Wedding Timelines

[BridePanicAaargh]

Hello all,

Apologies have name changed for this!

Due to be married this year (covid depending etc - got everything crossed). One thing I can’t seem to work out in my head is the timings of the getting ready - hoping some of you with more logical heads than me can work it out!

Details;

Venue allows us to “get there” from 11am to get ready.
Ceremony at 1pm - but guess this means realistically I need to aim to be ready for 12.30 ish

Can’t stay at venue night before. Would suggest staying at my house (45 Mins drive away)

Two bridesmaids, adults.

All the wedding advice blogs etc say I need to leave 1 hour PP for hair and make up. Which suggests 3 hours. So do I book for example a hair person to come to mine and do 3 hours for hair styling for myself and the 2 bridesmaids, then drive to the venue for 11am and then have a makeup person there? But then would 90 mins be enough for a make up person to do my makeup AND my 2 bridesmaids? I can’t see us wanting anything too fancy make up wise, I’m not a massive wearer of it anyway.

Can’t seem to gel it in my head. Any advice (especially from an MUA!) would be much appreciated

Do you have a room at the venue to get ready in? Or is it just the ceremony room?

You do need to arrive slightly early to have your interview with the registrar - but not 30 mins.

I had hair and make up at home then off to the venue to get married. Arrived 12.40, ceremony at 1.

Yes, we have access to the whole venue (rooms etc etc and bridal suite) but not till 11. I guess my main worry is if 90 mins is enough time to have three full adult faces made up

I would do all the getting ready part (hair, makeup, getting dressed etc) at home and then go to the venue when ready (say for 12-12.30) have a glass of champers and relax before the ceremony. It would be really inconvenient to split getting ready activities across different locations. That’s just my opinion though!

My wedding was a long time ago but we had hair & makeup done at home, then drove to venue and just got dressed there.

Arrive at the venue ready.
This might mean a very early start!!

Thanks all, I think that’s what I’m leaning towards, getting ready at home and just putting dress on at venue. This would mean photographer having to do an hour or so at mine then I guess, and then driving himself? to venue to see groomsmen / setting up stuff etc...

Aaargh.

Would you fancy going to a salon for your hair & make up? Me & my two bridesmaids did that, it was lovely. Much better than being crammed in a hotel room, rushing!

Would that work with timings though cookie? I guess we’d need to be there about 8am ish?. They wouldn’t be open at that time would they?

Can’t you have makeup person and hairdresser working on different people at the same time?

@MinnieMountain

Can’t you have makeup person and hairdresser working on different people at the same time?

Oh my god. Yes

(Face palms)

Do you have to go to the venue pre ceremony? Could you not just get ready at home and then arrive at the venue for the ceremony. I think getting ready at the venue only works if you have it available all morning and can do everything there. Just another thought. If not, I would do what others suggested, get ready and just get dressed at the venue x

Get in touch with a hair dresser and make up artist with your requirements and issues as they have don't this 1000 times before so will know the time that they need to do the job.

This is what I did and it took HOURS to get ready far longer than I would have planned.

Our wedding was at 1 but I got ready at the reception venue and got married in a church about 20 mins. So the timings will mostly work.

I used a salon close to the hotel I was staying in and had the morning slots from when they opened at 9. I would recommend trying to find one closer as a 40 minute drive if you’re running late will be quite stressful and have potential for several holdups. My mum and I had our makeup done, my 2 bridesmaids preferred to do their own. All four adults and one flower girl had their hair done, the makeup lady also entertained the flower girl by ‘applying’ makeup while others were getting ready. Moved over to my room to get ready about 11 and the photographer arrived about 11.30. So you have you’ve already got your hair and makeup done when the photographer gets there and your ‘getting ready’ photos are people doing up your dress, having a glass of champagne etc.

So I’d suggest-
1pm - ceremony starts
12.30pm - be ready, have photos with parents, bridesmaids etc and get to ceremony area for 12.45
12.10 - put you dress on. If you have buttons or corset back you’ll need the full 20 minutes. If you have a zip, you probably won’t. However, if you have hoops or anything under your dress, take take into account.
12.00 - bridesmaids get dressed
11.30 - have photographers arrive, drink some champagne and maybe some sandwiches or pastries. Tidy up all plates and wash hands before getting out dresses. Touch up lipstick.
11.00 - get to venue, unpack your things, hang up the dresses.
10.20 - leave home if using a mobile hair and makeup artist.
9.00 - start hair and makeup. Depending on the hair styles you want, you might need two hair stylists, one makeup artist
8.00am - have breakfast, if you can, and have some time for yourself.

You’ve got time by aiming to get the venue for 11. If you’re getting dressed at the venue, you probably don’t need to be there until 11.45 so you’ve 45 mins there if things overrun. If things massively overrun, just get ready at home. Have a bridesmaid call the venue to let them know and call your photographer.

Thanks everyone! Knew the vipers would help me solve this (and stop the panic!!)

I used to work as a bridal hair and makeup artist and I'm afraid 90 mins is no way near long enough. You've got to consider any delays to accessing the venue / suite, their set up time, chance to unpack their kit, discuss what your bridesmaids would like, apply and then any final tweaks. Not to mention if you also have a hairdresser their timings may not work out the same and leave someone with too little time for their hair/makeup!

I would say get ready at home and then travel to the venue - for bridal parties most salons and mua's will work whatever hours are required, I did 6am starts before it's part of the job.

If you haven't booked hair/makeup already then I suggest doing so ASAP as I know many of my friends still in the industry are incredibly booked up because of the number of weddings moved to this year.

Really wishing 2021 sees all the lovely weddings go ahead, and best of luck planning it!

Thanks @strawberryjelly21 that’s really really helpful knowledge. Guess I need to start ringing round some hair and make up people!

Final question to you please @strawberryjelly21

I don’t really wear makeup so have no idea how long this stuff lasts. If let’s say, mine was done by 10.30am, how long would it last? As obviously I guess the MUA then wouldn’t travel with me to the venue for a final touch up

I agree with pp. Get fully ready before you get to the venue.

Oh, and if you decided some pre champers are in order, bring straws.

On that note, ask the make up lady for the lipstick info as you may want to touch up? I think I may have even bought the same shade.

Definitely, a lot of my friends have facebooks/instagrams with testimonials and pictures which is so helpful. I would also make sure to ask for recommendations locally if you know any other people who married in the last few years I would also recommend having a trial, although it can seem like an expense it's so worth it to run through looks and decide on your final one for the big day!

Sorry just seen your last message about touch ups - I would say if you have a good makeup artist the only thing you will need to reapply is lip product usually I would either order the bride the same lip colour she chose at trial to keep and then reapply herself during the day, or if you have one you love already then use that! Otherwise you shouldn't need anything reapplying!

Oh that’s brilliant news! (Hmmm maybe I should start wearing make up more often rather than just my mascara and powder )
Thanks so much everyone, feeling a lot more confident

I let hairdresser and make up artist tell me what time they needed to start and how they needed to do it as it depends on the hair style etc