Makeup & Hair Trial Cost Too High?

The $500 for hair and makeup sounds about right in NYC. The trial is a bit much- my trial quote was $100.

I'm not in NY so my overall cost was lower, but two MUA's that I spoke to both charged full price for trial and day of. The third I spoke to did charge less for a trial. I understand the reasoning- it takes the same amount of time and product for both it doesn't matter that one is just trial.

Wow! I'm originally from NYC so I'm familiar with how expensive NYC it is but I pretty much paid a stylist the same amount to travel 2 hrs from Portland, OR to Pacific City, OR to do my hair and makeup for my wedding. There should be a contract, you should be able to include whatever you want so you and the team are on the same page.

I was just quoted $150 for make up trial. I thought that was a lot.

Yes $500 just for me plus $250 just for me. I'm also 10 minutes away from the salon and they're charging a $40 traveling fee. I am pretty sure I'm crossing them off my list. They're also taking very long to respond back to me when questioning the pricing. I'm seeing that they have "seen" my messages and have to wait over 24 hours for a response. I'm looking elsewhere and so far have heard MUCH more reasonable prices for people who have great reviews and do beautiful work. Thanks all for your input!

Regarding trial price being the same -- I get that. But then the price should be more reasonable overall. I was just quoted $150 by an artist for day of and same price for trial (makeup only). This makes much more sense to me than 500 smackaroos + 250. It only makes sense to me do to a lower price for the trial if your really paying for it for the day of too. Which makes sense being that the price is totally amped up just for the fact that it is called "bridal" makeup/hair. The $500 price should partially be so high because its incorporating the trial a little bit too.

I have a regular hair dresser that I see every month and we try a different hairstyle everyone I get my hair done. My make up consultation is $60, $100 the day of include a touch up. My hair runs about $50. So a grand total of $150, I'm in Baltimore MD

It's expensive for a hair trial, but definitely not unheard of. I'd say that would fall somewhere in the upper quartile of the stylists listed in New York mag's wedding edition.

Have you thought about booking some group styling service such as Glamsquad, or getting a room at a blowout place? Reserving the room at DreamDry for a couple of hours costs something around $500.

As other people mentioned, you could get your hair done somewhere and not mention the word "wedding" to avoid the 200% price inflation.

My MoH (I was her MoH as well) dumped her stylist after the trial. I don't know how much she paid, but I suppose it was worth not having a mess made of her hair on her wedding day. She eventually opted to have one of the Glamsquad stylists do her updo, with the BP getting blowouts.

I am a hairstylist, and while my prices are not nearly as high as someone would charge in NYC, my trial updos are half of what my brides pay the day of. A lot of times I do more than 1 up do on them and am taking a good hour-2 hours out of my day to show them whatever style they might be considering, so I think half price is reasonable. (would I pay $200+ for my trial, heck no.)

That seems high. What are your other quotations?

Well I am lucky to have found that one of my student's mom's works for MAC as a store manager and is getting me a free trial. I'd have to pay the price that her employee charges for freelance for the day of, so thats it.

Another girl quoted me $130 for makeup the day of and $130 for the trial as well.

For hair, I got a quote of $300 (trial and day of together) so far. This is from a hair stylist that works in a studio that's highly rated on the WW vendor tab, and another girl in my area recommended her to me.

I feel like if I go another route I'll save a ton of money. I'm looking at $725 plus tips for the hair/makeup squad that I originally got quoted from compared to $560 plus tips for the two quotes I have to use to compare. I don't expect cheap, especially not here, but I do expect reasonable, and it's def. not reasonable to charge $40 just to drive 10 minutes (hitting all red lights) on top of all of the already inflamed pricing.

Let's see what happens with the quote I get from MAC when I go to my trial. *fingers crossed* I definitely didn't budget beauty correctly, I thought I'd be spending about $500.