Hair&Makeup let down, need advice!

Hi gals, ok, here's the situation, let me know what you think I should do... So I had my hair and makeup trial today. My wedding is going to be in Healdsburg, about 2 hours from my house. So, I got up early, stopped by and picked up my mom and drove 2 hours over to Santa Rosa to meet with my hair and makeup gal at 11am. I brought my laptop and showed her pictures of what I wanted for hair: slightly messy updo with a swept bang. I showed her this collage among other pics. I told her I liked Jennifer Lopez' hair a lot, just not as frizzy on top.

She said ok and started by setting my hair in rollers, after taking them out she kinda tousseled it around a bit and pinned some of the hair back making a ponytail of sorts. ...not an updo. then she took it all out, tousseled it some more and was talking about how my hair was flat on the top, that is was really heavy and really thick and that it wasn't staying up, etc. (wish she would have told me how she needed my hair prepped...) my mom then came over and said well, I think it needs more heighth up on the top. So she and my mom kinda played with my hair more pushing up hair on the top of my hair to see how it would look. She then said I needed a hair piece to make it stick up and that she didnt have one so basically I needed to come back when she got it to try it. (If I have such thick hair, why do I need a hair piece?) Ok...so basically that was it on my har. Next: makeup. I told her I wanted a smoky eye, lashes, slightly bronzed glow with a paler lip. And I gave her some pictures both on the computer and out of a magazine. When she was done and I looked in the natural light my first thought was, I look old. This is the picture of me with the makeup done (my hair pinned back AFTER she was supposed to have done it - don't mind the weird look, ha ha)

So now here I am trying to figure out what the heck to do! Each service was $65, of which we both forgot I needed to pay her, so I need to drop it in the mail, but honestly, I can't see how paying her $65 for hair is justified? I am willing to pay for the makeup, but I just don't know about the hair. She didn't really "do" my hair. Plus, I drove 2 hours over and 2 hours back and now she wants me to do that again so she can do my hair at that time...I don't know if I should even go with her and don't know what to do. I also had to give her $170 for a deposit for my girls, but I don't know if I should even stay with her at this point. I need advice ladies, please help!

awwww hon i'm sorry you're disappointed!!

um i dont think you need a hair piece!!

is there any way you can hire the people who did your makeup for your b-pics to do makeup on your wedding day??

also, i know this may sound gross - but clean hair doesnt hold the messy updo very well...since it's umm clean... did she put any products in your hair??

i know for me - and i have thick hair, so this may not be same for you - but for me, i dont wash my hair the day of an event - having a little "dirt" in it holds the styling products and holds my hair more for some reason...

i think your makeup looks great - but i see what you mean about the smokey smolder look...it's not what you expected.

if you dont go with her - are you gonna have to eat the deposit??

my two cents: i'd dump her and go with someone else... you gave her visual references and it still didnt turn out the way you wanted... you dont want to be "bad" nervous on your wedding day - you wanna be confident that your pics are gonna look fantastic right?

is there anyone else in santa rosa or napa or sonoma or in the outlying area?? or maybe someone from sac or elk grove or roseville that you could hire for your hair and just negotiate their travel expenses??

i go to a great salon, but i'm about 45 minutes west of stockton - so it'll still be a trek for you...

pm me if you get desperate enough to drive out this way k??

I know exactly what you mean! I've had too many failed trials that I've had to pay for and I'm still on the hunt!

Ditto D1rty - look for another hair/make up artist.

You have to be completely happy with your hair and make up. If you don't feel pretty on your day, you are going to be miserable!!! I had the same issue with a trial...I LOOKED LIKE MY MOM! I couldn't figure out why I didn't like my make up....all I knew is that I looked old. And then when I got home I thought...OMG, I look like my mom!!

I know we're all on budgets but I think (for me anyway) hair and make up isn't something that I'm willing to skimp on. I want to look in the mirror and be completely satisfied. Good luck!

I think I saw that you were using Dolce Vita? They are expensive! Try Elsa Vera. Here is her website: http://www.elsavera.com/page.aspx She is great, is also a wedding coordinator. She has been doing hair and makeup for weddings for around 20 years and provides a team depending on how many people are getting done. She will come to you (I think it is a $50 charge) or you can go to her site on Mendocino Ave (between College Ave and Steel Lane). She is charging something like $150 for the bride (includes the hair and makeup trial) and around $45 for makeup. BM's are $40-$65 for hair and $25 for makeup. Anyway, she is great! She did a friend's wedding too and they were very happy. She listens to you and is very friendly and helpful. Good luck!

Thanks ladies, I know, I think I do need to find someone else, because don't you think my hair should have been DONE that day? Do you think I still need to pay her the $65 for hair even though as you can see from the pictures it wasn't actually done?

Its funny, when I got in the car I immediately wiped off the lipstick and some of the foundation and had that "ahh" feeling - I am NOT a lipstick girl at all. Plus, I think I can do my own makeup just as well, if not better and, although it would be nice to have someone else to do my makeup that day, I might actually be happier doing it myself.

The hardest part about it all is, because I live in the Sacramento area (Roseville) I know no one out there so it makes it doubly hard and frustrating because I have to drive 2 hours each time I want to try out hair and makeup! :)

D1rty- the gal that did my makeup for my b-pics was the manager of the MAC counter in Roseville, so Im sure having her travel 2 hours over to Healdsburg would be $$$! Oh and I totally know what you mean about dirty hair, I try and go as long as possible without washing, its so much better for your hair. But she told me nothing as far as what she needed me to do to prep it so...yea! ;) Im starting to think maybe I'll do my own makeup, just go to MAC have them help me pick out colors and then I can do it myself day of. That way, I could spend a little more on someone that can REALLY do hair. Ugh...I don't know.

carolwp2- Thanks for the referral! I'll have to check her out. Yeah, Dolce Vita was the only referral I had to go from and actually I was set to meet with another girl but she ended up leaving so I was transfered to someone else. She is really really nice, but she just kinda seemed at a loss as to what to do with my hair and I don't think I could have made it any more simple? If you have any more suggestions, please share, they'd be much appreciated.

I think its hard too because I don't want typical bridal hair or bridal makeup and the stylists aren't really getting that idea - ha ha, oh well.

Keep the ideas coming ladies and thanks for your words of wisdom!

The hair looks nothing like the pics!!! I don't see how she got that from the pics at all if she isn't seeing your vision maybe try someone else? I also can't see paying for services you were unhappy with and had to drive so far for....

I know, right? Yeah, that's the whole thing, she didn't DO my hair. She curled it and played with it and that was it and then pinned it back like that to do my makeup. UGH!

Whoa...I see why you're not wanting to pay for the hair trial. The pic looks like your hair is pinned back to keep out of your face for makeup application. I agree with Soontobe...the hair looks nothing like the inspiration pics. No sweeping bang, no shape to it at all. I completely understand your frustration.

The makeup, although pretty, is barely a smokey eye. Its close to my everyday makeup. I PM'd you about my rec for a makeup artist, but I'll say it again for other girls reading here. I HIGHLY recommend Audrey Crandell of Glowing Bridal. She did my makeup for my b-pics and she was amazing. Talented, professional, and really sweet! The makeup didn't feel heavy or cakey at all. I wore from 9am when she applied til almost 3am (after my Mom's birthday bash). It was still in place and looked flawless. The only touch-ups I did was my lips...seriously! Call her asap and tell her I said Hi! You won't be disapointed!

I'm not too sure who to suggest for hair. Sadly, I'm in a very similar situation as you with the hair. I'm having to redo my hair trial because the first was a flop. We're doing it again with extensions.

GOOD LUCK!

P.S. If you're really bothered by the hair payment, maybe talk to her manager/supervisor about paying for hair she didn't really "do." I'm so non-confrontational, I'd have a hard time saying something, but if the service wasn't done, she shouldn't be paid.

OMG I laughed when I saw the pic. You look so "MEH" in it- you can tell that you're totally not happy! I would have been extremely disappointed as well... I mean your mom was even helping her?? Sounds like she wasn't the right stylist for you. I would cal about the money situation- did you sign anything? She didn't even DO your hair. She almost did it.

As for makeup, I'm doing my own too. I have had my makeup done millions of times by tons of pros and I'm NEVER that happy with it. Even the best mua can do my makeup and I'll want to fix & change little details. So like you, I'll go and have a pro help me choose shades but in the end my own hands will work the magic =)

Good luck finding a new stylist. Wish I knew one out there

double post, sorry!