Where Natalie travels
Chicago is home, and everything starts from there. That covers the city and the suburbs, drivable dates across the wider Midwest, and destination weddings that need a flight to get to. Lake towns, family properties, and venues that took you a year to find all count.
If you are not sure whether your location is workable, the fastest thing to do is ask. Sorting out whether a date is possible costs you nothing, and it is a much better use of your time than guessing.
Booking a traveling makeup artist
Travel bookings are quoted individually, because the details vary more than people expect. How far the day is, whether the schedule needs an overnight stay, how many people are getting ready, and what time you need to be finished all change the shape of it.
You will see the full number before anything is confirmed, travel included. Nothing gets added quietly at the end.
On timing, earlier is easier. A travel date takes a whole block of time rather than a slot in the morning, so starting the conversation early gives you the most room to plan around it.
You will see the full number before anything is confirmed. Nothing gets added quietly at the end.
What changes when the wedding is away from home
The climate is doing half the work
Heat, humidity and salt air behave differently from a Chicago spring. Products get chosen with that in mind, leaning on things that sit well on skin and stay comfortable through a long day rather than anything that needs constant attention.
Photographs are the record you keep
Destination weddings tend to be photographed heavily, often in bright, unforgiving light. Skin-forward makeup holds up better under that than a heavier finish, which is the approach Natalie works in anyway.
The morning has less slack in it
An unfamiliar venue, a shared getting-ready space and a photographer working to a schedule all take up more time than they would at home. Sharing the headcount and your ready-by time when you first get in touch means the morning gets built backwards from that, instead of running late by lunchtime.
You may not be in the same city beforehand
A trial is a full run-through of your wedding look, and it can be worked into your bridal package. When you are not in Chicago in the weeks before the wedding, raise it early so the trial can be scheduled around your travel rather than squeezed in at the last minute.
What the day looks like
Natalie arrives with everything needed for the group, sets up wherever there is decent light, and works through the schedule so the bride is finished when the photographs start rather than while they are already happening. The look itself gets agreed with you beforehand, not decided for you on the morning.
Common questions
Does Natalie travel outside Chicago?
Yes, for both drivable dates and destination weddings that need a flight. Ask about your location and you will get a straight answer.
How are travel costs handled?
They are worked into your quote along with everything else, and you see the total before you commit to anything.
How far ahead should I book?
As early as you comfortably can, particularly for peak season dates, since a travel booking occupies a full day rather than a morning slot.
Can Natalie do the whole bridal party?
Yes. Include the headcount in your inquiry so the timing can be built around it properly.