Wedding Blog

Hi Bees!

I am planning to have my wedding in Houston on November 25th, 2006 and I am still trying to get resources on Houston make up artists and hairstylists. Do you have any suggestions about how and where to find a makeup artist and hair stylist for me, my bridesmaids, and moms for the wedding without breaking the bank? All the KNOT listings I have looked at cost over 400 dollars for wedding day and trial for hair and makeup and $100 average for hair and makeup for the maids.

I am having an early wedding so that makes it even more costly since there is an early morning fee, but that is understandable. I mean, what ARE the average rates for bridal hair and makeup? Am I just being a cheap skate? Thanks and I am so addicted to your site even though I live in Houston. I wish so much we had something like weddingbee.com for Houston. Keep up the awesome work!

Anne

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Hi Anne,

I know Mrs. Bee is probably saying “Aww, shucks…” right about now. The response to Weddingbee has been so over-the-top fantastic (I’m just as excited to read it every day as you are!) that I’m sure plans to expand slowly but surely are already in the works. If it were up to me, I would put a Weddingbee in every city, state, village and hamlet in this great big country of ours, so stay tuned for Weddingbees in other cities and locales.

In terms of finding a make-up artist and hair person, in situations like this, I always try to get creative. Here are a few ideas:

There are some wonderfully talented make-up artists working at the make-up counters of finer department stores. Take a girlfriend with you one day and go on a blitz through the cosmetic counters at the nicest department store you have in town. Almost all of the cosmetic lines employ artists who, often, do freelance work. If you have a favorite line of make-up, start there and see if you “vibe” with the make-up artist. If so, it’s absolutely appropriate to ask if they ever do any event work and see if you can’t strike a deal. Often these make-up artists are trying to make a name for themselves and are more than happy to take on fun freelance projects like weddings and events.

*Craigslist is also a great resource. In fact, I know brides who have found virtually all of their vendors for their wedding there. Check out the “Gigs” section under the “event” category or the “Services” section under the “event” category. Since this method is a bit more informal, try to get some references and make sure you meet with whomever you are corresponding with to ensure that they will be able to give you the look you are going after. Some great deals can be had, though.

*Where do you get your haircut? Perhaps the salon you go to offers these types of event services for a better rate? Is there a new, hip salon in town you’ve been aching to try? Give them a call and find out what the rates are.

*Another idea would be to call the concierge at a nicer hotel in town. Often these hotels play host to weddings and have a number of great references for all sorts of vendors. Pretend that you will be attending a wedding that is taking place there and tell them you are looking for referals for reasonably priced hair/make-up people. You might just get
lucky.

*Are there any local beauty schools in your area? If so, this can be a treasure trove of talent at super reasonable prices. Call up the school, explain your situation and see if they can’t recommend an advanced student who might be able to help you. You might even luck out and find someone who would be willing to do this for free if you promised to talk them up like crazy on the bridal boards and allow your photos to be used for their
portfolio.

In terms of average prices, it really is all over the board. Here in New York, $100 for hair and make-up would be a red-hot bargain. However, plenty of brides/bridesmaids simply can’t spend that much and think of all sorts of ways to get creative.

Check out the local boards on theknot.com, weddingchannel.com or even sites like indiebride.com for ideas about how much other brides have spent in your area. Don’t be afraid to set a budget for yourself and then do your darndest to try and stick with it. Be realistic, but also be creative. If you use some of these money saving tips, you’ll be sure to look gorgeous and maybe even have a few bucks left for things like…dinner

Good luck, beautiful bride!

Erica
www.paperbride.com
www.papermama.com