Hair/MUA extra charge for assisstant?

This is quite common from what i have seen. If you think, for your hair theyll give about an hour, and about an hour for your make up too, then 45 mins for every other hair and make up appointment (45 mins for each one) so thats adding up to about 6 hours work for one person, with little to no room for error or re-do's.

Firstly, thats a really long time for anyone to do without a break, and secondly that means (assuming youre having a 2pm ceremony for example) that means starting at 7:30am, if its being done at the ceremony venue. Even earlier if you have to travel there.

Having an assistant is a cost effective and sensible way to manage the time correctly, otherwise as you can see from the above you end up with a drawn out and time consuming process.

Hi,

Thanks for your reponse - to be clear, I don't think having an assisstant is a bad idea, I get it with timings etc., I just don't really understand why I have to pay extra for it, as I'm already paying per person to be done, so it seems like getting an assisstant obviously redues the work the MUA has to do, yet I get charged extra for removing some of her work by having an assisstant. Cheers

Right i see, sorry i got the wrong end of the stick.

I would have thought youre paying the "main" artist for XYZ people (you i presume, and maybe one or two others?) and then the assistant for how ever many theyre doing, so it might be worth asking the mua to break down the cost of what shes doing and what the assistant is, or you could challenge it based on what you know her prices are per person, because it does seem odd if her original quote was her doing it all, and now shes adding someone else in and its costing extra, id have thought it may work out a teeny bit different but really not by a lot.

Id definitely go back to her and ask for clarification, otherwise whats stopping you from hiring her just for a few people and someone totally different for another few and then shes lost out?

You are right to question this. The MUA must stand by her original quote, she can't change the contract AFTER your deposit has been paid unless you have added extras. She can book an assistant but she can't charge you extra for one. The cost of the assistant is covered in the original quote, whether she likes it or not. (So long as your requirements have not changed)

If she insists on you paying extra then she is breaking the terms of the contract between you, which leaves you able to cancel and have a full refund within 14 days.

Hi, thanks for your response.

Strangely when I questioned it, she said it was in the terms and conditions, which she added to the bottom of the email. But having just checked the ones listed on her website (she never sent me a copy), the extra charge isn't mentioned.

Now I am unsure what to do, as I don't think it's fair to pay the extra fee, but also I've already paid a large sum for a trial for me and my bridesmaids, and there's not long to find an alternative...

What should I do?!

Under UK law the T&C's you are bound by are the ones she issued to you at the time of booking. It is not acceptable for her to later refer you to the website T&C's because she could have changed them.

Have you asked her "Do you have another wedding booking before or after mine?" If she's taken an additional booking this would explain why she now needs to process you quicker, therefore needing an assistant! (I have a suspicious mind!)