Business · 2 min read
How Much to Charge for Bridal Makeup in the UK
Updated
“How much should I charge?” is the question every new bridal makeup artist asks, and the honest answer is that there isn’t one national price. Rates in central London look nothing like rates in a rural county, and a newly trained artist shouldn’t charge what a ten-year veteran with a waiting list does. What you can do is work out a price that fits your market and genuinely pays you. Here’s how.
1. Look at what local artists charge
Pick 10 to 15 bridal artists who work in your area and note the bride’s price, whether the trial is included, the price per bridesmaid, and any travel or early-start fees. Then be honest about where you fit: compare portfolios, reviews and experience, not just prices. Most new artists sit in the lower-middle of their local range and move up as reviews build.
2. Count all the hours, not just the makeup
A bride’s booking isn’t two hours on the morning. It includes replying to her enquiry, the trial, travel both days, setting up, packing down, cleaning brushes and restocking. Add it up and it’s often six to eight hours. That’s the time your price has to pay for.
3. Find your minimum price
Multiply those hours by the hourly rate you need. Make it high enough to cover tax, insurance, training, kit replacement and the quiet winter months. Then add the product you’ll use on her. That’s your floor: the price below which a booking costs you money. If the local market sits well below your floor, change something: work out of a base rather than travelling for trials, or aim at brides with larger budgets.
4. Price the trial so it protects your time
Charge for trials. A common approach is a full-price trial with the fee credited to the wedding if she books within a set time. Brides who are serious don’t mind; brides who are just comparing still pay for your time.
5. Set clear prices for everything else
- Bridesmaids and guests: a per-person price, usually lower than the bride’s.
- Travel: a free radius, then mileage or zone pricing, plus parking.
- Early starts: a supplement before a set time, such as 7 a.m.
- Stay-on cover: an hourly rate for touch-ups through the ceremony or photos.
- Minimum party size on peak Saturdays, because that date can only be sold once.
6. Add value rather than discounting
Instead of cutting your price, include something: lashes for the whole party, a touch-up lipstick for the bride, or travel waived for bigger parties. It wins bookings without teaching brides to haggle.
Should bridal makeup prices include the trial?
Either works. Many artists charge for the trial separately and credit it against the wedding booking, which protects their time from brides who don’t book.
Why do bridal makeup artists charge more than for a night out?
Bridal bookings include a trial, early starts, travel, long-wear products and the responsibility of a once-in-a-lifetime day. The date is also booked months ahead, so the artist turns other work away.
Going further: our Bridal Makeup Business Course includes a worked pricing calculator, trial and party pricing, and the packages that help brides say yes.
