Bridesmaids hair & makeup

I am paying for my bridesmaids hair and makeup but have said if they wish to have a trial then they will need to pay for it. I only have 2 plus a flower girl though. Maybe see if they all want makeup as some may prefer to do their own anyway

My 4 bridesmaids are paying for their own hair and make up and I am paying for their dresses. I’ve paid for my dress aswell in the past so it is each to their own.

I have two bridesmaids and am paying for their hair and makeup. If you are expecting them to get their hair and makeup done professionally, you should really pay. However, if you don't care whether they do it themselves or get it done professionally, you could tell them you're happy with them doing it themselves but also let them know how much extra it would be if they want to take advantage of your hair and makeup artist!

If you want a specific look, then you need to pay for it. If you're happy for them to do whatever (accepting that this may mean they turn up with their hair lose and no makeup) then you don't have to pay.

Basically, you should be paying for anything you specifically want to be part of your wedding party's appearance.

You can give them the alternative of paying for their own if they would like to book your hair & makeup people. Just let them know the cost per person and the date by which they will need to book by if they want to take advantage of this.

I have 3 bridesmaids and am paying for hair, as I want them all to have similar hair, but they are doing their makeup themselves. I think whatever you do is ok as long as you are upfront about it and give people a choice if you’re not going to pay (ie as others have said, if you don’t want to pay then they can choose whether or not they pay or do it themselves).

I paying for dress, hair and make-up plus a bouquet which in total adds up to just over £200 per bridesmaid. I think this is a lot of money hence why I have kept the number of bridesmaids to a minimal (my 2 sisters plus 1 friend). I would have loved to have had another 2 friends but the cost would have been too much.

Whoops, posted twice.

I have 4 bridesmaids and I am paying for their hair and make-up. Mainly because I have a certain style I want them to have and I wouldn't want to do this if they were paying themselves. I also gave them a choice at the beginning that I can either pay for hair and make-up and half their dresses or I would pay the whole cost of the dress and their accessories and they sort their own hair and make up. They picked option 1.

I gave them option to pay for a trial, which one has decided to do but the others haven't.

As others have said, the rule is pretty much you pay if you require it. If it's optional, they pay or they do their own.

I actually spoke with one of my bridesmaids about this yesterday, and I said that I was erring towards not paying for their hair and make up - letting them do their own thing here - and then putting more budget towards their dresses so that I could get them a better quality dress from a nicer brand/open up more options to them rather than having to be so strict on cost. She loved that idea and said that she probably wouldn't rewear a cheaper bridesmaids dress but likely would if it was good quality and she could wear it to other nice events.

Hi,
I am literally in the same situation as you. I asked one of my bridesmaids the other day how she would feel about paying for hair and makeup. She said she would feel completely fine doing it and said if others wouldn’t do it then they clearly don’t want to be part of your special party. When she got married she was able to pay for everyone as she had a lot of parental support, but was completely happy to pay for hair and makeup at mine.

I suggested I pay for the hair because I want them all up and they pay for their make up because not everyone likes theirs done

I have 6 bridesmaids. I am
Paying for hair or make up for both. I’ve basically said I’ll pay for one and the other they can choose if they pay to have it done.

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I'm glad your friend is happy to pay for her own hair and makeup, but I'm not so keen on her judgement of anyone who isn't.

If you have other members of the bridal party who don't want to pay for their own, it doesn't necessarily mean they don't want to be part of your special day - it could just be that they are not as well off as your friend who is happy to pay. It sounds as if she has never had to worry about money (going by the comment about parental support). Hopefully, in time, she will realise that not everyone is in the same position, and that being hard up doesn't make someone automatically be a bad friend!

I’m paying for my own and bridesmaids paying for their own. I’ve bought their whole outfit so I think you do one or the other!

Hey Jess, I got married last year and had 4 bridesmaids. Personally, I paid for all of their hair to be done but it was their choice whether they wanted their make up doing.

I wanted their to be a theme with the hair of the bridesmaids but I wasn't fussed with the makeup. Contrary to this, my best friend paid for everything so I'd say it's totally down to you and how you want them to look firstly. But like the other women have said, cost does also play a huge part in your decision. I hope this helps!

Hey, I am paying for my bridesmaid hair and they are paying for their own makeup if they want it doing, as I have 5 bridesmaid and some of them might not want there makeup professionally done.

I am paying for hair and makeup and I’ve asked them to pay for their dresses. I think it’s nicer to have it done and takes the stress off everyone ! I’m having 11 bridesmaids though so it’s not cheap😂 if I was having less I might have paid for everything ! X

I agree with the above comments about specific looks. Saying that, if you are on a tight budget, you could always talk to your bridesmaids. Offer to pay if needed, but if they could afford there that would be brilliant. You have chosen them as bridesmaids for a reason. Close friends might know you are on a tight budget and be happy to pay for there own and take some stress off you.
Hope this helps and good luck x

I was a MoH for my friend. She had 4 in her wedding party. She told them she was getting a makeup artist and hairdresser and to let her know by x date if we wanted it and we’d pay for ourselves.
I didn’t mind paying at all for it

Hi, I’am also having five bridesmaids. I intend to pay for both hair and makeup to be done on the morning of the wedding for them all. I have just asked if they would like to have any trials done that they pay for those. It is a lot of money but i want them to also feel good on my special day too. x