Are you about to host an event that requires you to look your best – like a corporate event or a gala? Or are you planning a life-changing event – like a wedding? If so, you’ve come to the right place! We have several tips, advice, recommendations, and best practices to share with you on how to plan and organize an event that requires the presence of hair stylists and makeup artists: all this so that you are beautiful that day and that you have a memorable time. Although organizing an event rarely follows a straight line from point A to point B, we’ve organized the article chronologically so you can find your way around more quickly.
When should I start planning my hair event?
The best friend of good planning is time. The more you have, the smoother your event planning is likely to go – leaving you more time to tick off all the boxes on your checklist. Also, many professional event organizers book a stylist-makeup artist for their event well in advance. With the current more difficult labor recruitment context, it is therefore not uncommon for availability to decrease significantly as the big day approaches. So, many events with hair and makeup are booked from 6 months to 1 year in advance. Of course, it is possible to book a few weeks – or even a few days – in advance depending on the size of your event, but you could also run out of options and/or have to suffer the consequences of an event that is too poorly/poorly organized.
What is the essential information to think about?
Now that you understand the importance of planning for your event, here are several questions (and just as many practical tips) that you should ask yourself before an event that requires event hairstyling. Obviously, by organizing your event with us, we will be there to help you with all the things you need to think about.
Who are the participants to be styled and made up at my hair event?
One of the first questions to ask is the number of participants in the services.
And there are more than you might think, depending on the type of event:
- For a wedding: moms, dads, grandmothers, grandfathers, bridesmaids, event attendants, flower girls, officiant, etc.
- For a corporate event or a ball, for example: have you drawn up a list of people interested in makeup and hair?
The list of event types is long, but you get the idea. Also, do participants need hair only? Makeup only? Both? This question needs to be answered for each of them.
How much preparation time should participants expect?
As you already know, time is your best ally in planning your event and this also applies to the day of the event. You should therefore allow sufficient time for the preparation of each of the participants. By including plenty of preparation time in your schedule, you and your attendees will arrive relaxed with plenty of time to enjoy the moment – and your favorite beverages! If too little time is allowed for hair and makeup (which are often in the early stages of an event) and this causes a delay, everything that follows will also be delayed. In short, it is therefore important to define a schedule that is flexible enough to avoid this part of the event encroaching on the others. So you should not hesitate to create a simple schedule and communicate the time slots to the participants. This information will also help us determine our arrival time and plan our travel accordingly.
Are there any special needs?
Special requests are relatively common and we try to accommodate them whenever possible. Any special requests should therefore be communicated as quickly as possible to assess whether they are realistically achievable.
Is the place suitable for hair and makeup services?
If you do not have access to your room a certain time before the event, you will have to find another place for the preparation of the guests. A hotel is a common and convenient option – the same goes for a home. The ideal is to have enough space to move around easily and to have access to natural light coming from plenty of windows – this will also allow you to take beautiful photos!
So, here are some questions you’ll want to ask yourself before determining that location:
- Is it a clean, private, and quiet place?
- Are there mirrors, adequate lighting, and comfortable seating?
- Are there toilets and/or running water nearby?
- Are there working electrical outlets available?
- Is there enough space for all participants to wait?
The location where the services will be performed is often overlooked, but after these few lines, you understand that it is more important and practical than you think.
How to prepare for a hairdressing service?
You now know several essential questions to ask yourself when planning your event. So the next step is to prepare yourself to get the service itself – get your hair and makeup done!
What is your dream look like?
To achieve your hair goals, it’s important to have your dream look in mind with some photos to back it up. Different looks will require several aspects of hair to come into play, such as length, texture, volume, color, and cut, depending on the style you are going for. If your event is a wedding, you should also think about the connection between your dress and your hair to find a harmonious marriage between the two. In this particular case (a wedding), we strongly recommend a hair and makeup trial before the event – we’ll tell you more about that later in the article.
Do I need a trial session?
For a wedding, a trial session is highly recommended. Indeed, in the case of a wedding – an event that generally happens rarely – we firmly believe that it is essential to ensure that your look will be impeccable for the big day. When you try it on, you may find that the dream look you had in mind doesn’t work as well as you thought it would. This could be due to your hair type, length, texture, volume, color, etc. So the trial can save you from a very disappointing situation and it’s a great time to be honest with your stylist: if something tiny doesn’t work, you have to say so! This is important because that is exactly what the test is for, to discover things that have the potential to disappoint (a lot) and to make adjustments that we could not have made on the same day. Also, it is recommended to participate in the trial with the same hair color that you will have on the wedding day. Finally, if you plan to wear accessories with your hairstyle it is essential to bring them since they are an integral part of your look.
Do I need to provide equipment and/or products?
The best equipment you can provide us is a suitable place to work – as explained in a few paragraphs above. Other than that, we’ll take care of the rest. Our hair and makeup products are professional quality and the equipment we have for events is pretty much the same as what we use in a salon. So, basically, you can put a check mark on your list for this point: we’ll take care of it!
How to prepare the day before the event?
A few precautions can help you achieve optimal results. For both your hair and your face, there are different things you can do to ensure you look radiant at your event.
How to prepare your hair the day before?
The day before the event, hair should be washed and dried to make our work easier. They should not be straightened, curled or tied up and no styling products should be applied. We take care of all that for you! In fact, simply leaving your hair in its natural state before the big day can really improve the overall health of your hair. For even better results, you should also pay special attention to your hair in the days leading up to your event. For example, if you notice that your hair has split ends, don’t just let it go and book an appointment for a cut.
How to prepare your face the day before?
On the day of the event, the face should be well cleansed and a light moisturizer can be applied. You should also avoid sunscreen or a cream that is too rich. Also, take care to moisturize your lips well with a balm. On the big day, you will be able to discuss your tastes and expectations with the makeup artist – if this has not already been done during a trial session.
