The Ultimate Wedding Hair & Makeup Timeline (From Booking to “I Do!”)

When it comes to wedding planning, knowing what to do and when makes everything feel more manageable, especially when it comes to your hair, makeup, and skincare!

Our wedding hair and makeup timeline walks you through each step, from booking your beauty team to sitting in the chair on your wedding day, so nothing feels rushed and everything feels intentional.

9-12 Months Before Your Wedding: Book Your Hair & Makeup & Assess Skin Goals

This is the foundation of your bridal beauty planning.

Hair & Makeup

Ideally, you’ll book your wedding hair and makeup artist(s) 9-12 months before your date, especially if you’re getting married during peak season or have a larger bridal party! 

Booking early ensures:

Your date is secured

Enough artists are available for your group. 

Plenty of time to plan a calm wedding morning. 

Skincare

This is also the best time to assess your skin goals with a licensed skincare professional or dermatologist!

If you both decide that certain treatments could help (such as chemical peels, microneedling, or acne treatments), now is the time to begin trying them. Starting early allows your skin to respond gradually and safely!

6-8 Months Before: Refine Your Vision & Maintain Consistent Skincare

Now that your vendors are booked, it’s time to focus on consistency!

Hair & Makeup

Start gathering inspiration for:

Hairstyles that compliment your personal vibe and dress style.
Makeup looks that feel like an elevated version of you. 

Skincare

Around the 6-month mark, your goal should shift from experimenting to maintaining.

At this point:

Stick to treatments and products that are already working. 

Avoid trying brand-new professional treatments. 

Focus on hydration, barrier health, and consistency. 

‍

Your skin doesn’t need perfection, it needs stability.

3-4 Months Before: Schedule Your Hair & Makeup Trial

This is when everything starts to get so real! 

Your bridal hair and makeup trial should ideally happen about 2-4 months before your wedding, ideally after your dress, veil, and accessories are chosen! 

During your trial, you’ll:

Become familiar and comfortable with your artist team. 

Explain your comfort levels and styling preferences. 

Collaborate with your artists to create that is perfectly and uniquely you! 

Finalize your hairstyle and makeup look. 

Skincare Note

Continue your established skincare routine and avoid introducing any new active ingredients unless approved by your skincare professional.

2 Months Before: Finalize Bridal Party & Beauty Details

This is the time to confirm:

Bridesmaids’ hair and makeup services

Mother of the bride and groom services

Any additional timing needs

Finalizing these details now allows your beauty team to create a smooth, realistic timeline for your wedding morning!

4-6 Weeks Before: Creating Your Wedding Morning Beauty Timeline

Your beauty team will help map out:

Start times.
Service order.
When our beautiful bride needs to be photo ready. 

‍

A strong wedding morning timeline builds in buffer time so nothing feels rushed! 

Skincare Reminder

We cannot stress this enough, now is not the time for any drastic changes! 

Avoid:

New treatments.
Harsh exfoliation.
Last-minute skincare experiments. 

1-2 Weeks Before: Prep, Don’t Panic

In the final weeks leading up to your wedding day:

Stay hydrated!
Keep skincare consistent, simple, and gentle.
Avoid waxing, peels, or strong actives close to the wedding.

If you have any concerns, reach out to your beauty team as early as possible, small adjustments can make a big difference.

Wedding Day: Relax & Enjoy the Experience

By the time your wedding day arrives, all the planning is done. Finally! 

Your professional hair and makeup team will:

Arrive on time and fully prepared!
Keep the morning calm and organized.
Ensure you feel confident, beautiful, and completely yourself.

When your beauty timeline is well planned, you’re fully free to enjoy every single moment.

Consistency Is Our Secret

The best wedding hair, makeup, and skin results don’t come from last-minute fixes, they come from early planning and steady routines! 

At Updos For I Dos, we believe your beauty experience should feel just as good as it looks: calm, supported, and completely stress-free from start to finish. And if you like the sound of that, we would love to work with you on your wedding day! Follow this link to set up an introduction with our team today. We look forward to meeting you! 

Cover Photo Credit: Hannah Leigh Photography