Natalie Buketov-Makeup & Hair. The OC's Premier Bridal Makeup Artist & Hair Designer!
Professional Photographic Makeup & Hair. Featuring Airbrush, Lashes and Extensions.
Serving The Greater OC Area, Los Angeles & San Diego Counties. Las Vegas, too!, CA 92651
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Reviews for Natalie Buketov-Makeup & Hair. The OC's Premier Bridal Makeup Artist & Hair Designer!




Natalie is my first make up artist that I can't thank her enough for her amazing works! She's such a sweetheart with a great great great personality and she's very open to what you like and what you don't like.
I had so much fun for my hair and make up trial with her, she came to my place because her studio needs to get fixed, and she's on time, plus she doesn't charge for a travel fee!
I've been researching for a professional hair and make up artist, and my intuition with Natalie was very strong, and I'm right! Her price is very affordable and her works, again, very very wonderful! I love the way it turns out, it's still look me in a more glamorous yet natural looking.
I had my hair and make up done for my engagement pictures with someone else, and I didn't really like how my baby hair looked, but with Natalie, I love it!
I told her I don't like this and that, and she got it right away.
I can rave on and on about Natalie because of her works and I think if you don't want to break a budget, you should go with Natalie, she's amazing!




Natalie was awesome! I knew I wanted to book with her right after going to the trial. She is so nice and easy to talk to and she put everyone at ease on the day of the wedding. She really listens to you and what you want. I changed how I wanted my hair for the wedding and she was very flexible. My 2 bridesmaids, my mom and I looked beautiful thanks to Natalie! I would highly recommend her.




Natalie did an amazing job on my hair and makeup for my b-pic shots. I did not provide any pictures of what I wanted, just left it up to her to be creative. She did an excellent job giving me the hair and makeup needed for photos.
Natalie made me feel very relaxed with her great attitude and helpful tips. I loved hearing her stories and getting to know her.
I highly recommend her.




I think Natalie is one of the most talented make-up artists I've ever seen in action. I have less than perfect skin and she made me look absolutely flawless. I'm pale and she made me look appropriately sun-kissed (NOT bronze. Yuck!). She also made my skin look flawless which is so difficult (I have moderate acne and no undertones to speak of. So finding a good match that can cover is usually my own personal version of hell).
To top it off, she really listened to what each girl wanted in respect to their hair and make-up and everyone looked fantastic.
I'd recommend Natalie to anyone in a heartbeat. It doesn't hurt that she has the cutest house ever so doing a trial run is so much fun!




Natalie is a very talented artist. I absolutely love my hair and make-up for my wedding day. It's even better than the rehearsal...and my mom just looked so elegant. She also worked on my BM and MOH hair and make-up and everyone just look marvelous. Also, none of us had to do touch up. Our hair and make-up lasted all day long!!!
I highly recommend her!!!




Yet another make-up artist that I had a trial with. One that did both hair and make-up which is exactly what I was looking for.
Natalie was warm and welcoming and had such a presence about her that you just "click" instantly! She listened to everything I wanted, examined all my pictures and gave me very constructive feedback on why this would or wouldn’t look good on me but she didn’t stop there. Natalie would go as far as to showing, because I need visuals like most brides, and I would end up agreeing 100% with her. You really learn to trust her eye. She has the ability to look at a brides face and know what hair and make-up will “work” for you whilst incorporating what you want to make you feel sexy and beautiful! My make-up was phenomenal. I mean really flawless, right down to the faux lashes which I loved.
When I came back from this trial my then fiancé’s mouth was literally on the floor and we ended up hitting the town that night only to be approached by strangers telling me how beautiful I was. Don’t you just love when that happens?! Haha
I would highly recommend Natalie!




Natalie did my hair & makeup for me, 3 bridesmaid, and my mom. My mom & I loved the end result and the 3 bridesmaid were fairly happy. She was very professional and prompt. Hair & makeup started at 6am with completion by 10am.
I did a trial with Natalie, and booked her soon afterwords. My mother in law decided not to do her makeup/hair, and I couldn't find a replacement --- Natalie was able to work with me on this issue. I broke out with major acne on the morning of my wedding, and Natalie was able to cover them all up -- quite amazing, since they were so red.
In all, I would definitely recommend Natalie to future brides.




Natalie was great. With little direction from me she made me look and feel beautiful on my wedding day. I was the last hair she did (she did 4 of my BM's and my mom), after each girl I was so impressed that I said "oooh, I want it like hers." By the time I sat in the chair I was so confused, I ended up copying my Jr. BM's hairstyle, lol, with a little change. Natalie did all of our makeup and did an excellent job, my makeup stayed put all day and night with only one powder touch up. She made my bridesmaids so beautiful that I couldn't take my eyes off them :) Natalie was very easy to work with and such a sweet person, we could easily be friends!




I absolutely loved my time with her at my trial. I had left photos at the hotel, but described what I was looking for. We looked through pictures on her computer to find an example, and we went with it. It looked great! She listened to what I had to say/changes I wanted to make for the wedding day, and it was exactly what I wanted. My husband was blushing when he saw me for the first time (a blushing groom?) :) She's so sweet and fun to work with, and both my bridesmaids were happy with how their hair looked and stayed for the night.




Natalie is super sweet, funny, and very talented. My hair and makeup came out great as well as my bridesmaids, I could not have been happier with the outcome. I can't wait to use her for future events.
I highly recommend her!!!!




Natalie was great! She really catered to each of my girls getting their hair/makeup exactly as they wanted it. She even put false eyelashes on my BMs cause they loved the way mine looked. The girls looked amazing. My mom is the least girly-girl you could ever meet. She never wears makeup and she’s never had her hair professionally styled (cut and colored yes, styled no). Natalie was great at working with my mom so that she didn’t feel like she was overdone. She then airbrushed my mother’s leg because my mom is so self conscious about her varicose veins. As for my hair and makeup we were fighting incredible humidity and she got my hair to curl on command! I loved the soft look of my hair and makeup and it stayed allllllll day and into the next morning (too tired to wash up). Timing was great, we were even done early!!!!!!




I was very happy with Natalie. She's very sweet and so easy to work with, and she was totally on time, even though we were so far from where she lives. My bridesmaids and I looked fabulous. Thanks Natalie!




I really enjoyed working with Natalie, her prices were much more reasonable than most other Hair & Makeup professionals. I met with her 8 months before the wedding to do a hair and makeup trial and was really pleased with the result. I hired her to do my hair and makeup, 3 BM hair, 2 BM hair and makeup, and my mom's hair and makeup. Initially my mom had only wanted to do makeup but decided a month before the wedding to do hair as well. Natalie was nice enough to agree to come earlier so we would all be ready in time. The day of the wedding, she showed up on time and even offered to stay later to make sure we were all ready when the photographers and limo arrived. Natalie is very personable and I am glad that I hired her, I would definitely recommend her to other brides. My makeup stayed on all night and my hair (even though I did a half up/half down) updo, managed to look pretty good all night!




Simply put, Natalie is AMAZING.
I was a little skeptical about Natalie being able to get 8 people done by herself on my wedding day. She had told me it would take 45 minutes per person for BOTH hair and make-up. I was so worried....but I didn't need to be, because she did it, and we all looked fabulous!!!! And everyone loved Natalie. She is so much fun, and was a great addition to have around on my wedding day. She kept me very calm!
I did a trial run with her, gave her basic guidelines, and she came through in spades. When I wanted a few modifications on the big day, she did it and I was thrilled with the results. She was also extremely affordable (I was shocked by how high some of the other quotes I received were!) I highly, highly recommend Natalie!!!




Natalie was wonderful. I used her for my engagement session. I gave her a photo of the look, but she made it even better. I would definitely use her again in the future for other events. Her pricing was not bad either.
GUEST




Natalie Buketov was wonderful! She was recommended to me through my makeup vendor and provided fantastic service from our first meeting during my hair and makeup trial! She created the perfect look for my wedding day, was very professional, reasonably priced, patient, and fun to work with! Everyone loved their hair-do on wedding day, especially me!! I would highly recommend Natalie for hair services on their wedding day!!




I have to admit that at first I was worried most about Natalie out of all my vendors. I had two trials with her. The first trial turned out fine, except after a few hours I started to break out. I contacted Natalie to let her know and she assured me that she'd bring a new bottle of foundation for the day of. I didn't want to take any chances so I scheduled another trial with Natalie and she was an HOUR late! *eeks* Makeup wise, Natalie was doing a good job, but I hadn't completely made up my mind as to what I wanted yet.
The big day came and Natalie was SO INCREDIBLY PERFECT.
1. She contacted me early, but I wasn't ready to start hair and makeup. I was still eating brunch so Natalie was flexible and simply let me give her a call when I was done and she'd be there at my suite.
2. My mother, mother-in-law, and sister looked fabulous. It took 45 minutes for makeup and hair for each gal just like Natalie said it would.
3. My hair and makeup were nothing short of superb. How did it hold up? As the night wore on in the thick, foggy weather (yes, it was a completely outdoor wedding), my hair do did come a little loose, but it wasn't anything that a couple bobby pins couldn't fix. And my make up? With the exception of lipstick, it lasted even through the after party =)
Ladies, don't be afraid to let Natalie know what you think about your hair or makeup. Natalie is a great listener and always fixed whatever I or my sister thought was off... even if it was just adjusting the position of an eyelash!
Natalie even helped my sister hook those tiny little buttons on the back of my dress. Truly a great vendor to have on your wedding day.




I would highly recommend Natalie as a hair/make-up artist for your wedding day! Natalie was absolutely fantastic for my wedding! I cannot tell you how many compliments I received about my hair and make-up! My bridesmaids all looked absolutely flawless as well (and I had seven of them). :)
The best part about Natalie is that she is so calm and collected the entire day. She never gets frazzled. In fact, the hotel suite I was in on my wedding day blew a fuse in the middle of everyone getting ready (Yikes!). My mom started freaking out a little bit and Natalie didn't even bat an eye. She just assured my mom that everything would be okay and we would be finished on time. Natalie finished the two bridesmaids hair she was working on, gathered up all of her equipment, and followed us into a much smaller room to finish getting everyone ready!!
I am so glad that I decided to spend the money to have someone come to me on my wedding day. I was in a wedding last year where the bridal party spent the entire day running around from one location to the next getting ready. Let me tell you, it was very stressful, mostly because we were running late to everything. My wedding day, however, was pretty relaxing. All I had to do was wake up, eat breakfast, take a shower, and let Natalie help me get beautiful for my husband. Then, it was off to the wedding site to get dressed and get married. :) Everything ran so smoothly and everyone was done on time, despite the blown fuse.
Not only is Natalie super sweet, but she is very professional and fun to work with. My entire bridal party loved her! I would highly recommend Natalie for your wedding day -- she is worth every penny and more!




I'll keep this short and sweet: Natalie was awesome! She was very friendly and helpful. Her price was reasonable for the quality of service I received. She is the first makeup artist that has done my makeup to do it exactly the way I wanted. I'm very picky about having a "natural look" that doesn't make me look like a drag queen or too made up. I would hire her again without thinking! I would definitely recommend her to family and friends and I'm actually thinking of hiring her again!
Thank you Natalie for making my wedding pictures come out amazing.




Natalie came to my house for hair/makeup for an engagement photo shoot. My makeup artist for the wedding day was booked that day so I went with Natalie based on recommendations from my wedding planner.
I left it up to her to be creative. I was so pleasantly surprised that she can make a dramatic look on me that uses bold colors yet still look classy and elegant. Also, she got some tricks to make eyeliner stay put on me all day long in the hot sun. I was amazed the makeup looked great after a night out that I almost didn't want to wash it off.
Natalie's fantastic! I have a wedding to attend in a few months and I'll definitely use her services again.




Natalie did my wedding day hair and make up as well as 7 bridesmaids. She was excellent. I loved my both my hair and make up at my trial, and she made it even more gorgeous on the big day. I brought inspiration photos for both and she nailed it. All of my bridesmaids were happy with the job she did, and they all looked great. She was on time, efficient and a lot fun to work with. I HIGHLY recommend her!
GUEST




One of my friends was part of another friend's wedding and had highly recommended Natalie for my upcoming wedding! I scheduled an appointment with Natalie to have my trial run and I thought it turned out pretty well. On the big day, Natalie arrived to the hotel where I was staying and performed her magic! She did such an amazing job on my hair and make-up! We had done something different at the trail run and she was quite flexible in the fact that I wanted to change my hair slightly and that I wanted my make-up to be a bit different! I was very nervous and she calmed me down with her fun spirit and friendliness! After the make-up was done, I was completely thrilled with the results! Everyone was so amazed at how beautiful I looked, not only because I was the bride and wearing the big white dress, but because my hair and make-up looked amazing! I would highly recommend Natalie to all my friend/family and anyone who is looking for a great hair and make-up artist!!!
GUEST




It is always a pleasure working with Natalie. She gives professional service every time and is so friendly. Her make-up applications are amazing and flawless.The other great thing about Natalie is she gets it done on time! I highly recommend her for any Hair and Make-up needs.




Natalie is absolutely fantastic and I couldn't recommend her more! I was so at ease with her at the trial, that it was so easy to book her on the spot. She did a great job at the trial, but then I decided a few weeks before the wedding to change up my look. I didn't bother getting another trial because I knew Natalie would be able to pull it off and she came through even better than expected.
I received so many compliments on my hair and makeup and felt like a glamorous movie star! I wish I had another big event to attend, so that I could have Natalie do my hair and makeup again!
GUEST




I chose Natalie for two reasons: the flawlessness of her makeup and hair, and the sheer affordably of her prices. Natalie was aces! I looked like the best possible version of myself without looking cakey or overdone. The makeup stayed fresh all day and night and the hair stayed curly and even looked good the next day. My two bridesmaids were also very happy and they are difficult to please. Natalie worked with me on pricing and minimums. She is very flexible and is open to suggestions. She works on location a lot but she returned my calls and emails the same day or the next day. I would highly recommend Natalie.




Natalie did the hair and make-up for me, my 4 bride's maids, the two mothers, and the two flower-girls. I had two trials with Natalie to figure out exactly how I wanted to look and she was always very attentive and took her time to ensure that I was comfortable and happy with how I looked. Natalie's prices are totally up-front and she is very reasonable for the services she provides (including charging reasonable travel fees for appointments outside of her typical area).
On the day of the wedding she was truly a super-star: she arrived early to the hotel suite and set-up then she kept everyone on task and did a really superb job for all the girls and women in the group! She even went above and beyond our contract in certain instances, for example, doing a blow-out when her instructions had asked for the girls to arrive with dry hair, doing body make-up for one bridesmaid with lupus, AND travelling to the wedding venue later in the day to go a hair/make-up change for me post-ceremony!!! Natalie has a really great personality and is always responsive and easy to work with. Everyone in the wedding party had really great things to say about her and I have already booked her again to do my hair and make-up for another event in the L.A. area! I do note, as some of the other reviews point out some timing issues, that Natalie was tardy to our first trial appointment; however, I still give her 5 stars as she kept me informed of her whereabouts stuck in unexpected traffic, apologized in a professional manner, and MORE than made it up and came through in every way the day of the wedding.
In short - Natalie rocks! Definitely book her, you will not be disappointed! I am a VERY particular person and I was amazed with her as a person and as an artist.
GUEST




Natalie was great! She understood exactly what I wanted and made it happen. I was so happy with how my hair and makeup looked for my wedding day. She was punctual and fast! She did my whole bridal party and was able to squeeze my mom in at the last minute! Everyone looked beautiful and I couldnt ask for a better result. Thank you natalie! Because of you I really felt like a princess on my wedding day.




I read reviews of Natalie and loved the sample photos she posted on this site. Some of the reviews mentioned concerns over her being late and though she was a few minutes late on the day of our first trial, she was early and ready and waiting before 8 am on the day of our wedding!
Natalie was willing to negotiate the prices for myself and my bridesmaids because we were on a tight budget. She did hair and makeup for myself, my 15 year old daughter, my mother, my sister, and 2 of my bridesmaids (6 people total). She came to our facility and stayed for about 4 to 5 hours getting all of the ladies done and doing touch ups. (We had photos taken at noon and the wedding wasn't until 5 pm).
Overall, I was very happy with Natalie's services. The trial was great (I brought my veil and clip in hair extensions) and she listened well to my thoughts, desires and concerns. There were a few things I decided to change after the trial and she was willing accommodate my requests and make her own suggestions.
She was very professional, had plenty of tools and makeup in her kit and made me look great as far as not feeling overly done up or cakey with the makeup. She was such a friendly and encouraging part of the day.
The only cons I had were truly not her fault. I felt my blush was a little too dark but she insisted you wanted it darker to show up in professional photos. Though it looked fine in most of the photos, there were a few where I felt like I had 'clown' cheeks but that is probably because we are most critical of ourselves and notice things other people don't. However, if I had it to do over again, I would have insisted on not as much blush.
Secondly, on the day of the wedding she mentioned that she was afraid that putting the extensions in my hair was going to pull the curls out of my natural hair. I was in such a 'zombie' mode that whole morning that I just agreed to do what she thought best. Looking back at the photos, I wish I would have stuck to our original plan to use the clip in extensions because I felt like my hair was just a little too thin and not full enough. However, it did hold up well for the entire day in almost all the photos and it did look pretty...just not exactly what I had wanted. But again, that's not her fault...I recommend having a bridesmaid or family member attend your trial with you and then discussing your thoughts afterwards. On the day of your wedding, ask that same person to look at you when you are finished and see if they give your look the approval of what it was from what you wanted after the trial.
As far as the rest of the bridal party she did hair and makeup for, I was THRILLED! I joked with the bridesmaids that they all looked better than I did! :) So to Natalie's credit, they looked gorgeous! She did several different styles of half up/half down and all down hair styles for the girls and all of their makeup was beautiful.
Also, as a testimony to Natalie's willingness to work with her customers, I have this to share: On the day of the wedding, half way through the ceremony my husband whispered to me that one of my false eyelashes was slightly coming off. I didn't feel it or notice it but after the ceremony I just decided to pull them off completely since I didn't want to waste time reapplying it and since we had already taken almost all of our photos before the ceremony as I mentioned. I later shared this little piece of information with Natalie and she felt awful that the eyelashes came off. When I told her that we had some issues with our photographer and were doing a 'day after reshoot' at our wedding location to get a bunch of shots we missed on the day of the wedding, Natalie offered to re-do my hair and makeup for me for the re-shoot at no additional charge since she felt so bad about the eyelash coming off. I was thrilled!
I would definitely recommend Natalie for your hair and makeup needs. And I also recommend that you remember to be true to yourself and be honest with your vendors about your hopes and desires so nothing gets lost in the communication.
You can check out photos of my bridesmaids and myself at my blog at http://allconsumedbride.blogspot.com/2010/07/wed-recap-it-takes-army-tons-of-pics.html Search for 'hair' or 'makeup' and you can see some of my trial shots. And the link I provided will show some recaps of photos reflecting hair/makeup. But I'm sure there's much more on there. Overall, I totally recommend Natalie.
GUEST




I was very happy with Natalie and her services. At the trial, she worked with me to do my hair and makeup how I envisioned it. Just before the wedding, I changed my mind about how I wanted my hair and she was very receptive. The day of the wedding, my makeup and hair looked amazing and I couldn't have been happier. She also did the hair/makeup of my mom (who looked stunning) and several of my bridesmaids. Her prices were also some of the most reasonable I found.The only negative issue was the assistant that she brought with her. I went ahead and paid an extra fee to have her bring a second stylist to ensure that everyone would be done in time for the wedding. The assistant showed up an hour late with no apologies from either of them. She barely did anything while there...only blowing out my mom's hair and doing one bridesmaid's hair. She didn't know how to do makeup, which is what we needed most at the time she arrived, so she couldn't be of much help to us. She had an attitude while there and added stress to the room. My mother-in-law didn't even get to have her makeup done as scheduled because we ran out of time. She had my aunt do it instead. Natalie herself was great and fun to work with, but be sure you know who she is having assist her if you pay for one.
GUEST




Natalie was my hair and makeup artist for myself, six of my bridesmaids, and my mother. She did an amazing job making all of my girls and myself look and feel beautiful for my wedding day...all by herself no less. I was amazed at how efficiently she worked with everyone and even offered touch ups to everyone before we headed out the door. About a week before my wedding I completely changed my mind on the hairstyle that I wanted and Natalie was helpful enough to accommadate me for a second hair and makeup trial. Granted i did have to pay for my second trial but i was so much happier. Natalie is the best. I would definately recommend her services, which are so affordable.
GUEST




I really enjoyed working with Natalie! She did my bridal hair and makeup for my June 18th wedding. She also did hair and makeup for my mom and four bridesmaids. I initially hesitated to book with Natalie because I had a hard time knowing if her style would match what I wanted for hair and makeup. I don't wear much makeup, and some of the pictures on her website showed strong looks that made me worried. Ultimately I scheduled a trial session with her. She invited me to speak up so we could make adjustments until the look was just what I wanted. I was surprised at how excited I was that day about how I looked! On the wedding day, Natalie was prompt and did a FANTASTIC job. She scheduled appointments for each person and I thought everyone looked great. My mom has very sensitive skin, and Natalie took it in stride and there were no problems. Natalie is so easy to talk to, and I really felt like she made getting ready a fun and relaxing time. I am so glad I decided to hire her, and felt so pretty on my wedding day because of her work!
GUEST




Natalie is a great package. She is affordable and she does both hair and makeup, which is a plus. She is very talented and listens very well as to what you want. She definitely delivered. I have enjoyed working with Natalie, not only with my own wedding, but as a MOH for my sister's wedding.
When Natalie just finished, I felt like I looked really tired, which was probably the case, and I told her. She quickly fixed me up to perfection. All I had to do was say the word and it was done.
There was one misunderstanding, however. I had been communicating back and forth with Natalie about her arrival time. Several weeks prior to the day, we confirmed an early start. On the day of, Natalie arrived half an hour late, but with her assistant, she busted her butt and got us done (Me, my two matrons of honor, and my mom). Though I would have rather had her on time so I wouldn't have stressed, things worked out in the end and Natalie was gracious enough to stay a during my tea ceremony so she could touch me up before I put on my wedding dress. She also offered me a discount/refund for her tardiness. She was apologetic, which I was glad for. All in all, the day turned out fine and she made me look great.




Natalie did my hair and makeup for my wedding, as well as a few of my bridesmaid's and my mother's hair and makeup.
I did a trial with Natalie a few weeks before the wedding, and it turned out amazing. She did my hair perfectly and my makeup looked amazing.
My only complaint was that Natalie was 45 minutes late on my wedding day, which is why I gave her four stars. I had e-mailed her a day or two before my wedding day, confirming a start time of 10:30 am.....which came and went that day. I started to get really stressed out, especially when I tried calling her only to get a recording saying she wasn't accepting phone calls! I was nearly in a panic by the time she arrived, and was about to call the concierge at my hotel for help in finding a place to do my hair and makeup. She never really said why she was late, just that she'd get us done and to not worry. She did, but I felt very rushed, and thought she didn't do as good of a job as she did at my trial, likely because we were so pressed for time. It still turned out beautifully, but I just didn't like the stress involved and wished I could've been a little more relaxed and enjoyed it more. I literally rushed out once I was ready, barely saying goodbye and thanks to her! I tried to e-mail her a few days after my wedding to apologize for that, but my e-mail to her bounced back for some reason....
Natalie is very talented, and I'd still recommend her, despite the small snag on my wedding day. I got a lot of compliments on my hair and my makeup from my guests, and I thought she did a great job on my mom and bridesmaids. In photos it looked great, too. Like I said, I do recommend Natalie. She is reasonably priced and talented at what she does. She is very warm and makes you feel comfortable. Thanks, Natalie!
Vendor response to review
:( I'm gonna eat some worms! I did indeed arrive later than agreed upon. MrsTreeToBe, I sincerely apologize. I underestimated events in Downtown LA (Staples Center, USC game) and the freeway exit to your hotel was closed for construction. But I take full responsibility and I apologize. Let me know if there is anything I can do at this point to make it up to you.
I did want to say that I take great care wth the scheduling and I cushion extra time at the end of each appointment and at the end of each schedule just in case of such an emergency. This is how I was able to get you and your wedding party ready on time. I also place the bride second to last, not last, on the schedule so that she has time to take photos, put on her veil, visit with her bridesmaids & mom, etc., Thanks for posting that you got out the door on time.
I appreciate your kind recommendation of my services in spite of this terrible faux paux. I will try to live up to in the future.




Natalie did my makeup for my friend's wedding, so I knew who I would call once I planned my own wedding. She is very talented and friendly. My makeup and hair was beautiful and held up the entire day. She is very popular and busy, so make sure you double and triple confirm prices, times, etc. with her to keep everything in order.




I was very happy with Natalie and her services. At the trial, she worked with me to do my hair and makeup how I envisioned it. Just before the wedding, I changed my mind about how I wanted my hair and she was very receptive. The day of the wedding, my makeup and hair looked amazing and I couldn't have been happier. She also did the hair/makeup of my mom (who looked stunning) and several of my bridesmaids. Her prices were also some of the most reasonable I found.
The reason for only four stars instead of five was because of the assistant that she brought with her. I went ahead and paid an extra fee to have her bring a second stylist to ensure that everyone would be done in time for the wedding. The assistant showed up an hour late with no apologies from either of them. She barely did anything while there...only blowing out my mom's hair and doing one bridesmaid's hair. She didn't know how to do makeup, which is what we needed most at the time she arrived, so she couldn't be of much help to us. She had an attitude while there and added stress to the room. My mother-in-law didn't even get to have her makeup done as scheduled because we ran out of time. She had my aunt do it instead. Natalie herself was great and fun to work with, but be sure you know who she is having assist her if you pay for one.




Natalie did a wonderful job with my hair and makeup and the hair and makeup for my entire bridal party of 5. I was very happy with her day of services. I would absolutely recommend her to anyone.
I would have to say though that she did A LOT better on my actual wedding day than the two trials I had with her. I was one of those brides who could not decide between having an up-do or down-do. I wrestled with the decision for months and went back to Natalie for a second trial. I still wasn't confident on what I would do leading up to the big day. But she really delivered on my actual wedding day. I absolutely loved my hair and makeup! I never felt so beautiful! My mom especially looked amazing. That really made my day to see her so happy. She can be very picky.
I would have to agree with BEATIE too, that her assistant was not up to par with her skill level, but still very helpful with our large party. I did not like how the assistant did my maid of honor's hair, but Natalie quickly fixed it for us after we made a remark. Overall, she was a pleasure to work with to start off our wedding day.




My only regret…..
I hired Natalie for my wedding hair & make up. I was so happy with what she did at my trial but she didn’t make me look that good on my wedding day. By the time I saw myself I didn’t have time to start over so I just shut my mouth. I am very unhappy when I look at my pictures from the trial day and my wedding day. Just to prove I wasn’t crazy I showed several people the two pic’s and they agree. I got screwed and I wouldn’t take a chance on this happening to you too. Yes she does good work but it’s not consistent and I have to say this is my only wedding regret.
Vendor response to review
After I styled her hair, Heike spent almost an hour in the rain moving wedding items into her car. I attempted to re-curl her hair, but she did not have time to wait for the rollers to re-heat. I used a curling iron instead, but apparently Heike was not happy with the results. I never recommend a down style in rainy conditions but Heike was a diffucult person to advise. I have tried several times to rectify the situation to no avail.
GUEST




BRIDES/LADIES BEWAREOverall, I wouldn't recommend her since, it only stressed me out on my wedding day. Instead of taking responsibility for being late, not knowing directions to the venue, not being organized, not being patient, and overall being unprofessional, she snapped back with the following emails:Here are some excerpts:"Do you really want to play this out in public? If the entire post is not removed in 24 hours I will have the matter heard in court. Try me.""You're nothing but a no class mental case b*tch... Glad your wedding day was a bust because you created it and deserved it..." Regardless of anything else this vendor may have to say, her behavior, threats, and responses are reprehensible.
Vendor response to review
Christine had originally posted me a 3.8 rating in her review. I responded by pointing out inaccuracies in her statements. Christine became disproportionately upset, and downgraded my rating, posting new and inaccurate complaints. I asked her not to play this out online, but she aggressively began trashing me on any internet web-site where she could post. Many of these reviews, which were posted on websites not affiliated with the WW network, were removed when I disputed her remarks by submitting her contract and her emails. She recently cleaned up her WW review, removing most of her allegations when I threatened to have the matter heard in court. Christine's immaturity and desire to escalate an attack on me is obvious by her ridiculous statements. I ask you to contact me directly with any questions you may have regarding this matter. In the meantime, HERE ARE SOME MORE STATEMENTS PREVIOUSLY POSTED BY CHRISTINE ON WEDDING WIRE AND ON OTHER WEDDING WEBSITES: "I have decided to lower my rating of Natalie based on her attitude and overall demeanor". "she (Natalie) should be humble." "Instead of apologizing for being late, she blamed it on there not being an appropriately large sign out in front of the venue." "I didn't give directions to her." 'she had to drive back and forth and not finding the venue." "Natalie expected someone to sit there on the phone with her and walk through step by step directions on where to go" "I was beginning to become frustrated on the phone." "I did not want to walk over to her." "She wasn't listening to the instructions." "she wasn't listening to the instructions I was giving." "she refused to listen." "not only was she not prepared and unprofessional, but she was demanding and impatient on the phone." "I was annoyed at that point and pretty upset." "I was beginning to become frustrated." "I admitted, I may have been being micromanaging." "I admit that I may have been picky with how my hair looked." "Does she treat brides differently? Only some get to do things while others don't?" "she didn't seem to know any of the information." "she was kind of snippy with me" "The girls had to come back multiple times because their hair was falling out." "We were an hour late finishing." "..we missed out on pictures." "...unprofessional and inconsistent manner." "...stressed me out on my wedding day." "...she snapped back with negative emails threatening to sue and calling me a b*tch." "Overall, (vendor) can do an okay job" "...she was never rude or impatient." "One good thing I appreciated was that since I decided to go with her for the wedding, the trial was complimentary". "I'm shocked at her complete dishonesty in some the comments she made in her reply." These are ridiculous statements to post about a professional wedding vendor with a decade of wedding, beauty and customer service experience. As for Christine being treated differently and not getting the look she wanted, and the bridesmaids having to return numerous times because their hair was falling out, I have posted my hair images from Christine’s wedding at the end of the photo section of my listing so that you can decide for yourself if her allegations make any sense. I implore Christine to remove this post and stop making a fool out of herself.
Natalie Buketov was the first to reply back to my emails (score for promptness!) and within a few days we had scheduled the time and date, as well as negotiated a price. Since I mentioned I found her on The Knot, and that it was just for a reception and not a wedding, she was willing to do my hair AND makeup for only $95 on location! Being used to the higher prices in NorCal (average of $400 for hair/makeup on location) I was both surprised and pleased. Obviously I would not have a chance to do a make-up trial, but since the Chinese reception was less formal than a typical wedding/reception, I wasn’t too worried. Plus Natalie had been given rave reviews on The Knot, so I figured I was safe.
The day of the reception came, and Natalie was actually early to our appointment. She quickly set up her tools and went straight to work after I showed her a few pictures of what I wanted (always a good idea).
I’m one of those introverted extroverts (if that makes any sense) so breaking the ice has never been one of my talents. I usually hate making small talk in hair salons because I know I won’t be coming back for another year, and they won’t remember me anymore anyway, so what’s the point? Yet Natalie has a warmth about her that contributes to easy conversation. Her easygoing personality was probably one of the reasons my experience with her was so memorable.
What I appreciated most though, was that she truly listened to what I wanted. She didn’t let me leave the room until I was happy with every curl, the false eyelashes were the length I wanted, and the lip gloss was exactly the right color. I loved how my face didn’t feel caked on with makeup, but it still lasted all night. To tell you the truth, I liked Natalie's hair/makeup for my Southern California reception better than at my actual wedding (and that had looked pretty darn good, if I do say so myself)!
If only she was in Northern California…I’d be calling for her services at every formal event!
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Rating: 5/5
Pros: Affordable price, attentive, easygoing, prompt
I'm using Natalie Buketov. I had my trial run with her and she was awesome! I didn't know exactly what I wanted and was being kinda difficult, but after trying two styles, I did what Natalie suggested and it was great! Her prices are the best, too, and she gives you a free trial run if you book.
Natalie Buketov - A+++
she showed up and was wonderful to work with. she made us all look so beautiful and i just really can't enough about how easy she is to work with, i asked her to change a couple things and really didn't give her clear instructions of exactly what i wanted, so she had a hard time to begin with... she made me look and feel more beautiful than i could've dreamed of. Also, her PRICES CANNOT BE BEAT! she is so affordable it's crazy!!! highly rec her!
For my wedding, Natalie did the hair & make-up for myself, three of my four bridesmaids, FI's Mom and the make-up for FI's aunt. Everyone LOVED how they looked, especially me. She made me feel glamorous and natural. The hair and make-up stayed on all night. Natalie is super talented and a very sweet person. We loved chatting with her as she worked on each person that morning.
Natalie Buketov - awesome hair stylist!!
This lady does a FABulous job on makeup and hair, but I'll bet she's expensive (I didn't ask) . She's got a full gallery of on-line photos for you to look at www.nataliebmakeup.com. Natalie Buketov, e-mail makeupbabe@verizon.net, or 949-500-8148.
Natalie did a great job at the trial, is wonderfully sweet and has a great price. I hired her for myself and the six bridesmaids. I jumped around, took a nap and intentionally tried to destory my hair as the day progressed... it went nowhere. The style was glamorous, vintage and modern all at the same time. I know it will be just as stunning on the big day!
After diligently looking and comparing different hair and make up vendors, I was very fortunate to have found the right one for me. Last month, I met with Natalie Buketov to have a hair and make up consultation. I’ve read some great reviews about Natalie, but the best one came from Mrs. Tomato and I was very encouraged to contact her.
Within a short period of time, I got a chance to talk to Natalie and meet with her. She put me at ease from the very moment I walked in the door to when I walked out with a huge smile on my face. She really listened to what I wanted. She knew how important it was for me to look like me - I wanted to look as natural as possible. I also bought some unique hair pieces in downtown L.A. a few months back, and Natalie was able to incorporate them in my hair - just like I wanted. I wish that my veil was ready at the time so that I would have been able to try it on, but it’s still a project that my Mom is working on.
Natalie is the best, she is flexible, her prices are reasonable and she is a joy to be around. Her make up and hair styles are flawless!
Awesome!
Natalie did an awesome job on my wedding day. She’s very fun to work with. My girls and I just absolutely love working with her. Also, my mom was very skeptical having her hair and make-up done but Natalie made my mom looks stunning. Definitely, threw all her worries out the window :-)
Natalie does beautiful work! Her makeup and hair design will make you feel like queen for a day!
Awesome makeup and hair designs!
About Natalie Buketov-Makeup & Hair. The OC's Premier Bridal Makeup Artist & Hair Designer!
Current Clients Include Montage Resort, Ritz Carlton, Surf & Sand Resort & Spa, St. Regis Resort & Spa.
See 25 MORE RAVE REVIEWS AT WWW.PROJECTWEDDING.COM
"WEDDING WIRE RATED 2010 and 2011"
Voted "BEST OF THE KNOT 2008, 2009 and 2010"
Voted "BEST OF PROJECT WEDDING 2008"
Specializing in Bridal Makeup and Hair Since 1995.
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