". But the trial part means you're trying out different options with your artist. 

Trials are for you and your makeup artist (same goes for your hairstylist) to get to know one another and to talk at length about your beauty inspo and your vision for the day. It’s a time to talk about your skin type and concerns. Ideally, you’re booking your trial 2-4 months before your big day because if I feel any of those conditions can be addressed professionally, I can refer you to the right people and treatments that can actually make a difference in time for your wedding. I should also note that it’s super important you know your skin type (normal, dry, oily, combo, sensitive) before your trial because I will tailor the products I use to work with your specific skin type. This is especially important for the longevity of the makeup. 

I always encourage my brides to book their hair trials on the same day (first hair app then makeup) so that when we’re done, you can really envision, for the first and only time before the wedding, how you’ll look! Bonus points if you schedule your dress fitting on the same day after both of those trials! 

We take extra time to test and tweak every product and shade to make sure I’m getting as close to your vision as possible. I build that extra time into the trial for exactly that purpose (which is why it costs a tiny bit more than a regular application appt). You might think you want a certain color lipstick but then we try some peaches, soft pinks and mauves and you’ve switched gears entirely! And we can take pictures of each option so you can look back and decide later on. During your trial we can test and explore all of the options to make sure you feel like the BEST version of yourself. 

Sometimes I’ll even have brides who schedule their trials on the same day as their engagement shoots or bridal showers and then they give me feedback on the makeup once they see pictures of themselves. This might seem granular but the more specific you can be with your likes and dislikes, the closer I can get you to your vision! 
Trials are your time to be vocal because there is time to pivot and make changes. 

And lastly (and arguably most importantly), trials allow me to work as efficiently as possible on the big day. When you leave my studio following your trial, I spend upwards of 60 minutes writing down extensively detailed notes of every single product I used on you and in what order. You’ve probably noticed I don’t charge extra for the bride’s makeup on the wedding day. That’s because with the trial notes in hand (and I mean literally in hand, printed out), I generally am able to finish the bride’s makeup the fastest on the big day! I know that seems wild but when you eliminate the time spent on shade testing and product selection based on skin type, I’m able to shave off significant time which equals less time for you in the makeup chair and more time enjoying your day sipping mimosas with your loved ones! It’s a total win win. 


*As of the writing of this blog post, I don’t require brides to sign their wedding contract prior to booking a trial however, until the contract is signed and a deposit has been made, your date will not be held. There will also be 25% non-contract trial fee applied. 

Bridal Information

July 2023

By Samara Perchick