As if wedding planning isn't already stressful enough, now we have Covid-19 still in the mix of things almost a year later. So many questions floating around & still lots of uncertainty for 2021 weddings. Let's try to simplify it. (PSA- I am not an attorney, but have paid to consult one)

First and foremost, depending on WHEN you booked your vendor, things might vary a little bit. Vendors didn't know a pandemic was going to hit us all back in 2019. Some vendors may have sent out contract clauses or updates to add in information about Covid-19 protocols, others may just send addendums, or maybe no changes at all! All vendors are different & we do things we feel is right for our business, our clients, and our reputations. 

So, how do you navigate vendor contracts? How do we all keep things fair? What is Force Majeure? What is a postponement fee? Why is your retainer non-refundable? 

1) Reading / Understanding Contracts: When you decide(d) to book with a vendor, you should carefully read each clause and asked questions if you don't understand the meaning prior to signing the thing. It is OKAY to ask questions or get clarification on something. So, if you don't know what "Force Majeure" means, just ask!

2)  Common Clauses & What They Mean: 

• Minimum Amount: Each vendor will likely have a minimum $ or service amount clause. This number is usually decided by overhead costs, product use, time, etc. Unless there is a strict governmental ruling prohibiting their minimum, they will likely hold you to this. Reminder- vendors pay taxes, have unwavering monthly costs, and more to consider. You can also think of it as if your boss decided to cut your hours in half two weeks before you got paid. You still have bills to pay, right? 
• Cancellation/ Postponement Policy: This will break down what happens in the instance that you decide to postpone or flat out cancel your wedding. Some vendors charge a postponement fee to cover a new booking date, others will likely keep your retainer to make up for lost services, others may have no fee's at all. Again, this depends on what that business decided is best for them to stay afloat. But, this clause should very clearly outline what will happen.
• Force Majeure: This relates to Acts of God (fires, floods, unpredictable events the parties cannot control or know of). Covid-19 is NO LONGER CONSIDERED UNDER THIS CLAUSE! It is a well known factor now. So if you are newly booking, you are accepting the current risks that Covid-19 poses, and that it may still be a factor for your wedding date. 

3) Protection For Both Parties: Please don't think contracts are solely to protect the vendor. They are 100% meant to cover both parties involved. For example, I have a clause that should I be deathly sick or something of the sort, I will try to find a replacement artist at the SAME cost for you. Or, a clause stating that you get to keep your original rates should you need to postpone, even if the vendor has raised them.

4) Contract Addendums & Flexibility: Many vendors are releasing new Covid-19 contract addendums, or if you have postponed more than once, a whole new contract. These are very specific to state regulations, event specifics, monies paid, etc. If you have (very sadly) chosen to postpone more than once, or the contract is entering into a whole new year (2019 to 2020 to 2021), then it will likely be considered voided and you may receive a whole new contract with all updated terms. Some vendors offer more flexibility on this & I suggest asking their policy. We want to work WITH you, not against you. 
​
5) Non-refundable Retainers: This is a touchy subject, and rightfully so- it's about money! When you pay a retainer, that means that vendor closes that date on their calendar and turns (sometimes dozens) of requests away because you secured their services first. Should you decide to postpone or cancel & the vendor cannot accommodate the new date (or transfer your retainer), it is very likely your retainer will not be refunded. This is because that vendor has now lost an entire day of income that you had reserved. This retainer amount is also used as working capital. For many of us vendors, we put in hours of work prior to your event day. This includes: consult calls, emails, timeline planning, other vendor communication, site visits, tastings, samples, etc., etc. That retainer fee compensates us for our time on those aspects. 

I truly hope this helps some of you navigate your way through the mess that Covid-19 has created. I can't stress enough that wedding vendors are in the industry because we love LOVE, and are extremely customer service driven people. We sympathize so incredibly much with each and every one of you, and a lot of the policies we have adopted are so that we can still afford to BE in business when this mess is over with. So please reach out, have conversations, ask questions, and remember that we are all human & are all in this together. 

Sending SO much love out,
​Hillary

I never thought I'd be having to write a blog about putting a face mask on over makeup you just paid good money for, but HERE. WE. ARE!

While there is no 100% effective way to fully protect your makeup from a mask, there are a few steps you can take (and your makeup artist should help you with!) to help prevent transfer. 

1) Setting Your Face: This is something your makeup artist should do already, but being sure your whole face is set with a powder AND a setting spray will help prevent transfer onto other surfaces (like a mask!). These are quick steps that can help make all the difference. 

2) Setting The Mask: Bring the mask you plan on wearing that day to your makeup appointment and have the artist spray the inside of it with setting spray. Or, if you have your own spray, you can do this on your own! This is like doubling up the protection of transfer. 

3) Powder Puff/ Touch Ups: As I mentioned, there is no 100% guarantee a little makeup won't transfer, so be prepared ahead of time and pack a little powder puff or compact of powder for touchups along your chin, nose and cheeks. These are small items that can fit perfectly in a small purse or clutch! I prepare my brides with blotting papers and cotton pads to help with this as well. 

4) Bring Focus To Eyes: Lastly, bring the main focus on your face to your eyes! Request your artist do a little bit bolder of an eye look, this will draw the attention there and not to the mask on your face. Plus, if you get to safely take the mask off, and some makeup did come off, your eyes will still look flawless and keep the attention there. 

I hope these help and I hope we can say goodbye to them in 2021! Have any other fun tricks or tips, share them below!
Phot by: jennabrisson.com/

What could be more picturesque than a Vermont fall wedding? Not much! Amanda chose a beautiful spot in Dorset Vermont marrying at the Old Grey Barn with a small reception at the Barrows House. 

As for makeup and hair, Amanda chose a classic bridal look with soft eyes, a neutral lip color, and a low, elegant and whimsical up-do. Putting together her look involved looking at her dress, floral colors, and comfort level with makeup. A natural but enhanced bridal makeup and hair look was the way to go! Her bridesmaids also chose similar natural looks to match their light grey dresses.

Enjoy some photos by Jenna Brisson Photography below. 
​
VENDORS INCLUDED:

- Nancy Bishop Floral Design 
- Jenna Brisson Photography 
- Barrows House & Old Grey Barn 
- Gown: The Dress Theory 
- Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo 
- Save the Dates: Unmeasured Events 
- Videography: The Harris Co. 
​

Whether you're planning to hire a professional photographer for your wedding day or for family photos, having your best face forward is important! I interviewed professional wedding and portrait photographer, Danielle Allendorf of Danielle Allendorf Photography to get her perspective on the subject. Enjoy & be sure to check out some of her work at the end of the blog.

1) Does professional makeup make editing pictures easier for you as a professional photographer? If so, how?

YES! When my clients have professional make-up done for their portrait session or wedding it makes all the difference when I'm sitting behind my computer editing in Lightroom. We all have small imperfections in our skin and that's totally normal, a blemish here or there can pop up every now and then, and I know I get dark circles under my eyes even if I am well rested! We're only human. When you have your make-up professionally done, your skin looks flawless and your eyes look bright and refreshed! This saves me tons of time when I'm retouching because I don't have to worry about editing out those pesky red marks on skin or bags under eyes!

2) If a client doesn't wear makeup or get it done professionally for a shoot, how does it affect your editing & posing process?

It definitely slows down my editing time. I have to spend extra time taking out those pesky imperfections in Lightroom. I am always considering and posing my clients based on the most flattering light. But I have to be extra sensitive if they don't have make-up on when considering different poses or locations to shoot in. 

3) Have you ever had clients wish they had professional makeup done after doing a shoot?

One of my brides had a family member do her make-up. It totally looked great for about an hour. She did not do a first look, had a very long church ceremony, followed by family portraits and wedding party photos. By the time we got to bride & groom photos, her foundation was completely gone, her mascara was down under her bottom eyelashes due to the heat of the day (and the emotions), and it was a challenge to want to get those up close shots knowing I was going to have to edit out all her blemishes. It was not ideal and I definitely wish she had hired a professional.

Some might say, well isn't that your job? Photoshop? When you're editing hundreds of photos for a wedding gallery and delivering a high volume of images (sometimes 1000+), it is not ideal to have to take every single photo of your bride and photoshop their skin. If I can do it in Lightroom it's ideal, if I can totally avoid it, it's the best! They do say time is money!

4) Other tips for photoshoots or perks of having makeup done for them?

I think planning to have your hair & make-up trial done on the day of your engagement session is SO important. I know it's an extra planning step but it benefits everyone involved! You're able to communicate with your artist/stylist about what you like and don't like and it's the perfect excuse to go have photos taken! It's a win win win.

One tip that I have come across lately. People often say "You need to wear more make-up on your wedding day because it looks better in photos." While yes this is true, brides need to remember they should also feel like themselves. You have to be happy with the way you look on your wedding day - if it's not you then don't be afraid to speak up and say something. If you're not happy with it, say something. And all the more reason to have a trial run!!! As someone who hardly ever even wears mascara, I get it. Too much make-up feels weird. But hear me out - I had my make-up done by Hillary for a branding portrait session recently and was thoroughly impressed. Yes I had a full face of make-up on but it totally felt natural & light! It was truly incredible. My skin looked perfect and my eyelashes were to die for but I still felt like myself and that's the most important part! 

Covid19 has brought on many unknowns to the wedding and event world. As a makeup artist, I quickly had to adapt and restructure to ensure my clients (and myself) were all safe. The funny part was, we (makeup artists), were already doing most of the sanitation practices anyway! Here's a list of precautions I am taking & that are required (as of 9/20/20 by the ACCD and Department of Health):

1) Masking Up: This has been the biggest change for me- masking up for every client! It's also probably the most obvious change. I will work with either a surgical mask or N95 mask to help protect us both. Even if I'm not working directly on your face, I will still wear it anytime I'm around or in the room with clients. 

2) Non-porous Containers: A big change I made to my kit was transferring products into non-porous containers to make sanitizing and cleanliness super easy. These containers stay sealed unless I'm opening them to get a product out. They are very easy to spray and sanitize after a job either with a bleach solution or 70% Isopropyl Alcohol. 

3) Disposables: This was NOT a big change! And if you get a makeup artist who says it's a change...RUN. Disposable mascara wands, sponges, and lip wands have always been used. This is to prevent cross-contamination and was a practice prior to Covid19; but now more than ever, is  just as important. 

4) 70% Isopropyl Alcohol: Again, not a big change! I use this level of alcohol to spray powder products, stainless steel trays, and the outside of product packaging. This percentage level ensures bacteria is killed on the surface. Any percentage higher or lower is not as effective. * See CDC quote at the end of the blog!

5) Surface Wipe Downs: Bringing a table and chair with me on-location means those also get deep cleaned. Paper towels are put down for easy clean-up on the table, and a bleach solution is used on all surfaces. 

6) Set-up Area: While most wedding mornings have all the bridesmaids and moms gathered round', I prefer to setup in an area either in a separate room or area that is distanced from others. This makes it easy to keep my area sanitized and myself socially distanced from those not receiving services. 

Please note that NH and other states have very different guidelines for makeup artists, so this is per Vermont regulations. Some artists may be wearing shields, smocks, gloves, hair nets, etc. I always bring a face shield with me as well, if it makes the client more comfortable. Questions? Feel free to reach out! 

Travel fees will vary depending on each vendor & business type- so this is subjective to myself and most likely many/ all other makeup & hair artists. 
When you hear “travel fee”, most people think of it as a fee to cover the cost of gas & mileage on the car. While this is partly true, there are SO many more factors we consider when creating travel fees. Let me break it down for you!

1. Gas & Mileage: As mentioned above, this is the obvious one! The travel fee will include what the actual gas and “wear and tear” on the car will cost. So, for further away destinations, this piece will cost more. 
2. Prep & Packing: As a makeup artist, I bring a directors chair, large folding table, lighting system, and two kit bags with me. Not only is this a lot to pack up and carry around, I spend a solid hour prior to a wedding making sure everything is organized, sanitized, and ready to be seamlessly unpacked at the venue. 
3. Time: Another big piece to the travel fee is the actual time we spend on the road. For example, if we travel 2 hours one way to the venue, and 2 hours back home- there is 4 hours of our day spent on the road. If you factor that on top of the 4-6+ hours we are physically working a wedding, it makes for a very long day! Time on the road is also time spent taken away from possible other clients. 
4. Unpacking & Setup: Once we actually arrive at the venue, we get to unpack everything we brought. For some venues, this could mean lugging everything up flights of stairs, across resort areas, over gravel driveways, through elevators, etc. Plus the actual unpacking and setup in the room when we arrive. 
5. Re-packing: After we finish the best part of our job- actually doing makeup and hair(!!!!)- we have to re-pack and bring everything back to our car. While this seems like an easy pack and go situation, I always make sure to put everything back in an organized fashion so nothing gets damaged or broken while driving. 

And there you have it! All of the bits and pieces we factor into our travel fees. While the makeup and hair is the best and most fun part of our job, factoring in our time is important as well. 
PS- we love to travel! Seeing new parts of Vermont (or anywhere!) is incredible, and we are so lucky to do it. My goal with this was to simply provide education. Questions? Shoot me a message on the Contact page.
PC- Amelia Marie Photography 

A few months ago I pondered the idea of adding a hairstylist to my business. Creating a seamless & easy experience for my clients has always been a priority to me, and after speaking with a lot of clients and other wedding vendors, this seemed like the right direction to go in! I also knew my friend, Kelsey, was moving back to Vermont after finishing cosmetology school in Florida. It seemed like the perfect time!

The process went a LOT faster than I anticipated, but that was because I had an amazing graphic designer for my new logo. She had the designs done for me in less than three days! Once I picked out which one I loved, I got to work on changing my website, PDF guides, social media, contract information, state business name, and all the other fun stuff that comes with changing your brand & business name. 

So what does this new brand incorporate and stand for? A lot of the same things Hillary Fay Freelance MUA stood for! I still own the business, still offer makeup, and still plan to give the absolute best beauty experience possible for all my clients. It is now incorporating more broad spectrum beauty-- i.e. hair styling! Kelsey will be available to book with me for your wedding, event, commercial, or head shot needs. This fresh, clean logo & color palette represents the clean and elegant beauty offerings we have. 

Perks to having a one-stop-shop for both makeup and hair now? Booking one less vendor, having a cohesive team that can create a fluid timeline for your day, and can create a flawless makeup and hair style while working closely together!  We can also offer trial runs together so you can get the "whole look" at the same time. A huge shout out to Erin Hoefel Designs for the logo design... follow her below! Questions? Hit the Contact page and let me know. 

 https://www.facebook.com/ErinHoefelDesigns 

This shouldn’t come as a shock, but hair and makeup artists should work closely together to achieve your perfect wedding day look. This means good communication, trial runs, and proper timing on the wedding day and leading up to it. I interviewed a fabulous hair stylist, Ashley Moran, of Ringlets Studio to get some more insight: 

- Do brides typically know what look they want when they come to you, or do they look to you for opinions? 
My typical bride comes in with an idea or ideas they are envisioning for their wedding day. I typically ask them to bring in more than 1 picture. I also always want to see a picture of the dress (best part about being on the bridal styling team is I get to be one of the first to see the dress).  I have a consultation and figure out what will truly work best, it’s all about your dress and what you will feel comfortable wearing all night dancing and sometimes in the heat! A big suggestion I make to brides is don’t be afraid to add hair extensions on the big day.  Just like your MUA would suggest lashes. 

- What are the benefits of communicating with the MUA & bride about the overall look prior to the big day? 
Style and presentation. You wouldn’t want a cake half frosted. Having a team that works together on your wedding day look is key! 

- What is your favorite hairstyle to do on brides? 
Truly anything that brings the brides natural beauty out and showcases who they are  as a person. It all depends on the bride and the dress.   But if I really had to pick I love a classic pulled back and off the neck style.

-What suggestions do you have for brides who are looking to hire a hair stylist for their wedding or elopement? 
You want a Stylist who will listen but isn’t scared to say that won’t work. It’s taken me many years to feel comfortable to tell a bride that style may not work and here is why.  You also want someone who will enjoy your big day as much as you and is excited to be there.     

To chat more with Ashley & review her work- check out her Instagram at: 

When I tell people that I’m a bridal makeup artist, I get a lot of the same replies: “Oh how fun! Playing with makeup all day”, “Must be cool to meet brides from all over the country!”, and “I wish I could just play with makeup for a living”. While all of these are great perks to the job, my goal is to create an experience, not just apply makeup. Take a look at some of the steps I take to ensure the best possible experience for my clients:

1. Quick Communication: I pride myself in providing timely and thorough replies to your inquiries and questions. Wedding planning can be stressful enough, but having vendors who take days to reply to simple questions or new inquiries can be a huge turn off, and make the process even harder. You will always get a reply within 24 hours, but I aim to be even faster than that!
2. Thorough Trial Runs: A trial run or “preview” is a great time to get to know your artist and nail down the look you want for your day. I provide more than that. I want to know what your overall wedding day vision is, what color flowers you’re getting, what your dress looks like, guest count, etc., etc. This helps give me the best vision to create your makeup look. 
3. Timeline Coordination: Whether you’re working with a planner, or doing it yourself, I offer morning timeline coordination for your big day. Having the hair, makeup, and photography schedule for the morning perfectly lined up is key! I’ve seen so many weddings end up running late because hair and makeup overlap schedules. I reach out to your hair vendor and photographer to figure out when you need to be ready, when a first look is happening, and create a detailed schedule for appointment times with hair and makeup so no one overlaps, and everyone is on time. 
4. Professional Products & Adaptability: Paying a premium price for a makeup artist often includes everything I listed above, but also includes the cost of top-of-the-line, professional makeup and skin care products. Thousands of dollars go into my kit so I can provide the absolute best for my clients. Being adaptable to various skin types, ages, and preferences is also a huge part of my job. Evaluating each person's needs and quickly adapting is a skill perfected with practice and time. I always love improving and learning with each client!

To sum that all up, my favorite part of my job is creating that experience. When you book my services, it’s not just “applying makeup”, it's the whole package. Check out some testimonials here: