When should you book your trial?
The sweet spot is 4 to 8 weeks before the wedding. By then your dress is chosen, your hair is at or near its wedding length, and any colour is settled, so the look you approve is the look you will actually wear.
Book the artist themselves much earlier, though. Sought-after Adelaide artists are reserved 9 to 12 months ahead for peak-season Saturdays, and the trial is scheduled closer in once the date is locked.
What to bring
Bring 2 or 3 reference photos in lighting similar to your venue and ceremony time, not heavily filtered ones, which mislead everyone. Bring any hair extensions, your veil or hairpiece, and a top in a colour close to your dress so you can see the look in context.
Come with clean, moisturised skin and your hair washed and dried as the artist briefs. If you have a skincare routine or sensitivities, share them up front so the base suits your skin.
What happens at the trial
The artist builds your full look, then refines it with your feedback: more or less coverage, a softer or stronger eye, a different lip, hair up or down. It is also where you and the artist build trust, so the morning of the wedding feels familiar rather than nerve-racking.
Take photos on your phone in daylight at the end, front and side. The camera flattens colour, so a look that feels slightly bold in the mirror often reads as just right on camera.
Let us match you with the right people
Tell us your date and bridal party size and we'll match you with up to 3 vetted Adelaide hair and makeup artists. Free, no obligation.
Get my free quotesQuestions worth asking
Is the trial included in the quote or charged separately, and is it credited if I book? What products and base do you use, and are they long-wear or airbrush? How early will you start on the day, and is there an early-start fee? Do you bring a touch-up kit, and is travel to my venue included?
These are the lines where quotes quietly differ. Confirming them now means no surprises later.
If you are still pulling the day together, an Adelaide wedding planner can coordinate your getting-ready timeline so hair and makeup finishes exactly when the photographer arrives.
