Hi friends!

Many know that BFF was started from my wedding planning experience several years ago… I went to bridal shows and I would ask vendors questions. What you should do, right??  Well, I found then that many were like deer in headlights.. interesting, huh? I began to wonder… am I just OCD? Am I too paranoid and the questions I am asking are silly? Or am I just speaking to a different level of vendor than what I was looking for? I remember leaving one show and thinking “do other brides not ask these questions??”

Fast forward to now… I have so much perspective from the vendor side of things. I’ve discovered that as with any industry, the wedding industry has a WIDE spectrum of offerings. Some vendors are new in business, and may not have much experience or know how to price themselves, and then you can find pros that range all the way to the luxury end of that spectrum, where some brides automatically think it “too much.” Some are, but in reality, how much value are you seeking in your services, and what do the vendors you hope to have bring to the table?  Throughout the years since we’ve been in business, I often find that about 90% of brides make some comment at some point about how confusing it all is, and how businesses and their offerings really are as different as every person is! We all know that many times that’s code for “some are so cheap I worry about my safety and some are so expensive it’s like another mortgage!”  Of course you want the best and of course you want “reasonably priced”… but how do you really know how to assess that? Is the most expensive person always automatically the best? No… Is the cheapest person always the worst? Not always. There are just so many factors, but what are they, you might be asking…

Through those conversations over the years, I began a list of beauty vendor “interview questions” so to speak, to ensure brides have the best experience ever for their most special day.  Weddings are truly our passion and one of our goals at BFF is to help make sure your day is as smooth as possible, whether you work with us or not! When highly vetting an appropriate person that could properly and sanitarily handle a bride and any others beauty needs in one of the craziest and most eventful days of your life, on an important timeline mind you, requires a little more investigation.  You have so many decisions to make, but this one is one of the most important since beauty vendors make or break your entire look,and dare I say your confidence in front of the camera for photos you’ll have forever! You want to feel your most beautiful! We hope you find it helpful!

Just like salons- onsite makeup and hair artists have their own policies. It’s important to read the documents you are provided to prevent any unknown charges or request anything they have already notified you that they may not do. Remember that your questions, like those below, should cover some major topics like timing capabilities, reputation, operations, and sanitation. 

Here’s a good list to cover if you cannot find this in their information provided online or personally to you: 

Business background: 

• How many artists work for the team?/ Are there enough to handle your party?
• How many years of training do they have or what licenses in this state do they hold?
• Do they have current professional liability insurance?

Operations: 

• Is their paperwork thorough enough to assess your needs/ wants well? Do you feel like this info will be used to best service you?
• Any commonly missed or misunderstood policies or any hidden fees you need to know about?
• If your artist is not available, who is the back up?
• Does their reputation/ reviews online say positive things about how they operate? Do brides comment on how they made the process easier for them?
• How do they sanitize their implements in order to prevent cross contamination?
• Do they know how to deal with all skin tones and types? All hair textures?

Artists who can answer these questions are worth considering. It means that your day will be considered as important to them as it is to you. It means you will have guidance and an ally in the planning process. That, my friends, is priceless!! 

All the best, 

Kara, Susie, and team