I've been friends with a girl for 16 years, she took cosmetology in trade high school so she did my hair for every prom. She went to Paul Mitchell hair school in LA (like the Harvard of hairdressing) but then she quit doing hair for a few years. Now that her mom opened her own salon, my friend got back into it to work there and I asked her to do my hair for the wedding. I went in for my trial today and loved it and then I asked how much I owed her and she said "What?! Oh sweetie, nothing, I'm not even charging you on your wedding day, it's my gift!" Aaaaw I didn't expect that!
One of my 2 bridesmaids is a makeup artist and has done many of our friend's weddings, and she is also doing my makeup as a gift.
Then I texted my maid of honor's sister, since she's in the legal process of opening her own bakery. I asked if she would make the cake for me (that I fully intended to pay for) and she replied that she would be honored and that it was also a gift.
My photographer is a really close friend. She didn't think she could afford to fly here for the wedding since she has 3 kids. So I offered to hire her for photography and fly her here because we both really wanted her here. She was just so excited to be able to come that she said the photography is a gift! I still plan to give her a nice check anyways, but it's really touching to see so many generous friends- love them!!!