Jancyn Bindman of Blanc Sketch Artistry is sharingher professional tips for having a fabulous wedding makeup pre-trial:

Congratulations! You’re engaged! As a bride, you are now responsible for throwing the biggest party of your life while looking gorgeous all the way through the process. With new technologies in photography popping up almost daily, it can make a woman’s (or man’s) head spin. How do you choose the right foundation or lipstick? And what’s the deal with this contouring and reverse contouring thing? Good news brides! That’s where your professional makeup artist can save the day, and guide you to looking and feeling your best on the big day. Once you’ve selected your artist you are halfway there. Now there’s just the matter of the pre-wedding makeup pre-trial where you’ll get to see your first glance at yourself as a bride. Keep reading to find out tips and tricks to having an incredible session with your artist.

(Before hiring your makeup artist, here are some things to consider when hiring a hair + makeup artist.)

1. Have a pretrial

Yes, it really is important! As a professional makeup artist, I love when I get to work with a client more than once. It allows both the bride and myself to get aquainted with one another and create a look that feels genuine for you as the bride. It also helps with miscommunication that can easily happen when discussing makeup looks. Your idea of an everyday eye might be different from the makeup artist’s. As the bride, a pretrial guarantees a smoother, more relaxing, and enjoyable wedding day makeup application. You don’t want to work out makeup miscommunication or skin sensitivity issues on the day of your wedding.

Insider tip: Don’t forget about getting your makeup done for your engagement photography session. Not only will you need a different makeup look based on your clothes and mood of the session, but you’re also guaranteed to look amazing! Remember, it’s the first impression of your wedding that your friends, family, and guests are getting. Keep it easy on yourself and get your makeup done.

2. Wear white

If you’re wearing white on your wedding day, you should wear white for the makeup pretrial. Color dramatically changes how your skin tone and eye color look with and without makeup. Without makeup on, white will usually drain color from your face, showcase redness, or pop unwanted circles under the eyes. Think of white as a blank slate. A professional makeup artist knows how to color correct unwanted skin elements, and use color strategically to make you look your best in white. You and your artist might also decide to add more blush or punch up the lip color in order to pop your gorgeous eyes. So make it easy on yourself, and your artist, and choose to wear the color you’re planning on wearing for your wedding day.

Insider Tip: Schedule your hair and makeup pretrial for the same day so you can see everything come together. Also, don’t forget to take some selfies in natural light (driver’s seat of your car is surprisingly excellent for this) around the time of your scheduled wedding day photographs. This will allow you to check out how the makeup is translating with and without a flash. If you have any problems with the makeup or skincare your artist recommended for you, be sure to contact them ASAP so you can both make a plan for the wedding day.

3. Have an idea of what beauty style, look, or mood you’re going for

Your makeup artist wants to make you feel and look incredible. It becomes tough when you’re not sure what you’re looking for, and get confused on how to ask for it. Do some research on makeup styles before you see your makeup artist. Love searching social media for inspiration? Create a Pinterest board or mood board you can show your artist. They will appreciate the ability to have a conversation with you about what you like and don’t like in the photos. Be prepared to get specific on the details. Is it the dramatic eye makeup, or the color scheme that you’re drawn to? Did you realize the woman in the photo was wearing lashes? A quick conversation about your style and the photographs you’ve gathered will help lead your makeup artist in the direction you want.

Insider Tip: Keep in mind that a lot of photos and videos have been filtered or edited within an inch of their life on social media, especially when it comes to makeup. Often times what you’re looking at isn’t possible unless you’re in certain lighting situations. Be open to the idea of what makeup can do in real life versus a photoshoot.

4. Don’t be afraid to speak up

Expecting to spray tan before your wedding? Wishing you had taken your pretrial look a little further just to see what a more glamorous look would have done to your eyes? As a makeup artist, I want my bridal clients to have the best makeup experience I can give them, and that means communicating all the way through the makeup process. If you aren’t sure about that red lip you chose for your wedding day, say something. Reconnecting with your makeup artist after the pretrial with a concern or question is completely acceptable. You don’t want to have the “I’m not sure about that look that we did,” conversation the day of the wedding when everything is being applied to last all day, and your stress level is at its max. Some artists allow the wedding pretrial to be a bit of a try on session. That being said, you need to make sure the makeup artist is compensated for any extra time she or he spends with you, or if you’re request needs makeup to be removed and reapplied several times.

Insider Tip: Your lips can only handle about 4 lipstick applications, and less lip stain applications, before the lips become stained, discolored, and raw. If you want to try on several lip variations, make sure to give your makeup artist a heads up so they can plan your makeup application accordingly.

5. Lock down the price BEFORE the pretrial

Does your makeup artist charge extra for lashes? What about travel? Is the pretrial included in the final price, or is it extra? Getting these questions answered before you see your makeup artist for the pretrial is paramount to having a smooth session. You don’t want to be caught off guard with costs, or have an uncomfortable conversation at the end of the application.

As someone who is providing the best service I can for my bridal clients, it feels awkward to have to restate how much the session costs, especially if we’ve gone over time of I’ve provided extra care. If you’re not sure how much something costs, contact your makeup artist before the trial as many times as you need to be clear on pricing.

Also, it’s OK to ask for an invoice even if some elements of the wedding day costs are still up in the air, like who in your bridal party will want lashes. We’re here to help you have a great and easy pre-wedding life. When figuring out the pretrial payment, keep in mind if your needs exceeded the time originally allotted because you wanted to try on more lip or eye variations, and be sure to compensate your artist with a tip to show your appreciation for their extra care.

Insider Tip: During your pretrial, you might be asked to sign an agreement or contract. Take your time, read it over, and ask questions before you sign if you’re confused about anything. Usually this will include costs, overtime charges, and needs of the artist as well as locking it the date of your wedding. If you’re nervous about anything in the paperwork speak up and discuss it with your artist. Using these tips and tricks will make for an amazing wedding pretrial with your makeup artist. It’s amazing how much calmer brides are who have a good pretrial experience versus those who choose to skip it altogether, trust me. Your wedding day is special, and you should feel and look how you want to look. So go out, find your makeup artist, and have a fabulous pretrial.

Blanc Sketch Artistry‘s exclusive Forever Bride deal: 1 Free Basic Lash Application.