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Rates for wedding makeup
I am a new makeup artist. I don't want to charge too much that they don't want to hire me. What is a reasonable price to charge the bride + 7 bridesmaids. I want to build my bridal portfolio and start doing the wedding business. All suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks. -Juliet Aug 10 06 03:45 pm Link I think $35 to $60 is reasonable for the bride. I charge $50 for Brides and $40 for Bridesmaids. Aug 10 06 06:09 pm Link I have charged $100 for the bride and $50 for everyone else and I was still told that I undercharged. Aug 10 06 06:12 pm Link OK, now let's all take a deep breath... You need to do a little private investigating and find out what the average charge for bridal is in your area. You can then choose to use the lower end of that scale if you like. You just don't want to get a reputation for undercutting all the other artists in your area and pissing them off. Aug 10 06 06:24 pm Link I charge $140.00 for the bride (includes the trial consultation) and 45.00 for other members of the bridal party. I am in Mich. Aug 10 06 06:35 pm Link If you are anywhere near an affluent area in california, you can make ALOT more than $50 a head. The last bride I did I charged $125, because she was a friend of a friend and I charged $75 for each of the bridesmaids. I also highly recommend doing a preview to nail down the look that they want and charging a seperate fee for it. But with 7 bridesmaids you are going to need an assistant. I would recommend going to www.theknot.com and looking up beauty services in their vendor section for wherever you are. Look at the skill level presented in the portfolios and their rates, you will notice the better the portfolio.. the higher the rates. This is the way I look at it. Its their wedding day. A $50 make-over is what you get if you go to the clinique counter. The experience of a professonal make-up artist is worth so much more than that, I mean they are getting pretty much star treatment. Aug 10 06 06:38 pm Link rachelrose wrote: I agree with all of this, the reason I say $50 is because she said she was a new artist, so you can generally charge a little less if you feel like you aren't quite at that level yet. I work in a salon doing bridal and that's just our price which I have no say over. If I was just out freelancing it, I would be charging at least $75. Aug 10 06 06:42 pm Link I package mine out to a local wedding photographer...so he can sell my makeup for better portfolio. I have discounted my freelance rate for him only. I charge 300.00 basically for: Preliminary trial bridal makeup (mandatory) Bridal makeup application 1-3 Attendants Mother-of-the-Bride (complimentary in ALL my bridal work) Lip gloss and light blush or eye color for flower girls Touch-up color/oil free powder mirror compact and lipstick or gloss in a satin bag. (I put these together in bulk) I also have my a la carte rates for the package if they want extras. My Freelance rates for brides using another photographer are HIGHER. You can do the math and find a reputable wedding photographer that may find this business relationship with you VERY attractive. You receive great bridal portraiture for your bridal portfolio, new clients, and you're developing a good business collaboration. Not bad. Of course, you have to do your research for other ON-LOCATION bridal artists. Going to a SPA or Salon is another alternative for these brides, but MOST of them want ON LOCATION makeup. The logistics are easier for them and they don't have to fight traffic or have unneeded stress. Lisa Aug 10 06 06:59 pm Link I meant to say: This package is for on location makeup without staying around thru the entire ceremony and reception for touch-ups. (I cannot stand this!) That is why I offer the touchup makeup bag. I also purchase in bulk mini Lancome mascaras, or maybelline mascaras to give away to all my brides for sanitary reasons. I ask the attendants to bring a new one of their choice, but also keep backups if they forget. Most are good about that detail. There are so many possibilities to sell your bridal work, and it's a good bread and butter business while you freelance and build your commercial/print portfolio and/or TFP work. Face Arts wrote: Aug 10 06 07:05 pm Link I am in L.A. so maybe I can charge more than some, but I need to make at least close to my day rate for a wedding to be worth it. I charge ( at least ) $200 for the bride and $100 for each additional person (bridesmaids, mother of the bride, etc...) For the trial I charge $100. So for most weddings I make about $600. I have them give me 1/2 pay upfront to book me (non-refundable) and then the remainder due on the wedding day. The way I see it is we are worth a lot on that day, they want to look amazing, you should be leaving with a day rate for a wedding. Have you ever been married? They are expensive events, another couple hundred bucks is not going to break that wedding budget. If the bride only wants to pay $50 she needs to go to the mall, and those budget brides are no fun to work with! I am not packing up my stuff and driving to her for that amount. You are not only doing her makeup, you are driving to her, lugging all your stuff, making her feel (and look) beautiful, dealing with her stress level, dealing with the crazy mother of the bride, and making the day start out great for her, then I leave her with a lipstick/gloss and blotting papers for her to touch up with. You are one of the last people she comes in contact with, that she will sit still for, that can get her to take a deep breath and remind her to enjoy her day. Charge what you want, but don't sell yourself short. Aug 11 06 12:11 am Link I charge 380 hair and make-up bride alone, 250 succeeding person minimum of 5 person.LA/OC/San Diego county only.No touch up with free small kit like lipstick and blotter.if they ask for me to stay i charge them per hour after the package. 0ut of state like hawaii etc i charge 3,500.00 plus airfare, hotel accomodation shoulder by the client 50% downpayment upon booking.180 trial hmu. Aug 11 06 12:22 am Link 50 is quite low.. that's something that they can get in the malls.. at least in toronto. i charge 160 for brides and 140 for bridesmaids (125 each if there's more than 4 bridesmaids), just double the price if they want hair done too and i'll bring a hair artist. i charge trial makeup consultation separately which is pretty close to what i'm charging for the actual day. additional touchup service is also available by one-time for 250 or full day up to 8 hours for 800 hope this helps! Aug 11 06 03:04 am Link I know someone who does a phenominal job but charges $200 for the bride alone... touch-ups during the wedding day is extra & every other bridesmaid/guest = $40-60 each... Aug 11 06 03:13 am Link Don't sell yourself cheap...start at $800.00 for all. Let them have room to negotiate, but do offer a day of consultation and do a practice on the bride prior to the wedding. My main artist does this on the side...although she is both a license cosmotoligist and esthitician, she is professional and always prompt. Always offer more and be helpful with suggestions for others...it will be a hectic day so keep your cool and make some money. Your in LA, $800 is cheap. Ken Aug 11 06 03:14 am Link I agree about major cities...keep yourself up to par with the going rates. I dislike staying thru any ceremony or reception so I'm in and out. IF I feel it's worth it for a particular bride I will offer more time for more money. Sometimes you can negotiate per package or per hour, especially for overtime. I rarely spend a total of 4 hours for the entire event. I do NOT do hair...I feel it is left up to a hairstylist to do that, unless it's just a LIGHT style. Aug 11 06 06:20 am Link GlossBot wrote: I'm gonna say something unpopular now... Aug 11 06 07:47 am Link I am also starting out and for now have only done friends weddings or friends of freinds and have not charged them, but I do make sure I tell them I am still training. I have actually had very positive feed back, I had a bride call me last weekend saying she just got her video and that thank you very much for the makeup that she looked really nice. She was a hard one, but it was an experience. I am now researching and the best way I have found to get information about rates is looking up the better spa's in my area. I know I use great products and I am doing a lot more than the spas around here. So I figure, I can charged the same as they are if I am a on-location artist, so its more convenient for them and peace of mind that they dont have to rush to an appointment. Aug 11 06 11:07 am Link Aug 11 06 11:07 am Link There were so many posts, I just skim read all the replys.....but since you are starting out it really up to you what you'd like to charge them and from replys there are some pretty good rate suggestions. Dont forget to include and mileage or travel rates. And also sometime the bride will give you a suprise person and think nothing of it. it's happend to me and I charged just about as much as I charged the bride. So just keep the extras in mind. I tend to have more bridal in the spring and summer so depending on THEIR budget I'm able to work with them. Here are my "bottom of the barrel" rates for Weddings: MAKE-UP (hair is a diffrent price) -Bride $85+ -Bridesmaid $50+ -Mother of the Bride COMP -Flower Girls $25 Hope it helps. Aug 11 06 11:55 am Link I charge $200 bride hair/mua (I'm lic cosmo)---depending on hair!! $100 for maids $50 for moms $0 for flower girls at least $100 for assit. travel- pack up my stuff (in state) $50 and up-?? out of state- we gotta talk>>>.... I im in Az. Aug 14 06 01:03 am Link Just curious: Why do some charge less or comp the mother of the bride? I would think they would be more than the bridesmaids because they are older, need more prep and serums, and need more makeup. Also, you need to be more careful in applying makeup for older women...they dont look good in some colors or textures and it is a bit harder than applying makeup on younger skin. Aug 14 06 10:58 am Link I try to promote my "Bridal Package" where I charge $450 for bride plus 4 people. I include airbrushing foundation with this package, if desired. I think it's on the LOW end, but for some reason I like weddings. I charge $75 per person for more people for FULL face and $45 per person for me to TOUCH their face, like for a 10 minute quickie make-over. That way you are not "expected" to do touch ups for non-paying people. (Unless they look a hot mess and I fell sorry for them...sometimes I will do it for free! LOL) I don't have to hire an assistant with this package because I am fast. I think ATL runs in the middle as far as pricing goes, and I have been told I could charge more. Any comments? Aug 15 06 07:09 pm Link Since I'm over 40...ahem.... I find it easier actually. Women 40+ sometimes have never seen themselves with the correct makeup on and are genuinely shocked at how good they can look. I'm very good at natural makeup for women my age, and consider it an honor...I think that comes across. The market is ONLY going to get larger for my age group. Plus WE have money to pay for all the goodies....  jchoi makeup wrote: Aug 15 06 08:04 pm Link Thank you so much everyone for the input! Your responses are truly appreciated  Aug 17 06 01:39 am Link |
