With the whirlwind of wedding season, and already meeting lots of new brides for next year alongside my other makeup and beauty work, one of the questions I often hear asked is, "Why is bridal makeup more expensive than normal makeup?" As a wedding supplier, it's a common query for many bridal services - is this just a price hike as soon as you mention the word 'wedding'? Isn't a face just a face?
The short answer here genuinely is 'no', but I wanted to take some time to explain. If you're interested in knowing a little bit more about the wedding process, or just have five minutes with a cuppa and are browsing my page - please read on!
There are various factors that come into play here which make bridal makeup more expensive than just turning up for a normal 'night out' appointment. Your wedding day will be one of the biggest days of your life, and you want to make sure that you look and feel for absolute best, and that is always the service I want to provide. From even before your trial starts, you have a bespoke experience tailored to you and your wedding. During the trial itself your makeup will be practised and tailored to your exact requirements, creating a look to suit your skin type, colouring, personal style, dress, and venue but even once your look is finalised and you leave, the service doesn't stop there. The products used will be recorded to recreate your chosen look on the day, and I may spend time to source additional specific makeup or skincare products to further suit your requirements. I can recommend you a skincare routine to help best prepare your skin for the big day, and even shop for products for you. Likewise the makeup itself will include specialist products including full skincare prep, primers and setting products to ensure your makeup lasts a full day, not just the 'typical' 4-6 hours for a night out. After years working in the industry I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve and a number of 'industry secret' products to help out. After your trial, the timing of the day will be planned out meticulously, and a schedule and invoice will be sent that locks your booking in so you know there won't be any last minute changes or cancellations. I only ever commit to one wedding a day, so you know you don't have to worry that I'll be dashing off to another booking or - god forbid - cancelling because a bigger job has come along. It may sound crazy, but I've heard it happen.
From the moment your booking is made I will be on call to answer any questions, make
recommendations or help accommodate any changes you want to make, and liaise with any other suppliers to make sure your big day runs as smoothly as possible. This extra service continues on the day itself, where I come to the venue of your choice for your bridal appointment rather than working from my home salon. From a practical point of view, time and cost of travel is included in your service, as well as liability insurance for working at your venue, and I'll be carrying what is often a large and heavy kit, with a value of hundreds if not thousands of pounds which is also has to be insured when used outside of my home. Unlike an appointment in my home salon, on
a wedding day there's a likelihood I'll be working with a limited amount of space or a less than ideal environment, as well as working alongside other suppliers, florists, photographers and members of the wedding party all needing your attention. If I need to pause whilst you go to deal with another vendor, or stop whilst Auntie Edith wants to come and say hello, this is all factored in. My aim is always to make sure you are as calm and relaxed as possible which means I'll have built time into your day for you to stop, have a breakfast or snack break, take photos and get dressed, even if my own schedule will be non-stop from the moment I leave the house until you go to walk down the aisle. And that also means I will stay until the last moment, waiting until you are fully dressed and ready to help with your veil, if needed, or for any last minute touch ups. I've been on hand to put on shoes, do up necklaces and tie bustles - the kit does not close until you are ready to say 'I do'!
This also brings me on to the second most common question, which is "Why are bridesmaids or members of the wedding party cheaper than the bride? Do they not get the same service?"
In part of course they do - obviously I have travelled to the venue to do their makeup and they are still going to get my very best service for makeup application. However as the bride is always going to be the star of the show, there are elements of the bridal service that aren't included in the other makeups. Unless you have opted to have a bespoke look for the day members of the bridal party usually have a makeup look that takes less time and preparation than the bride, and without the pre-appointment planning and being on call before the day. The skincare stage is usually shorter and incorporates less products, and you won't generally require the extra time for finishing touches and hands-on assistance that the bride gets. I also include the application of strip lashes for members of the bridal party whereas the bride has the option of individual or bespoke lashes. Ultimately the bridal service will always incorporate more time, consideration and 'extras' on the day.
All this is not to say that doing wedding makeup is a hardship! I absolutely love being a part of what will be one of the most important days of your life, and will do everything I can to make sure that you feel calm, confident and happy from your trial until the time the last makeup brush is packed away. I consider it an honour to be responsible for such an important part of your day, and treat every bride as I would a friend. I know how important it is to be able to look back on your day - and those precious photos - and know you looked and felt your absolutely best, and I take a lot of pride in knowing that I can play a part in this. However hopefully this explains in more detail many of the extra steps than are included in a bridal makeup service and make it more than 'just' a makeup appointment.