Studio Veil Spotlight ft. Hair by Heidi

On this weeks Studio Veil Spotlight feature, I sat down with Heidi from Hair by Heidi and got to hear her story about how she got started doing hair in the wedding industry! She has been doing this for many years now, so believe me when I say she is incredibly talented!

Russell Heeter Photography

Tell me about yourself and the history of Hair by Heidi…
“I started doing updos years ago. I did them for prom and homecoming and weddings; it was a side hobby I did for a long time. I always dreamed of going to Aveda, but I went the traditional route of a 4 year school and did that first. When I was 25 I ended up going back to Aveda and getting a cosmetology license. I was working in a salon and doing wedding stuff on the side. I liked working salons but I really loved weddings and ended up kind of quitting everything to do just the bridal business, and that was 5 years ago I made that decision to do this full time. I started adding staff with me when I was pregnant with my first. Now we have myself, 4 hairstylists and 2 makeup artists.”

What sets your business apart from other hair stylists and makeup artists?
“One thing is, we have a team so we can accommodate large wedding parties, but we’re still small. I really am the touch point for everybody, so I do all the communication, timelines, contracts, I do everything, and I just really want to make sure the bride feels taken care of from the beginning until the very end, and to also feel like she doesn’t have to worry about hair and makeup, and that it’s all taken care of and that she knows it’s going to look great, it’s going to last all night, she’s going to have a timeline laid out for her so she knows what to expect. I feel like that is something that sets me apart, and that I’m really devoted to weddings. That’s all I do, I’m passionate about it, which I think makes a big difference as they can get 100% of my energy.”

What can brides expect when they book you as their hairstylist/makeup artist?
“From the beginning I try to be really upfront about prices, how long it’s going to take, how many people we’re going to need, just so they can get a good feel for what they’re paying for, what they’re getting. We do a trial run after they book and I have a risk-free policy so if they do a trial with me after they’ve paid their deposit and they aren’t happy with the trial, we can do another trial, or they can just get their deposit back. I just feel like I want to be a good fit for them and I want them to be a good fit for me too, and so if they’re not happy during the trial run, they’re not going to be happy on their wedding day either, and that’s not good for either of us. They can expect to feel confident the whole time, and that’s the same for my team too. Weddings are stressful, and brides need one less stress, so I try to take that away.”

Do you have any tips for brides searching for the perfect makeup artist?
“Do your research on photos, because everyone has a different style. Two different hair-stylists could be really good, but one has more of the looks that you’re looking for. I think Instagram is really good for that and then a lot of stylists have portfolios on their websites which is important to look at too, really making sure you get a feel for their style.
And then, you do spend a lot of time with your hair stylist and makeup artist on the wedding day and they really set the tone for your wedding day, so you really want to be with people who you like and people who vibe with you, so not only do you want to find someone with a style you like, but also someone who you enjoy being with too.”

How has your work changed with the changes in wedding trends?
“I started doing updos 13 years ago. The first wedding I did, everything was so sleek and perfect. Curls were tight and buns were perfect. You had to make sure there were no pieces out which is opposite of how things are now. Everyone wants things slightly undone and slightly messy, and braids made a huge comeback. It’s interesting because there may be techniques that you didn’t learn in school. 5 or 6 years ago I was doing no braids, and now I do braids all the time. We do have to be able to follow what’s going on with trends, because we have to be able to execute whatever the bride wants.”

What is your favorite part of your job?
“I love hearing the engagement story and the love story. That’s always the first thing I ask when I’m doing a wedding trial and it’s so fun because you get to hear about how people meet, how did they fall in love, who asked who, when did they know they wanted to get married, how long was their process, and just seeing it unfold is really fun. Everybody is so different, everybody’s story is really different, so it’s so fun to hear all the different stories.”

What do you like to do in your free time?
“I’m training for a half marathon so I do a lot of running, I like biking, basically just being outside, swimming, we really enjoy just being outside.”

If you could give one piece of advice to someone looking to get into this industry, what would it be?
“Start building a community, networking, getting to know other people in the industry, and start developing relationships. That’s the biggest way to grow your business and to develop yourself professionally, get your name out there, to get your portfolio built, and to get to know brides. I feel like I didn’t even realize that was a thing to do until 3 years into it. You have to network and get to know people throughout it all.”

If you’re still looking for your perfect hair stylist and makeup artist, you can check out Heidi and her team’s website here!
As always, if someone you know is planning their wedding, make sure to share this article with them!