10 Cost Savings Tips for Wedding Makeup

The search for a good wedding makeup artist should begin about six months before your wedding day. A good wedding day artist is not that easy to find, it takes special training to be a good wedding day makeup artist. Many makeup artists have not had the training to be a wedding day makeup artist.

Before you meet a wedding makeup artist, try to find and bring pictures of makeup jobs to your appointment of other brides makeup jobs that you like. A professional wedding makeup artist has taken special training, they will have been trained on what makeup looks best on different types of faces such as square, oval, and round. They will know what looks best with skin tones, they can match makeup to coordinate with the wedding dress and wedding dress jewelry. They know what makeup not to use in certain situations. Some makeup causes allergic reations to the skin for certain individuals.

A good professional makeup communicates well with the bride. A good wedding makeup artist also needs to consider what the bride likes and what she is looking for in her wedding day makeup. The communication for wedding makeup needs to be a two way street.

Before your appointment with your wedding makeup artist. The engaged bride should bring along pictures of makeup jobs she likes, if possible, a picture of her wedding dress. She should ask the bride about her wedding makeup training and she should ask for a portfolio of pictures of makeup jobs the makeup artist has created in the past, preferably recently.

The good professional makeup artist will spend the time with the bride to formulate the best makeup products for the bride, the products the bride should get according to the brides budget. If the budget is not too stringent, the engaged bride should look at the best makeup in two different ways, what makeup would be best for the bride's wedding day and what makeup is best for everyday living.

Below are 10 cost saving tips for wedding makeup.

Tip 1 - Note the Wedding Makeup Artist's Routine 
Once you find a good professional wedding makeup artist take note of the makeup artist's routine. Have the makeup artist write down each of the steps. Also have a picture taken after each step and also video record exactly how each application is applied using either a camcorder or a phone that also allows for video. When a bride is going through the makeup procedure, she should also note the amount of time that is needed to apply the wedding day makeup so the time can be applied to her wedding day schedule.

Tip 2 - Practice, Practice, Practice
The bride should practice numerous times applying wedding day makeup. The person applying the makeup should know the procedure early and by heart. The makeup should be applied numerous times so the makeup for the wedding day is second nature, to insure no makeup mistakes are made.

Tip 3 - Keep an Official Beauty List in a Black Book
The bride should create a black book listing all her beauty needs. It should contain the bride's official beauty list. The black book should contain, the best place to buy all her beauty products and their associated costs. The bride should try to only buy products from her official list, many women waste spending money on products they don't need.

Tip 4 - Have Family or Friend Do Your Wedding Day Makeup
In the beginning find a professional wedding makeup artist to lay out a wedding makeup procedure. Have the procedure noted, photographed, and video, then have a family member or friend learn the procedure to prepare your makeup for your wedding day.

Tip 5 - Ask the Makeup Artist to Your Bridal Shower
At the beginning of your bridal shower, have your makeup artist teach the bridemaid's and other bridal party members, how to apply makeup, what makeup would look best for each of them. It's okay for the makeup artist to sell makeup products at the bridal shower, but make sure the makeup artist is not too pushy trying to sell products and don't insist bridal party members must buy beauty products. The bride may consider inviting the makeup artist to the formal bridal shower if everyone is comfortable with the makeup artist attending.

Tip 6 - Sign Up For Store's Rewards Programs
Stores like CVS and Walgreens offer a Rewards Card. Use the rewards cards to get special sales prices, earn rewards, and often you get coupons such as purchase coupons via email. Many reward programs lets you earn points on purchases. The points can be cashed in for gift certificates.

Tip 7 - Buy Beauty Products Online
There are many websites that offer beauty products online. Check out the websites to find the best deals. Below is a list of beauty websites in which you might find good deals.

1-www.amazon.com
2-www.bathandbody.com
3-www.beauty.com
4-www.beautyshoponline.com
5-www.bloom.com
6-www.covergirl.com
7-www.dermstore.com
8-www.drugstore.com
9-www.kiehls.com
10-www.maybelline.com
11-www.nyxcosmetics.com
12-www.revlon.com
13-www.sears.com
14-www.sephora.com
15-www.soap.com
16-www.target.com
17-www.ulta.com
18-www.walgreen.com
19-www.walmart.com

Tip 8 - Use Beauty Product Store Coupons
Many beauty stores and pharmacy's offer in-store coupons. Find store coupons in weekly circulars, also from their websites, and now stores have scanning devices or have a smartphone app. One can use scanning devices to get additional coupons from the store. Lastly ask sales managers in the stores if they have any upcoming promotions of sales events or bargains in their stores.

Tip 9 - Buy Beauty Products in Bulk for your Bridal Party
Many brides will buy beauty products for their bridal party. Sometimes these products are even bought as bridesmaid's favors or bought for use in their wedding. When buying in bulk whether it be a beauty store, a drugstore, or online from a website. Ask for an additional discount for buying products in bulk. Very often, stores and online businesses will grant you the discount saving you money or getting additional products for free. Always check with any business if it's possible for an additional discount, the bulk discount can end up giving you savings. If you don't ask, you probably will never get the discount. Always ask about bulk deals for savings.

Tip 10 - Look For Youtube Videos on Applying Makeup
There have been many Youtube Videos that have been made to apply makeup and wedding day makeup. Many wedding makeup products need to be applied a certain way. Research on Youtube for the stroking and application techniques that are use to apply makeup. Very often, you may have a beauty product, the trick in putting on makeup is how to apply the product, very often makeup is put on incorrectly. You can learn how to apply the product from Professional Beauty Makeup Artists.


Since you are meeting with a Professional Makeup Artist. It's a good time to learn both applying wedding day makeup and everyday makeup for your skin. Learn from a professional on how to apply makeup. You will learn correctly how to apply makeup for your wedding and for many days of everyday living and learn which makeup products are best for your skin.

See you on the other side!

10 Cost Savings Tips for Wedding Hairstylists

You should start your search for your wedding hairstylists around six months before your wedding. Many hairstylists found in your local hair salons don't have much experience and training to work on wedding day hair. Ask about the experience and training of wedding day hairstylists. Ask for pictures of brides they have worked on the past.

Before meeting with your wedding hairstylist, you should bring along photos and a picture of your wedding dress, for your wedding day hair should compliment the dress.

When you meet a good bridal hairstylist for the very first time, remember he or she does not know your personal tastes, you need to find one that allows you to communicate with each other very well. A decision should be made on the style of hair, whether updo, halfdo, down and whether a veil be worn. Your face shape, body shape, color of hair, your wedding dress, and accessories all go in to determine a good technique to style your hair. The style of hair should also be shared with the bridal party. The bride might want the bridal party to have a similar style of hair for the wedding or wear a similar style of hair ornaments.

You should have practice sessions of working up your wedding day hair, your hairstylist should take notes of each step, take photos, even video tape the process. The wedding hairstylist should set up regular appointments with the major hair cutting session being two weeks before the wedding. Your wedding day hair appointment should consist of just a little trim but the focus is more on setting, styling, and tressing the hair.

Your wedding day hair should not be rushed, the timing should be planned and the appointment should be finished an hour or two before the wedding. You don't wedding hair to be done too far before the wedding, or things like the weather will ruffle the hair.

The following are 10 cost saving tips for wedding hairstylists.

Tip 1 - Have a Consultation with a Professional Hairstylist
Most consultations are free and the meeting should be the perfect opportunity to find out if the hair stylist can create a sensational look for your wedding. For your wedding bring photos of your dress, veil, accessories that you like and show any hairstyles you like. Be sure to wash your hair, the night before your consultation.

Tip 2 - Create Your Own Hair Ornaments
If you are planning on adorning your hair with blissful wedding accessories, you might consider visiting your local craft store to find all sorts of hidden treasures to create your own hair ornaments. Using a little superglue and finding a selection you like of hair pins, ribbins, flowers, and jewels whatever you choose, you will not only save money, but in addition you will have a sentimental ornament to cherish for many years.

Tip 3 - Seek a Friend Hairstylist or Local Cosmotology School
Sometimes if you ask around with friends, classmates, workmates, or clubmembers very often you may find a hairstylist that is not obliged to a salon that will do your hair very cheap. Another solution is to visit your local cosmotogy school, request a student who is nearing graduation, make sure you see some of their work and can practice on your hair far in advance of your wedding day. Work with them to write down steps, pictures of your hair at each step and have them tape a video of the process to benefit both you and them.

Tip 4 - Seek Out Coupons, Discounts, and Promotions for Hair
On the internet you can look for coupons, coupons codes, and discounts. Places to look include www.retailmenot.com , www.local.com , www.shopathome.com , www.groupon.com , www.coupons.webcrawler.com , www.google.com/offers , www.mapbridal , and www.mapcoupon.com . You can request coupons using email too using info@mapwide.com . Also ask hairstylists about their in-house promotions, make sure you consider styling, weaving, and coloring. Ask ask the salon about discount offerings should you bring a bridal party along, ask about coupon codes or QR codes offered by the hair salon.

A bride should also be eating a special diet during her wedding period to promote healthy hair. A good diet would be drinking plenty of fluids especially water, drink only a cup of coffee daily. She should eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, eggs, low calorie cereal, and have a serving of lean meat. The bride should avoid starches, sugars, not much bread, and red meat.

Tip 5 - Invite a Hairstylist to Talk at your Bridal Shower
When you have your bridal shower, see if you can bring along your bridal hairstylist to talk at the beginning of the shower to give advice to bridal party members to do their wedding day hair. If the hairstylists is cool, also have them stay for the party. Some bridal hairstylsts will offer their advice for free, others may charge for the price of an appointment. To defray costs, allow the stylists to bring along hair products, insist though they don't get too pushy, some bridal members may be tight with their money.

Tip 6 - Buy Your Hair Shampoo at Your Local Grocery Store
Buy your shampoo at your local grocery store or a discount department store such as Walmart or Target. Shampoo products come from the same distributors as expensive hair salons. Don't be fooled by the word contaniment. You get the same product but discounted because the product is bought in bulk. Some salon-garde products contain high quality ingredients, but not everyone needs these high quality products. If your hair is damaged or color treated then these products may be worthwhile to buy. If you have split ends, don't waste your money on a product, no product can fix split ends. The only way to fix split ends is to trim them off.

Tip 7 - Create Your Own Deep Conditioning Salon Treatment
Have a deep conditioning salon treatment right in your own home. Invite family and friends over to do each other's hair treatment. Create a concoction, if the money is tight, make your own home remedy. Find oily fruits and mashed up ingredients such as avocado, olive oil, and coconut oil. Massage the concoction into the bridal party members hair.

Tip 8 - Offer Hair Product Bridesmaid Favors 
Find hair products from a beauty salon, pharmacy, cosmetic store, or from a cosmetic online website. Buy products in bulk for your wedding. If you give hair product favors, don't wait until the last minute such as at your rehearsal dinner. You want the products distributed in advance so the bridesmaids know they have the product for their wedding day period. Think about buying hair products, hair sprays, perfume, hair accessories, jewelry, or a carrying container.
Tip 9 - Create Your Own Hairstyling Blackbook
Work with your own wedding hairstylist and buy only the products and accessories you need. What are your personal product needs? Put those product needs in your black book. Buy only products that are in your black book. If the product is not in your black book don't buy it. This includes hair products and things like hair curling irons.

Tip 10 - Learn Styling Techniques Using Youtube
Many professional hairstylists have created Youtube videos on styling and cutting one's hair. Look around for hairstyling techniques that you can learn yourself. Many of these hair professionals have received extensive training and the training online is often free. They offer tips and advice to preparing your wedding day hair.


Did you know that there is a pecking order for preparing your wedding day hair? The bride's hair is suppose to be done very elaborately and is suppose to stand out, the maid of honor's hair is suppose to be done a little elaborate but a little bit more subdued. The bridesmaids hair and family members hair should be done nice, but not so much with twists and curls. You should be able to look at the female bridal party members and tell who is who just by looking at their hair!

See you on the other side!

10 Cost Savings Tips for Wedding Sweets and Treats

Candies have become a big part of weddings in recent years. Everyone enjoys the great taste of candies. A candy buffet bar or a chocolate fountain always gathers attention at a wedding and becomes a wonderful memory from a wedding.

The following are some cost savings tips for sweets and treats at weddings:

Tip 1 - Buy Loose Candies in Bulk and Get Discounts
Bulk candy stores have become popular, often many of your bigger malls you can find a bulk candy store. Many couples opt to buy candies to match their color scheme or decide to buy candies according to some type of theme. If you order a lot of candy in bulk, ask if you can get a steeper discount, many times to keep your business, you might get a discount saving you money. Listed below are popular candy websites.

1-www.blaircandy.com
2-www.bulkcandystore.com
3-www.candydirect.com
4-www.candyfavorites.com
5-www.groovycandies.com
6-www.jellybelly.com
7-www.metrocandy.com
8-www.mymms.com
9-www.ohnuts.com
10-www.sees.com
11-www.wrappedhersheys.com

Tip 2 - Create a Candy Buffet Bar Table
Candy buffet bar tables have become very popular at weddings in recent years. Many couples will create beautiful looking tables to display their candies. If you create a candy bar using a rectangled table, the key is to elevate the back of the table using boxes or shelves with a linen covering. Use linens to match to your color scheme. Look for bargains for your containers. Use assorted dishes; candy dishes, clear bowls, vases, bins, cookie jars, over sized wine glasses, fountain glasses, and flour, sugar, and tea canisters.

Some couples create a candy bar using a round table. Use some type of elevation in the middle. Some couples will offer the candies as a take home wedding favor. In some bowls with loose candy, provide scoops and tongs. Also provide at the edge of the table, lunch sized bag so your wedding guests can help themselves to a take home wedding favor. Assign a person, for refilling in the event a candy dish gets low. Decorate the table with fun size bars or with glitter or confetti.

Either color scheme, rainbow effect, or serve old time candies to your candy buffet bars. Some popular candies for old time bars include jawbreakers, now & later, bazooka bubble gum, sugar daddy, wax bottle, atomic fireballs, candy cigarettes, bit-o-honey, root beer barrels, necco candies, pop rocks, rock candy, mary janes, lollipops, gummy bears, candy buttons, candy stix, licorice, pixy stix, candy necklace, m&m's, and salt water taffy.

Tip 3 - Make Homemade Chocolates Using Molds
Create a favor bag with assorted chocolates and truffles. Target making chocolate about a week before the wedding. The key in making chocolate is melting chocolate slowly so the chcolate does not end with a burnt taste. Pour the chocolate into molds and then refrigerate.

The following are reputable companies in which you can purchase chocolate molds.

1-www.anoccasionalchocolate.com
2-www.bakeddecco.com
3-www.candylandcrafts.com
4-www.confectioneryhouse.com
5-www.customchocolateshop.com
6-www.kitchenkrafts.com
7-www.pastrychef.com
8-www.sweetmolds.com
9-www.trufflymade.com
10-www.wilton.com

If you want to color scheme your chocolate start with white chocolate in block form. Melt your white chocolate and then mix with flavor extracts, flavor oils, liquors, or powders. If you want to get the color deeper add some food dye. After all is mixed together pour the mixture into assembled molds and refrigerate.

Tip 4 - Make Assorted Liquor Balls for Treats
Many wedding guests have never had liquor balls before. Many recipes can be found online, the secret ingredient is sugar cookie dough or sugar cookies pounded and add great tasting liquor. Some liquor ball recipes you might look up are rum, bourbon, egg nog, chocolate, cherry cordial, anise, creme de menthe, irish creme, pina colada, flavored brandy, peanut butter, strawberry, or vanilla. Place the liquor balls into color papered egg cartons or place them on top of cake pop sticks.

Tip 5 - Bake Homemade Goodies for a Dessert Table
Find a family or close friend that can bake goodies for a wedding. The secret of baking for a wedding is baking goodies that are not common in everyday living. Also bake goodies that aren't too messy, so as not to get spills on wedding dresses and tuxedos. Good recipes include baking cookies with old family recipes, all sorts of recipes such as baked alaska, mousse, tortinis, torts, conolis, chocolate, eclairs, cream puffs, brownies, fudge, cobblers, flan, and various tasty cakes. An ice cream bar is a great idea too.

Tip 6 - Buy Classy Inexpensive Goodies from a Grocery Store
You have to be a little careful on this one. You don't want to come across as buying cheap goodies, goodies that don't look like they are bought from a store. Buy assorted italian cookies, girl scout cookies, or cookies that look homemade. Also consider gourmet mints, pillow mints, square shaped chocolate treats, nonpereils, mini peanut butter cups, or flavored popcorn. Make sure whatever you serve, the goodies are served not in a store container.

Tip 7 - Consider Offering a Chocolate Fountain
Adding a choclate fountain should liven up your wedding reception. You can either lease or buy a chocolate fountain depending on your budget. Make sure you don't get a small one, you want one that gathers attention. Make sure you learn how to operate the chocolate fountain. Stay away from foods that are crumbly such as crumbly cookies or foods with small or loose nuts.

Foods that should be ladled onto chocolate fountains include; wedding cakes, cakes, pastries, cobblers, pies, fruit or vegetable bread, brownies, bread pudding, cinnamon rolls, cheesecake, banana split, ice cream, parfaits, or sundaes.

Fruits that can be dipped into chocolate fountains include; strawberry, kiwi, pineapple, grapes, apples, bananas, marachino cherries, sliced peaches, sliced pears, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, honey dew melon, melon balls, mandarin oranges, mangos, papaya, star fruit, dragon fruit, kumquats, fresh coconut chunks, dried apricots, and sliced watermelon.

Other treats that can be dipped into chocolate fountains include; pretzels, marshmallows, cheesecake squares, angel food cake, frozen twinkies, zingers, rice crispy treats, graham crackers, mint crackers, frozen mini cream puffs, frozen mini chocolate wafers, bugles, donuts, donut holes, frozen candy bars, brownies, mint sticks, biscotti, peanut brittle, popsicles, cookie dough balls, caramel, and fudge.

Cookies that can be dipped into chocolate fountains include; chocolate chip, sugar wafers, vanilla wafers, oreo cookies, coconut macaroons, fig newtons, fruit newtons, gingersnaps, sugar cookies, oatmeal cookies, chocolate cookies, girl scout cookies, shortbread cookies, snicker doodle cookies, peanut butter cookies, pirouette cookies, milano cookies, and italian cookies. Avoid crumbly or nutty cookies for these types can jam up the chocolate fountain machine.

Tip 8 - Fill a Tulle Bag with Jordan Almonds
Jordan Almonds are a wedding tradition. Buy Jordan Almonds in bulk at a discount. Place 5 jordan almonds in each tulle bag for each of your wedding guests, place on each place setting as a wedding favor. The five jordan almonds represent 1) health, 2) wealth, 3) happiness, 4) fertility, and 5) longevity. Personalize the tulle bags with the couple's name and wedding date.

Tip 9 - Create a Large Candy Bowl with Old Time Candies
You can either leave a large candy bowl filled with bulk candy or old time candies on a dessert table. Or you can leave smaller bowls filled with candies somewhere on each wedding guest table. Leave each bowl with assorted candies so all the guests are likely to find a candy they like.

Tip 10 - Create an Ice Cream Bar
Contact an ice cream place in your area to see if you can rent a machine for an ice cream bar. Make sure you create an area for various toppings, a container with sprinkles, chocolate, butterscotch, bananas, fruit toppings, whipped cream, and marachino cherries. Consider leaving brownies, blondies or cake nearby too. You also may consider offering root bear or cherry coke or vanilla coke. You might also consider adding a soda bar. Create a many flavored soda stream bar with many different flavors.

Don't forget to assign a person to oversee the sweet and treat stations. Whatever sweet station you desire, because you are buying in bulk, it never hurts to ask for a further discount, and shop around to find a vendor that provides with the best service and discount.

See you on the other side!