Spotlight on About Face Design Team – Hair & Make-Up

At Dubsdread Catering we are proud to become dedicated members of your event team and are happy to share our knowledge and experience about planning for your big event, including finding the right vendor partners for your unique needs. Nina Dempsey, Scheduling Coordinator and Social Media Manager of About Face Design Team, is one of our partners dedicated to making your special day perfect.

Here Nina shares the team’s experience and answers some of the most frequently asked questions: 

How long have you been in the industry?
For more than 26 years. 

How many weddings do you do annually?
We typically do 80 to 120 weddings a year. We tend to take on larger weddings, so that we take on fewer weddings which we believe results in better quality of work. 

How many other events do you prepare for per month?
We do a lot of special event hair and makeup, i.e., galas, corporate headshots, video production, catalog, print, model portfolios, and television production. I would say we do an additional 20 to 30 glam bookings a month in addition to weddings.  

What is your favorite part of the whole process?
Seeing the completed vision of the bride on her wedding day after hair and makeup is done and she walks out in her gown for the big reveal. Also, helping the mother of the bride and mother of the groom look absolutely stunning as well. After all, it is a big day in both of their lives as well. 

What kind of packages do you offer?
We don’t have set packages per se, so everything is for each and every wedding since no wedding party is alike! 

How far in advance do you recommend couples book their hair and makeup?
 Typically, bookings occur anywhere between six to twelve months prior to the wedding day, however, we always suggest that is absolutely know you want specific vendors, the earlier you book the better chance you have of availability for your day. 

What advice do you give to brides when choosing a stylist for their wedding day?
First of all, make sure the stylist(s) is completely qualified and able to bring your vision to life. Conversations on style are one thing but understanding HOW to accomplish it is another. Secondly, make sure your stylist(s) has a backup plan for her services and abilities in case there is an unforeseen emergency on your wedding day. Make sure your stylist is a true professional that is operating in accordance with the state statutes and have proper licenses, insurance and will guarantee you by contract. We’ve received many tearful calls over the years with last minute cancellations, or even worse.  

What is a pet peeve of yours during the wedding process? (something the bride may not be aware of)
Where do I begin? First and foremost, it is important to have the timeline for the wedding day glam session correct. It is imperative that our team knows what time everyone needs to be completely ready by and from there we will add in cushion time. This means when everyone should be finished and dressed before the photographer and video crew arrives. We can always reenact certain moments for the cameras, but it is extremely stressful if the timeline is off and we have been given wrong information or miscommunication.  

Here are just a few things that can help keep to the schedule and make for the best experience:

• Clearing workspace tabletops or countertops before the glam team arrives saves valuable time and creates a visual idea of where to set up work areas for hair and makeup.
• The glam team can take up to 30 minutes to set up and that is added to the start of the schedule before work begins.
• Having clean and dry hair when the bridal party arrives or is ready for style, makes a huge difference in timing as well.
• No unplanned changes the day of helps keep schedule as well as making sure the vision you’ve already shared will happen!
• When we are working with a bridal party member we like to be fully focused during her glam time, so we try to keep interruptions to a minimum so that everyone feels special and gets the attention to detail they each deserve. 

What sets you apart from other companies?
We have been in business for over 26 years and give nothing less than five-star service. We absolutely love what we do and work hard to make the process of booking easy, stress-free, and guaranteed by contract. We only hire the best, licensed professionals in our area and we operate legally, within the Florida statutes and requirements. 

About Face Design Team offers award-winning makeup and hair services in Orlando for production, print and editorial, corporate events, and weddings on-site and in-salon. The About Face Design Team in-salon is located at 955 S. Orlando Avenue, Winter Park, FL 32789 and can be reached at (407) 647-2700, [email protected], or visit them online at: www.aboutfacedesignteam.com.