From Side Hustle to Fully Booked: My Journey as a Full-Time Wedding Hair & Makeup Artist
How I Went Full Time as a Wedding Hair and Makeup Artist (and What I’d Tell Any New Entrepreneur)
I didn’t start out dreaming of being a business owner. Honestly, I just really enjoyed playing with makeup and helping people feel beautiful. But like so many of us solopreneurs, one wedding led to another, and eventually, my weekends were booked out months in advance and I had a team of 13 artists. Still, going full-time felt risky. I had bills. A new baby. No backup plan.
But spoiler: I figured it out. And today, I want to share exactly what that looked like in case you’re staring at your calendar wondering if this side hustle could become your actual career.
What you’ll find in this blog:
The real moment I knew I had to go full-time
How I prepared to leave my 9-5 (financially + emotionally)
The marketing moves that filled my calendar
The mindset shifts that helped me grow
Advice I’d give any new entrepreneur starting out
It Wasn’t Immediate, It took time
I went to school for elementary education and landed in preschool. All the while loving makeup and wanting to grow my business. In my 10th year teaching, COVID hit. In July 2020, my boss asked us to come back to the classroom… or quit. With my daughter newly born, going into a classroom was not an option for me. A blessing in disguise as I had been so burnt out from teaching.
But let’s rewind:
2013-14 went to esthetician school, met my first mentor, and started assisting at weddings
2014 attempted marketing to get my own clients
2015 had maybe 3 of my own clients (haphazardly posting to Instagram)
2016 had maybe 5 of my own clients (launched my first website with no strategy)
2017 had maybe 6 of my own clients (a little more Instagram strategy)
2018 I invested in a web designer who taught me SEO and my inquiries and bookins started to increase
Starting in 2019, my inquiries and bookings began to double and triple
2020- COVID, I refunded and rescheduled all of my clients
2021, my first $6k year
2022 I started growing a team
2023 I opened my first studio for previews and clients
2024 I closed it all down to spend weekends with my daughter
My Full-Time Leap Plan: Saving, Systems & Support
Going full time as a bridal beauty pro wasn’t just about walking out of teaching. I needed a plan:
Savings cushion: I saved 3 months of expenses to give myself breathing room.
HoneyBook system: I set up a booking system using HoneyBook to look legit (and get legit).
Website glow-up: I invested in a professionally designed site (thankfully, Marry Me Design Studio has options that don’t cost your entire rent).
Vendor relationships: I reached out to local photographers, planners, and venues, offering styled shoot collabs and showing up to networking nights, even when I felt awkward.
What Helped Me Book Out
I focused on:
Location-based SEO (so when people Googled "wedding hair and makeup [my city]," I showed up—I was first page for 3 of my main keywords!!)
Testimonials with photos on my website and
Collecting Google Reviews consistently (this REALLY helps boost SEO)
A referral network
A website that clearly showed my style, services, and process
Mindset Shifts That Made the Biggest Difference
Stop calling it a "side hustle." Language matters. I started saying, "I'm a bridal hair and makeup artist," not "I do weddings on the side."
Done is better than perfect. My first few marketing materials weren’t fancy, but they got me booked.
Raise your rates before you feel "ready." Charging more didn’t mean losing clients, it meant attracting the right ones.
Advice for New Entrepreneurs (From Someone Who's Been There)
You don't need to have it all figured out to start.
Surround yourself with people who believe in your dream (especially when you don't).
Use tools that help you work smarter, not harder like HoneyBook, my Website Assistant GPT, and this Website Audit Checklist.
Keep showing up. Your dream clients notice.
Definitions (Because Real Talk > Jargon)
Solopreneurs: One-person business owners doing it all themselves (you’re a badass).
Business growth journey: The real, sometimes messy, process of growing your biz.
SEO: Search Engine Optimization lets search engines know what your website it about so it can be shown to people searching for you.
Thinking About Going Full Time? Start Here.
Your business doesn’t have to stay a weekend thing. If you’re dreaming of going full time but have no idea where to start, use the Dream Client Style Guide to get clear on who you're for. Pair it with our Website Template to look polished before you feel ready.
You’ve got this. And I’m cheering you on the whole way.