Understanding the Premium on Bridal Makeup: A Detailed Insight
Planning a wedding can be an overwhelming experience, especially when it comes to budgeting for various services.
One common question that often arises is why bridal makeup tends to be more expensive than other types of makeup applications.
As a bridal makeup artist, I believe it’s essential for brides-to-be to understand the intricacies behind our pricing structure. In this updated blog post, I will delve into the reasons why bridal makeup often comes with a higher price tag.
1. Specialization and Expertise
Bridal makeup artists often invest significantly in their training and qualifications. Whether it's through self-taught skills honed over years, or specialized courses that can cost thousands, a makeup artist’s expertise is a critical factor in their pricing.
The level of skill required to ensure a bride looks flawless throughout her wedding day is substantial, and the costs of continuous education in new techniques and trends are typically reflected in our fees.
I personally spend thousands on training every year so that I am able to offer the best possible service to my brides.
I have trained with people like Makeup by Mario, Melly Sophia, Kristina Gasperas and more!
2. Premium Quality Products
The makeup kit of a professional bridal artist is an arsenal of high-end products chosen for their longevity, quality, and the ability to photograph beautifully. These products are more expensive and need to be replenished regularly, which is a significant overhead.
I, for instance, continuously test and select only the best products, which requires ongoing investment to ensure my brides receive the best possible outcome. This costs us hundreds per week.
3. High Demand
A wedding day is a unique event that requires an artist to commit entirely to one client for the day, often turning away other potential bookings. This exclusivity can mean a loss of income from other clients, which is compensated for in the wedding makeup pricing. This is also often why many may require a minimum of the bride and 3-4 others at peak times.
Additionally, a sought-after makeup artist may have a high demand, meaning they need to manage their bookings carefully and charge accordingly to balance their workload and client commitments.
4. Intensive Preparation
Unlike a typical makeup session, bridal makeup often involves multiple interactions with the bride before the event, including trials, discussing looks, and finalizing details. This preparation is crucial to ensure everything runs smoothly on the day of the wedding. Moreover, the time spent packing, unpacking, and sterilizing makeup tools before and after events adds several hours of unseen work.
I spend hours every day responding to enquiries, brides and creating schedules for my brides to make their morning run smoothly.
5. Travel and Logistical Costs
Traveling to and from wedding venues involves not only time but also additional costs such as fuel and possibly accommodation. These are all considerations a bridal makeup artist must factor into their pricing, especially when the locations are far or difficult to reach.
I offer destination wedding makeup both in the UK and abroad, for things that require me to fly I require 2 nights accommodation - so that I am able to arrive the day before the wedding and leave the day after, so I am not running from your makeup straight to the airport. This means turning 3 days worth of work away for a 1 day booking!
6. Operational Expenses
Running a makeup artistry business involves various expenses beyond the makeup kit. These include insurance, marketing, accounting fees, and other administrative costs. These business essentials ensure that the service provided is professional, reliable, and up to industry standards.
I have an online booking system and CRM system to keep in touch with my brides, these both costs me a monthly fee and payments taken through them also take a fee, which I am happy to swallow in order to make the process easier for my brides!
7. Support Artist Fees
For larger bridal parties or tight schedules, I might need to bring along a support artist. This additional help ensures that everyone gets the attention they deserve on the big day. The cost of hiring and training assistants who meet high professional standards is factored into the overall pricing. This saves my brides time on trying to source additional help and ensures that all of the bridal party look and feel fantastic!
8. Additional Services
On your wedding day, I’m not just a makeup artist; I am there to support you, ensure the makeup session is a calm and enjoyable part of your day, and handle any last-minute touch-ups. Sometimes, I even bring specialized lighting or chairs to ensure that everything looks perfect in any setting. I also like to capture head shots of my bride which often professional photographers will not, I have even done photography training and use a professional camera!
9. Marketing and Business Development
Maintaining an updated portfolio, managing social media presence, and ensuring that potential clients can easily find and communicate with me involves significant time and sometimes monetary investment in digital marketing and SEO.
10. Liability and Professionalism
Bridal makeup artists not only provide a service but also bear the responsibility for how the bride looks on one of the most photographed days of her life. This responsibility carries inherent risks and requires a high level of professionalism and reliability.
Insurance and contracts are part of this framework, protecting both the artist and the client from potential issues such as cancellations or disputes.
11. Customization and Detail
Each bride is unique, and so are her makeup requirements. Bridal makeup often requires a high level of customization to match the bride’s style, the wedding theme, and personal preferences. This might include multiple trials to get everything just right, extensive research to find the perfect shades, and detailed planning to ensure the look complements the wedding attire, lighting, and venue aesthetics.
Not every makeup artist is cut out to be as versatile as a bridal makeup artist needs to be, so this takes a level of expertise which takes years to acquire.
13. Extended Hours and Unpredictable Schedules
Weddings often require makeup artists to work very early in the morning or late into the evening. The nature of the job also involves weekends and public holidays, which are premium times. Bridal makeup artists have to adapt to these unpredictable and extended hours, which influences their pricing strategy.
If your wedding makeup is starting early, which it most likely will be. They will be spending the evening before prepping and sanitising their kit as well as getting an early night, this can take away from family time or social plans.
14. Follow-up Services
Some bridal makeup packages include follow-up services such as touch-ups for evening receptions or even a change of look. These services mean the makeup artist's day is much longer than usual or might even span several days. These extra hours need to be charged for to make it worth while so many artists will charge by the hour past the initial booking time.
15. Reputation and Experience
Established makeup artists with a proven track record and glowing testimonials often charge more. Their reputation as industry leaders or award-winning professionals adds to their desirability and allows them to command higher fees. The confidence that comes from having an artist with a robust portfolio and a history of satisfied clients can be invaluable.
Conclusion
Bridal makeup artists provide a service that goes beyond just applying products. It's about creating a look that will last and look great both in person and in photos, providing peace of mind, and contributing positively to one of the most important days of your life. This detailed, personalized service justifies a higher price point compared to regular occasion makeup. When you hire a professional bridal makeup artist, you're not only paying for the makeup but also the assurance that every detail is perfect.