AIBU to fire my hair and makeup people for my wedding or am I being a bridezilla?

[ThreadWorms]

I booked with a hair and makeup team a while ago now. They seemed qualified for the job and very experienced.

One of my bridesmaids and I went for the trials today. It was supposed to take two hours bit actually took them five. I am really really unhappy with the final 'look'. I have dark circles and the makeup lady hasn't covered them properly. I look like I have slept in my makeup and it has started to come off.

I showed the hairdresser pictures of how I wanted my hair and the bridesmaids. It looks nothing like I wanted. I have shown my family the photos and have seen them in person, and they have agreed it looks terrible.

If I cancel I will lose all the deposits with no guarantee I'll find anyone else to do it with less than a month until my wedding day.

I felt like a bridezilla telling them that I wasn't happy but I couldn't hide my disappointment. So do I cancel and hopefully find someone else or give them the chance to improve on the day? My biggest concern is that they massively underestimated how long it would take with only two of us there when there will be five extra people to do on the day. I feel really upset and stressed about this.

[LineRunner]

That's a huge amount of money for a deposit.

I'd ask for it back. They seem to have not kept your contract anyway.

[ThreadWorms]

Nightsky, maybe they are brothers then .

It is comforting to hear other people say that this has happened to them but they managed to get it sorted before the day.

[trixymalixy]

Have just looked at your picture. Your hair looks like mine does when I've just come out of a swimming pool. Find someone else. I know it seems like a hassle now, but you want to feel like you look your best on your wedding day.

[specialsubject]

they can't keep to time and laughed at you, the paying customer. Game over.

don't frighten your husband at the altar - if you normally do your own makeup, do it. If your normal hairstyle annoys you, get it cut into one that doesn't.

on your wedding day you should look like you with a big smile.

[ThreadWorms]

Trixy, it's not a good feeling to know you're paying someone to make you look worse. I just kept thinking, I can do better than this.

To add insult to injury, I told him I am not the kind of person to sit in a salon for hours on end, I only go once every sux months as I hate having my hair done, and he still dragged it out for five hours.

[ThreadWorms]

DP (can't wait put DH) loves me with curly hair so I naturally wanted to go for that style. I suppose if I kept with my current stylist it wouldn't matter if it rained. I would look the sme either way .

[LaurieFairyCake]

I can't believe they're hired on the basis of what they've done to your hair!

Any chance it's a 'racket' - where they take £200, make it look shit to get fired???

[trixymalixy]

Sorry Didn't mean to make you feel bad.

Honestly it was such a relief to sack the rubbish hair and makeup people. You will find someone, they won't all be booked up. It'll be worth it in the end.

[edam]

Stop being so nice! They were crap, get shot, and demand your money back. Good idea re having a make up lesson at a department store.

I did my own make-up for my wedding and it was fine, btw. Bridal glow of excitement and happiness beats any product you can mention!

[MrsMushroom]

Write a letter to the owner stating that you have photographed the results of the trial and that it was so far below par that you expect a full refund of the deposit. Their work is so unprofessional that you feel the deposit has been taken unfairly as no bride would be happy with the results.

Also tell them that if they don't pay you back, you will take them to the small claims courts, the local paper and Facebook....and totally discredit them as a warning to others.

I would.

[ThreadWorms]

Laurier, that thought has crossed my mind!

I suppose there are brides out there that do like the 'look' he was trying to create but it wasn't for me. He seems to be good at very stereotypical bridal hair, very polished and firm looking. I wanted natural and soft hair. Obviously something that isn't in his repertoire.

[ThreadWorms]

Trixy, I was sympathising with you, you didn't make me feel bad. My hairdresser did that all on his own .

Mushroom, unfortunately the guy who did my hair is the manager/owner. I actually thought his assistants were doing a better job on some if the many clients that were in and out in the five hours we were there .

[WillowKnicks]

If you are anywhere near Halifax I can recommend an amazing hairdresser, who does my hair in the most gorgeous styles every time I have a 'do' to go to. It is a small salon but she has a really good reputation. She teaches at college & has won umpteen competitons for her upstyles but more importantly she really listens to what you want.

There is a beautician upstairs but I have never used her so can't comment on her skills.

[ThreadWorms]

Willow, that sounds perfect! Yes, I am near enough to halifax so if you could let me know the details (either in here or PM) I would be eternally grateful .

[JackieTheFart]

Thread I really think you need to swallow your inner Brit and just tell them.

Try and channel a Bridezilla and either call them or email/write and tell them you are really unhappy.

I did my own hair and make up for my wedding so it was all products I was used to and I looked like me, not how they wanted me to look iyswim? I would have had someone do my hair if the budget allowed.

[Lambzig]

If your DP likes you with curly hair, then you have obviously managed to style it yourself or get it done elsewhere in curls, so it cant be that difficult, so that is their excuse gone. No way would setting long straight hair wet on curlers get what you were looking for.

I hope you find someone else to sort it for you.

[ThreadWorms]

Thanks again to all for replying.

I have shown the pics to DP and he wasn't impressed. I will spend this week finding a new hairdresser then will be writing a carefully worded email to the team I have currently hired.

Only thing is, I spoke to my bridesmaid later on to thank her for coming but I was a little upset about what she said. She agreed that the hair and makeup was dire but felt I had been too vague with the guy about what style I wanted so it was partly my fault. I felt I had been clear and agree with the posters who say he shouldn't have wet set my hair. No hair style would have been anywhere near what I was after when he was using a method unsuited to my hair. She also didn't get why it upset me so much but it was due to the fact that I felt I had wasted so much of my time there and the money only to feel a sense of panic that I now don't have a stylist for the day. She might have a point though, lesson learned.

[SummerRainIsADistantMemory]

Thread... 'loose natural curls' is fairly self explanatory, you hardly needed to draw him a picture!

[ThreadWorms]

Good point maryz. I know I need to do a better job of keeping things into perspective and remembering the whole point of the day.

I always swore I would never become a bridezilla and have been so relaxed throughout, but now the pressure is on, any additional stress just makes me want to cry .

[ThreadWorms]

Oh, love your link btw. Maybe I might look like that if we ever renew our vows because I wouldn't willingly put myself through this amount if stress again in a looong time .