Do you travel on-site?
Yes we travel! The consultation appointment is usually held in-studio in Mountain View, CA but on the day-of, we usually go to the client’s location whether it’s their home/apartment, hotel suite, or the suite at the venue. There have been instances where clients preferred to get ready at our studio due to lighting or venue rental hour limitations, but we usually travel to the client’s location! The ideal work space is great natural lighting, a full length mirror, a large table or counter space & access to electrical outlets. For areas beyond 2 hour roundtrip from stylists’ location, travel fees and/or lodging may be required for the lead stylist and associates due to Bay Area traffic patterns. We charge $1 per mile (or $2 per round trip mile) from stylists location to the getting ready location. Parking will be billed to the client if applicab.e.
Do you do destination weddings?
Anywhere outside our travel zone (which includes the Northern California Bay Area: Napa, Sonoma, Carmel, Monterey, Sacramento, Livermore etc.) is considered a destination wedding. For areas in California that are beyond our travel zone, we will charge mileage roundtrip fees & per diem while traveling if applicable. For destination weddings, additional fees relating to flight & transportation, lodging, & per diems will apply.
Can I hire Skyla Arts for Makeup-only or Hair-only?
Absolutely! The minimum starts at “The Standard” package. For example, if you are interested in “makeup-only” what we do is substitute “Bridal Hair” with 2 “bridal party makeups.” The same would apply for hair-only.
What happens after I contact you via the contact form?
You will receive a pricing sheet that contains all of the pricing & policy information. And if you are interested in spa or mani/pedi services, let us know as well! Everyone receives the same information & pricing. After that, we start the booking process! Please note that the best way to get in touch with us is via email or the contact form. If you would like to speak with us on the phone, the easiest way is to set-up a phone appointment, otherwise we end up playing phone tag for days!
What is the booking process like? Is a retainer fee required?
Some clients prefer to wait until the consultation session (hair & makeup preview) before deciding to formally book our services for their wedding. The consultation fee will be due at the end of the session and applied towards the package should you wish to proceed with our artists. The consultation fee is non-refundable. It is important to know that scheduling a consultation alone itself does not reserve the artists’ availability for your event date. A signed contract and the non-refundable, non-transferable retainer fee, are required to officially reserve the date the services are required.
What if someone else is interested in the same date? What’s the policy like?
We highly recommend booking at least 6 months in advanced is highly recommended to avoid competing with other brides for the same date & time. It is first-come-first-serve; in other words, the first client who signs the contract and send in the retainer fee retains the date. We almost always get multiple inquiries for the same date. Availabilities may change at any time without prior notice, so if you are interested, I would recommend securing your date with your favorite artist as soon as you feel comfortable.
Where is your studio located? Where can I park?
Consultations are held in our studio in Mountain View, CA near downtown. Neighboring cities include Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Los Altos, Santa Clara, etc. It is a five minute walk from the Mountain View CalTrain station, and easy to locate. There is also plenty of guest parking.
When should I come in for a consultation (hair/makeup preview)?
Generally we recommend coming in after you decided on your wedding attire and color scheme for the decor. If you’ve already secured the date with us, we recommend doing the consultation 1-3 months (or 6 months) before your big day.
I do not live in the Bay Area. How/When should I schedule a consultation with you?
Many of our clients have destination weddings here in California; simply tell us your travel schedule in advance, and we will be happy to find the best time to schedule it in. If it doesn’t work out with your schedule, we also offer to meet the afternoon before for the wedding day, which our clients have enjoyed in the past as they can dress up for their rehearsal dinner!
Do you ever do 2 events in a day?
When the schedule works out in a way that allows us to serve more than one bridal client on the same day, on occasion a lead stylist will be lucky enough to have 2 beautiful brides a day. We want you to know that we don’t prioritize doing 2 events in a day per lead artist.
Would I need a Full Day bridal service?
This is recommended if you would want hair & makeup change(s) to go along with your outfit change(s), or on-location touch-ups for the bride & groom portraits. You can choose to extend our services up until the start of the reception time, or until the end of the reception time. However, we will ensure the longevity of the makeup and typically go over the touch-up instructions with the bride & bridal party. The majority of our clients who don’t have outfit or hair/makeup changes do not need to opt for the Full Day service.
When is the remaining payment due?
The remainder of your payment is due two weeks prior to your wedding day.
Do you offer other salon services?
Our focus is on-location hair styling and makeup application, but we also work with salon professionals to serve your needs! If you need a hand, feet, scalp massage or mini facial treatment, someone to trim your bangs or provide the groom a hair cut, or need to re-do your french tips, we can arrange it for you.
What do I need to bring for the consultation? How should I prepare for receiving a hair & makeup service? Can I bring a guest?
Please fill out the “Skin Care & Hair Care Questionnaire,” and bring with you (or email in advance) any photos of hair and makeup you love, or dislike. Communication is key for a successful consultation appointment! The consultation is truly a collaboration and team effort between artist & client and so receiving visual and verbal direction from you is essential! We request that our clients arrive with a fresh face (with no traces of makeup), and clean & completely dry hair (not wet nor damp!) for their appointment. We would love a photo of your dress, and if you like to send us a candid photo of yourself to help us get a sense of your style, we’d love to see it! I recommend wearing a solid color top (preferable), and a shirt with the neckline that mimics the cut of your gown to give you a better idea of how the hair & makeup will work with your dress. Well-groomed brows are definitely recommended! Please bring any accessories you may plan to wear as well that you wish to try on (veil, headpiece, jewelry etc). If you will be changing into another outfit afterwards, a button-down shirt will be ideal as it prevents hair from messing up during changing! We provide clients and their bridal parties with a “prep sheet” with a list of tips and guidelines on how to best prepare for our appointment for the big day! We welcome one guest to join us in the studio; the one guest is partly due to the space limitations at the studio, but the other reason is that it’s a great opportunity to get to know each other so we prefer to keep it an intimate setting.
How many consultations can I have?
One 3 hour consultation appointment held in our studio in Mountain View is included in The Standard or The Full Day package. Most of our clients have one consultation appointment as we try to be as comprehensive during our session, but should you decide to try on other options at a later date, it will be at full cost based on the artists’ rate.
Why do you require us to fill out the “Skincare / Hair Questionnaire” before receiving makeup services?
We use this survey that Liz designed to customize your look as best and efficiently as possible. In order to do so, we need to know your skin condition, type, and any concerns you may have. Of equal importance, there are also safety concerns with allergies to products. While we only use high-quality products, many cosmetics contain ingredients that people might be allergic to. It is helpful to know if you do chemical treatments for your hair, so we can take them into consideration when choosing the right hair products. Your safety is as important to us as your desired look.
Do you take before & after photos?
We’ve been only taking after photos with our cellphone and the client’s cellphone for our records. These days with phone camera technology and good lighting, the quality suffices for our record-keeping purposes. The main purpose of taking photos of your hair & makeup afterwards is to help you see the makeup & hair styling and keep a record. Our clients have used the photos to help them document and further communicate with us what they liked and/or where they would like to see adjustments. Having the same images allows us to communicate better. For example, “I am not sure how I feel about the eye makeup” and then I can look at the image and inquire: “Is it the color? Which color?” and ask specific questions to very quickly get at what our clients are concerned about. Please keep in mind that for convenience, we use our cellphones to document and our cellphone photos will not be a reflection of how you would look with your professional photographer and different lighting!
Why do you request information about Day-of Scheduling of my wedding day?
It is essential to plan sufficient time for bridal makeup and hair during a very busy day! For the bridal party, we may need to hire associates so knowing your schedule helps us make the hair & makeup schedule and secure staffing. If you have a wedding planner, we could work out the schedule with your planner.
How long does the service typically take?
The consultation typically takes is 2.5-3 hrs, and on the day-of, 3 hours is allocated to the bride’s hair & makeup. For the bridesmaids and additional members, 1.5 hrs/90 minutes is budgeted for hair & makeup, and 45 minutes is budgeted per service. Special occasions makeup & hair appointments are 2.5 hrs. On your wedding day, the lead artist and the team will arrive 15-20 minutes before the first appointment to set-up our stations, and we will need 15-20 minutes afterwards to pack-up and leave after all services are completed.
Are hair extensions included in the service?
For the bride, clip-on hair extension application is included in The Standard if desired. For bridal party members, we can attach it only if time permits. Some hair styles could benefit from having hair extensions in order to help achieve the length and volume of the look, but again it all depends on the desired look of the bride. The bride will be responsible for purchasing their own hair extensions and bringing it to the consultation and/or the wedding day. We recommend 100% human hair with clips already sewn on. For ease & convenience, visiting your local hair extension shop or Sally’s Beauty Supply and requesting the staff for assistance has been successful with our clients in the past. The brand that Sally’s carry that we recommend is Euronext. There are also wig/extension stores you can visit locally and we recommend going in personally to best match the hair, or bringing your purchase to your colorist to custom match your hair. The sales associates at these stores are generally super helpful in helping you find your match. In the event you may want to consider other types of semi-permanent extensions or the Halo extensions, contact your hair stylist in order to get the service done at the salon. We only provide hair styling and do not perform other kinds of hair extension services at our studio.
Are false lash & airbrush application included in the service?
All makeup services includes complimentary/optional false lash & airbrush application. Please note that for bridal party members, individual lashes are only available if your appointment time permits.
Is airbrush makeup really better than other methods of application?
Airbrush is optional for all clients with no additional cost. The airbrush technique is a specialized way of applying foundation that is beautiful, but it doesn’t mean that applying the foundation with other means results in inferior makeup application! Our take on it is some skin conditions will benefit from airbrushing, and we can make that recommendation for you after looking at your skin condition & discussing your skincare routine. Ultimately, it’s how the artist uses the tool (whether it’s an airbrush, a sponge or a foundation brush) to get the results. In our opinion, the airbrush technique is not necessarily “better,” but it is frequently requested by brides! We will be more than happy to discuss this in detail during our consultation!