How to Choose the Perfect Bridal Makeup Artist in Toledo, Ohio (+ Must-Know Tips)

First of all, congratulations — you’re engaged!
Cue the champagne, the Pinterest boards, and (let’s be honest) a little bit of wedding planning overwhelm.

If you’re here, you already know: your makeup artist isn’t just there to swipe on mascara and call it a day. They’re the first vendor you’ll see on your wedding morning — and the one setting the tone for the entire day. So finding the right fit is MAJOR.

As a bridal makeup artist based in Toledo, Ohio, I’ve helped hundreds of brides not only look their best but feel calm, confident, and fully themselves. (Exactly how it should be.) So today, I’m sharing everything you need to know about finding your perfect bridal beauty pro — including a few insider tips most brides don’t even think to ask.

Let’s dive in.

Why Your Bridal Makeup Artist Matters More Than You Think

When you think about your wedding day, you probably picture the dress, the flowers, the feeling of walking toward your person. But the beauty part? It’s what brings everything together.

The right makeup artist does more than make you "look pretty." They:

• Customize a look that actually feels like you — just elevated.

• Make sure your makeup lasts through tears, hugs, sweat, and whatever the dance floor throws at you.

• Help keep your morning chill, organized, and stress-free.

• Understand exactly how makeup photographs so you look just as flawless on camera as you do in person.

It's why working with a seasoned bridal makeup artist in Toledo (hi, it’s me) matters so much — this isn’t just about pretty glam. It’s about an experience that lets you fully enjoy every second of your day.

What to Look for When Choosing a Bridal Makeup Artist

Not all makeup artists are created equal — and weddings are a whole different ballgame compared to regular events. Here’s what to keep an eye out for:

✅ Portfolio that matches your vision
Are their brides polished, radiant, and timeless? (Or are you seeing heavy trends that could feel dated fast?)

✅ Specialization in bridal
Weddings come with early mornings, tight timelines, and emotions — you want someone who knows how to navigate all of it seamlessly.

✅ Vibe check
Your artist is in your personal space on a big, emotional day. Choose someone calm, kind, professional — and lowkey a vibe.

✅ Product quality + hygiene practices
Luxury products, clean brushes, sanitized tools. No exceptions.

✅ Clear communication + contracts
Everything should feel straightforward, professional, and easy from the first inquiry to your final touch-up.

Pro tip: If you’re looking for long-wear, camera-ready makeup that doesn’t feel cakey or overdone, make sure you’re hiring someone who specializes in that style — not just a general MUA.

Questions to Ask Before You Book

Don’t be afraid to ask the smart questions! A great artist will appreciate it. Some ideas:

• Is a trial included? (Highly recommend, by the way.)

• How do you prep skin for makeup?

• What products or techniques do you use to ensure makeup lasts 12+ hours?

• How do you handle timing for larger bridal parties?

• What’s your backup plan if there’s an emergency?

When you ask these kinds of questions, you’re not just booking a service — you’re investing in peace of mind.

What It’s Like Working with Amy Lewis + Co.

At Amy Lewis + Co., we believe your wedding morning should feel calm, private, and totally effortless — like slipping into something that just fits perfectly.

Here’s what sets us apart:

✨ Customized glam: No cookie-cutter templates. We build your look around you — your vibe, your style, your dream vision.
✨ Luxury experience: Top-tier products, personalized care, and seamless communication from start to finish.
✨ Signature Bride Guide: Once you’re booked, you’ll receive exclusive tips to help you prep like a pro (think skincare, brow grooming, spray tan referrals, timeline advice — all the good stuff).
✨ Add-on options: Need rehearsal dinner glam? A makeup artist for your engagement shoot? We’ve got you covered.
✨ Private glam experience: We prefer one-on-one, focused sessions — no chaotic, crowded spaces here.

Our goal? You walk down the aisle feeling not just beautiful, but fully, effortlessly you.

When Should You Book Your Bridal Makeup Artist?

If you want your first-choice artist (and I’m guessing you do), it’s smart to book 8–12 months in advance — especially for popular spring, summer, and fall dates.

I only take a limited number of weddings each season (and only one per day) to make sure every client gets my full attention — so if you’re thinking about it, don’t wait too long!

(P.S. — Even if your date is sooner, still reach out! Sometimes there’s a little magic in the calendar.)

Ready to Feel Like You, Just Even More Radiant?

If you’re ready for a luxury bridal makeup experience that feels calm, personalized, and (dare I say) a little magical, I’d love to chat. Hit the Booking link to send an inquiry for your date!

The Most Common Questions Brides Ask Makeup Artists

If you’ve never had your makeup professionally done before, you probably feel really overwhelmed by the process of searching for an artist you love and figuring out what questions to ask before booking your date. Here are the questions brides ask us most frequently!

What is airbrush makeup and why is it best for weddings?

If you haven’t tried airbrush makeup before, you’ve probably at least heard of it. What is airbrush and why is it BETTER? It is foundation sprayed through a handheld airbrush gun and applied to your face in tiny dots, which results in a beautiful effect. Airbrush foundation is not thick or heavy like traditional makeup can be and you won’t have any brush lines or cakeyness whatsoever. The formula feels virtually weightless and holds up well in heat and humidity with little to no touch ups for up to 18 hours, which is why our brides love it.

It’s important to know that not all airbrush makeup is created equal. There are different formulas, brands, equipment and techniques - so the quality and results can vary from artist to artist. For over 6 years, we’ve used a silicone-based formula that is water-resistant, tear-resistant, and sweat-resistant. The finish looks just like skin, so if you prefer more of a matte look with no shine whatsoever, it may not be best choice for you (don’t worry, we offer traditional makeup as well). Most of our clients choose airbrush makeup due to how long it lasts and how natural it looks both in person and on camera. Plus it feels really lovely when it gets sprayed on!

I don’t wear much makeup. can you still work with me?

We completely understand that you probably aren’t used to wearing makeup on a daily basis and might be a little anxious about choosing a look for your wedding. I personally don’t wear a lot of makeup myself but I know I need it for pictures, so what I like to do is create makeup looks that are fresh and polished but not too “done-up”. We will tailor the look to your own personal style by building light layers and soft tones. The goal is the bring out the best version of you, highlighting your best features while still letting YOU shine through - nothing too over the top. We want you to feel comfortable and confident!

How long does it take to do everyone’s makeup? 

Every artist is different, but we typically like to plan 30-45 minutes for each bridesmaid or mother and 1 hour with the bride for makeup. Timing could change based on the party’s makeup style, but very rarely do we ever run overtime. We also build in 15 minutes for setup and 15 minutes for tear down. Depending on the size of your bridal party and what time you need to be ready by, you may want several artists working at the same time. There is an additional fee to add a second artist or assistant, but this will expedite your service time significantly which is perfect for brides with larger bridal parties or only a short amount of time to get ready.

Do you travel onsite? 

One of the main benefits of hiring a makeup artist is the luxury of having them travel to you. You’ll save yourself and your bridal party so much time and stress by having a beauty team come to you instead of rushing all over town the morning of. Especially if it’s raining on your day (we sure hope not!)

When should I book you for my wedding?

Wedding dates are first come first serve and we tend to book out as early as 8-12 months in advance, especially during popular months of May through November. Dates can only be secured with a signed contract and 50% retainer. We recommend booking as soon as possible to have the best opportunity to secure your date.

What if some of my bridesmaids may not want their makeup done? 

We’re going to be 100% real with you - it’s YOUR day and they’re YOUR photos that you will share with your family years from now. If all of your bridesmaids have similar dresses and bouquets, doesn’t it make sense that their makeup and hair should look similar as well? What it usually comes down to is not that someone doesn’t want their makeup done (because who doesn’t want to look #flawless?) - there’s usually a budget issue involved. Alternatively, there may be someone in your party who thinks they’re great at makeup and doesn’t need a pro artist. The fact is, even if someone is very good at doing their own makeup on a daily basis, it may not photograph and last the way that it should throughout such a long emotional day. Plus, it’s a fun experience getting all dolled up with a group of girls!

The goal is for all eyes to be on YOU - not your cousin who decided today was the perfect day to wear her favorite dark purple lipstick. Makeup for photography has different requirements that makeup artists are trained to understand and manipulate. If the bridesmaids budget is the main issue for them sitting out on makeup, perhaps you might wish to gift them a portion of their makeup service? Many brides do this instead of giving a physical bridesmaids gift, and end up very happy with their photos.

We hope we’ve helped answer some of your questions! If there’s anything we missed, feel free to let us know in the comments or better yet- schedule a quick phone call with us. We’d love to hear about your vision and discuss how we can help create the perfect wedding look just for you.

XOXO,

Makeup by Amy Lewis & Co.

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Photo: Beth Joy Photography

Styled Shoot: Industrial Chic with Rustic and Modern Accents

When Emily Eileen Photography contacted us about collaborating on a special project earlier this year, we immediately said yes! Emily is so talented and fun to work with, we just knew we had to be a part of whatever magical project she was planning. We had the honor of working alongside some of Toledo’s best wedding experts on this special project called a styled shoot. A styled shoot is similar to a mock wedding, where models pose as bride and groom (in this case, they were a real-life husband and wife named Chelsea and JD!). It is a great chance for wedding professionals to come together and share their talents for the sole purpose of creating some truly amazing images. This allows them to showcase their work for potential clients to see exactly what wedding magic they are capable of! Luckily, we had a rockstar team on board for this shoot. Take a look! All photos you see here are courtesy of Emily Eileen Photography.

We love to do styled shoots because it gives us a chance to get our creative juices flowing and design makeup looks that we don’t normally get to do. Plus, we get to make new friends (or hang with our longtime friends) in the process. It is so fun to collaborate with other talented creatives.

When designing the makeup for Chelsea, we wanted her overall look to be fresh and glowy with soft smoky neutral eyes. The key to any glow starts with proper skincare. Here, we applied Water Balm Skin Prep by Sonia Roselli Beauty and topped with a spritz of rosewater. For soft, conditioned lips we applied Smith’s Rosebud Salve with a lip brush. To up the glow factor, we chose dewy products such as Temptu Airbrush foundation and Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector along with a rose cream blush to get her skin looking luminous and fresh. And finished off the look by filling in her brows with the Senna brow book. Chelsea's baby blues were popping once her makeup was complete!

Of course we couldn't forget our groom JD! With men's grooming, typically the guys don't need much makeup and such was the case here. He already had amazing skin, so we just added a little bit of mattifying moisturizer to take down any shine and a touch of lip balm. Voila! A dapper, camera-ready groom. 

The design of our set was so breath-taking, you would have thought you were peeking in on a real wedding. Event Prep and Ann Strickland at Hafner Florist worked together to create this rustic, yet elegant table filled with gorgeous blooms and greenery. And we just loved the lucite chairs for a modern twist!

Of course it’s always fun to get some rooftop photos with some of Downtown Toledo (affectionately known around here as The Glass City) in the backdrop. The natural light outside really showed off this stunner of a dress from Belle Amour Bridal! 

And that's a wrap! Let us know what you think of how everything turned out. Are you planning an industrial chic wedding? We want to hear about it! Drop us a comment below. 

Rockstar Wedding Pro's Featured In This Shoot: 

Photographer: Emily Eileen Photography

Event Design/Decor: Cassandra Clair of Event Prep

Florist: Hafner Florist

Dress/Veil/Earrings: Belle Amour Bridal

Location: The Blarney Event Center

We Won An Award for Bridal Makeup in Toledo! Hooray!

Makeup by Amy Lewis & Company Wins

WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award for 2017!

Photo: Adore Wedding Photography

(http://adoreweddingphotography.com/)

                        Toledo, Ohio – January 11, 2017–  WeddingWire, the leading global online marketplace for the wedding and event industry, announced Makeup by Amy Lewis & Company as a winner of the esteemed 2017 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® for Makeup in Toledo!    

                        The Couples’ Choice Awards recognize the top five percent of wedding professionals on WeddingWire who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness, and professionalism. The prestigious awards are given to the top local wedding professionals across more than 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, based on their professional achievements from the previous year. 

                        The WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards winners are determined solely based on reviews from real newlyweds and their experiences working with Makeup by Amy Lewis & Company. Award-winning vendors are distinguished for the quality, quantity, consistency and timeliness of the reviews they have received from their past clients.

                        “The Couples’ Choice Awards’ ninth year features one of the most impressive groups of dedicated and acclaimed wedding professionals yet,” said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire. “It is our honor to work with high-caliber merchants, such as Makeup by Amy Lewis & Company, who not only make a couple's big day possible, but also contribute to the more than 2.5 million U.S. reviews represented on WeddingWire.  We congratulate all of this year's winners on their achievements.”                        

                        Makeup by Amy Lewis & Company is thrilled to be one of the top Makeup Artists in Toledo on WeddingWire. We would like to thank our past clients for taking the time to review our business on WeddingWire. We truly value all of our clients and appreciate the positive feedback that helped us earn a 2017 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award. Thank you to each and every one of you who made last year amazing. We’re thrilled to be your top choice for Bridal Makeup in Toledo! 

To learn more about the WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards®, please visit www.weddingwire.com/couples-choice-awards.