A good place to start looking for make up artist are the bridal magazines. Flip through the magazine and decide what type of look you like best. Make up artists can have their own specialties too and be known for their different techniques. Are you after virginal blushing bride look? Do you have bad skin and a flawless finish is your priority or are you after the le smoking smoldering smoky eyes with crimson red lips? Determine what look you will like best and start identifying a make up artist that can achieve what you have most in mind.

The bridal magazine in this instance, is your best friend, as it will show you the "finished product" of what a make up artist can do. Look for their names of the make up artist at the credit line. If you are lucky, their contact will also be listed. If not, try google for their contact and at the very last resort, call up the magazine to get a contact. They will usually unwillingly accede to your request.

The bridal shops may have some recommendations for you too. But I find that more often than not, they work with make up artists that work well with them and have built a rapport with. Their recommended make up artist may not be what you are after at all. It is what they are after.

Another way to find your make up artist is through your network of friends. Check with them to see if there is anyone that is highly recommended. The first screening of the make up artist would have been done already if you have explicit trust in your friend's taste and style.

The next step after identifying your make up artist is to arrange for a meet up to look through their portfolio and for a trial session. Even if you are not going to experiment with some crazy new look, it is essential that you pre approve the look you are going to wear on the most important day of your life. This gives you time to touch up the look or sack your make up artist on the spot.

A lot of women do not know this, but sometimes, they are their own best make up artist. There is no one else in the world who stares at your face, know every crease and wrinkle better than you do. You will know best what colors you like best on yourself and what products work best.

A less costly recommendation to getting the perfect look you want is to do your make up on your own with the help of a professional make up artist. Pick a make up artist that you trust, pick a look that you like and pay for him or her to give you a lesson or two on how to achieve that look. That way, you not only pick up some tricks of the trade from a professional, you can fine tune your own look, knowing best where you need more or less coverage.

The best part? You learn how to do one professional made up look that you can use for important events for the rest of your life.