Paying for Hair and Makeup

[Deleted User]

I am planning to pay for hair and makeup for my bridesmaids.  I also would like to invite several family members to get their hair and makeup done with us at the hotel if they choose.  Is it acceptable to only pay for my bridesmaids?

banana468

jlowy1 said:

I am planning to pay for hair and makeup for my bridesmaids.  I also would like to invite several family members to get their hair and makeup done with us at the hotel if they choose.  Is it acceptable to only pay for my bridesmaids?

I'd avoid that.   

Instead, what about just inviting them to get ready?   Then it's less awkward about money handling.

southernbelle0915

that's a tough one but I'm with banana.

 What if you have the other family come after hair and make up is done so you all can still put in dresses, drink champagne, and hang out as a group but you avoid the awkwardness of only paying for some guests?

simplylaurel

You could phrase it more like "Come get ready with us. Oh, and there will be a hair/makeup artist there if you want to pay to have it done. Otherwise, come hang out and get ready." You don't need to mention who is having their hair and makeup paid for and who isn't, just leave it as an option for everyone. Don't make anyone feel obligated to use the professionals. Just ask the hair/makeup artists to be discreet about payment.

geebee908

You could also put yourself in a bind timewise if an unmanageable number of people were to get their hair and makeup done. You'd need to hire out an entire salon's stylists and MUA.

MobKaz

jlowy1 said:

I am planning to pay for hair and makeup for my bridesmaids.  I also would like to invite several family members to get their hair and makeup done with us at the hotel if they choose.  Is it acceptable to only pay for my bridesmaids?

This is a lovely and generous thing to offer your BM's.  Even though you are paying, I do hope that the style is to their individual taste and liking, as opposed to yours and any "vision".  There is no need for a wedding party to have cloned hair styles.

ei34

geebee908 said:

You could also put yourself in a bind timewise if an unmanageable number of people were to get their hair and makeup done. You'd need to hire out an entire salon's stylists and MUA.

This. It takes about an hour per person to have hair or makeup professionally done.  Working backwards from the time everyone needs to be ready, the more people who need hair and MU done, the earlier everyone will have to up. 

cowgirl8238

eileenrob said:

geebee908 said:

You could also put yourself in a bind timewise if an unmanageable number of people were to get their hair and makeup done. You'd need to hire out an entire salon's stylists and MUA.

This. It takes about an hour per person to have hair or makeup professionally done.  Working backwards from the time everyone needs to be ready, the more people who need hair and MU done, the earlier everyone will have to up. 

So much both of these.  When I got married we invited all the BMs and the Moms to have hair/makeup done at a salon.  Then I just picked up the tab.  Not only did we all get through everyone in a reasonable amount of time (about 2.5 hours for 7 people) but it was significantly cheaper than hiring someone to come on-site.   

ahoywedding

banana468 said:

jlowy1 said:

I am planning to pay for hair and makeup for my bridesmaids.  I also would like to invite several family members to get their hair and makeup done with us at the hotel if they choose.  Is it acceptable to only pay for my bridesmaids?

I'd avoid that.   

Instead, what about just inviting them to get ready?   Then it's less awkward about money handling.

This. I was an usher in my cousin's wedding several years ago. She had a hair stylist come to her house to do everyone's hair. She paid for only her BMs and her mom but not me. I was the ONLY person there who she didn't pay for and it was awkward as HECK. I would have much rather done my own hair (seriously, who cares about an usher's hair) and met everyone else at her house to finish getting ready, doing makeup, etc.

MandyMost

Even if you're paying, it should still be an option for your BMs. I'd figure out how many BMs are going to get their hair and makeup done, and then yourself of course, and discuss with the hair and makeup artists what your options are. Figure out how many hair and makeup artists they'll need to send for that many people, and what time they suggest starting. Talk to them about what your options are if you were to add additional people to get their hair and makeup done too.

For instance, if you have 3 bridesmaids and you all want your hair and makeup done, and your wedding is at 6pm, you may all want to be done by 3pm to allow for transportation and photos and stuff. You'll be last so you'll probably have hair at 1pm and makeup at 2pm, or something like that. Or they'll both be working on you at once. REgardless, everyone else will probably need to be done by 1-2pm, meaning for 3 people they'd be starting 10-11am. For 4 bridesmaids that's 9-10am. Maybe if you had 5 bridesmaids they'd suggest adding another hair person and makeup artists, and then you could go up to 6-7 people and invite the mom's and still have no one needing to start before 9-10am.

As for paying, I think it's fine if you figure out the timing and resources available through the hair and makeup people, and if you have time for 5 people but only have 2 bridesmaids, you could ask 3 others if they wanted their hair and makeup done too and tell them what it costs and when they'd need to be there. Then it's up to them. It shouldn't be obvious who's paying for what--you can make sure your hair and makeup people know ahead of time who they'll be getting checks from, and it would all be discrete.