Why does wedding hair and makeup cost more than for photos or events?
The true cost of bridal makeup and hair
No, it’s not a “wedding tax.”
I hear it all the time, and I used to think it too, that businesses just charge more for weddings because they can.
After having served brides, nearly-weds, moms-to-be, families, etc., I’ve learned a several very important differences and I’m here to share them with you.
Don’t worry, this photo was pre the C and I always wear a mask now.
Hi, my name is Kim.
I’m a licensed esthetician and trained makeup artist since 2014. I run a mobile makeup and hair team that serves the greater Bay Area from Montery and Carmel, to my home in San Jose, all the way up through San Francisco, Susalito and Santa Rosa.
Even more important than how someone LOOKS, is how they FEEL. This starts from the very first moment you find a vendor to even after the wedding.
The booking process
Before anything else can happen…
…you have to find us first. We have a visibility strategy that involves Pinterest, Instagram, blogging, Google SEO, Wedding Wire, The Knot, reviews and referrals. This takes time and $$$. Whether I do it myself, use ads, or hire experts to do a better job than I can.
Then, many of our brides and nearly-weds reach out on Instagram or send a text prior to a formal inquiry. I LOVE that my future clients do this. It allows us to connect and more times than not, these people appreciate my willingness to respond.
Again, this takes time. Especially because I never rush you and I truly want you to feel heard and special. I want all of your questions to be answered so you feel confident in making your decision. Again, this is so much more about how you feel than if we can do beautiful work. You need to trust us.
Part of this trust also comes from the size of our team and our ability to send a backup when someone becomes unavailable last minute or add artists when more services are requested. We have sent up to 6 artists to one wedding for 22 services!!
After talking on Instagram…
…when you decide to make the formal inquiry, you submit a form from one of the many buttons on our website. This is connected to an automation containing a brochure with information about us, service pricing, client testimonials, next steps, and a link to book a free consultation.
This brochure contains just about all the information you need to know. Most people come to the consultation with few to no questions because of how thorough this brochure is.
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The wedding consultation
This changed the game for our clients. The consultation is a 15-30 minute virtual meeting where I get to know about you and your love. I ask about your love story, your wedding and your vision for the wedding morning. This helps me to best match you with your wedding hair and makeup artist.
Your vision is so important to me and where the magic really happens.
I often then explain how our job is about way more than how you look. How our experience allows us to be one step ahead. How we can feel your energy and support you in that moment. We are your energetic bodyguard that morning and we will do anything in our power to support the wedding morning of your dreams.
Post consultation, I send out the full proposal complete with invoice and contract so you can review pricing again, read through all the terms and conditions, then either pay your retainer or respond with additional questions.
What happens between booking and your wedding day?
Our brides are fully supported and have complete access to my expertise and preferred vendors.
Most importantly, skin.
Each of our brides receives a questionnaire and can schedule a virtual conultation. I review what you’re currently using, your skin type and conditions. I look for:
if your products support your skin type
how your skin feels after cleansing to determine if your moisture barrier is intact
what products are in your routine and if they have long term benefits for your skin
whether or not your skincare is helping you with your overall goals and concerns
You then get my support throughout the entire process if any skin concerns come up.
What else happens before the wedding?
One of the biggest factors to achieving a your dream wedding morning is in the timeline. I take pride in creating unique timelines for each client while coordinating with all key vendors: coordinators, planners, and photographers.
Again, this all takes time and effort. It is not something we can skip. Sometimes it’s an easy process with quick approval from all participants. Sometimes a lot of changes occur for various reasons.
Regardless, I am going to make sure this timeline works for everyone involved.
Then there are all the emails. Whether I prewrite them and schedule their delivery or respond to your questions, it takes time to do.
And finally coordinating your dream team. I do this so you don’t have to. I know wedding planning is stressful and all consuming. (Been there done that.) So, I use my expertise and experience to take some tasks off your plate.
Often, my brides and nearlyweds don’t even realize these tasks are necessary until after I’ve completed them and they’re so grateful I did it for them.
The beauty preview
Absolutely the most important factor to loving how you look on your wedding day. More often then not, you’ll be working with one artist for both makeup and hair.
Prior to booking your preview, you receive another questionnaire to prepare. Then on the day we can take up to 3 hours to test of one primary makeup and hair style, then several variations of it.
Post preview we discuss:
how your makeup and hair lasted
how it felt
did you love how you looked
From there I share with your artist so on wedding day you can feel like the best wedding version of yourself.
Wedding day.
In the few days right before your wedding, we make sure our kits are ready and our brushes are clean. To ensure safety and avoid cross-contamination, we use a freshly clean and sanitized set of brushes on each person who sits in our chairs.
On the day of your wedding, we arrive early to set up. Sometimes this takes 5 minutes, sometimes it takes 30. I always give the team more time than less- going back to that perfect timeline we discussed earlier. Sometimes this involves rearranging the room or calling the front desk for more chairs.
How the room is set up influences how you experience the day.
After the wedding.
It doesn’t stop here. Now it’s time for me to collect a review, post content from your wedding and continue the process all over with new brides and nearlyweds.
Each wedding leads into another which means we are constantly growing. In the beginning of 2023 we added an administrative assistant to the team to ensure all your needs are being met and nothing gets missed. Your experience with us from inquiry to post wedding is our top priority.
What I’m trying to say is…
…you’re not paying for us just to show up and do your hair and makeup. If this were the case, I can guarantee you wouldn’t be as happy.
Even for our destination brides who opt out of a trial, we still fully support them and often schedule extra planning calls per their request.
The fee is divided between marketing, planning, coordinating, the preview, and the day of wedding services. Versus a client for family photos who doesn’t require all the same support.
Bottom line, it’s not a “wedding tax.” You’re paying for what you get. And we give it all.