Varya Korchagina, Jocelyn Cabral
Photography: Misha Korchagin, Adam Friedlander
You’ve booked the venue, nailed the dress, and said yes to the flowers, but there’s one detail that can make or break your wedding day glow: your hair and makeup. It’s the final touch that ties your entire bridal vision together, and yet, despite all the planning, even the most flawless looks can come with a side of “if only I’d known...” We asked top hair and makeup artists to share the biggest beauty regrets brides face—and how to avoid them.
Melanie Bulu, Maria Shevchenko
Photography: Jenn Werner, César Buitrago
Ignoring Skin & Hair Health
Let's be honest, great makeup and hair don't begin in the bridal suite. They start months before, in the way you treat your skin, your scalp, and yourself. “While we can do a lot on the day to prep and polish, texture, breakouts, and dry hair can’t be completely erased in a morning,” says makeup artist Raven Reed, who turned her passion into a successful career in 2012. “Even a simple routine with professional facials, regular trims, and hydration leading up to the wedding makes a dramatic difference,” she continues.
Raven Reed / Molly McCauley, Maria Shevchenko
Skipping the Trial Session
Skip the trial, and you’re rolling the dice on your look. Seriously! As luxury makeup and hair stylist Maria Shevchenko, points out: “The bride would never wear a wedding dress that she had never tried on, and the same applies to wedding makeup and hair.” Looks matter, but so does wearability and comfort. Raven Reed reminds brides: “Trial runs are not just about testing the look, they’re also about testing the feeling. Can you move? Does the lip color last through kisses? Does the hairstyle hold without giving you a headache?”
Davide Cichello, Elena Nosova
Photography: Katarina Fedora, Sasha DK
Staying Quiet Instead
of Sharing Feedback
Remember: honest feedback is essential. This is your face, your day, your forever-in-the-photos moment, so be upfront about what you love and what doesn’t sit right. “One of the biggest mistakes brides make is staying quiet if something feels off,” emphasizes Raven Reed. “You deserve to feel like yourself, not like you’re wearing someone else’s idea of beauty. A good artist will adjust to make sure you feel at home in your own skin.”
Not Staying True to Yourself
Think of your wedding makeup as an upgrade, rather than a total makeover. “If you don’t typically wear bold makeup, now is not the time to experiment. And if a red lip is your signature, wear it proudly,” says makeup artist and hairstylist Katie Moore of The Future Mrs. “The key is authenticity. A timeless look starts with luminous skin and a look that reflects your personal style. Don’t be swayed by anyone’s expectations—you’ll never regret staying true to yourself.” Maria Shevchenko agrees, encouraging brides to lean into the best version of themselves—the look that feels genuine and never forced.
Lera Siberia, Marco Antonio
Photography: Panenkova Maria, Frida-My
Skipping the Updo
(and Regretting It Later)
Beyond makeup, your hairstyle can make or break the entire look. Carly Van der Meer, founder of Vandermeer Hair and part of The Future Mrs family, has seen many brides regret skipping an updo. She explains: “While soft waves and down styles look beautiful, they can quickly fall flat or frizz in heat, humidity, or unexpected weather, especially during outdoor ceremonies or summer weddings. An updo not only keeps the hair off the face for a cleaner, more polished look in photos, but it also holds up much better throughout the day and night.” Still can’t let go of the idea of wearing your hair down? Carly suggests planning a hair change before the reception.
Carly Van der Meer, Tenesha Luckett
Photography: Paco & Aga, Paige McKenzi
Underestimating the
Beauty Timeline
Life loves a plot twist—wedding mornings included. The wisest idea? Building in cushion time. “Wedding mornings are full of beautiful interruptions: the bride being pulled away to greet family, sharing a quiet moment with her mom, reading a note from her fiancé, or pausing to eat,” says Raven Reed. “These moments are what make the day special, but they also eat into the schedule. Beauty often gets blamed for running behind when, in reality, it’s the natural flow of the morning that creates delays. Adding cushion time keeps things calm and flexible—and allows you to be fully present, without feeling rushed.”
To keep the morning on track, seasoned beauty expert Tanya Bures of Page Beauty stresses the importance of having enough hands on deck. “In order to avoid a chaotic morning, I always book enough artists so our timeline falls between three to five hours, and our clients feel centered and ready for the momentous day ahead,” she explains.
Katie Moore / Carly Van der Meer, Page Beauty
Photography: Daniel Nadel, Albany Katz
Letting the Glam Team
Go Too Soon
Too often, brides skip keeping their beauty team around after the ceremony—and almost always wish they hadn’t. “Brides may intend to do their own touch-ups, but the reality is their focus gets pulled in various directions, and the last thing they think about is pulling out a mirror, makeup, and a comb to refresh their look. Sadly, when they get their portraits and see where they could have used a touch-up, it’s too late,” shares Tanya Bures.
Page Beauty, Raven Reed
Photography: Sean Thomas, Meghan Baskin
