Hello Gorgeous

The best Austin beauty spots to glam up for your big day

Here are our favorite places in Austin to get gussied up for your big day.

Springtime in Austin is upon us, and you know what that means — it’s wedding season, y'all. And, with a plethora of Austin makeup artists to choose from, a gal’s gotta know the best spots to get her glam on. We’ve got the inside scoop for all you lovely brides and bridal parties out there. Here are our favorite places in Austin to get gussied up for your big day, as recommended by the top wedding dress vendors in town.

Austin Skincare Company
Your skin is your canvas, so make sure you’re looking fresh-faced first. For the best facials in town, head to Austin Skincare Company, located in a cutesy little Bouldin Creek bungalow on Mary Street. The founder of Austin Skincare, offers both personalized skincare services and makeup products that are perfectly suited to your skin type. Treat yourself to one of the incredible facials, then check out the Austin Bridal Package or the Lady Bird Bridal Package to get the most bang for your buck.

Hint of Shimmer
Whether you want a bohemian look, a high-glam appearance, or something in between, Hint of Shimmer is one of the best when it comes to customized makeup services. This local beauty haunt offers affordable packages and products that don’t skimp on quality, with their Wedding Day Airbrush Makeup Application starting at just $120 (including custom false lash extensions). If you want to be pampered and get a bridal look that still feels like you, head to Hint of Shimmer — or let the team come to you. They cover both Austin and surrounding areas.

LoLa Beauty
LoLa Beauty is a hometown favorite, for good reason. The gals behind LoLa offer truly flawless makeup application and red carpet-worthy hairstyle services to boot. Seriously, if you’re looking for high-quality products and stylists, LoLa is your best bet. Feel like splurging for your big day? The LoLa Luxe package ($450) will leave you feeling like a true glam queen/ LoLa Beauty is located at 911 W. Anderson Ln., but they also specialize in on-location services.

Molly Makeup
You only need to check out Molly’s “before and after” pics to know she’s awesome at what she does. Whether you’re looking for expert day-of services for you and your ladies, a fun group makeup tutorial beforehand, or an eco-certified spray tan that won’t leave you sticky and orange, Molly Makeup is a fabulous pick. Molly even includes flower girl makeup and tattoo covering in her list of services.

Rae Cosmetics
Rae Cosmetics is another local fave that tons of Austin brides turn to when they want to look their best. Founded by renowned makeup artist Rochelle Rae, Rae Cosmetics has been recognized by numerous publications for being one of the best beauty teams in the biz. Check out the retail location on West Second Street to purchase some of Rae’s award-winning cosmetics — many of which are specially designed to withstand that withering Texas heat. If you’re looking for an airbrushed, naturally glowing look that’ll last through the night, Rae Cosmetics should be your go-to.

beauty

Real Austin Wedding

This Austin couple's festive wedding reception was the talk of the town

Photo by Chris Bailey Photography [https://www.cbaileyphotography.com/]

When Lauren Billingsley Ford looks back on her wedding day, she doesn’t remember feeling the stress and anxiety that often plagues so many couples planning their nuptials. This is due in part to her husband, John Ford.

"John really took the reins when it came to planning," Lauren says. In addition, thanks to their event planner Katy Preisler (of Keely Thorne Events), John and Lauren were able to relax and enjoy getting ready for their big day. Or big days, rather. The couple eloped to snowy Aspen in November 2015 and returned home to Austin to celebrate with 300 of their closest family and friends in December with a reception at the historic Driskill Hotel.

Lauren, a stylist for J. Hilburn, and John, who works for the real estate and development firm Encore Residential, met through mutual friends at the Fulton Oysterfest in 2014 and instantly connected. From there, it wasn't long before they were planning what Lauren calls their "month-long celebration." In coming up with the concept for their Driskill reception, Lauren and John had three things in mind. First, it was important to the hometown couple to incorporate as many Austin-centric elements as possible. They also wanted to take a decidedly non-traditional route, eschewing anything too "Pinterest-y." Lastly, since their celebration took place right before Christmas, the couple opted to throw in some fun holiday flair.

It all came together in a stylish, whimsical manner. John donned different costumes throughout the night, a team of break-dancers dressed up as elves, and servers passed out cookies and "milk" (White Russian shooters) to guests. It was truly an affair to remember — as Lauren says, "To this day, people still talk about it. It was just so much fun!"

Photo by Chris Bailey Photography [https://www.cbaileyphotography.com/]

When Lauren Billingsley Ford looks back on her wedding day, she doesn’t remember feeling the stress and anxiety that often plagues couples planning their nuptials. This is due in part to her husband, John Ford. "John really took the reins when it came to planning," Lauren says. In addition, thanks to their event planner Katy Preisler (of Keely Thorne Events [https://keelythorne.com/]), John and Lauren were able to relax and enjoy getting ready for their big day. Or big days, rather. The couple eloped to snowy Aspen in November 2015, and returned home to Austin to celebrate with 300 of their closest family and friends in December at a reception at the historic Driskill Hotel. Lauren, a stylist for J. Hilburn, and John, who works for the real estate and development firm Encore Residential, met through mutual friends at the Fulton Oysterfest in 2014 and instantly connected. From there, it wasn't long before they were planning what Lauren calls their "month-long celebration." In coming up with the concept for their Driskill reception, Lauren and John had three things in mind. First, it was important to the hometown couple to incorporate as many Austin-centric elements as possible. They also wanted to take a decidedly non-traditional route, eschewing anything too "Pinterest-y." Lastly, since their celebration took place right before Christmas, the couple opted to throw in some fun holiday flair. It all came together in a stylish, whimsical manner. John donned different costumes throughout the night, a team of break-dancers dressed up as elves, and servers passed out cookies and "milk" (White Russian shooters) to guests. It was truly an affair to remember — as Lauren says, "To this day, people still talk about it. It was just so much fun!"

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