How much to charge for Wedding make up?

[pennywill]

Hello,

Hope someone can help. I have been struggling with myself as to how much to charge for Wedding make up. I have now done three weddings, all of people I know or who know my friends and family. I have been reallly soft on them all and only charged them a nominal fee, which makes me really mad at myself but I always feel awful when I am faced with them.

The trouble is I always use the top products and I really take time to give an individual service but people don't realise how much time and effort goes into it. I am really passsionate about it so want to become harder so I can start making a decent living.

I am now starting to get more Brides through word of mouth and Wedding fares so now it is time to get tough.

I have been looking at other pricelists for Wedding make up and they all vary.

I am mobile, in salon make up ranges between 35.00 to 60.00 and other mobile artists seem to charge double the price I was thinking of charging.
Does it depend on the area? I am in North Lancashire.

I was thinking of £45.00 for bride and £30.00 for bridesmaids etc, including trial.

I would really appreciate any advice as I don't want to sell myself short but don't want to overprice either. Thanks.

 

[emerald]

Ive pm'ed you hun

 

[V2008]

My sister is getting married in August and the make up lady is charging her £25 and £20 for the make up rehersal. Think everyone else (bridesmaids, mother of the bride etc) is £20 on the day and £15 for the rehersal.

Hope this helps!! xx

 

[pennywill]

My sister is getting married in August and the make up lady is charging her £25 and £20 for the make up rehersal. Think everyone else (bridesmaids, mother of the bride etc) is £20 on the day and £15 for the rehersal.

Hope this helps!! xx

Thanks, this is similar to prices I was thinking of.

Jayne xx

 

[number1kitty]

I charge £45 per hour. Then will fit in as many people as I can with the time allocated. If I have to go to them I charge a minimum of 2 hours. This also covers the time you are sat fathing around while the bride and bridesmaids get over giddy, over emotional and get their hair sorted!!!

Its based on what I would lose per hour too, doing normal treatments.

In 2 hours I can do up to 6 people however I always say 1 per half hour, then if there is time I will do more.

Never undersell yourself theres make up artists out there that charge £150-£300 for bridal makeup!

Kate

 

[Impulse1976]

I have just done my price list and have done Bride inc trial £50 and bridesmaids inc trial £45. In an in Yorkshire. Havent got any clients yet though we will see during the summer months if i get any clients wanting wedding make up for the prices i am offering.

 

[preciousbeauty]

i have been doing bridal make up for 8 years when i first started i was charging £29 this included the trial i had plenty of clients and was told that i was the cheapest around, since then i have upped my prices once this was last week now including trial i charge £40 and i am still getting told tat that is so cheap i have been looking on other mobile web sites and found that most seem to charge any wear from £50 for the trial and £80 for the day it self personally i find this a bit steep, i specialise in wedding hair and make up and i am constantly working on weddings and i don't see the point in over charging just because it is a wedding so many places seem to charge what they like as they know that brides will pay for there big day.

 

[BessieBoo]

I think those prices are quite cheap! When I got married back in 2004, I was charged £75 for the trial and then £150 for the actual day! At the time I thought it was expensive, but then everything "wedding" based was. Now I feel really ripped off, but hey ho!

 

[weezie]

I've seen make-up and trial for £350!!! So I would say just price it at what your clients would be happy to pay.

 

[pazzy]

I think those prices are quite cheap! When I got married back in 2004, I was charged £75 for the trial and then £150 for the actual day! At the time I thought it was expensive, but then everything "wedding" based was. Now I feel really ripped off, but hey ho!

Do you feel it was worth the money you paid? Just interested in what you thought.

xx

 

[Ditzy]

Just to defend some of the higher prices, some specific make up artists did a year long course, then went on to do a degree, spending 2-3 years more studying, and this is all just make-up, no other treatments involved. That is why they charge more. I equate it to seeing a GP, or a specialist, the specialist has much more in depth training and experience in the specific condition.

(having said that, I trained for 1 year in make-up alone, and am still only going to charge £45 including trial, but that's because I have had a little while out of it, and am getting back in. Once I get more experience, I will up my prices. My tutor at college was charging £85 in 2003)

 

[VHunter]

Well, Canadian prices are different.
But I have been seeing average of 90$ per makeup.
I flat out refused it because that is without a trial or anything. No way I am paying over 200$ for a trial and my wedding day just for my face. My dress didnt cost that much and the average dress out here is 300$ to $1500.

As a bride, what I see out in my area is very dissappointing and over inflated.
If they had been more affordable, I would have had it professionally done.

Instead, I spent 90$ on top quality makeup that matches perfectly, and am doing it myself. AND I will get more than one use out of it. Pays for itself.

hths

 

[Carole.B]

For my daughters wedding last year we got charged £240 for make up and hair for both of us with trial, worth the money she made me look 10 years younger lol xx

 

[preciousbeauty]

as to your remark regarding prices being higher because of many years of training, this is ridicules as i have spent £8000 on make up training alone including theatrical make up yet i charge a descent price that people can afford just because i am good at what i do and spent lots of money and time learning it dose not give me the right to rip peoples eyes out just because it is there wedding day.

 

[fanella]

I totally agree with you precious last year my son got married and as a treat to the bride and her entourage I offered to organise the hair and make up, obviously I couldn't (not after a champagne breakfast with the groomsmen!!) and my staf having been with me for so laon are like family and attendees of the wedding so I brought in a mobile and another member of her family to do the hair and make-up at a cost of £450. What a b****y disaster 30 mins before the ceremony, son already at church I had a phone call from a very distressed bride crying she looked like Coco the clown (no disrespect to Coco) so I had to go hairing over get her pan stick off make up on et back to the church. This person then justified her costs saying she had spent years training and was highly qualified so entitled to charge what she liked!!!!

 

[weezie]

as to your remark regarding prices being higher because of many years of training, this is ridicules as i have spent £8000 on make up training alone including theatrical make up yet i charge a descent price that people can afford just because i am good at what i do and spent lots of money and time learning it dose not give me the right to rip peoples eyes out just because it is there wedding day.

Yes you definitely should not rip people off. Just charge a fair price for a good job. x I don't understand why wedding make up should cost more than evening make up!

 

[preciousbeauty]

Yes you definitely should not rip people off. Just charge a fair price for a good job. x I don't understand why wedding make up should cost more than evening make up!

i dont understand :idea:that eather i know others will say that it is a wedding and that you put more time and effort in to it as it is such a special day. well sorry i love my job and i put my hart and sole in to it what ever the occasion so the price is the same what ever the occasion.:hug:

 

[Lynne Baker]

I totally agree with you precious last year my son got married and as a treat to the bride and her entourage I offered to organise the hair and make up, obviously I couldn't (not after a champagne breakfast with the groomsmen!!) and my staf having been with me for so laon are like family and attendees of the wedding so I brought in a mobile and another member of her family to do the hair and make-up at a cost of £450. What a b****y disaster 30 mins before the ceremony, son already at church I had a phone call from a very distressed bride crying she looked like Coco the clown (no disrespect to Coco) so I had to go hairing over get her pan stick off make up on et back to the church. This person then justified her costs saying she had spent years training and was highly qualified so entitled to charge what she liked!!!!

Had your bride not had a trial prior to the wedding?

 

[pazzy]

I do charge the same for the bridal and the evening but tbh the whole bridal session is pretty stressful.

You have to keep the bride calm - you have to be more patient and try to stay calm and your working against the clock .

Also you go to the house at some pretty early hours or late on a Saturday/Sunday (as the rise in late weddings increases) this does interfere with your social life

And the make-up is going to be photgraphed all day - you do actually spend more time on the bride. So maybe it is wise to charge more.

I can feel completely drained doing bridal work but I love it.

So to charge more is not actually ripping anyone off the more I think about it -it actually makes more sense as it can really be hard work and I have once been almost reduced to tears by a bride.

I think I may have to change my pricing structure after writing this LOL

xxx

 

[pazzy]

I totally agree with you precious last year my son got married and as a treat to the bride and her entourage I offered to organise the hair and make up, obviously I couldn't (not after a champagne breakfast with the groomsmen!!) and my staf having been with me for so laon are like family and attendees of the wedding so I brought in a mobile and another member of her family to do the hair and make-up at a cost of £450. What a b****y disaster 30 mins before the ceremony, son already at church I had a phone call from a very distressed bride crying she looked like Coco the clown (no disrespect to Coco) so I had to go hairing over get her pan stick off make up on et back to the church. This person then justified her costs saying she had spent years training and was highly qualified so entitled to charge what she liked!!!!

Oh er - sounds like a wedding diasaster.

TBH I salute anyone who can do stunning hair ups and fantastic make-ups to a whole wedding party BUT i think its better to get a specialist to do the hair and someone to do the make-up - its a bit like buying a shampoo and conditioner in 1 - both ok but not fantastic (I'm sure there will be those who are an exception)

But this is why you must get a trial make-up done.

Its not an excuse to get more money from the bride - its about making sure your day will be the best ever - and just because someone says they have spent xxx on training does not guarantee a good job.

I have NEVER applied make-up on someone and just left it at that - even if they have not recieved a trial - I work with the bride - showing her every step of the make-up - talking, chatting, reassuring all the way.

The above just makes me sad - as I am probably 'cheaper' than most - and I work very hard for the bride - giving them exactly what they want. They get me for a bargain.!!!

xxx