Should Mothers of the Bride and Groom Have a Hair and Makeup Trial?

Once every significant detail has been locked in—from the budget to the wedding dress and the rehearsal dinner—the rest of your job as the mother of the bride (or groom) is to offer love and support for the remainder of the planning process. With all this extra space in your schedule, it's also the perfect time to shift the attention to yourself and decide on how you'd like to look for the big day. 

While finding the perfect dress is essential (and should be handled as the first item on your checklist), determining your hair and makeup look is just as important. Plus, for those planning to get their hair and makeup professionally done, scheduling a beauty trial may help guarantee that you get exactly what you envision.

Though bridal trials are common and highly recommended by professional artists, the best practices for moms are sometimes unknown. That's why, we asked makeup artist Trista Evans to explain the circumstances in which a hair and makeup trial would be appropriate for the mother of the bride and groom. Read on for more insight.

Should Mothers of the Bride and Groom Schedule a Hair and Makeup Trial?

According to Evans, moms should consider two factors when deciding on if they should schedule a hair and makeup trial.

The first one is to evaluate the experience of the beauty artists, and if they’ve worked on women with your particular facial features and skin tone. “Go to the artist’s website and social media to view pictures of their work,” says Evans. “Characteristics to compare are age, skin and hair color, length and texture of hair, and face structure.” If an artist has a ton of examples of women who look like you, a trial may not be needed as you can expect similar results to what you see.

Next, ask yourself these two questions: Do I have an idea of the look I want for the big day? Am I able to communicate my preferences to the artist? If you answered "no" to one or both of the above questions, you should consider scheduling a trial. “If the mothers are undecided as to how they would like their hair and makeup done, they would probably benefit from the artist's expertise provided during a trial,” shares Evans. 

Pros and Cons of Having a Beauty Trial

“Trials are fun and valuable, says Evans. “They provide you the time to try different styles and ask questions.” What's more, given that they're typically 60 to 90 minutes long, hair and makeup trials give you the freedom to experiment and even learn from your artist; compared to the 30 to 45 minutes you have on the actual wedding day. “On the day of the wedding, the artist is on a very tight timeline and will not have time to change your look,” adds Evans. “The bride is the artist’s main focus.”

Another pro? During a trial, you may find out that you need to book another artist, saving you a lot of stress on the big day. "You may also learn that the artist is not a good fit for you,” says Evans. “If this is the case, you may decide to seek out a different artist for yourself.” 

As for a con, if you’re trying to save money, a trial is an added expense to your budget. If you know what you want and you like the artist's online portfolio, you can probably skip the trial and save a bit of money. Just be sure to show up on the wedding day with photos of what you like and/or want—preferably from the artist’s own portfolio.

Additional Tips and Considerations

For moms who have decided to move forward with a hair and makeup trial, Evans recommends scheduling an appointment three months or less in advance. This is due to the fact that you'll want your natural hair and skin to be exactly how it will look on the day of the wedding. Also, “schedule your trial in the morning so you can see how long it lasts, and on a day you have an occasion to wear your look,” she advises. 

As for who pays for the trial, that's simple: Whoever schedules it is the one paying. Occasionally, some mothers of the bride or groom will treat the bride to her trial and wedding day glam squad. “Typically, trials are for the bride,” says Evans. “If a mother would like a trial, that’s great, just expect to be the one paying for it.”

Ultimately, is it worth getting a hair and makeup trial for your child’s wedding? Yes and no. This is a personal choice and depends on your circumstances. If a trial will help you feel more relaxed on the big day, though, go for it! “Mothers that have done trials with me are unquestionably more confident and at ease on the day of the wedding,” says Evans. “This is a positive for the bride as well!”