Wedding Makeup: How Much $$$ Do You Charge?

NikkiHorror

Well-known member
Last time I did makeup for a wedding party, I charged $40/person (5 people) for a full face of makeup. I kind of feel like I got worked. I took the day off (lost money there), lugged my kit to the location (gas money), and then all the money that I actually spent on the products used ($100+), not to mention my time and expertise! Ugh...it's pretty defeating. I basically worked for free. How much do you guys charge? What makes it worth your time?
 

giz2000

Well-known member
IMHO, you charged too little...if you are providing services such as skincare, you need to take into account your expenses for the products...you also need to take into account what the average rate is in your area. In Miami, you can charge anywhere from $50 - $100 + for bridal makeup (usually, the bride gets charged more, but not always). Some MAs charge $800 plus and spend the whole day doing touch-ups.
 

aeni

Well-known member
she got a steal of a deal! i charge only 50/person for headshots. i'd say add another zero onto your 40 and you're good to go.
 

kimmy

Well-known member
i've never done a wedding, but the MAs i talked to who knew me and knew what i could do told me if i ever went into wedding makeup, charge $75 per person, $200 for the bride (just because her MU is usually more detailed) and after the initial makeup, if they required me to stay for touch ups, $15/hour. there was a couple who was actually going to pay me that much but i got horribly sick right before the wedding and couldn't do it
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MisStarrlight

Well-known member
I now charge $200-250 for the bride & then between $75-100 for each bridesmaid. Before I finished school it was $100-150 for the bride & $50-75 for the bridesmaids.
Weddings are damn good business, but you need to be able to handle all the drama going along with everything.
 

FacesbyNiki

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by MisStarrlight
I now charge $200-250 for the bride & then between $75-100 for each bridesmaid. Before I finished school it was $100-150 for the bride & $50-75 for the bridesmaids.
Weddings are damn good business, but you need to be able to handle all the drama going along with everything.


And there you have it ladies.

Now that I'm with MAC, I'm raising my prices. I got robbed the first time but then again, I didn't like what I did. But now, I have a few weddings under my belt. OH, best believe I will be charging more.
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devin

Well-known member
AMEN!!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FacesbyNiki
And there you have it ladies.

Now that I'm with MAC, I'm raising my prices. I got robbed the first time but then again, I didn't like what I did. But now, I have a few weddings under my belt. OH, best believe I will be charging more.
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FacesbyNiki

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by devin
AMEN!!
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It's funny how you say you work for MAC and their eyes get big as shit and listen to everything you say.
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calbear

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by FacesbyNiki
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It's funny how you say you work for MAC and their eyes get big as shit and listen to everything you say.
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Heck YEAH!!

You also have to make sure to cover all your expenses and think well ahead. If anyone wants lashes - I usually discuss that before hand but if at the last minute someone wants then - then I add that in. If someone who was not in the original estimate wants mu, then I already have a set price ie mother of the brides decides she wants the same look. Parking, other add ons, and if I'm going to leave them with any mu such as the lips - is already discussed and added in because if you don't think about those things they will come up and you end up coming out of pocket.
 

Henna_Spirit

Well-known member
Here in the UK my charges are concidered below average (Asian wedding market that is) @ £85 for makeup and £65 for hairstyling.
I honestly don't feel its justified to charge around £250 (average for hair and makeup in asian wedding market). The problem here int he Uk is that there are alot of makeup cowboys/newbies out there who think they can do it, but seriously need to do a class because it horrible (wont name names of course). It must be an asian thing, and seeing as i'm not asian myself it sometimes baffles me how a 'newbie' charges around £200+ for their so called professional services...
I'm happy with my charges, i might put it up for next year to cover more of my time as i also do the dressing of the bride (putting sari on, setting dupatta, using glitter mehndi etc etc). I would never go higher on my rates if i feel i wouldnt pay for it myself. At the end of the day, if you want to charge $200-$300 just for the bride, on makeup alone, its your choice, but personally i'd feel ripped off.
 

FacesbyNiki

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by calbear
Heck YEAH!!

You also have to make sure to cover all your expenses and think well ahead. If anyone wants lashes - I usually discuss that before hand but if at the last minute someone wants then - then I add that in. If someone who was not in the original estimate wants mu, then I already have a set price ie mother of the brides decides she wants the same look. Parking, other add ons, and if I'm going to leave them with any mu such as the lips - is already discussed and added in because if you don't think about those things they will come up and you end up coming out of pocket.


I got caught up a few times with that parking issue.
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They cleared it up but you do have to take into consideration of that.
 

FacesbyNiki

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by NikkiHorror
Thanks, guys. I like the idea of charging a grip of money to stay all day for touch-ups.
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I charge an extra fee to stay all day. Shoot, you can do 2 weddings in one day. Gimme the money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Miss Pumpkin

Well-known member
I definitely charged too little in the first wedding I did then!
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But I'm beginning and I'm scared of them thinking it's too expensive, considering there's crappy makeup places where they do your bridal makeup in 20 mins and charge you 16€...
 

NikkiHorror

Well-known member
Pumpkin is right...it's a little intimidating when the bride just straight up asks "Okay, so how much do you charge?" Yr like "Uhh well...ummm...who is she comparing me to?" A bride once told me that a MAC makeup artist would do her makeup for $40/person and I was thinking (uh, yeah, at counter...) but what are you supposed to say? I guess when I get a few more weddings under my belt I'll start charging big dollahhhs.
 

MisStarrlight

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by NikkiHorror
A bride once told me that a MAC makeup artist would do her makeup for $40/person and I was thinking (uh, yeah, at counter...) but what are you supposed to say? I guess when I get a few more weddings under my belt I'll start charging big dollahhhs.

Hehehe, tell her just that....something along the lines of "If you want to bring yourself in your wedding dress, with your hair all done, with your entire family/bridal party in tow, then be my guest, but do you really want to be worrying about traffic and other customers, blah blah blah. When you can hire a makeup artist to come to your house so you can relax and focus on the big day that is ahead of you."
That usually works, but some people are just....cheap...and those are usually the most picky ones. You don't want to do their makeup, trust me.

And you're a manager at Smashbox, right? Go ahead, crank up those prices
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bAbY_cHiCkEn01

Well-known member
I'd think that most brides are willing to pay a lot as they've spent so much on the day already, on their dress and what bride wants to look crappy and cheap when they're going to be looked at all day...
 

calbear

Well-known member
Hehehe, tell her just that....something along the lines of "If you want to bring yourself in your wedding dress, with your hair all done, with your entire family/bridal party in tow, then be my guest, but do you really want to be worrying about traffic and other customers, blah blah blah. When you can hire a makeup artist to come to your house so you can relax and focus on the big day that is ahead of you."
That usually works, but some people are just....cheap...and those are usually the most picky ones. You don't want to do their makeup, trust me.
You said so much truth in this post right here. AMEN!!!!
 

Henna_Spirit

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by FacesbyNiki
I charge an extra fee to stay all day. Shoot, you can do 2 weddings in one day. Gimme the money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I realy do hope your joking there...
I might be a bit weird, but doing this job to rip people of because you are more interested in getting more money that's just wrong...
I do my job because i love it, not because of the money... Are you a makeup artist because you love it, or is the money more fascinating?
 

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