Hair and makeup teams Vs. freelance hmua

Try the thumbtack app. You should be able to find more reasonable prices.


Is the 700$ just for you the bride? Or for your entire bridal party?

View Quoted Comment $700 just for me! That does include the hair and makeup trial, but it still blew my mind that it could be so expensive. The other one I really loved quoted me at $800, so crazy!

I booked a free lance makeup artist and she is over double the cost of any hmua teams I got quotes from 🤦🏼‍♀️

View Quoted Comment Yikes that’s good to know! I have a feeling that’s a common trend, since the one freelance makeup artist I just heard back from quoted me at $500 just for makeup for me😭

View Quoted Comment Yep, that sounds about right! My make up is going to be $600, and it doesn’t even include a trial! 😩
I had originally booked a team for our Friday night wedding, but now that we had to reschedule due to Covid, our wedding will now be on a Saturday, and they have a higher amount of minimum services you have to book for a Saturday. And since we are having a small destination wedding I only have three bridesmaids and wouldn’t meet their minimum services. So…. Freelance it is! And since I had already told my girls I am paying for their makeup, I will be spending a small fortune now.

Do you have any friends who are good with makeup? I’m saving on that end of things bc one of my bridesmaids is a MUA. Choosing one or the other can def help save a little $$$

I found my team on IG and they were less than what I found on TheKnot or Weddingwire

That is crazy expensive for just one person. We are in a major high cost of living city and the range of prices is jaw dropping. Some companies charge $2000 minimum for the bride only for hair and makeup with no option for ala carte services. Others charge $75 per service for bridesmaids as the starting point with the bride being $100+ for hair or makeup (extra for both) so not everyone is super expensive. Those are the ranges whether you look them up individually on Instagram or as a team on Yelp. Also I’m hesitant at hiring one person for both because not everyone who is good at makeup does great hair and vice versa. It boils down to personal preference.


Keep looking on Yelp, Google, Instagram and see what comes up. Reach out to see what their prices are and go for a trial to decide. You can find someone in your budget.

View Quoted Comment I don’t, but now that you say that I’m thinking I might post on Facebook and see if any friends have friends who do!

Honestly it all depends on where you are at, I found my hair and makeup artist for $300 and thats including the trial. Keep in mind if they are traveling alot of them charge for travel.

View Quoted Comment Good point about not everyone being good at both!! I didn’t even think of that. I think you’re so right I just have to keep digging (the lazy part of me just wants to book someone and be done with it already but obviously that won’t get me the best quality or the best financial outcome)

Have you asked your normal hair stylist? Mine doesn’t do weddings but he has referrals who do - it’s worth asking. Does that cost include traveling to you or going to their salon?

Try Thumbtack but make sure to see examples of their work and reviews on other platforms.
I found my hair and makeup team on IG and for my services its under $400 and others is under $200 for NJ/NY which is below average.

Hi Shannon!
Good luck I know how stressful that can be. I had an amazing team and they are pricey BUT AMAZING!

I will be like the broken record in the room. THUMBTACK! I got my artist from there and she is great!

View Quoted Comment My hair stylist charged me $125 for travel - my makeup lady $50 for travel… the hair for myself and 5 in the bridal party 3 with sew in $1,100 and make up for 6 people $750. They did an AMAZING JOB!

View Quoted Comment Glad to hear you found an amazing team to work with. I cant wait for my trial but that wont be until next summer since my wedding is next fall.

View Quoted Comment Wow, you found a great deal!! Makeup alone (no hair) is costing me $1600 for myself and 3 BMs

View Quoted Comment I love my normal girl for hair cuts, but not so much for special occasion styling so I vetoed that option early on. That does include them traveling to me!

View Quoted Comment There are so many YouTube videos if you even have one friend who is decent I think you can get some great results!