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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:
midnighthiraeth · 19/10/2023 19:17

Approx £1400 for myself and 7 other members of the bridal party for hair and makeup.

Dontworkmondays · 19/10/2023 19:19

£600 bride, mum and sister for hair and make up, that was for Indian makeup with full heavy set jewellery and head dressings

£1200 is totally insane for a white wedding. It's just everyday makeup that has to last longer surely?

23Oct · 19/10/2023 19:20

Uncooperativefingers · 19/10/2023 19:02

I got married in the NW this year and used LouMac MUA, who was fab.

Her prices are on her website, and isn't a million miles away from you OP, so should be a decent comparison.

I wonder why it costs £80 to put make up on a bride, but only £55 on a bridesmaid!

Cosyblankets · 19/10/2023 19:24

23Oct · 19/10/2023 19:20

I wonder why it costs £80 to put make up on a bride, but only £55 on a bridesmaid!

Show quote history

Because people will pay it

Cosyblankets · 19/10/2023 19:26

wrigleysextra · 19/10/2023 18:54

Thank you! We are getting married in West Yorkshire x

Show quote history

6 or 7 hours?

JuliaJohnstone · 19/10/2023 19:33

To offer an alternative option: we all did our own hair and make up!

GreyWednesday · 19/10/2023 19:41

DogInATent · 19/10/2023 19:17

Why do people attach such a low value to someone helping them look their best on their wedding day? What is it about the profession that makes you think it should be cheap?

There’s very few people suggesting it ‘should’ be cheap, just that they either wouldn’t or couldn’t pay some of the prices listed here, which is fair enough.

Amba1998 · 19/10/2023 19:42

£50 per person makeup
same for hair

Uncooperativefingers · 19/10/2023 19:54

23Oct · 19/10/2023 19:20

I wonder why it costs £80 to put make up on a bride, but only £55 on a bridesmaid!

Show quote history

As the bride, my makeup was more complex and took longer than that of my bridesmaids.

Mostly things like she spent longer prepping my skin and doing my base.

NewYorkBride · 19/10/2023 19:57

That was Brooklyn prices so with a big premium I should imagine!

Uncooperativefingers · 19/10/2023 19:58

wrigleysextra · 19/10/2023 19:08

That's ace, thank you so much! I've just looked - she is MUCH cheaper than my quote! Lovely work too. So helpful, thanks again x

Show quote history

You're welcome OP.

Her, along with the lady who did my dress alterations, were the best people I met as part of wedding planning. I was quite sad I wouldn't see either again!

Gismoreads · 19/10/2023 19:58

I’m quite shocked by how much people paid.

I’m in central Scotland.
Bride was £85 and bridesmaids were £75 each. Flower girl was free for a bit of lip gloss and blusher.
Trial was £70 per person.

NailsHairNipsHeels · 19/10/2023 20:03

Sometimes, and I'm not suggesting this is the case here, if they not want the job they provide a ridiculous quote knowing people
Aren't likely to take them up on it. If they do then they make a huge profit from the job that they're weren't too bothered about

ForfarBridie · 19/10/2023 20:04

I had make up done for a wedding a few days ago and paid 50 pounds in a smallish Scottish town.

The bridal party of 7 including the bride all had hair and make up done and the first one was done at 6.30am. I suspect the bill would have been about 1500 given 2 flower girls didn’t really have much done.

MariaVT65 · 19/10/2023 20:08

Snowdropcow · 19/10/2023 15:20

I’m Cheshire based.

I’m paying £50 for makeup and £50 for hair for each bridesmaid (all adults). I think my makeup artist charges half that for under 12s.

For myself I’m paying £130 for hair and makeup as well as £100 for the trial.

I’m gobsmacked at some of these prices!!

Same for me. Wedding was in East Midlands. Didn’t have to pay travel expense though as local.

Also can’t believe the prices on here!

Christmasusernamepending · 19/10/2023 20:11

I've just booked mine for my wedding, bride £140, bridesmaids £80 + travel and she is amazing x

BeckhamSeven · 19/10/2023 20:12

Good god!!! My jaw is on the floor.
Cheshire - my friend paid £35 for her bridal makeup (not hair) and then the girl stayed and did a tiny bit on the bridesmaids and charged another £75.
The girl I use for makeup charges £200 for bridal but that includes all the trials too. She's a makeup artist to celebrities though so quite a bit more than most

Christmasusernamepending · 19/10/2023 20:14

Oh and that was make up only not hair, midlands

burntoutnurse · 19/10/2023 20:15

I've booked for me, 3 adult bridesmaids and my mother.

Hair and makeup and travel is £620

Trials are extra :)

Original poster
wrigleysextra · 19/10/2023 20:19

BeckhamSeven · 19/10/2023 20:12

Good god!!! My jaw is on the floor.
Cheshire - my friend paid £35 for her bridal makeup (not hair) and then the girl stayed and did a tiny bit on the bridesmaids and charged another £75.
The girl I use for makeup charges £200 for bridal but that includes all the trials too. She's a makeup artist to celebrities though so quite a bit more than most

Would you mind sharing her details please? I'm Cheshire based myself so I'd be interested to talk to the one you use as trials are not included in my current quote...Confused

OP posts:
Steev · 19/10/2023 21:52

Jesus Christ.

You should take a leaf out of Kate Middleton's book. She did her own.

Steev · 19/10/2023 21:56

The funny thing is, loads of brides look worse than normal facially as they're overdone imo.

No wonder they cake it on if they're charging that much.

cloudnine13 · 19/10/2023 22:03

£65 each for me (bride) and 2 sisters but not bridesmaids, just having their make up done. & it was beautiful

AgaMM · 19/10/2023 22:04

For my wedding, I paid just under £1k for hair and make up for me and my mum.

Originally, it was going to be £1,600 for hair and make up for the two of us, using someone different for hair and make up, but we ended up having a covid wedding so needed different suppliers.

For my engagement party, I paid £95 for hair and make up for just me, by someone who was booked for a friend’s wedding so I wanted to give her a go.

For my pre-wedding party, I paid around £400 for hair and make up for both my mum and me.

Honestly, it really depends on the look you’re going for. The really expensive one I ended up having gave me a truly flawless look that complimented me well, which the cheaper ones didn’t achieve. Personally, hair and make up was important to me so I happily paid a lot for someone good, but I have friends who aren’t as fussed and just wanted to look done, so they paid a lot cheaper. So it depends on what it means to you.

Charlingspont · 19/10/2023 22:04

£1200, $1800!! 4 hours, 5 hours!!! This is more time and probably more money than a Tudor Queen might have spent!