|
Forums >
Hair, Makeup & Styling >
Bridal Makeup Trial
I've done makeup for several weddings but never really done any consultations/trials. I was wondering how I could go about doing an hour trial. what to cover and if its ok to take celebrity images for samples of styles? Any response is greatly appreciated. I have a 2 weddings coming up this month, and im going to have to do a trial/consultation for both. Another thing, I was contacted by a co-worker of a friend of mine for wedding makeup and when I told her my rates she started to freak out...I didnt want to be soft and tell her that I'd lower my rates because she was refered by someone I know. So I just told her that I will be available for that day, and to call me back once she has talked about it with her bridesmaids to coordinate a date and time for the makeup trial. Its just incredible to me -how people just think you'll be doing makeup for wedding for less than $50 for the bride...they gotta be kidding me- I felt like telling her to go to one of those makeup counters at the mall- but im sure that would have been very rude! Apr 05 07 08:02 pm Link I don't really have any helpful suggestions but I just wanted to say that I know how you feel about the whole "people expect you to lower their rates" thing. I think it's great that you told her to get back to you and didn't lower your price. When I lower my price I feel kinda "used" I guess? I don't know, but the only time I'd ever severely cut the price is if it was for my best friend or something - in fact for my best friend i'd do it for free. Anyhoo, I think she'll find when she shops around all the prices will be similar and she'll come back to you  Apr 05 07 08:07 pm Link Kenia Mishelle wrote: What do you mean exactly, "how you can go about?" I don't know a bride who will hire someone without a trial, so getting brides to agree to trials should be easy. Kenia Mishelle wrote: IMO, don't even think about budging on your rates, especially if it means $50 for a bride. Unless your pricing is out of your market range, there's no reason why you should. Brides fail to realize that how they look affects the pictures they have to "cherish" forever. If you look like crap, so will your pictures, regardless of how much you pay for those. Your response doesn't have to be rude. If she does ask you for referrals at those prices, you can tell her that you don't know anyone who works for those rates, but she can try a counter (if wants to trust her memories of wedding day bliss to them, ie, if she wants to be cheap). Apr 05 07 08:17 pm Link Thanks so much for your reply elizabeth...I really hope someone else can give me some suggestions as for the consultation/trial. I recall that person telling me that she had gone to a salon where they did her makeup horribly- and she then came home crying to take it off....I wondered how much she paid..Because I am a true believer of "you get what you pay for". Apr 05 07 08:17 pm Link My suggestion is to come up with packages that include previews, as the preview will relieve any stress for you on the wedding day because you will know exactly what the bride is going to look like. Also, it should take you less time on the day of than the preview, so you might even consider charging more for the preview than the day of (at this point since I assume you are charging separately) and I am almost positive it will take you more than an hour for the preview because you will be discussing what colors and looks she will want, whether or not she will want false eyelashes and so on. What will help you is if you ask them to supply pictures of looks they will want so you have something to go off of. I hope this helps! Apr 05 07 08:19 pm Link Oh, and when they ask for your rates, you could say it's "$$$ for the trial/consultation, $$$ for the bride..." If you'd like, it's fine to say that you don't do weddings without consultations first. Consultations and getting to know what the bride likes/doesn't like are what make the wedding day go just a little easier. And you can make suggestions, but I feel it's really not your job to come up with a look for the bride. When they contact me I tell them to look for pictures of makeup they like and e-mail them to me or have them at the consultation. EDIT: Okay, I echoed some things BMA said. She posted too fast! Apr 05 07 08:22 pm Link Thank you faithb! I have more experience with photoshoots than weddings. and the brides that i've done makeup for are brides that have never worn makeup and simply didnt want a consultation since they hire me in the last minutes (same day of wedding) sounds crazy huh? But its true,lol. Now i've been called to do several weddings and I must do a trial for each. I've looked around and compared different makeup artists' rates and mine seem to falls lower than theirs- so I must be charging too low for my market. So Its just shocking to me how people think im always over their budget. I guess it depends "who I'll be working for" (as my bf says, lol)...thanks again for your response...very helpful Apr 05 07 08:27 pm Link Kenia Mishelle wrote: You're always over their budget because in a lot of cases you were never IN their budget. IMO, brides are the cheapest clients you'll ever have, after spending $30K plus on a wedding...they figure "I don't wear makeup every day and I'm cute." After all the flowers, hair, and wedding gown, they will look like a runned-over mess if their face isn't right! Someone must tell them that at the last minute. Apr 05 07 08:31 pm Link ohh bridal, fun fun fun, I try to understand exactly what a bride wants before the consultation. Some brides will want to look like..... and unfourtunatly we have tools not magic wands. some bride have no idea, this is where examples from bridal magizines can come in handy. And some have a detailed face chart all ready for you. I have a couple of bridal packages, all includes one trial. For consultations I charge 1/2 of what I will charge on the weddign day. I usually will change or alter the make-up one or two times durring the 1st consultation. If the bride requests a second consultation, same price is charged. If they require a third, I try to figure out what is she exactly not liking about the 1st 2 consultations. If she still isnt happy I sudgest another artist. Really who wants to deal with a bridezilla. Brides can be crazy, I know, If they squack about what your charging, remind them that this is their wedding day, and they will look back at the photos for years to come, not to mention that the price of your services are a small fee in the sceme of things. Most brides spend $1000's of dollars on their dresses, and cheap out on the make-up, you have to "sell" the whole package. A professional make-up artist will do make-up that will be perfect for photography. And if she is still squacking dont lower your prices just to get her buisness, she will cost you more than money in the long run. Apr 05 07 08:34 pm Link I always tell brides (who even hint at complaining) You spent how much on your photos? Yes...and you want them to actually look good right?? They get my drift and let me do my thing. LOL best of luck to you! Apr 05 07 08:40 pm Link yes mandy- some times dealing with brides can be a nightmare- so a consultation is a great idea, if not "a must" thank you ladies, I hope there's more suggestions to come Apr 05 07 08:43 pm Link Didn't we go over a lot of this in the bridal thread you started 2 weeks ago Kenia? https://www.modelmayhem.com/posts.php?thread_id=133911 Apr 05 07 10:30 pm Link when they start to freak out.... ask them how much their FLOWERS cost them...ask them how much their PHOTOGRAPHER is costing.... what is more important to the bride? an image that is worthy of the money spent on the PHOTOGRAPHER or....?? don't undercut yourself...charge what you are worth...and don't let shopping brides undercut your prices...they are NEVER pleased Apr 06 07 12:26 am Link juliemcmua wrote: I got down the Rates- , this new thread was primarily about the makeup consultation. Apr 06 07 08:36 am Link Lisa Johnson MUA wrote: Thats a good point, thanks bella Apr 06 07 08:36 am Link I would never do a bride's make up without a consultation. The wedding day itself is hectic enough without trying to figure what she wants to look like. I make sure that this is done between two weeks to a month before the wedding. At that time, I write down everything that we used. I don't do a trial on the bridesmaids but I do find out what the colors are going to be and come up with a concept. All of my package rates include a consultation and at that time a deposit is due, of which $100 is non-refundable. That way if they decide to do it themselves, I'm still getting paid for the time it took to the trial make up. Regarding picture samples, I usually tell the bride to look through magazines and have pics available if she isn't sure what look she wants. I don't bring them myself though. If you do this, be sure to explain to them that doing that look on them is not going to make them a carbon copy of the model/celebrity in the photo. Everything doesn't work for everybody. Hope this helps! Marcia Dionne Apr 06 07 10:00 am Link I have done one bridal make-up without a consultation... ONE. And that is the last one I will EVER do without a consultation. I think it is perfectly fine to have a beauty/bridal "morgue" (a binder filled with images and tearsheets for inspiration). It might help you communicate better with the bride. I know in tha past it has helped me communicate better with photographers. Some people are more visual. For example- a bride might tell you "I just want to look natural" and want gold shadow on her eyes, black liquid liner and a full set of false lashes. Or she might tell you she wants to look "dramatic" and to her that means a berry lip stain. See what I am getting at? But it is true, make-up is something that is rarely budgeted... which is suprising that most wedding planners dont suggest it in the beginning. Apr 06 07 10:16 am Link I like the idea of the beauty/bridal "morgue"....thanks rachelrose! Apr 06 07 10:22 am Link Good business practice, Marcia. I hate not doing a pre-wedding consultation, but I *do* on occassion when asked. Talking on the phone with the bride gives you a better way to judge how they might be on the wedding day, and I have weeded out a couple potential clients on the phone. I like the idea of color coordinating the bridesmaids colors, too. Nice tip. When I *DO* only wedding day makeup I tell them I have classic colors I use, that I have done hundreds of brides - and I try to be as assertive (if needed) and as professional as possible. If they are very talkative, I try to get them to focus in spurts...lol...but I can't promise them perfection under the circumstances. You can't tell what they're like until you sit down with them for a consultation, so you're winging it. It's much easier the more prepared ahead of time you are, and the more brides you "do". Marcia Dionne wrote: Apr 06 07 10:47 am Link I have one comment in response to your trial question. You were asking about bringing celebrity pictures to go off of? Well this can be dangerous because sometimes you'll get a girl saying I want to look like that picture of Heidi Klum...never mind the fact that she has brown hair, olive skin and completley different facial features - obviously she will never look like Heidi. I find it easier just to look at the client and talk to them about what they usually wear day to day, what they're comfortable with and what the style/mood of her wedding will be e.g. soft & beachy, sophisticated and modern etc. The bottom line is they just want to look like the most beautfiul version of themselves. I always start with a softer version because it's easier to build then to take away. Hopefully this helps. Apr 12 07 12:25 am Link I'm probably going to STOP bridal makeup for good now. I have run into so many brides from HELL that I can no longer justify doing this. From their sheer lack of professionalism, organization and emotionalism...I truly have had IT! I will only work from now on with HIGH END BRIDES...that don't want to try and nickle and dime you to death. Jul 27 07 06:28 pm Link I don't do make-up but I do a LOT of bridal styling. I reccomend, but do not require a "trial run". This usually works out to their advantage with more and more brides doing their bridal portraits weeks before the big day. I have 2 sets of prices, because I work in a salon. If you come to me, I charge less. If I go to you, I charge more. If I have to take a whole saturday out of the salon, it better be worth my while. I also sometimes insist on a bridesmaid minimum. Like, if they want me to go to them, I have to have the bride, and atleast 3 maids to do, or it isn't worth it. Early on, I would give the bride a discount for each other person added... so, like 3 years ago my bridal rate (out of the salon) was $125 for bride, $85 for each brides maid, and I would take $10 off the bride for every additional maid or mother or flower girl. Now i'm old and cranky and don't make deals or go out of my way. it always gets you in trouble. You make a deal with one bride and she tells her friends...so they come calling to you hoping for the same deal. Oh, and never do your friends, or well know aquaintances... they always try to get you to make it their wedding gift. Jul 27 07 10:57 pm Link Lisa Johnson MUA wrote: Wow, I'm suprised. What defines a high end bride? I have never had an emotional outburst, or encountered a "bridezilla". I average 2-3 bridal parties per month. Jul 27 07 11:02 pm Link Kenia Mishelle wrote: When I do a consultation, there are many things to consider. For this reason I think communication with the bride is very important. You can use the consultation to get as much information about the wedding as you can, such as: Jul 27 07 11:30 pm Link |
