Talk

Bloody hell.

My friend has booked a really good make up artist for her bridesmaids.

£65 for the bride make up and hair, including trials. £25 per bridesmaid.

We are west yorkshire though.

That sounds really expensive.

That's a blimmin' bargain, Leda. Maybe the location is the issue; less competition in the Lakes, possibly.

I'm going to keep researching - maybe there will be someone just starting out, looking to build a portfolio etc. Fingers crossed!

Have you tried Anna Sorbie? She is in Kendal. Used her for my wedding - can't remember what I paid but don't think it was that much! She was great

Try Au Naturel hair and beauty. She covers Gretna and some of the lakes. She's great and nowhere near that amount.

I'm paying nearly £400 for me and just one bridesmaid! And that was the cheapest quote I got!

Maybe try contacting the nearest college doing Beauty Therapy to where you live/getting married?

YoungGirl Yes, I've contacted Anna, am hoping she'll be in touch soon.

SuperSange Fab, will try Au Naturel, thank you!

Flis £400 for two of you??!! *collapses in a heap

My friend went to a bare minerals concession stand in a department store and they basically taught her to do her make up for the day (for free I think) and then sold her the make up she needed.
She looked lovely too.

SpongeBob, Wolves, was thinking I should be creative/think about alternatives. Don't think I could do my own, though, and I'd be all stressed about it!

It's only May. Start practising now and do your own bloody make up!

Honestly, there's no need to pay someone else to do it. You'll have a far better idea of what works for you.

Go to a big department store near you and ask them to do your make-up, and you'll soon get a feel for what you like/don't like.

I paid £22 for a normal blow dry from my normal salon and went into Space NK and get them to recommend the right make up, the last gave me lots of advise, I practiced and I looked bloody good!

Try Lauren from Urban Retreat in Ulverston, she does both hair and make up

I don't really understand wedding etiquette, but had I been invited to a sister's/best friend wedding I'd never expect them to pay for my hair and make up. Just because your sister did this at gets doesn't mean she should expect of you to do the same, particularly if you're not well off.

My friend did our hair she is a trainee hairdresser and used the pics for her college folio. If you contact the local college they should hopefully help find someone.
I did my own make-up. Decided to after seeing my friend go through make-up trials and leaving them looking like someone else. I wanted to look like me so I went to the make up concessions and triples a few foundations and different make-ups until I had a nice collection.
I even went to the same concessions in different stores if I liked to woman working there's make-up. I watched some tutorials as well. Was so glad I did my own and I looked like a polished version of me.

My friend is getting hers done by a local salon near to the venue she's getting married in . Maybe you could try this option , maybe go to the salon . Ask on Facebook in the area? Or see if the place has a fb page with people tagging their hair and make up persons .

I don't know where in the lake district you are getting married but have you looked at some of the towns on the coast for someone cheaper who could travel? Might work out cheaper.

I'm not sure there is a local beauty college in the Lakes.

I agree with going to a local salon for hair (just book a blow dry/up do rather than bridal) and do you're own make up.

There's loads of videos on you tube-start practicing now. Otherwise you'll either have to pay for a make up trial or risk not liking it on the day.

Unfortunately a local salon isn't an option as the wedding is at noon on a Sunday, so salons won't be open. And because it's so early, I'll probably need to get a separate hairdresser and makeup artist. I'm not sure about local colleges, I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and accept this is what this stuff costs.

It's not that I absolutely can't afford it, we're just trying to be reasonably economical as we have other way more important things to spend money on - we're planning IVF treatments etc. so hundreds of pounds on something as trivial as hair and makeup smarts a little!

Thanks for all your suggestions, everyone!

Do you have any friends or family that are good at hair or make up? My sister is doing my hair for me and one of my friends is doing my make up. Can be a nice pre wedding bonding session and they might keep you calmer/ have more fun than with a professional

My sister booked a wedding hair & makeup package. £300 for her & 2 bridesmaids + trial for her.

It's been a bloody nightmare. Trial made her look like a transvestite, and the bloody woman has been aggressively hounding her ever since demanding that she pay the £50 deposit (fair enough) plus another £70 for the trial.

With that experience, I would strongly advise against booking packages, unless and until you can have a trial without further obligation.

I'm in the South East paying £95 for trial and the day itself, me and one bridesmaid.

That's mates rates though. However, I think individual hairdressers may well give you a better deal than a "wedding hairdresser" IYSWIM - perhaps next time you're going for a haircut you could ask the hairdresser if she does wedding styles?

Do you not know anyone who is quite good/confident at hair and makeup? If you don't normally wear it I imagine you'll not want too much on for the day?

Also, who cares what your sis did? It's not her day, it's yours

I'm in Surrey and paying £450 for my hair and makeup, two bridesmaids hair and two flower girls hair. Also October wedding!