To wonder what you paid - Calling all recent brides

[wrigleysextra]

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?

I paid for hair but for make up everyone did their own and I went to a counter in a nice dept store and had a free lesson and make up recommendations. Spent a bit but had products to last ages! Wanted to still feel like me and I don’t wear loads of stuff normally so would have felt odd to have lots on

£260 for me which included a trial for me, wedding day make up for me, 2 adult bridesmaids and 2 teen bridesmaids (my make up artist did under 16s free of charge).

She also did a quick touch up for my Mum when she popped in.

I paid £350 for bride and mother of bride hair and make up

But that could easily cost over £100 - and much more depending on the brand.

About £1500 for 3 bridesmaids and the bride (hair and makeup)

@Everythinghasgonetoshit
As long as everyone is happy and the bride thinks it's worth it on the day that's all that matters.

I think that’s key. It’s what’s important to you, some people spend a fortune on cars, flowers, photographer etc. All depends what’s important to you. Some people it’s some of it, some it’s all of it.

So long as everyone is happy with the outcome and the expenditure then it’s all good. I would never go into debt over it, but apart from a mortgage I’ve never been in debt anyway.

£400 for hair and make up for me , my mother and mother in law. Included 1 hour travel costs each way for the MUA and hairdresser. It was in the Highlands in Dec 2021.

My sister in law paid £1,000 for make-up only for herself and three bridesmaids, she is in East London. That was July this year.

£500 for make up for bride and 4 bridesmaids. Including the trial for the bride.

Bride
3 bridesmaids
11 year old
Mother of bride
Sister in law

£420 for hair
£380 for make up

They will both be with us from 7.30-12.30 so seems fair

Based in NW, both are travelling about an hour

Those who are shocked would be even more shocked by the costs of other stuff. The makeup was one of very few things where I didn’t internally go “How much?!” 😱 And we didn’t even have a big wedding in terms of numbers of guests.

I paid for my mother, MIL and only sister to get their makeup done (about £1000 - inc hair, an important point I forgot to mention in a post above!) and it was nothing compared to how much parents gave us in gifts (which we didn’t need to spend paying off the wedding). My sister provided a lot of support planning too and helped coordinate on the day. I don’t regret it. My MIL said she had never felt so wonderful in her life. I do agree that there’s not a chance I’d pay for a little girl though. I would always say they don’t need any makeup. Tbh, I also wouldn’t want to pay for an entourage of bridesmaids hence I only had two young flower girls.

We were also skint growing up like you mention. My husband’s family had money growing up, but not significant wealth or like he had access to it. And he still doesn’t. We both had to study hard to get our jobs and work hard to keep them. And we also paid our wedding costs 50:50. I know a lot of people from less privileged backgrounds to my husband who also paid what many would describe as silly amounts of money on their wedding. It’s not just wealthy people. It truly is a lucrative industry.

I have to say my husband and I did hope the money would be worth it in the lead up. Once we saw the final total cost. But I’m so relieved to say we don’t regret it xx and have the most amazing memories. I know this isn’t always the case.

I feel like I had an absolute bargain now.
March 2022, bride, 2 bridesmaids and a little one. £250 for hair and makeup…. It was my usual hairdresser and someone I found for makeup.
both did an amazing job!

I paid about £300 for bride, bridesmaid and mother of bride in December last year, hair and make up. Also in West Yorkshire.

I think you have to forget how much time it takes and how far the make up artist is travelling and focus on the number of products she is required to purchase to cover all clients. That must run into thousands and bear in mind the number of looks she will
be asked to create using all those products and then you maybe able to understand the pricing strategy.

£15 for my hair and £35 for makeup, same for the bridesmaids all absolutely beautiful but they were local to me so no travel to factor in

Do your own. £0.

Approx £500 for my hair + 3 bridesmaids
Approx £450-500 for my make-up + 4 bridesmaids.

Slightly of track here but why is the MOG barely getting a look in?

I did my own makeup with the products I already had - rarely wear any makeup so didn’t want to look different from normal.

I have bad skin and paid for someone to do my makeup but I like things plain...so was only wanting foundation and mascara etc. . She wasn't very happy with me for not wanting blusher. Tbh....I don't want a different face, just better make up that lasts all day and thr makeup doesn't last all day. By 8pm it needed touched up. The product she used used foundation I could have bought myself cheaper than her service. If I had to change one thing I would definitely buy my own products ....thankfully she did what I told her and did the bare amount otherwise I'd have washed it off anyway as I don't like lipstick and all that colour on my face

£40 for the MOH to have her hair done in local hairdressers ( France) as her gift. Bridesmaid did hair and makeup for me, herself and other bridesmaid. I don’t wear up normally so no way was I going to slap on loads.

We had the most fantastic venue to be fair . We look like film stars in every photo.

Mine did! She loved it, bless her.

originally I had a bridal team quote which was close to £1.4k for bride, 4x bm, 2 x mothers and 2 guests. Then that fell through so went with MUA who charged £55 per person and hairstylist who charged £20pp (she was training). This was in Scptland so pricing may be different

Zaina67

I think if you have the money it makes sense to go all out and make the most of what is (hopefully) the one day in your life you can have a big celebration. Partner and I both earn pretty average wages. We could probably save for a wedding if we wanted to, but we haven't bought a home yet (already had the kids) and I'm a frumpy shy 40 year old, so it's just not for me. I hate being the centre of attention, even for 20 minutes.

My mum also drummed into me pretty hard to never get married and that you are handing your freedom over to someone (her marriage was a forced marriage in the 70s due to pregnancy) so it has stuck with us as siblings. It has never been on my to do list. I think my brother would get married if his partner wouldn't go crazy with the budget and probably spend 100k+ on a wedding. They have a large social circle and probably the means to do it, so I think that has held him back proposing.

I do think 1k on make up is steep, but it must be great to look back on your wedding day when you are older and see you looked amazing. I personally could find a ton of things to spend 1k on before having make up done. I probably would spend about 150 on hair and make up on myself if I was in that position or do what the pp has said and go to a make up counter and try and do it myself.

But you're not buying by the hour. This is the fundamental flaw in your argument. Wedding suppliers that provide personal services are almost always charging by the day. It's the relevant unit of their time. It's highly unlikely that they can do more than one wedding a day, and it's unlikely they'll be doing more than three per week. For professional MUAs this isn't a hobby income on the side for pin money.

I suspect you'll have a apoplexy if I tell you how much one of my clients charges as a wedding MUA. Her rates are far higher than anything I've seen quoted on this thread so far and she's booked up over a year in advance. Although she's generally charging for the whole weekend, being put up by her client at the venue, and will be doing full make-up 2-4 times over the event and touch-ups in-between.

My god!
8 years ago I had a big fat Indian wedding and the Asian bridal artists are usually STUPID expensive
I paid 800 for bride only however that was 2 looks as wedding on one day and reception the next. So 400 per day. (I'm talking ridiculous trowelling of makeup and hideous amounts of extra hair added to my own lol). Non bridal was 100 per person.

I'm still staggered at 1200. That would be the equivalent of myself + 8 other people. My artist included travel time etc too.