With the Wedding costs going up by the day, you find yourself asking “Is my wedding Makeup Artist ripping me off?”

The short answer is No…

Have you ever noticed how many suppliers charge much much more as soon as you tell them that you are having a ‘Wedding’.

Everything would be much cheaper if it were just a party or work function… But the reality is: you are organising YOUR Wedding… That once in a lifetime event that to most is a far bigger deal than any party or work function. On your Wedding you expect a much higher level of service and want everyone involved to treat your event with the attention and care it deserves.

With weddings, every bride has a different budget. It is never enough! But the reality of budgets is that you get what you pay for. If you only have $20,000 to spend, you can’t expect a $100,000 wedding. No matter what the budget, make sure to invest the money in the areas that are important to you.

This principle applies to all areas of your wedding, If you are only willing to pay $500 for a photographer, you can’t expect the results of a $5000 photographer. – It’s the age old saying: “You get what you pay for.”

Every bride wants to look the best they can on their special day and the makeup artist plays a major role in how you are going to look on the day. Unlike venues, catering companies, photographers and other suppliers, makeup artists are one of the few professions that don’t charge an over-the-top wedding surcharge. Most of the time you will pay the same on a wedding day as you would if you booked makeup for a party or other special occasion. The bride is usually an exception, but they are usually a little extra because of the extra time and attention they require.

When you are selecting the makeup artist for your wedding, don’t squabble if they are a little dearer than the girl on buy & sell who only charges $50 and uses her mother’s 20 year old Mary Kay foundation. If you have been following a makeup artist for a while and you like their work and would like them to do your wedding makeup, make sure you contact them as early as possible so you can find out how much they charge and also ensure they are available on your wedding day.

You also want to contact them before you blow your entire budget on everything else. Your makeup artist (or anyone for that matter) is not going to discount simply because you’ve blown your budget and don’t want to spend the extra money.

With makeup you need to select Quality over Price. The quality of a makeup artist can vary greatly and is usually reflected in their pricing. There are makeup artists who are fresh out of beauty school, those who have been doing it for a while and those who are the best in the industry. You get what you pay for in the end.

Sometimes it is easy to think that all the makeup artist has to do is spend the time putting makeup on your face, but there is much more to it than that. It is important to remember that for a makeup artist, this is their job that puts food on the table for their family. To give you and idea of time and money costs that a makeup artist has running their business:

• The time and money invested in staying up to date with the latest techniques and trends.
• The cost of stocking their kit with professional makeup in shades for all different skin tones and types.
• The cost of high quality makeup and equipment, brushes, cases, eyeliner, primer, highlight, blush, lipstick, lip gloss, foundation, eye shadow, setting spray and much much more.
• The cost of running a Studio, or if a home studio, the extra rent to have that extra room.
• The costs of insurance, advertising, website costs etc
• Fuel costs to and from clients.
• The time spent quoting, answering emails and enquiries, researching products and looks for clients, packing their kit, getting their own makeup applied, travelling, finding somewhere to park, paying for parking, setting up at a job, waiting around while clients tie up loose ends and organising other wedding things. (all time when the client is not in their seat.)

There is all this TIME that is unaccounted for and unbillable. This is the makeup artists livelihood and just like you they have bills and living expenses to pay.

If the way your makeup looks on your wedding day is not important to you then by all means go for the budget makeup artist who charges $50. But if you want to look your best on the day and look amazing in the photos then you need to remember that good quality makeup artists come at a price. They are not trying to rip you off, they are there to provide you with exceptional value and create a lasting memory for you.

As a rough guide, here is what you can expect to pay depending on the artist you use:

• Artist straight out of makeup school – $50 – $70 per person
• Experienced artist – $80 – $120 per person
• Sought after industry professional – $150 – $300 per person
• Celebrity makeup artist – $1000+ per person

You are likely to also need to pay travel fees if the makeup artist needs to travel more than 25km. It’s a cost you probably don’t want to pay, but it is their time and fuel and they deserve to be paid for it.

I hope this gives you a better understanding as to why makeup artists charge what they charge. They aren’t out to rip you off, they are just out to make a living making women look and feel their best.

If you would like to see some of my work and get a quote on your makeup, you do so by clicking here.