For this weeks vendor spotlight I wanted a chance to sit down with the vendors I feature and really pick their brain on their journey to becoming a successful business owner (I have a lot to learn). In an industry as large as the Colorado wedding market it can be hard to find people that you click with, & Megan is just that. I reached out to Megan because I had seen her work not only in bridal fashion, but in high fashion and had to know more. This woman is incredible. Not only is she a bad ass business owner, but also a wife and mother to her beautiful 12 year old daughter. We bonded over lunch with some tempura fried sushi and miso soup at Hapa Sushi and by the end of our meeting I wished we would have gone to happy hour and cracked a bottle of wine instead. I cannot wait to collaborate with this babe in the future. Here is a little more about Megan Cary and her amazing company.
Tell us about yourself and your company
I personally am a small town girl that is actually quite the tomboy. Always on my quad or fishing or on my horse or in the ocean! I never was really into playing with makeup or hair when I was younger. I think as I got older my creative side took over and that is when I started to dabble in it. Behind the chair was never enough for me and I wanted something that could let me have the freedom to juggle being a wife & mother and something I could do remotely anywhere I lived. I LOVE traveling & know the value and convenience for on location services and that’s when I decided to start Megan Cary Artistry. Founded in 2012, Megan Cary Artistry has become Colorado & Central California’s Premier on-location hair and makeup team that truly loves what they do and it shows through our work!
When and why did you get into the wedding business?
I didn’t start out in the wedding business. I experimented with editorial and fashion looks prior to. It’s when I moved to Colorado and saw such a high demand for it, is when I decided to incorporated our artistic style into our bridal looks of today! That is what our brand is about! We love our brides and have realized that being able to have such a huge part on a bride’s day, it is truly rewarding!
How would you describe your style?
Our style is not your typical, cookie cutter bridal look. We are an artistry team that incorporates our Fashion & Editorial styling expertise into our bridal looks to give you that sought after bridal look! Whether you want to keep it a timeless & classic look or you want to go bold and try something trendy, I feel our team is your fit! Every bride that we touch we want to look like they came off a magazine cover!
How do you pick the girls that work for you?
I look for consistency in the brand. I look for the same quality and the
same style as well as an artist with a caring and patient personality. In
this industry there is no room for being impatient or uncaring. It
doesn’t matter how well you are at your craft, if you aren’t able to play
well with others we don’t want that for MCA. I learn a lot from my
girls. I think some of our artists are better at than me at hair &
makeup. The girls on my team are not below me and are on the same
level. Sometimes this is hard to explain to a potential client. Look at
our work, trust in the brand, and expect nothing but amazing work from any of our ladies!
Who are your biggest influences?
The people, artists, clients & family I have around me on a daily basis. They are all important for very different reasons personally & professionally.
What products do you never leave home without?
A hair tie to make my messy bun and some organic lip balm. I very rarely wear makeup myself.
Mac or Bobbi Brown?
At Megan Cary Artistry, we are primarily MAC Cosmetics users. It is a prerequisite for my girls to know the products. Of course there are so many awesome brands out there and I’m known to incorporate some of them as well in my kit along with the rest of our artists. Our staple is MAC because we pride ourselves on knowing our products inside and out and educating our clients! If people ask us questions we truly know the answers. An added bonus is if a client likes a product we use on them it is fairy easy for them to get a hold of it at their local MAC store.
What social media platform do you love the most?
All of them are my favorite for many different reasons. This business is all about social media marketing as word of mouth can only go so far. My blog is my favorite because I can incorporate pictures and describe the moment as if you were there that day!
What is one of your favorite products right now?
My Eucerin moisturizer. Feed your face some moisture, especially in a dry climate like Colorado. Healthy skin is a must to have your makeup look fresh and flawless. As far as a makeup product I would have to say Urban Decay”All Nighter” which can be found at Sephora. I haven’t found a setting spray that feels so light but locks in your look for hours on end besides this one. A must have for my brides wanting their look to last all day into the night!
What’s one hair, makeup or wedding trend that you wish would just go away?
Airbrushing and extreme false lashes. We promote enhancing your natural beauty while not changing your look completely. Lashes are supposed to add some length and thickness. There are many lashes to choose from that look completely natural as if you aren’t wearing them. There’s also mascara with fibers to help you or you may opt to get professional lash extensions from your local spa. You want to look back and recognize it was you! As for airbrushing, in my opinion, it is an unnecessary additional charge and truly makes some individuals look plastic at times. Definitely a fad that has stayed around too long that needs to take a hike. Many artists have to go in and use their hands anyhow after initial airbrush application. With time products have evolved & have been made to create a flawless look while not being too heavy, similar to the airbrush look. It’s our job to educate our brides that look to us for direction in that area. With that said, we cater to all brides and do offer airbrushing if desired.
What advice would you give to an aspiring hair & makeup artist?
Always be willing to learn. Keep up on the latest trends, as it will likely be requested from you. We are all still learning & products and styles are always changing. Also, be genuine to your artistic self. We are creative minds. Have your own style & clients will come to you for that. Lastly, there is value in providing services for free as long as you are selective & able to build your portfolio at the same time. This helps not only your self, but also creates lasting work relationships moving forward.
How do you achieve a personal/work life balance?
It’s one of those things that I most likely will always struggle with. Working for your self is a blessing but it’s hard to not let work overflow into personal or family time. Clients don’t know when your grocery shopping or out of town on a vacation or in bed for the evening so it’s up to us to manage our work flow properly while still getting back to our brides in a timely manner! With growing & expanding a business, I have learned to let the emails go late at night and tell myself it’s fine to address them the next morning. It seems to be a good compromise!
You have opened your branch of MCA in California! Amazing! How will this change you and your business?
We just opened a branch in California this year. Being from Northern California & Nevada my heart will always lie there. All along the coast & wine country makes for a beautiful wedding backdrop. We service the central coast, which is typically San Luis Obispo all the way up to Lake Tahoe. We have been very selective of our artists there to keep the MCA brand & style consistent. Since we cover a large area, artists are more spaced out across the state so it eliminates the outrageous travel cost for the bride.
Tell us something most people don’t know about you
I’m a perfectionist, always feeling like I could do better. It helps to keep me striving for more, but can be a negative as I can put too much unnecessary pressure on myself at times.