Your wedding day is definitely one of the most important and memorable days in your life; hence, it is very important that you look great. The photos taken on this day will stay with you forever and failure to hire the right makeup artist could lead to severe circumstances such as a “clown” look or worse yet, makeup that smears because of the heat.
Before you plan your makeup, you probably have already spent a lot on the other expenses like food, the venue and all the decorations. In order to save on expenses, some people often try to save on their makeup expenses; however, this is a huge mistake which you should definitely avoid.
While all of these expenses are necessary, it’s important to remember your makeup is equally important. At the end of the day, it is your wedding, and the focus will be on you. Remember, your hairstyle, your gown and your makeup will be help you feel confident and beautiful.
Before we discuss the costs here are some things you should do before you hire a makeup artist:
1. Start Early
The first thing you should do is to prepare a budget for your wedding. After that, you should immediately contact the makeup artists with your budget in mind. Don’t leave it for the end because if you contact them just one week before the wedding, then there is a high probability that you will be either short on cash or the good artists won’t be available since they book fast.
2. Be Realistic
Initially, you may find their prices to be very expensive; however, you have to understand that there are many other additional expenses as well, apart from the main makeup cost. Their job actually starts much before the wedding day. They will have to spend a considerable amount of time to plan your wedding look, and apart from that, they will have to travel to your venue, set up a mini studio-like structure in the bridal room and they also have to sterilize the products later on. Think about it from their angle.
3. Choose Your Makeup Artist Wisely
You will find several makeup artists who will be willing to work with you, but you need to choose one wisely. The first thing you should consider is the experience. Experienced artists have been in this industry for a long time and will be able to give the exact look you are looking for. The new artists will charge less, but there are some skills which come only with experience.
However, don’t choose based on the price alone because high prices don’t mean great makeup choices. They may not always turn out to be good. If possible, you should try to talk with some of their previous clients. Most artists also offer trial services, so always take advantage of this as it will help you get an idea about what they can do.
Now, while you find an artist, you may be wondering what you should be spending on a wedding makeup artist. To help you budget, here’s what you should plan on spending:
1. For a one-time makeup session at the artist’s studio, you will have to budget around $70 to $110 (.
2. If you want an experienced artist to travel to your wedding venue, then the cost will be around $150 for a bride and closer to $100 per bridesmaid. Remember they are going to work more on the bride, so the costs will be higher due to the time and effort. If they have to travel more than 20 to 30 miles, you may find you’re going to spend more for a travel surcharge, so be sure to ask about this.
3. If you want an extremely popular artist to travel to your wedding venue from another city, then it can cost as high as $500.
In all of the above cases, make sure to include the tipping expense as well. As per the Bridal Association of America, a bride generally spends around $183 on her makeup when the tips and traveling expenses are factored in.
In the end, the costs will depend on the artist, their experience, the geographical location, how many people are in your party that needs makeup and how far they need to travel. By getting a few quotes, it should give you an idea what you’re going to spend. Again, don’t focus on the prices, but rather, see what kind of work they can do for you since all artists have their own techniques and styles.
AUTHORS BIO
Stephanie Lynch is a freelance writer who resides in Arizona with her two sons and husband. You can check out her current project at Howmuchisit.org, a place that helps consumers find out what just about anything in life costs.
