I don't wear a ton of makeup and usually wear my hair pretty simply, so part of me thought that maybe I shouldn't do anything professional on my wedding day since I really wanted to look like myself. On the other hand, I wanted to feel beautifu...l and confident and get great photos, and I thought some professional attention could really help with that. Natalie managed to strike the perfect balance: she did my hair and makeup and I felt more beautiful than I ever have in my life, and yet at the same time I just felt like the best version of myself, not an overstyled stranger. My groom seemed to agree :) My hair, which we did in a totally different style than we practiced in the trial because it was hot and I wanted to get it off my neck, was absolutely incredible, if I don't say so myself More than 14 hours (which included crying, sweating, dancing, crying, and dancing some more), I still felt gorgeous as I finally got ready for bed with my newly minted husband.
Natalie also did hair and makeup for several of my bridesmaids in a complete variety of styles all of which looked lovely, and for my mother-in-law and mother. My mom never wears any makeup, and Natalie did an awesome job of just giving her a little extra oomph while making her feel totally comfortable and like herself. But we could tell from the arsenal of styling products and makeup that she brought with her that she would have been prepared for even the most involved and bold looks.
It was also just a pleasure to spend the day with Natalie. We were getting ready at my apartment from 9am to 3pm, and it was a really special time to spend with my bridesmaids and mothers. It could have been kind of odd to have a total stranger there with us the whole time, but Natalie was so friendly and funny while at the same time remaining an absolute professional who never gave us a moment's doubt that we would all look fantastic by the end of our time with her.
I should also say that with 22 months to plan the wedding, I spent a lot of time researching my vendors - and Natalie was one of the most affordable hair and makeup stylists I came across. With a wedding you want to walk a fine line between affordability and splurging on your once-in-a-lifetime event, and with Natalie I didn't feel like we made any sort of tradeoff between the two. She was incredible, but also fit within my budget (which was tighter than many) and felt affordable to my bridesmaids who run the gamut in terms of disposable income.
In sum, I couldn't recommend Natalie more highly!