Remember the days of huddling around each other’s mirrors before a night out? Of clattering through your collective makeup bags while bellowing out partially learned lyrics? Of smoothing down each other’s unruly flyaway hair while dodging a hair-spray cloud from across the room? Getting ready for an event was almost as much fun as actually being ‘out’.

That’s because you and your bridesmaids were all in it together.

While getting ready for your wedding is in a whole other league to a night out, it’s much more fun when your bridesmaids are part of the pre-wedding action.

You might not have even considered hair and makeup for your bridesmaids, but it can do something magical for your wedding day experience. It helps set the scene (and settle your nerves) with your closest friends – the ones you’ve chosen to be near to you on one of the biggest days of your life.

There are some practical reasons why it makes sense to have your bridesmaids wedding makeup and hair included in the run of events. You can emphasise the general theme of your wedding, and create a cohesive look and style for the day. This is especially true if your bridesmaids are wearing different dresses. An overall hair and makeup style can help set them apart from your other guests.

But really, I think it’s more personal than that.

Genuinely, nothing says ‘thank you for being my bridesmaids’ like treating them to some luxury. After all, they’re the ones making sure that everything runs smoothly around you. Your bridesmaids will be the ones making sure you stay hydrated, picking the confetti out of your hair, liaising with the caterers, and catching misbehaviour before it happens. They are your wedding elves.

Get your bridesmaids in on the action, and you’ll have a ball in the getting-ready stages. It’s a pampering session for everyone and even a relief for those bridesmaids who’ve been in the thick of the planning stages. When everyone’s taken care of, you can sit back, bask in the chilled vibes and let the bubbly flow.

Plus, the bridesmaids will look and feel great.

It’s your day, and no-one can outshine the bride. But when your bridesmaids also feel special, their mood will lift yours.

There’s no hard and fast rule that says who can and who can’t have their hair and makeup professionally done on the big day. You may have bridesmaids who would rather do their own, and you might know some who would jump at the chance to have someone to spruce their hair and take care of their makeup. You can have both.

Everybody is different, and you know your bridesmaids best.

So, let’s get down to logistics.

Wedding hair and makeup can’t (and really shouldn’t be) rushed. When there’s more than one session to work with on the day, it requires a ship-shape schedule. I’m lucky enough to work with a talented pro-team, and we can work our makeover magic on large wedding groups.

But it does take time.

That’s where the schedule comes in. Allocated slots make it easy to get everyone looking and feeling their best; of course, leaving plenty of time for the bride. The star of the show gets the most time and the most attention.

Let’s talk about YOUR wedding. Contact Hair and Makeup by Gabrielle.