“I can’t believe I even considered doing my wedding day makeup BY MYSELF.” This is a phrase professional wedding makeup artist (and past real bride on Destination I Do), Kayla of Kayla Kollection Artistry, hears all too often from her bridal clients. While it may be tempting to save some dough and DIY your wedding day makeup or recruit a bridesmaid to do it, Kayla shares reasons this could usher in unnecessary chaos:

Photo by Wildfelt Photography

Stress gets Amplified the Morning of Your Big Day

When Kayla set out to plan her California destination wedding, she knew that, although she had the skills, she didn’t want to be the one doing her own wedding day makeup. “Long story short,” Kayla says, “I had to end up doing my own makeup. Even as a seasoned professional, it was stressful and all I wanted to do was sit back, relax, and get pampered on my wedding day. Even if you’re decent (or fantastic) at doing your own makeup, the stress of doing it yourself the morning of your wedding day is NOT WORTH IT. Trust me.”

Photo by Sam & Sola Studio

Can’t Guarantee Quality & Cleanliness of Products

You might have a friend who’s decent at makeup, and, to cut costs, you ask her to do your wedding day makeup. Here’s what you should consider…

• Do they have a professional makeup kit?
• Are all products clean/sanitized to prevent clogged pores?
• Will the shades and tones look natural to the camera?

Photo by Courtney Bowlden

You’ll Be on a Time Crunch

A bridal suite on the wedding day morning can get hectic… to say the least. In all the frenzied excitement, it’s easy to lose track of time. You or your planner or coordinator have worked hard to ensure every detail of the day is ironed out for seamless transitions. If you or your friend run overtime on makeup, it could, Kayla warns, “derail your whole timeline.” Suddenly, the sun went down and you’re taking group photos in the dark! That’s a no-go.

Photo by Kayla Kollection Artistry

Could Cause Tension among friends

Another question Kayla and her team urge brides to ask themselves when considering having a friend be your wedding day makeup artist is “What happens if I don’t like the end result?” It can be much easier to express your desires and adjustment requests to a paid professional than to your friend. “This can cause a bit of a rift between the two of you on your wedding day,” Kayla says. “And, when your dream is for everyone to be in high spirits that day, any bit of confrontation or awkwardness is just not the vibe.”

Photo by Kayla Kollection Artistry

Now, Kayla fully acknowledges the ability to hire a destination wedding makeup artist is a luxury. “However,” she adds, “we want the best for our brides. So, we urge you to consider treating yourself to professional wedding day glam that’s in alignment with your style and is going to make you feel like a million bucks on your special day!”