Pre-Dame Beauty

Stefanie founded Pre-Dame Beauty after years in fashion and commercial hair and makeup, with the aim of building a team of artists who offer hair and makeup for brides. The team had a slow start in 2020 and officially entered the wedding industry in 2021. It has kept the same number of artists across its five years in business, choosing to focus on quality over growth. Clients book the team rather than a single artist, and the lead artists work exclusively through Pre-Dame Beauty.

The studio draws on the Japanese idea of wabi-sabi, placing authenticity above an idealized look. Each hair and makeup design is developed for the individual rather than selected from a set of standard looks. Makeup is skin-focused and built up in layers of sheer product to shape and sculpt. Hair is meant to be refined without looking overdone, whether the final style is sleek or soft.

The process begins with a preview session of about three hours, held six to ten weeks before the wedding at the daylight studio in Gowanus, where the look is designed together with the client. Clients receive at least 50 photos and videos of their look from every angle, airdropped after the session. Couples and their guests are also asked to complete an H+MU Questionnaire, a Wedding Day Timeline, a Final Info Form and an H+MU Prep List. Each wedding is assigned two Lead Artists, and other team members may join the preview. The Day of Beauty is a nine-hour, all-inclusive booking that starts with a morning of hair and makeup prep, after which the lead artists stay through the day with custom touchup kits. An optional hair or makeup edit can change the look for the ceremony, cocktail hour or party.

Beauty investment starts at $4,000 for Saturday events. A full booking for both hair and makeup is required so the look stays cohesive. Bookings are not accepted more than 12 months before the wedding month, and a signed contract with a 35% deposit confirms the team for the date. The salon's own site says it has been named among the top wedding hair and makeup artists in the US by several outlets, including The Lovely List for 2025 and 2026, WedVibes Media in 2025, and The Wed for 2024 through 2026.

Draws on wabi-sabi, favoring authentic results over an idealized look, with skin-focused makeup built in sheer layers and hair refined without looking overdone.