To secure a booking with Claire Makeup & Hair for your wedding day a £100 retainer fee is required. This fee acts as a deposit, effectively securing your chosen date in our diary. Once the retainer fee has been received, no other inquiries for the same date will be accepted by me.

It is important to note that the retainer fee is non-refundable and non-transferable, so please ensure that the details you enter are correct as you will be committing to your chosen date.

Should your date change for any reason, I will do my best to accommodate your new date or help you find a suitable replacement for myself, however if I am unable to do this, you retainer fee will remain charged.

I can not be held responsible for any stylist I recommend.

This payment can be made via BACS ( Bank Transfer ) or Paypal ( Family and Friends)

A signed copy of Claire Makeup and Hair's terms and conditions is also required to secure a booking.

Please find attached a copy of these to read through.

Upon making a retainer fee payment T&C's will be sent out to you in a separate email for your signing and sending back to me.

Once your retainer fee has reached me and your date is secured, amendments can be made to your booking IE: more members of your bridal party added to your glam schedule ( This will be timing dependant )

You retainer fee will be deducted from your total balance should your booking go ahead after completion of a successful trial.

For more details please click on my terms and conditions document below.

I'm based in Nottingham NG6.

I do and will travel to wherever you need me to be on your wedding day! travel costs may apply.

TRAVEL:

All travel is included up to a total round trip of 25 miles from my home NG6. Anything further will encounter a fee of 55pp mile. Any parking expenses are charged to the client, and I should be made aware of these as far in advance as possible so I can add them onto your final payments. These include, but are not limited to: fuel costs, car parking charges, congestion charges, toll road charges.

I must also be informed of any parking restriction, any complications or events happening in the area that may delay my arrival time on the day of the wedding/ event.

If for any reason your timings don't allow for you to get ready at your venue, then I will come to your home/ hotel or a chosen location.

MOVING LOCATIONS:

Doing this is not ideal and can disrupt the flow of your morning preparations and add time to your day.

However I understand that you have chosen your venue very carefully and would like to take the opportunity to utilise your bridal suite/room as much of it as possible and also have some morning preparations and special moments captured in photographs.

So I am happy to start preparations at one locations and then move to your venue.

There is a charge pf £40 for this, as this adds time to your booking, not only moving locations but also involves me setting up my work station and products in one locations ( I allow 30 minutes for set up ), then packing them all away and repeating the same process at the second location/venue.

More information can be found in my Terms & Conditions document:

I understand that your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, and I want to ensure that you look and feel absolutely stunning.

My pricing is competitive and reflects my years of experience, the high-quality products I use, my professional expertise, and personalised attention that I provide to each and every client.

I offer packages for both hair and make up which work out more cost effective if you book me for both.

If you have a larger bridal party, I have a hair stylist assistant who I can be booked to work alongside me, her fee will be included in your total balance.

Please click on the link to see my full 2024-2026 price list

If your unable to see the price list link in the chat box, please refer to the pricing section of my website: https://www.clairemakeupandhair.com/prices

Booking a trial without paying a retainer fee.

The answer is no.

A retainer fee secures your wedding date in my diary, without this fee I am unable to secure your date for you.

Firstly you run the risk of another bride securing the same wedding date as you before you've had your trial, inquiries and bookings are coming in all the time and without this fee I am unable to guarantee your date will still be available.

Secondly the cost of a trial is £10 less than your retainer fee ( Your retainer fee is deducted from your total balance should the booking go ahead )

Should you not be completely satisfied upon completion of your trial and wish to cancel your contract with myself, your trial must to be paid for and the £100 retainer fee is non refundable ( This fee covers my time spent communicating with you, sending out documentation, quotes and also turning away other clients )

The average booking in time is 1-2 years in advance.

The sooner you contact me, the more likely it is that I will have your chosen date available, as the saying goes the early bird catches the worm ;-)

That being said, I occasionally have last minute dates available , so please don't be deterred and think you've left it too late.

To avoid disappointment I would suggest booking in as soon as possible.

Once a retainer fee has been received, your date is secured and amendments can be made to your booking IE: More bridal party members added ( This however is timing dependant )

I usually recommend scheduling your bridal makeup and hair trial 2-3 months before your wedding date. This timing allows for flexibility in case you want to make any adjustments or have a 2nd trial. It also ensures that the look you decide on is fresh in your mind and that I can recreate it flawlessly on your special day.

Additionally, having the trial a few months in advance also allows you to coordinate your hair and makeup with your dress, accessories, and overall wedding theme.

I do however understand how exciting it can be for you booking a professional makeup artist and hairstylist and you simply can't wait to have your trial.

Or you may live in another country and have specific dates you'll be back in the UK

If it's your preference to have your trial earlier than suggested we can chat about your suitable dates via email.

info@clairemakeupandhair.com

I believe in providing a personalised and thorough trial experience for my clients. I don't put a strict time limit on your trial because I understand the importance of ensuring you are 100% happy with your hair and makeup look for your special day. My goal is to work with you until we achieve the perfect style that reflects your vision.

Also at your trial, we will discuss timings and the logistics of your day, I will fill in provide a Glam Schedule and provide you with a copy, I fill in a face chart of the products I have used so there’s no confusion on the day and everything runs smoothly.

I will take photograph's for my reference. ( Don't worry, I won't use these pics on any social media platforms before your wedding date )

It's also an opportunity for you to take a few pics yourself. You know how best to pose for a selfie ;-) It can also be reassuring to send these pics to your bridal party ( If they're not there at your trial ) for a second opinion.

And your trial is an opportunity for us to get to know each other a little so I’m not some random stranger arriving on the morning of your BIG DAY ;-)

However, it's important to note that while I'm committed to taking the time necessary to create your ideal look, I also want to be respectful of everyone's time, and I certainly don't intend to keep you until the early hours of the morning! Your trial will typically last ( Both hair & Makeup ) around 4 hours OR until we achieve your desired outcome. I want you to feel confident and excited about your wedding day look, and I won't leave until we achieve that together.

If after your trial you decide to change the looks completed at your trial, it is suggested you have a second trial, charged at my trial rate.

It is possible to make small adjustments to your hair and makeup after your trial ( these can be communicated to me via email or on the day ) however we have a time frame to work to on the day and making drastic changes can effect this.

If you decide to make changes and not have a second trial, I can't be held responsible if you're not entirely happy with the look created on the day.

Please see the link below for my full price list.

INSPIRATION PICTURES:

Searching for inspirational pics for your wedding day hair and makeup can be an exciting experience, it can also be a very daunting one.

There's a minefield of images and ideas out there on the world wide web!

Things you should consider when searching for ideas is, most of the images you will see on the internet have been professional lit, filters may have been added, skin smoothed and corrected, eye's and teeth whitened and numerous retouching techniques added to the shot.

When you begin looking for inso pics, it pays to be realistic, lean into what you love about your personal beauty, rather than comparing yourself to someone else’s cheekbones or nose, and recognize the same makeup style will look different on everyone.

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR HAIR?

To wash your hair the night before or not is the question?

Ordinarily I would suggest not washing your hair on the morning of your trial OR wedding day, as freshly washed hair can often be a little too silky and smooth to create an updo that holds or lasting curls.

However you know your hair best and if it feels wrong not to wash it or your hair goes super oily overnight, then don't worry too much, I have a selections of powders and sprays that will add texture and mattify.

It's all about YOU and making you feel your absolute best.

Once working with your hair at your trial, we can discuss the best option for you and what's required for the style we create.

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR SKIN:

My personal preference is that you have clean skin for your trial, this will save time having to remove your make up and allow more time for trying out your ideas.

It's useful to have a few photographs of yourself with make on, either at a special occasion or on a night out.

I can use the images to reference the amount of make up your comfortable with wearing.

WHAT TO WEAR:

I want you to feel as comfortable and relaxed as possible at your trial and for you to have the best experience possible.

So I suggest wearing something comfortable as you will be seated for a while during the trial.

After the trial is completed, it's often a good idea to change into something white or ivory. This will give you a better idea of how the look will be when you're wearing your dress.

Wearing white will also reflect light on to your face, whilst wearing darker colours will absorb light.

WHAT ACCESSORIES SHOULD YOU HAVE WITH YOU:

If you have set your heart on that stunning veil you've seen, those fabulous earrings you have as your borrowed or that hair clip you'd like as your new, it's a great idea to have them with you at your trial so you can see your hair and makeup look exactly as you envision.

Alternatively, if you haven't decided on your accessories yet, WORRY NOT!

Your trial is a great opportunity for us to discuss your options and what would work best with the hair style you desire, how this earrings will sit once your hair is styled and which length veil will look best with your overall look.

THINGS TO REMEMBER:

You will have cameras on you all day long and want to look your best for those cameras.

In order for your makeup to really be picked up by the cameras, remember that it will need to be a bit heavier than you might be used to.

The camera eats and dissolves makeup! And if you have a light and airy wedding photographer, the lightness will wash out a lot of the dimension in your makeup.

I may push you slightly out of your comfort zone, But it's pays to remember that on the day you will go from being inside, to out side, from day light to dance floor lights and you want your makeup to not only last, but also look great in every setting.

It's all about striking the right balance without you feeling over made up.

SPRAY TANS:

I'll be honest and say the camera doesn't really like spay tans, you also run the risk of it going streaky, coming off on your dress and also smelling a little odd.

If however you insist on having a spray tan, I would suggest having one a few days before your trial ( Most certainly NOT just before your wedding day ) this way you can see how it behaves, how your makeup sits on top of it and how it will look in snap shots.

Another alternative is have a few cheeky sun bed sessions ( I wouldn't normally suggest sun beds, however for a special occasion a couple may give the desired effect )

OR a moisturising self tan that builds over time is a much gentler way of achieving a sun kissed look.

See my recommended products section of my website for tanning options.

When you first contact me, I will ask a few questions regarding your ceremony time, location/venue address and how many people require styling.

From this information I will calculate a rough time for you to expect me to arrive on the morning of your wedding.

At your trial we will discuss the logistics of your glam schedule in more detail, I will provide you with a copy of this so you can forward the information to your team bride.

Often when planning your wedding, glam preparation times are not something you've thought about or you have absolutely no idea how long the process will take.

You might know how long it takes you to get ready for a night out or a special occasion, you might not wear makeup and have no idea how long it will take?

Hiring a professional for yourself and bridal party is a whole different ball game and you may be surprised/ shocked when I tell you what time to expect me on the morning.

To give you a rough guide:

I allow 30 minutes for myself to park up, unload my kit, find your room, set out my work station and fire up any heated appliances.

If your bridal party includes more people than yourself, we will have discussed either at your trial or via email/phone the time slot allocated for each person.

It's usually a good idea to allow Mum's to go first, they can then go off and do Mum things and organising.

Then each of your maids will be styled.

As the bride, you want your hair and makeup to be fresh, however it's never a good idea to be the last person to be styled!

Reason being, you makeup needs time to settle on your skin, also should any unforeseen event happen and timings start to become tight, no disrespect to the rest of your team bride, but YOUR the most important person and should someone have to forfeit their hair and or makeup, then so be it.

That being said, this situation has never occurred in my entire career.

I also like for you the bride to be ready 1 hour before your ceremony, this allows for you to get into your dress, put your shoes on, have a spritz of perfume, add any accessories you may have, have a sip of Champagne or tea and take a deep breath.

You may also have arranged with your photographer to take some pictures of you before you go and say "I DO" we can factor this in when we discuss your timings at your trial.

Stylist set up: 30 minutes

Brides makeup: 1.30 hours

Brides hair: 1 hour

Bridesmaids makeup: 1 hour

Bridesmaids hair: 45-60 minutes

Mother of the bride and groom makeup: 45-60 minutes

Mother of the bride and groom hair: 45-60 minutes

If moving to another location during styling, please note: our second location may only be a few minutes away, but time is required for packing away of products and kit, loading of kit into the car, unloading the car at the second location and setting out of the work station again, so time for this has to be factored into your morning preparations and a fee of £40 is charged for this.

Moving location also disrupts the flow of your morning and involves more logistics, I would suggest speaking to your venue and ask them if your able to arrive earlier.

One thing to bare in mind is, it usually quite early when I arrive, you may be in your pjs sipping tea/coffee and the vibe is quite relaxed, then at some point during the morning, the clock speeds up!!

I always over compensate for time, but you have to trust me that the extra time is required.

Time gets consumed by text messages, phone calls, loo breaks, tea and coffee making, flowers arriving, emotional moments, giving of gifts and lots of other little moments you may not have thought of.

At first you may be a little shocked when I let you know my arrival time, you have to trust me on this!

When I arrive you may be in your pyjamas, sipping tea and nibbling on croissants and feel like you have all the time in the world to get ready.

THEN.... The clock speedy up and things begin to get a little busy!

On the morning of your wedding day, I will arrive at your home/venue/hotel half an hour before we are due to start makeup and hair.

This time allows me to carry my kit into your preparation area, give you a big hug, set out my products and fire up any heated appliances.

We will have discussed your glam schedule prior to you wedding day, I will either have given you a copy at your trial or emailed one to you.

We will factor in if people have to travel to you, who's a morning person and who needs a little time to wake up, if someone has children they need to attend to, if certain jobs have been given to people.

It's really helpful if your wedding party members are there at their allocated times.

Your glam schedule is a rough guide, as some members of your bridal parties styling may take a little longer than others, you have to trust me on this and the timings I provide.

The times I allocate are often over compensated, this allows for phone calls, flowers arriving, gift giving, emotional moments, loo breaks, champagne sipping, tea making and the occasional selfie.

One thing I don't do, is add to your time schedule by setting up cameras, lights and my phone to take videos or photographs for my benefit, if I have the time, I will try and grab a quick pic of you before you leave. I like to leave the photography part of your day to the professionals.

When hair and make up is completed my job is not complete, I will be around for touch up and final checks, I will help attach your veil after getting into your dress, help you put your shoes on, offer any last minute verve curbing techniques that may help with butterflies in your stomach.

Should timing run over, which they often can, you the bride are my main priority.

Which is why I like to complete your hair and make up an hour before your due to say "I DO" this allows time for you to get into your dress, accessories, have a nervous loo visit, have a few selfie and take a deep breath.

If you have arranged with your photographer to take pictures of you and your bridal party before you go to your ceremony, we can discuss your preference beforehand and factor in time for this.

Often I will pack away whilst your ceremony is happening and quietly leave, It has even been know for me to pack away and post house keys through the door ( When getting ready at home ) Please see my reviews section of my website for clients who trusted me to do this.

If I haven't answered a burning question you may have, please don't think for one minute that you can't ask me because it sounds silly! Please ask me! :-)

My aim is to help you feel as relaxed as possible and the most fabulous you've ever felt!