Makeup trials & wedding day makeup

Think I’m well aware I can do my own, & a trial I’ve had done previously that become abundantly clear. It’s the pricing of it all that needed to be made clear which an MUA has explained. But I’m sure I will find something suitable for me.

Hi Eram,

I can't speak on behalf of a make up artist, however it could mainly be down to supply and demand. Typically trials would take place early / midweek whereas your actual wedding make up will most likely take place late week or at the weekend which are often busy dates.

It could also be down to the fact that when you book your MUA for your wedding, the trial is a discounted price to allow for you to have a trial run beforehand.

I would recommend having an honest conversation with your MUA to get a better understanding of the reason why.

I hope this helps!

With love,

Laura x

Kept Weddings

I contacted three wedding hair & makeup people to ask why 'prom' or 'bridesmaid' hair and makeup was less than half the price of a brides AND they would do prom or bridesmaid without a trial, whereas the bride HAD to have a trial. For hair alone, I could have got the style I wanted for £15-£20 as a bridesmaid or 'prom attendee', while the same style would have cost me £90 as a bride!!!

In all cases, the explanation was that as a bride, I would be receiving 'top quality products' and that I needed to look 'much better than' my bridesmaids and guests. When I pointed out that I didn't have any bridesmaids, wasn't interested in 'looking much better than' anyone else, and just wanted a very simple updo, I was told that 'oh no, as the bride you need our premium service' or words to that effect. Conclusion: most suppliers rip you off because they can.

Eventually, a local hairdresser came out and gave me a stunning look for £20.

I had the same experience with wedding cakes. I asked for a quote for a square fruit cake with plain white icing (no decoration at all). I was given a verbal quote which they said they would follow up in writing - the written quote was almost twice the price. When I rang to query it, I was told 'oh, that was our standard price, we didn't realise you wanted a wedding cake.' The item itself was EXACTLY the same, as was delivery date and everything else. The ONLY difference was that it was for a 'wedding', not a birthday, anniversary celebration, family reunion etc. It makes me so cross.

Hi Eram


My MUA charges £250 and for the trial its £100. I want even thinking about having a trial but now thinking I will just so I can be sure of how I will look on the big day .I think u have to look at it like this is your big day and you want to look your hottest looolA trial can be a blessing in disguise. If u know your MUA and her work then u may not need to have one. I found that with the prices of MUAs they were all charging around £250. I'm no makeup expert so will be paying lool

View quoted message It’s unreal isn’t it, I’ve had my head bitten off by some MUA’s when I’ve questioned their pricing. Takes the absolute piss honestly!

I have no skin in the game other than the fact I’m a soon to be bride but my take on the pricing is
- weddings are normally a Saturday and this is a peak hair and makeup day
- you are asking a hair/MUA to come to you. It would be cheaper if you went to Mac, Bobbi brown In Westfield but on your wedding day would you want the added faf of getting back to your hotel and venue etc?- you can’t compare being it prom or being part of someone’s bridal party to being the bride. As the bride you are pandered to and get exactly what you want even if you are rubbish at explaining it because a) who wants the wrath of an angry bride giving terrible reviews b) photos etc also give excellent advertising.As a bridal party member you know it’s not about you so as long as you don’t look awful you accept and allow all focus to be on the bride. For prom you are young so ability to advocate for yourself will be less than the average bride so therefore much easier at work.
I agree it is expensive (my Hair and MUA) is my normal hairdresser and it is slightly more expensive than I normally pay but for the confidence in the work she’ll do, knowledge I can have a great sleep and she’ll be in my hotel room by 8am getting me and my squad ready and retouch my hair and make up for pics etc it’s definitely worth it!
Finally, I’ve definitely spent small fortunes on random nights out in my 20s when I had no real money ?. I’m not going to half do it as a 30something year old on my wedding day.
Good luck either way x

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That sounds like good reasoning, except that all the people I contacted expected me to come to them and my wedding was midweek. And I needed my hair to be started around 8 - 8.30am, which was the time they all opened so not even as if they had to get up extra early for my appointment! It just makes no sense to me that I could be sitting in one chair, getting given an updo that cost £90 while the girl in the next chair could be getting an identical updo for her party/prom/birthday for £20!!

And I don't agree that it's justified because "As the bride you are pandered to and get exactly what you want " I don't think anyone should be 'pandered to', but everyone should get 'exactly what they want' if they are paying for a service. If I ask for a low bun, I don't expect to be given a high ponytail whether it's my wedding day or I'm just getting dressed up for an evening out.

View quoted message Agreed! It’s ridiculous how much you get ripped off for it being a wedding, unreal x

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Throw the word wedding in there and its a licence to over charge!

I am thinking of asking a friend to do my makeup, I want my hair half up so I will need to get someone to do it, one MUA I contacted through this site charges £250 for a bride hair and make up, I think it is ridiculous!

View quoted message Ha ha! I know right?! Yet you mention it to an MUA and they get up in arms about it! Absolutely ridiculous, I don’t know how they’re justifying it, it’s just stupid & a rip off!

I don't know about makeup, but if you want to cut costs on your hair, try looking for an ordinary hairdresser that also does wedding hair. If you're able to go to the salon instead of them coming out to you, that might be even cheaper. My hairdresser does quite a lot of local weddings, but they don't advertise themselves as doing 'wedding hair'. She did a fantastic job for a fraction of the price of the 'specialists'.

They are very expensive! If you're on a tight budget maybe go to your local college that does hair and beauty and see if any students would be willing to do your makeup for a decent price? Can guarantee they will be just as good, they may just require a little more time.

It is absolutely ridiculous that once you say the word wedding the price goes massively up. My wedding is midweek and is still the same price as a saturday wedding, the thing that gets me is why trials are compulsory. I want a fairly simple half up half down look for hair and fairly simple make up but I dont wear much make up or do my hair normally and wanted a bit of a treat but I would have been happy to just turn up on the day and have them do it then without having to 'Practice' (and have my fiance see it without it being a suprise or wash it all out straight after)

View quoted message Yep so true! I mean even if a trial is compulsory, surely it shouldn’t be a ridiculous amount, & I’m half glad I had a trial because if that same makeup artist would have turned up on my wedding day, I definitely would not have gone ahead with my day, I hated the makeup, it just was not a bit of me. X

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Could you get a friend to do your makeup? Or try a hairdresser that doesn't advertise as a wedding one? Mine was just an ordinary hairdresser, but she does prom/party/wedding hair if asked - I didn't need to have a trial if I didn't want to, and she'd only have charged £15 for the trial if I'd had one!

View quoted message Ah! £15 sounds amazing! I will have a mooch just still baffled on how expensive they are & how it’s “justified” or not...