Quick answer
Build the morning backwards from the time you need to be dressed. Ask your hair and makeup artist how long each person takes, put the person being married last in the chair, and plan your photographer's arrival for when everyone looks ready. Book trials 4 months before the wedding so the timings are real.
Work backwards from "dressed"
Decide the time you must be fully dressed, based on your ceremony or first look. Everything in the morning is planned backwards from that moment, leaving a buffer before it.
Get real timings from your artists
Ask your hair and makeup team how long they need per person and how many people they can do at once. Use those numbers to build the order. A trial, which our checklist schedules 4 months before the wedding, is the best time to time it.
Put the person being married last, but not too last
The person getting married usually goes last in the chair so their look is freshest for photos. Leave a buffer after them for touch-ups, and do not schedule them so late that any delay eats into getting dressed.
Plan the photographer's arrival
Your photographer does not need to see every brush stroke. Have them arrive for the last part of hair and makeup, the details (dress, rings, shoes, invitation) and getting dressed. Gather the details in one box the night before so they are easy to find.
Feed everyone
Arrange food and water for the morning. Long mornings without eating are the main cause of people feeling faint during the ceremony.
Keep the room calm
Limit the room to the people you want there. Have one person, not you, answer vendor calls and keep track of time. Pack an emergency kit: safety pins, stain remover, painkillers, bandages and a phone charger.
Frequently asked questions
How long does wedding hair and makeup take?
It depends on the artist and how many people they are styling, so ask them. Time it at your trial and build the morning from their numbers.
When should the photographer arrive on the wedding morning?
For the end of hair and makeup, the detail shots and getting dressed. Gather your details in one box so the photographer can find them quickly.
Who should be last in the hair and makeup chair?
Usually the person getting married, so their look is freshest, with a buffer afterwards for touch-ups and getting dressed.