Bridesmaid Makeup in Maine: Looks, Timing and Adding Guests

Before anyone in the party sits in my chair, I ask her what she wants. That one question is why nobody ends up wearing a look someone else chose for her.

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What does soft bridesmaid makeup look like?

Soft bridesmaid makeup is fresh, even skin, a softly blended eye, lashes that suit you and a lip close to your own color. It photographs well beside the bride without competing with her, and it lasts through the ceremony, photos and dancing because every face in the party gets the same long wear base.

For bridesmaid makeup inspo, save two or three photos of looks you love and one you do not, plus a photo of your dress color, since the dress guides the lip and cheek. Send them to the bride or bring them that morning. Makeup for bridesmaids is $130 per person, added to the bride's booking.

What makeup looks can bridesmaids ask for?

Any look that suits you and the wedding. Some bridesmaids want fresh skin and a lip close to their own color. Others want soft glam, with a more defined eye and fuller lashes.

A party can match, or each person can choose. I talk with each bridesmaid before I start, so the look you ask for is the look you get. If you are not sure, bring a photo of something you like and one you do not.

I take one wedding per date, so your party has my full attention that morning.

The same long wear approach goes into every face in the party. I prep skin for the season and do a final check on everyone before photos. I bring my own lighting, so the color you see in the room is the color in your photos.

Should bridesmaid makeup match the bride?

It does not have to. One common choice is for bridesmaids to sit a step softer than the bride, so she stands out in photos. That is the bride's call, not a rule.

If you want a coordinated look, tell me in your inquiry and I will plan the party around it. A maid of honor who stands beside the bride in most photos sometimes wants a little more definition or a matching lip. Her price and chair time are the same as every other bridesmaid. Once the bride has had her preview, she can send the photo of her look to the party, so everyone knows where the finished face will sit before the morning.

You can see the range of finished looks in my bridal portfolio. Showing your bridesmaids a few photos before the morning saves time in the chair.

Can wedding guests get makeup with the bridal party?

Yes. Moms, grandmothers and other guests can be added to the bride's booking on the wedding morning. They sit in the same schedule as the bridal party, so the bride should include them in the head count. There is no party minimum, so a bride with one bridesmaid books the same way as a bride with a big party.

Moms often want skin that looks like their own, only rested, and makeup that lasts through hugs and a long day of photos. I ask them what they want the same way I ask the bridesmaids.

If you are a guest and not in the bridal party, the simplest route is to ask the bride to add you. Wedding makeup is booked by inquiry and added to a wedding booking. If that is not possible, send me your date and town and ask, and I will tell you plainly what I can do. If you would rather do your own face on the day, I also teach one hour, one on one makeup lessons at my Lewiston studio, using your own products on your own features.

How would a Yarmouth bridal party be quoted?

I worked a wedding in Yarmouth in late August. Here is how a bride, her maid of honor, two bridesmaids and her mom getting ready there would be quoted. Yarmouth is about 35 minutes each way from Lewiston.

• Bride: $300, preview included
• Each additional person: $130, for four people
• Travel: about $120, for about an hour and ten minutes of round trip driving

I plan about an hour for the bride and 30 to 45 minutes for each additional person. So that party needs 3 to 4 hours of chair time, with the bride finished last. Late arrivals are the most common reason a morning runs behind, so share the chair times with everyone the week before. The Yarmouth wedding makeup page has the local detail, and a larger party follows my plan for large bridal party mornings.

Does the bride pay for the bridesmaids?

That is up to the couple and the bridal party. Sometimes the bride covers it, and sometimes each person pays for her own. My rates are the same either way. A 50 percent deposit holds the date, and the balance is due two weeks before the wedding.

If the party is splitting costs, the per person line items make it simple to see who owes what. Travel is one line for the morning, so the group decides how to share it.

Whoever pays, the booking runs through the bride, so there is one schedule and one written confirmation. My page on wedding makeup across Maine shows how the morning runs from the first chair to the final check.

I take one wedding per date, so when you have a date and a town, check your date with me and I will reply within one business day with the line items for your morning.