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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder what you paid - Calling all recent brides

302 replies

wrigleysextra · 19/10/2023 14:54

I'm after some context as to whether a quote I have received for make up on my wedding day is a lot or not so was hoping for some input from any recent Mumsnet brides!

I've contacted several make up artists for a quote for 3 adults (bride, bridesmaid & mother of the bride) and an 11 year old who may just want a tiny bit of lipgloss & mascara applying.

The one make up artist who has come back to me so far is incidentally the one I liked the most but I'm quite staggered by her quote.

I completely understand she needs to factor in travel costs and time (just over an hour each way). I'm not looking for a cheap service and will gladly pay the going rate, but I don't actually know what that is! With nothing else so far to compare her quote to, I'm wondering what you would expect or did pay for similar on your wedding day?

OP posts:
LuckySantangelo35 · 24/10/2023 11:46

I also find it a bit amusing that people think that if they have a professional Mua or wear a bit more makeup or whatever then they they wont look like themselves - I mean of course you will, who else are you gonna look like?! lol

Mamabear487 · 24/10/2023 12:15

I’m getting married in Spain but it works out at £190 for my make up and the same cost for hair. Bridesmaids are £75 each for make up and £45 each for hair

Heidi75 · 24/10/2023 15:34

DogInATent · 19/10/2023 16:07

It's easy to understand. They don't think it's a proper job, they have no concept of opportunity cost, they don't realise that when there are only 52 Saturdays a year that these will be at a premium, etc. etc.

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I'm pretty sure MUA do more than just weddings!

DogInATent · 24/10/2023 15:43

Heidi75 · 24/10/2023 15:34

I'm pretty sure MUA do more than just weddings!

Show quote history

For the professional MUA I reviewed a business plan for it was by far the largest element of their income stream. The top end MUAs aren't doing midweek nails and brows. It's a full-time business doing 30+ weddings per year.

Parker231 · 24/10/2023 15:45

LuckySantangelo35 · 24/10/2023 11:46

I also find it a bit amusing that people think that if they have a professional Mua or wear a bit more makeup or whatever then they they wont look like themselves - I mean of course you will, who else are you gonna look like?! lol

As I posted previously I wouldn’t have felt like myself wearing foundation, blusher etc on my wedding day as this isn’t something I wear normally. I wanted to look like I normally do.

Everyone is different and can make their own decisions - no right or wrong.

McIntire · 24/10/2023 16:15

Polis · 24/10/2023 11:05

its not really criticism. It’s just that on threads like this you always get people saying they did their own makeup just a lick of mascara or lippy or whatever and I just think why bother responding when Op is asking about makeup artists?! She obviously doesn’t want to do what you did..

On the other hand, knowing that some people didn’t use professional makeup artists for their weddings might reassure her that using one isn’t compulsory. Particularly if she is worried about costs.

It’s fine to say you didn’t use one, it’s the ‘just a lick of mascara and a little gloss’ comments

i didn’t use one is suffice surely

WitsEnd10 · 24/10/2023 18:45

I paid £100 for me, including a trial and a full size lip product for the wedding day to keep, £35 each for bridesmaids, £5 per set of strip lashes and a charge for distance (£15 for 24 miles) and that was 2016.

Hmcs · 24/10/2023 21:36

for on the day make up for 3 adults I wouldn’t expect less than £350 but it really depends of how sought after they are
they would do a trial too so that would be extra on top of that
and travel
so £550 as a starting point

Heidi75 · 26/10/2023 12:23

DogInATent · 24/10/2023 15:43

For the professional MUA I reviewed a business plan for it was by far the largest element of their income stream. The top end MUAs aren't doing midweek nails and brows. It's a full-time business doing 30+ weddings per year.

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It's pretty daft really then to limit your work and therefore income to one kind of event, they ought to diversify. Doing 30 weddings a year is absolutely not a full-time job - a full-time job would be something that takes up 35+ hours a week. How much does each wedding take up - a few hours for trials and a few hours on the day over 30 events, that's nowhere near full-time. I'm not disputing that it's not highly trained and professional service and that they work hard on those events, but to expect to earn a full-time salary on part-time hours and then pass that on to clients is not very good business practice or planning.

2003unbearable · 26/10/2023 12:25

Heidi75 · 26/10/2023 12:23

It's pretty daft really then to limit your work and therefore income to one kind of event, they ought to diversify. Doing 30 weddings a year is absolutely not a full-time job - a full-time job would be something that takes up 35+ hours a week. How much does each wedding take up - a few hours for trials and a few hours on the day over 30 events, that's nowhere near full-time. I'm not disputing that it's not highly trained and professional service and that they work hard on those events, but to expect to earn a full-time salary on part-time hours and then pass that on to clients is not very good business practice or planning.

Show quote history

This argument does ignore the fact that for many MUAs, it is indeed a very effective business practice. Not to mention that the hours they’re applying makeup are very obviously not the only hours they’re working.

Heidi75 · 26/10/2023 12:31

2003unbearable · 26/10/2023 12:25

This argument does ignore the fact that for many MUAs, it is indeed a very effective business practice. Not to mention that the hours they’re applying makeup are very obviously not the only hours they’re working.

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That's not what was implied by the 30 weddings a year being a fulltime business!

DogInATent · 26/10/2023 12:36

Heidi75 · 26/10/2023 12:23

It's pretty daft really then to limit your work and therefore income to one kind of event, they ought to diversify. Doing 30 weddings a year is absolutely not a full-time job - a full-time job would be something that takes up 35+ hours a week. How much does each wedding take up - a few hours for trials and a few hours on the day over 30 events, that's nowhere near full-time. I'm not disputing that it's not highly trained and professional service and that they work hard on those events, but to expect to earn a full-time salary on part-time hours and then pass that on to clients is not very good business practice or planning.

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Don't assume the rest of the world lives within the narrow limitations of your personal experience/imagination.

She's a high-end MUA and for her a wedding could involve 4-5 days, including trials, consultation and possibly a full weekend on-site for the wedding itself. She's booked two years out.

Heidi75 · 26/10/2023 12:41

DogInATent · 26/10/2023 12:36

Don't assume the rest of the world lives within the narrow limitations of your personal experience/imagination.

She's a high-end MUA and for her a wedding could involve 4-5 days, including trials, consultation and possibly a full weekend on-site for the wedding itself. She's booked two years out.

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😂really - that's the response 😂 Nothing limited about it just understand, how business works, and they will eventually price themselves out of the market. When times are hard something like this will be easily dropped by people.

Coffeerum · 26/10/2023 13:01

Heidi75 · 26/10/2023 12:23

It's pretty daft really then to limit your work and therefore income to one kind of event, they ought to diversify. Doing 30 weddings a year is absolutely not a full-time job - a full-time job would be something that takes up 35+ hours a week. How much does each wedding take up - a few hours for trials and a few hours on the day over 30 events, that's nowhere near full-time. I'm not disputing that it's not highly trained and professional service and that they work hard on those events, but to expect to earn a full-time salary on part-time hours and then pass that on to clients is not very good business practice or planning.

Show quote history

It's pretty daft to think you can dictate how some people run their business because you feel they should be working X amount of time.
If a MUA can earn a living working 30 weddings a year why should they take on more work if they don't want to?
They can pass whatever costs onto the customer that they wish! If someone doesn't want to pay what the MUA is charging they don't have to.

novalia89 · 26/10/2023 13:38

Heidi75 · 26/10/2023 12:23

It's pretty daft really then to limit your work and therefore income to one kind of event, they ought to diversify. Doing 30 weddings a year is absolutely not a full-time job - a full-time job would be something that takes up 35+ hours a week. How much does each wedding take up - a few hours for trials and a few hours on the day over 30 events, that's nowhere near full-time. I'm not disputing that it's not highly trained and professional service and that they work hard on those events, but to expect to earn a full-time salary on part-time hours and then pass that on to clients is not very good business practice or planning.

Show quote history

'but to expect to earn a full-time salary on part-time hours and then pass that on to clients is not very good business practice or planning.' I agree. People are saying that they can only really get the primetime hours on a Saturday, but just because you only get Saturday work doesn't mean that the clients should be subsidising that to a full time salary. It's not the clients fault that the work is only available 30 days a year.

Heidi75 · 26/10/2023 14:04

Coffeerum · 26/10/2023 13:01

It's pretty daft to think you can dictate how some people run their business because you feel they should be working X amount of time.
If a MUA can earn a living working 30 weddings a year why should they take on more work if they don't want to?
They can pass whatever costs onto the customer that they wish! If someone doesn't want to pay what the MUA is charging they don't have to.

Show quote history

It's pretty daft to not actually get the point. It was the comment made on the assumption that 30 weddings a year is a full time job - it's clearly not. It is of course up to them how and what they charge, but don't then moan that they have to charge this as they only work 30 events a year - that's a contradiction. The business model is not sustainable, if you charge too much then you will eventually run out of people with more money than sense.

McIntire · 26/10/2023 14:43

@Heidi75
if you charge too much then you will eventually run out of people with more money than sense.

That makes no sense.

This is a one off event (mostly) and not the same as a monthly expenditure like gel nails for example, where someone may think it’s too much and do it themselves or get fed up.

McIntire · 26/10/2023 14:51

It’s the same with wedding cars surely.
People pay if that’s what floats their boat, others don’t. It’s not about having more money than sense.

I know a couple who stayed at the wedding venue the night before and after the wedding. They hired a car for photos only because he’s a petrol head and it’s important to them

Heidi75 · 26/10/2023 14:53

McIntire · 26/10/2023 14:43

@Heidi75
if you charge too much then you will eventually run out of people with more money than sense.

That makes no sense.

This is a one off event (mostly) and not the same as a monthly expenditure like gel nails for example, where someone may think it’s too much and do it themselves or get fed up.

Edited

It makes total sense as more and more people become more savvy with their money and how and where they spend it. Then with those choices, if you have a set budget, then ridiculous sums on make-up may seem pointless and the honeymoon fund is chosen over lipgloss and mascara! It is absolutely one day and that is the reason why it is not sustainable, it's just one day, don't fixate on the wedding and not the marriage, more people are choosing to spend less on weddings and put more into house deposits or having families etc rather than getting in lots of debt for just one day!

Parker231 · 26/10/2023 15:23

McIntire · 26/10/2023 14:51

It’s the same with wedding cars surely.
People pay if that’s what floats their boat, others don’t. It’s not about having more money than sense.

I know a couple who stayed at the wedding venue the night before and after the wedding. They hired a car for photos only because he’s a petrol head and it’s important to them

Too true. I didn’t spend on a MUA but DH did arrange for different classic cars to transfer the wedding party from our house to the hotel we had the wedding at - both central London and close together.

2003unbearable · 26/10/2023 15:36

Heidi75 · 26/10/2023 14:53

It makes total sense as more and more people become more savvy with their money and how and where they spend it. Then with those choices, if you have a set budget, then ridiculous sums on make-up may seem pointless and the honeymoon fund is chosen over lipgloss and mascara! It is absolutely one day and that is the reason why it is not sustainable, it's just one day, don't fixate on the wedding and not the marriage, more people are choosing to spend less on weddings and put more into house deposits or having families etc rather than getting in lots of debt for just one day!

Edited
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Must have missed it, what data are you basing your claim that the sector isn’t sustainable on?

Possimpible · 26/10/2023 16:10

@Heidi75 , more people are choosing to spend less on weddings and put more into house deposits or having families etc rather than getting in lots of debt for just one day!

Okay, like good for them? They won't be the people booking the high-end MUA. Lots of people have a larger budget and don't need to go into debt to afford a big wedding. Have you heard of supply and demand..? If a MUA can make a good living working 30 weddings a year, that's clearly enough for them. I don't see why it bothers you so much. Also remember they have all their training, admin etc to do in between bookings

Babies2223 · 26/10/2023 20:28

Mine was 2yrs ago but I was 255 (including lashes) for bride, 4 bridesmaids and 2 mums for make up then 250 for all our hair x

Heidi75 · 27/10/2023 10:54

2003unbearable · 26/10/2023 15:36

Must have missed it, what data are you basing your claim that the sector isn’t sustainable on?

Show quote history

Common sense and understanding how businesses work, it's a bubble waiting to burst and anyone not diversifying over time will eventually fail

Heidi75 · 27/10/2023 10:55

Possimpible · 26/10/2023 16:10

@Heidi75 , more people are choosing to spend less on weddings and put more into house deposits or having families etc rather than getting in lots of debt for just one day!

Okay, like good for them? They won't be the people booking the high-end MUA. Lots of people have a larger budget and don't need to go into debt to afford a big wedding. Have you heard of supply and demand..? If a MUA can make a good living working 30 weddings a year, that's clearly enough for them. I don't see why it bothers you so much. Also remember they have all their training, admin etc to do in between bookings

That wasn't really the point that was being made, but ok