Researching and booking your wedding vendors can seem like a daunting task. Who's good, who can you trust and what are you even looking for anyway? When it comes to your bridal makeup, a service so unique and personal that choosing the right artist can affect your confidence levels on the big day, the search gets even trickier.

Unbridely's beauty contributor, Gemma Vendetta, is a qualified hairdresser & makeup artist (MUA) from Adelaide, South Australia.

Specialising in vintage and bespoke hair and makeup services for weddings, stage, film, and special occasions for near-on 8 years, Gemma is a user-of, and advocate for natural, organic, cruelty-free, Australian made & chemical-free products. So much so that, in January 2016, she released her very own mineral makeup range.

Gemma wants to help brides find their perfect bridal MUA and to "take the pretension out of makeup". WE LOVE HER.

Step 1 - Book your MUA/stylist as far out as you can. Gemma is often booked up for weddings 12 months in advance, as are many other sought after MUAs and stylists. So starting your search early means that you're more likely to avoid the disappointment of finding someone you love only to learn that they are not available for your wedding day.

Step 2 - Don't cling to a set engagement length. If you can be flexible on your date, you can ensure you'll have your pick of the best suppliers.

Step 3 - Referrals from family and friends. There is a very good chance that if the people who are closest to you think that a supplier is great, then you will too. You'll also feel more confident knowing that their work is tried and tested and that they have at least one happy customer.

Step 4 - Look at their portfolio. A MUA or stylist will (hopefully!) show their best work in their portfolio and you can get an idea of their specialities. If you like what you see, then..

Step 5 - Don't underestimate the value of a trial (that's not really a trial). When you find a stylist whose work you like, book in for makeup for a special event or an 'up-style' for a date night, or services on the same day as your engagement shoot. There is no need to specify that it is (in your mind) a dry-run for your wedding because what you are really wanting to see is if you get along with them and if he or she listens to you and makes you feel comfortable.

Step 6 - Just being talented is not enough. A really good stylist should be able to build a great relationship with their clients very quickly. They need to be excellent communicators and be able to pick up on nonverbal cues as well.

Step 7 - Don't be shy about arranging a second trial, if you need it. If you booked your stylist/MUA many months in advance and your taste or the style you are going for has changed, be sure to arrange another trial a couple of months prior to your wedding.

Step 8 - If your dream MUA/stylist is already booked, dig a little further and ask them to recommend someone similar to them. All may not be lost! It is common for good stylists to be in communication with others that share a similar approach. Word of mouth can be a powerful strategy to help you find your perfect bridal MUA.

Do you have any tips regarding MUAs or hair stylists that you would like to share with other brides? Please comment below.