When selecting your prep space, consider how many people will be in the room at once. This includes you, your mom, mother-in-law, stepmoms, bridesmaids, flower girls (and their parents), multiple artists from Nancy Caroline Beauty (plus all of our hair tools, makeup kits, and chairs), your photographer and assistant, videographer and assistant, wedding planner and assistant, and possibly more. Yes, all of these people will be there at the same time!

If you’re worried your hotel suite may be too small, check with the hotel about meeting or banquet rooms for wedding prep. Some hotels offer these spaces complimentary or for a small fee, and they often provide better lighting, dedicated hair and makeup stations, and added perks like coffee and water. Plus, using a separate space keeps your bridal suite clean, allows housekeeping to refresh your room, and saves your photographer from tidying up before capturing those special details.

If you're getting ready at home, we typically work in the kitchen or dining room, as the table gives us enough space for all of our tools and products. Another great option is a sunroom or any room with ample natural light, as long as there’s enough space for us to set up comfortably with a table. Ensuring we have a well-lit, spacious area helps us create the best possible hair and makeup experience for you and your bridal party.

Wedding Day Schedule

We will create a customized day-of schedule for you to ensure everything runs smoothly. We highly recommend having your entire bridal party arrive at the same time we do. This helps us stay ahead of schedule and prevents any delays caused by late arrivals. If a member of your bridal party is late and still wants hair and makeup done, it could push back the timeline and make you late—something we want to avoid!

We require the final headcount no later than two months before your wedding to finalize the schedule. If you are using a separate company for hair or makeup and they have created a schedule, please email it to us so we can coordinate accordingly.

Once we send you the schedule, please review it carefully to ensure all details are correct. If any changes are needed, please email all requested changes to Nancy within one week of receiving the original schedule. Since creating and updating the schedule is a time-intensive process, we kindly ask that all changes be sent at once.

Thank you for your cooperation—we can’t wait to make your wedding morning stress-free and beautiful!

To ensure a seamless and stress-free beauty experience, here’s how to prepare for our team’s arrival:

• Set Up the Space: Have a designated area with one chair per artist and one waist-high table per two artists.

• Chairs:

  • For makeup artists, a high chair is preferred.

  • For hair stylists, a regular-height chair with a low back works best.

• Lighting: Natural light is ideal, so a setup near windows is preferred. If that’s not possible, have bright, adjustable lighting available.

• Outlets: Ensure there are multiple accessible outlets for styling tools. A power strip is helpful if outlets are limited.

• Distractions: Keep the getting-ready space as calm and uncluttered as possible for a smooth experience.

If you're unsure about the setup, feel free to email Nancy in advance. If at a hotel or venue, we can request additional furniture from the front desk if needed.

Hair Preparation

To achieve the best results, please follow these guidelines before your appointment:

• For Updos, Half-Up Styles, and Curls:

  • Hair must be clean and 100% dry before your scheduled time. We do not allocate time for blow drying.

  • Avoid flat ironing your hair before your appointment, as curls do not hold as well on flat-ironed hair.

  • For curly-haired clients who want a smoother updo, please blow dry your hair smooth beforehand. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just tamed enough for styling.

  • If you have a fringe (bangs), please style them as you like before your appointment.

  • If hair is wet upon arrival, a $50 blow-dry fee will be applied if time allows.

• For Short Hair (Chin-Length or Shorter) with a Blow Dry Service:

  • Hair should be clean and damp before styling.

Following these guidelines ensures a smooth and efficient styling process for everyone!

It’s completely normal to get a pimple in the week leading up to your wedding. The best thing you can do? Leave it alone! Avoid popping or applying any medication, as a big red pimple is much easier to cover with makeup than a dry, flaky one. If needed, you can use warm compresses, but stop two days before the wedding.

Keep your skin and lips well hydrated—drink plenty of water and moisturize morning and night. If your lips tend to get chapped, I highly recommend the "In the Buff Bundle" from Fresh—get it here!

Lastly, any new skincare routine should be started at least six months before your wedding to avoid unexpected reactions.

Any additional services not reserved in advance will be accommodated at the end of the schedule if time allows. For Payment, we will invoice you after your wedding, and you can settle that within 30 days.

For the health and safety of our team and all members of the bridal party:

• If anyone has an eye infection (such as pink eye) on the wedding day, the makeup artist cannot perform makeup services on that individual.

• If anyone is ill, the makeup artist has the right to refuse service to that individual.

• If someone has a cold sore, only airbrush foundation will be applied—no lipstick will be used.

• Styes are not contagious, so no need to worry if you have one.

For the Bride:

• If the bride is ill, has an eye infection, or a cold sore, she must supply all makeup products and brushes to be used on her face.

• If the bride has a cold sore, the artist can only apply airbrush foundation, and the bride will need to apply her own lipstick.

We accept cash, Venmo, and all major credit cards. We no longer accept checks.

Final payment is due two weeks before your wedding day.

Please ensure all steaming is completed before we arrive on your Wedding Day. The steam in the air can affect the makeup and cause hair to frizz on your big day.

We use all waterproof makeup because we know tears are inevitable on your wedding day. We’ve recently switched to the new tube technology mascara, which is not only waterproof but also sweat-proof!

To remove the mascara, start by washing your face with soap and water. Soap will help break down the tube mascara. We recommend Philosophy Purity as it acts as both a makeup remover and a cleanser in one. This will also remove the lashes. If any lashes are still on, use a makeup wipe and gently rub your lashes with it. The remaining lashes will velcro to the wipe.

If you still have some makeup on your eyes, I recommend jojoba oil. You can find jojoba oil at Trader Joe's, in addition to Amazon, and many other retailers.