Sometimes I wonder why I bother

[martygreene]

Sometimes I wonder why I bother doing bridal work. It's not a huge percentage of my work, and it's always such a pain. I guess I'm just tired of women wanting miracles that makeup can't do, or wanting a professional for pennies. I'm sorry, I'm not able to do your demo, wedding day makeup, stick around for your touchups after the ceremony, leave behind touchup makeup for during the reception, do your mother and your bridal party, for peanuts. That's not how it works. This is a job and a service just like everything else. I understand you broke your bank on the dress of your dreams, but that doesn't give you the right to shaft me.

It's that, and the brides who insist on wearing/not wearing something which is unflattering and will show up poorly on their photos, who then come back after the fact and try to finger me for it. I've actually started having brides sign off on a section of the contract indicating if they are requesting special treatment in regards to their makeup contrary to my professional advice, just to keep my ass covered in this.

What is this world coming to? With the amount of companies and photographers wanting me to do spec work, to the inundation of the industry with "girls/guys-with-a-kit" and "guys-with-a-camera", and everyone wanting something for nothing, I wonder why I bother anymore with bridal/fashion/commercial work, and don't just stick to theatre and forget the rest of it.

I can't be alone in this, I know it.

 

[amoona]

I'm not a well established freelance professional artist like yourself(Hopefully I'm not just a girl-with-a-kit either lol) but I refuse to do bridal make-up. I've done some fashion shows and photoshoots and weddings for friends. Those friends started referring me to another brides and they started calling me.

I try to avoid them as much as possible because these women have expectations of looking like flawless airbrushed super models for less then $100! And then when you ask them what they want they never know. I always start off trying to do something really neutral because most brides what to look like that on their wedding day. Then they get all fussy because they don't want that. SPEAK UP THEN!

I can totally understand wanting a flawless day on your wedding but if you want that much attention for your make-up you better speak up and fork up the cash.

 

[MisStarrlight]

I don't usually do weddings...but when I do (like now, when I'm pretty bad need of some cash) I establish my rates up front & stick to my contract. If they don't want to pay or stick to the terms then I'm not wasting any of my time.

I hate fashion too...even more than I hate bridal! Since there are so many GWKs out there, everyone expects me to do TFCD work.

I would looooooove to break into theatre (that has been my driving force since high school), but I can't seem to get any further than unofficial makeup consultant for a Rocky Horror cast that I quit performing with about 6 months ago.

 

[prplgrapesmakup]

I can relate to all of you guys, I avoid weddings at all costs!! My friend wants me to do her sister's in the summer and I am still iffy about it. It would be my first and last. I mainly work in film, and am now getting fed up with all these productions asking for copy, credit, and meals. Its BS, they want you to take a month out of your schedule to work for beans, and shitty food, and no copy, and I probably dont want a credit for such a crappy movie anyway. Espically the student films, they see you have a good amount of work, and are skilled in your area, but they want to you do it all for nothing!! The most sucky part, in order to get into the 706 union, you need to have paid work and proof of it, but nobody wants to pay and scew you over. So fustrating.

 

[martygreene]

As for those in the professional world looking to have you work for free, looks like it's about time to get more people on the No Spec bandwagon (http://www.no-spec.com/).

I'm happy to do test work if it's beneficial. But one doesn't exist on test work alone.

 

[giz2000]

I learned very quickly that I had to be very, very selective on the bridal work I take on. I work with a contract, and my prices are, for the most part, non-negotiable. Addtional services required an additional fee. I have been very lucky to have had some wonderful brides, but I know that there are some people out there that except something for nothing...the problem is the aforementioned "guy/girl with a kit." They'll do weddings for peanuts, so brides expect everyone to do the same. My business partner and I usually do high-end weddings, so we haven't really had a problem with people paying our fees, but there are some people out there that want what we offer for next-to-nothing

I had a bride call me to inquire about my prices. Mind you, she was referred to me by someone whose wedding I had done. She wanted me to do her, her 6 bridesmaids and her mother for $100...total (including the trial). She tole me that she was a "budgeted bride" and that she knew a girl at a department store that would do it for her at that price. While I respected that she was on a budget, I very nicely told her to go with that other girl, and wished her well. I really don't know what people are thinking sometimes....

 

[martygreene]

I had someone try and pull that same thing- mom, bride, bridal party, for $100.

Uhm... neh-eh.

 

[amoona]

Quote:

Originally Posted by giz2000 I had a bride call me to inquire about my prices. Mind you, she was referred to me by someone whose wedding I had done. She wanted me to do her, her 6 bridesmaids and her mother for $100...total (including the trial). She tole me that she was a "budgeted bride" and that she knew a girl at a department store that would do it for her at that price. While I respected that she was on a budget, I very nicely told her to go with that other girl, and wished her well. I really don't know what people are thinking sometimes....

Oh man the samething happened to me recently with my friend's friend. I told her I didn't want to over-charge her since I knew she couldn't afford it so she should go to a make-up counter because it would be more affordable for her. I even said that if I'm working the day of her wedding she can come to me and I'd do her make-up but there's a purchase requirement from MAC.

She was nice about it but she expected me to do her trial, her mother, her two sisters ... drive all the way to San Jose (which is like 45 minutes away), stay throughout the entire wedding ... for $50 a head. I understand that I'm just starting out in the industry (once again I hope I'm not a GWK lol) but for what she wanted me to do it wasn't worth it. If I took a day off work to do that and then I'd need money just to cover gas ... yea I'd be better off going to work that day.

 

[maxcat]

My standard response line is "Well, you get what you pay for"... Go ahead.
People just don't understand that we charge what we're worth - what the market will bear.
I also make it a rule not to do bridal services for friends or "sudden friends" who all of a sudden remember they know me... never mind they haven't seen/talked to me in years... and dig up my email... thinking I'll do it for free... Um, no. I wouldn't spend 500 bucks on your present, what makes you think I'm gonna donate the equivalent time?

 

[calbear]

I am soooo feeeeeling you on this point. I had a referral from a good friend that balked at a severly reduced rate that I had given which included a run through. THe bride even wanted me to drive an hour for the wedding but didn't want to pay me to stay for touch ups but wanted me to leave products free of charge.

Some of the situations I've seen are worse than the GWK phenomenon. People are hiring someone for their wedding who makes them go out and purchase their own products and only brings brushes with them. No trial runs, no contracts, no discussion of any real details. Then I see them at my counter the morning of their wedding stressed out cause she didn't show up!!!!!

 

[martygreene]

I have done a friend's makeup for her wedding as her wedding gift- but it was someone who, had things been otherwise, I'd have been in the bridal party, or somesuch. I was close enough friends with them, and they were moving away, that it was a legitimate gift for me to give her. I did, however, get paid for the wedding dress which I made, and for the makeup I did on the bridesmaids. I also got a VERY generous gift from the bride and groom, as well as an even more generous gift from their families. Granted this is not always the case.

 

[sharyn]

No more Bridezillas for me. Its too much work and stress. Brides suck. Most of them want to look like a goddes when they're scarecrows. I'm not a magician...

When my friend's sister in law asked me if I could do her wedding make up, I though about if for a second, after all, I know her a little and she seemed really excited about it. But then my friend asked her what she wanted to pay me, and she said she wasnt expecting to pay anything since doing someones make up isnt that much work, and that she wanted minimal make up, only foundation, smoky eye makeup with false lashes and a bit of lipgloss.

:spy: I said "sure, want fries with that?"

Just say no to ppl who dont aknowledge you.

 

[martygreene]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharyn and that she wanted minimal make up, only foundation, smoky eye makeup with false lashes and a bit of lipgloss.

As opposed to... what does she think that a "full face" is if she's ONLY wanting face, eyes, lashes, and lips?

It's like the people who ask you, when you're doing the makeup for the bridal party, if you could do 'just their eyes' or 'just their lips' and expect you to say yes to this for free.

 

[FacesbyNiki]

Please don't get me started on this. I had one that wanted me to do her make up and wanted to haggle on price. Now mind you, the dude she is marrying is a good friend of mine. We all run in the same circle but this cheap hoe would NEVER speak to me. I mean, not even a hello until she found out I did a wedding for one of our friends and then we was all up my ass. That pissed me off. She wanted engagement pictures for free. I stop replying to her emails.

Sorry for all the cursing, I'm fired up right now. LMAO

 

[emilyjoy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharyn No more Bridezillas for me. Its too much work and stress. Brides suck. Most of them want to look like a goddes when they're scarecrows. I'm not a magician... When my friend's sister in law asked me if I could do her wedding make up, I though about if for a second, after all, I know her a little and she seemed really excited about it. But then my friend asked her what she wanted to pay me, and she said she wasnt expecting to pay anything since doing someones make up isnt that much work, and that she wanted minimal make up, only foundation, smoky eye makeup with false lashes and a bit of lipgloss. :spy: I said "sure, want fries with that?" Just say no to ppl who dont aknowledge you.

Yeah...
I'm not a MA (well, I am, a Medical Assistant lol, but not makeup artist) and a lot of girls do seem like they think that they can look flawless on their wedding day when on a daily basis they could stand to lose a few pounds and they have nasty skin. (lol I have those problems to, but thats why I don't expect to be Adriana Lima you know?)

But yeah..
Makeup artists are ARTISTS not magicians.

 

[ms.marymac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharyn No more Bridezillas for me. Its too much work and stress. Brides suck. Most of them want to look like a goddes when they're scarecrows. I'm not a magician... When my friend's sister in law asked me if I could do her wedding make up, I though about if for a second, after all, I know her a little and she seemed really excited about it. But then my friend asked her what she wanted to pay me, and she said she wasnt expecting to pay anything since doing someones make up isnt that much work, and that she wanted minimal make up, only foundation, smoky eye makeup with false lashes and a bit of lipgloss. :spy: I said "sure, want fries with that?" Just say no to ppl who dont aknowledge you.

Come on, now, she's not asking too much of your time...she doesn't want blush.

 

[calbear]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ms.marymac Come on, now, she's not asking too much of your time...she doesn't want blush.

or a cheek highlight and bottom lashes.

 

[Kiseki]

Honestly, brides wise, what really bugs me is that most of them have no idea what they want and just stare at you or they describe what they want in a way that is so vague that you sort of end up playing it so safe when you're doing the test thing that they look in the mirror and start "Oh, that's much lighter than what I wanted..." (mind you she had said "I want to look like I have nothing on, just a bit of mascara, discreet eyeshadows, blush and lips) and I also detest the ones that go "What do you think?" and I'm like "I'm not the one getting married."

Even worse than the brides for me, are the brides' mothers...

 

[martygreene]

When it comes to clients not knowing what they want, the best thing (and what I do) is to bring along your book, and a book of magazine tears and other such images from which they can show you the attributes that they want.

 

[Beauty Mark]

When it comes to money things, I think people just don't realize how much it costs to do something or what the work is really worth. I see it in sewing, when someone posts an ad looking for an elaborate dress to be custom-made and wants to pay significantly less than retail for the dress.

The worst is that there's usually at least one person out there who allows the undercutting to happen.