There are two people in this world: those who understand how big of a difference a good makeup artist makes, and those who don’t.
If you fall into the first category, no further explanation needed. You can skip ahead to the tips I outline below on finding a great wedding makeup artist. If you are one of the latter, allow me to convince you that is so worth the splurge:
Your makeup artist is one of the biggest factors in how well your photos and videos turn out, second only to the actual photographer(s) you hire.
Bridal makeup is hard and bridal makeup artists have to be skilled. Not to scare you, but a lot can go wrong with wedding makeup and a good makeup artist will ensure the bride’s makeup doesn’t cast ghostly flashback and looks flawless without much editing since most wedding photographers do color and light correction, not beauty retouching.
On top of that, bridal makeup artists have to be professional and timely; I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen other makeup or hair artists arrive late and work slower than they said they would, making the day chaotic and rushed for everyone involved.
Now that you understand why a reputable makeup artist is so important for your big day, let’s dive into tips on how to find one and how much you can expect to pay for a wedding makeup artist.
HOW TO FIND YOUR WEDDING MAKEUP ARTIST
- Start early, much earlier than you think. Like, start 3+ months in advance of your wedding if you can. Good makeup artists book up FAST.
- Ask around. Have friends or family who got married recently? This is a great place to start. When inquiring, ask them the most important question of all: if they could go back and do it all over again, would they hire that same makeup artist? This is important because most people look back on their wedding day fondly and may forget how they felt about their makeup artist at the time.
- Do a Google search. This is a great way to come across makeup artists outside of your immediate network. Check their reviews (never dip below a 4-star-artist) and visit their website to get an idea of who they are/their skill level.
- Search thumbtack or other service aggregators. Most work by plugging in the details of what you’re looking for and then matching you with providers who are available. Again, check out reviews and ask to see their website.
- If they don’t have a digital footprint or their website is crappy, move on. You want someone who cares about the details.
- Always always always look at their online portfolio/gallery. Makeup artistry is just that – art – and there are different styles out there. Just because you can tell a makeup artist is GOOD doesn’t mean they will be good for YOU; you want to hire a bridal makeup artist whose signature look is similar to your vision or you could end up with technically awesome makeup that doesn’t feel like “you”.
- Once you’ve found a few you’re interested in, send an email with your wedding date, time, location, and number of faces that need makeup. Ask for a quote and any other important information regarding their services. Pay attention to their responsiveness and professionalism; both are solid indicators of how they will behave on your big day.
- Schedule a trial. With the prevalence of retouching apps, a beautiful portfolio is more of an easy filter than a guarantee. The only way to know for sure that this wedding makeup artist is the real deal is to schedule a trial and see their skills in-person.
HOW MUCH DOES A WEDDING MAKEUP ARTIST COST
There are a lot of factors that go into a makeup artist’s pricing – experience, location of wedding, market demand, number of applications needed, etc. – so there isn’t a cut-and-dry answer for how much is too little or too much to pay.
In general, you can expect the following costs (double it for LA and NYC):
- Wedding trial makeup: $45-80
- Bridal makeup: $80-200
- Bridesmaids/mothers/etc. makeup: $60-100
- Junior bridesmaids/flower girl makeup: $30-50
Other costs to look out for are travel fees (often charged per mile past a certain distance away from the makeup artist’s home base), additional costs for airbrush makeup or lash application, and whether or not the makeup artist will expect you to purchase your lip color or not.
To cut costs, you can try to book more services such as hair and makeup for your whole wedding party with one makeup artist. This gives you some leverage to negotiate a lower price per head since they will make more money overall from just one job – the ideal situation for an MUA!
A quick warning: whatever you do, don’t insult a makeup artist by telling them they charge too much or asking them to give you a discount for no reason. They are running a business and set their prices the way they did for a reason, so be respectful. If someone is out of your budget, move on to the next. There are more makeup artists in the sea 😉
Still not convinced and thinking about doing your own makeup or having a friend do it rather than hire a professional? Stay tuned for my next post on what makes great bridal makeup as well as a video tutorial on the look requested by most of my brides over the years.
