A Guide to Wedding Hair & Makeup Costs - Zola Expert Wedding Advice (2024)

FAQs

What percentage of wedding budget should hair and makeup? ›

We recommend allocating 5 percent of the total wedding budget to attire, hair, and makeup costs.

Bridesmaid Hair and Makeup Cost

"It's mainly relative to the cost of living or how well-known an artist is. Average national rates can run from $50 to $300 per service," she says. So, you know you'll be dishing out at least $100 for hair and makeup.

"The bride should cover the cost of her wedding party's hair and makeup, especially if she's requesting or encouraging them to have it done," says Jove Meyer of Jove Meyer Events. Meyer says most of his brides fund bridesmaid hair and makeup for their crew.

So how much does a professional makeup artist cost for your wedding day? The price will vary upon location and experience, but you can expect to pay $125 to $275 for the bride's wedding makeup application. This is depending on the experience of the makeup artist and the type of products used.

Makeup Artists / Hair Stylists

The tip for your makeup artist and hair stylist should be 15-25% of their total fee. You can tip your makeup artist and hair stylist after their services are finished.

There are legitimate ways to avoid the 'wedding markup. ' Couples can find legitimate – honest – ways to work with vendors outside the boundaries of the wedding industry, experts say. For example, couples can purchase bridesmaids dresses, accessories, suits, even an off-the-rack wedding dress at a department store.

Typically, the maid of honor pays for smaller-ticket items, like a bachelorette sash or tiara, decorations, and swag for the other party guests. If you, as the bride, don't want to pay for these smaller items, our advice is to give your friends space to take the reins.

She can spend a little time with both the bride and groom.

If that's the case, she may want to start her morning with the bride and her group, then leave once she has her hair and makeup done. After, she can head to the groom's getting-ready area to help him prepare for his walk down the aisle.

Generally speaking, bridesmaids are expected to pay for their own dresses and accessories as well as potentially hair and makeup appointments and transportation to the wedding. According to Gottsman, bridesmaids should be prepared to cover the costs for these expenses once they accept the offer.

Who pays for the bridesmaids dresses? ›

So traditionally, who pays for bridesmaid dresses? According to etiquette, each attendant is expected to cover the costs of their entire ensemble, from their dress (or their jumpsuit, or whatever look they're rocking) all the way down to their accessories. That goes even though the bride traditionally picks the attire.

Tradition dictates that the groom's family pays for the full cost of the rehearsal dinner, even though the bride's family and friends attend the event as well. That includes food, drink, venue fees, entertainment, and transportation.

The main difference between the bridal and party makeup is that the former takes much longer to apply and is an entirely bespoke service. Even if the makeup look is simple that can be achieved quickly; usually, the makeup artist would still spend more time on the bride making sure everything is perfect.

The average wedding hair and makeup cost in the U.S. is around $300, but typically ranges from $150 to $600 depending on both your location and the intricacy of the wedding hair or makeup style you'd like.

And even though service charges may be spelled out in your contract, tipping—although not mandatory—is always appreciated for a job well done, not to mention a kind and thoughtful gesture. So don't forget to factor in tips when making your wedding budget.

If you're happy with the photographer's work, etiquette experts say a 15-20% gratuity is generally appropriate. Regardless of the amount you decide to tip, it is always appreciated and above your responsibilities as a wedding client to tip your wedding photographer.

Tips are optional for ceremony or co*cktail hour musicians, as well as bands and DJs, but they are suggested, says Norwood. "Anywhere from 15% to 20% on the final contract is a good amount for a single DJ," she says.

In general, couples may want to reconsider spending money on anything overly trendy, especially if it has no sentimental value. Extravagant touches like releasing live doves, setting off fireworks, or hiring professional dancers can actually distract from the true focus of the wedding: the couple.

What do you regret spending money on wedding? ›

Linens and Venue Upgrades

The majority of brides regretted spending extra money on venue upgrades and fancy linens. What is this? At the end of the day, your guests don't really care which napkins you used, how your chair covers looked, or if your charger plates were cast in gold.

It's standard for the bride to cover the cost of bouquets, transportation to and from the wedding venue, and a gift to her bridesmaids. Optional costs may include hair and makeup, hotel accommodations, bridesmaids' dresses, and a bridesmaids' luncheon (if hosted by the bride).

Traditionally, etiquette states that spending between $100 and $200 is appropriate for a wedding gift, but there are a few other factors to consider.

The Maid or Matron of Honor: The maid or matron of honor will walk alone after other members of the bridal party. The Flower Girl(s) and/or Ring Bearer(s): The children chosen will walk down the aisle one after the other. They can sit with their parents once they are done.

Does the mother of the groom give the bride a gift? The mother of the groom traditionally brings a small gift to the bridal shower. When it comes to the wedding itself, the mother of the groom can give the bride a more sentimental gift, like a family heirloom, to officially welcome her into the family.

As the wedding begins, the groom's mother will be escorted down the aisle, to the first pew, right-hand side, by the head usher or a groomsman who is a family member. A nice touch includes the groom escorting his mother down the aisle. As the groom's mother is escorted to her seat, her husband will follow along behind.

Standard etiquette dictates the person hosting the shower would be the one who pays for it. However, if multiple people are hosting the shower (or if multiple people want to contribute to the event), that's absolutely fine too.

What Does the Groom's Family Pay For, Traditionally? The groom's family is responsible for corsages and boutonnieres for immediate members of both families, the lodging of the groom's attendants (if you have offered to help pay for this expense), and sometimes the costs of the rehearsal dinner.

The most common way couples are paying for their wedding in 2022 (41%) is by sharing the costs with their parents and/or in-laws, according to Zola. But 37% of couples reported that they're planning to pay for everything related to their wedding on their own.

How many bridesmaids is a normal amount? ›

On average, you'll find that most brides choose to have between 4 to 6 bridesmaids . Also, it is not necessary to match the number of bridesmaids to the groomsmen .

For most brides, if you're in the four to six bridesmaids range, you should be just fine. Of course, that doesn't mean you're locked into that range.

You may choose to look in department or specialty stores for your dress, but don't pass over traditional bridal salons. Many have options for the mother of the bride, as well! It is customary for the mother of the bride to buy her dress first and then share her choice with the mother of the groom.

Mother of the bride

The mother of the bride is the last person seated before the officiant, groom and best man take their places at the altar. She can walk alone or be escorted by her son, son-in-law or another relative. She is seated on the left side in the first row.

As a general rule, you should expect to spend anywhere from $75 - $150 on each bridesmaid. This will ensure that you are picking out something truly special and of high-quality for their gift.

THE ETIQUETTE

She offers these guidelines to wedding-goers wherever they might be: A distant relative or co-worker should give $75-$100; a friend or relative, $100-$125; a closer relative, up to $150. If you are wealthy, are you expected to inflate the gift? No, Cooper says.

Expect both hair and makeup respectively to take 30 to 45 minutes per bridesmaid (and mother of bride) and 60 to 90 minutes for the bride. Factor in even more time if there's only one photographer expected to document both partners' getting-ready moments. We know, it sounds like a long day, but it flies.

You're far from the first couple to do so. After polling over 15,000 US couples for The Knot 2021 Real Weddings Study, we learned 49% spent more than they'd planned by an average of $6,373. Some high spenders even blew past their already lofty limits by over $20,000.

You can discuss specifics with your stylist, but most hair and makeup pros will suggest 30 minutes per bridesmaid for hair and another 30 minutes for makeup. For the bride, an hour window should be allotted for both hair and makeup application.

What is an appropriate wedding gift amount 2022? ›

A typical wedding gift is around $100. The exact amount depends on your personal budget and relationship to the couple, among other factors. Aug. 18, 2022, at 4:18 p.m.

Parents of the bride and groom collectively contribute about $19,000 to the wedding, or about two-thirds of the total cost, according to WeddingWire. The bride's parents give an average $12,000, and the groom's, $7,000. Just 1 in 10 couples pays for the wedding entirely on their own, according to TheKnot.com.

Wedding guests are typically open to splurging on a monetary or cash wedding gift for a loved one. Since $160 is the national average spend, you might consider spending anywhere between $100-$200+ on a gift for a close friend or family member.

Remember the golden rule: "You should tip 20 percent on the entire service cost, not per individual," says Schweitzer. So if your haircut and blow-dry cost $40 total, and your color was $60, your total service cost comes to $100. That means you should tip $20 divided between the colorist and stylist.

Which comes first, hair or makeup? In a perfect world, hairstyling happens first because the hot styling tools might cause perspiration, and also because the makeup artist can remove any overspray from the skin before starting.

Venue: 30%

Unsurprisingly, the biggest chunk of your wedding budget will go to the biggest investment, which is often the venue. Our study found that couples typically spend about 30% of their overall budget on the setting of their nuptials.

In general, couples may want to reconsider spending money on anything overly trendy, especially if it has no sentimental value. Extravagant touches like releasing live doves, setting off fireworks, or hiring professional dancers can actually distract from the true focus of the wedding: the couple.

Traditionally, mothers accompany their daughters in their search for a wedding dress, and they're there to share in the joy of finding the right fit. Mom is definitely one of the most helpful people to have look at different styles with you, and chances are, she'll be the one with the most honest feedback.

We suggest washing your hair the night before your big day so you are not rushing the morning of your wedding. We also suggest using a sulfate free shampoo and conditioner to get all the parabens, dirt, and grime out of your hair.

Even though all eyes will be on the blushing bride – the mom is the “hostess” of the event, so to speak" The last thing you want to worry about is doing your own hair and/or makeup on the wedding day, you deserve to be pampered too!