Essential tips for landing bridal makeup jobs.

5 Tips on How to Get a Bridal Makeup Job

The basics to becoming a successful bridal makeup artist.

How to Land a Bridal Makeup Job

1. Befriend Wedding Photographers - Networking in this industry is a must and knowing the right people can be the difference between living the good life and struggling to make ends meet. Go to various networking events and make friends with photographers who are known specifically for engagement parties and weddings. Exchange business cards and make sure you leave a lasting impression.
2. Call local event and wedding planners - Having wedding and event planners in your rolodex is one of the easiest ways to land a bridal makeup job. These are folks with direct contact to your desired clients. Set up a referral plan where you both benefit if either one of you books a wedding day gig! Be sure to send thank yours and show sincere appreciation once you do land the job.
3. Be a Vendor at a Local Bridal Show - There are dozens if not hundreds of traveling wedding and bridal shows that are geared specifically for targeting brides-to-be. This is your market and thus your responsibility to have your face in the place at these events. Ideally, I recomend being a vendor so that you can have more control over your marketing and collect prospective clients' info as well. However, sometimes being a guest and observing the competition and latest trends of the bridal industry can be just as good.
4. Offer FREE consultations - On the most important day of your life, the worst that can happen is a horrendous hair or makeup job that makes keeping positive nearly impossible. Its only fair to give the bride a taste of the royal treatment she'll receive from you on the day of her wedding. It also helps you to build a relationship with the client and discover her needs and wishes for her bridal makeup. I do, however, recommend collecting a deposit on this date after the consultation to ensure that the wedding date and your booking is locked in stone.
5. Walk a Mile in her Shoes! - This, I think, is the most important of all! As professional makeup artists, its easy to get wrapped up in the creativity of your craft and lose empathy for the client. But for wedding makeup, empathy is the key to landing the job and getting referrals! Go the extra mile and include freebies in your wedding packages for the bride and a small gift for the entire bridal party. If a bride requests a look that's unbecoming to her, reassure her that you want to honor her wishes as much as possible but as a professional you believe that your technique would best suit her look and overall outcome of her wedding.