I'm in between ready to cry and scream...

MYLOVE315

So after I was recommened to a salon who has done a great job with my hair.
When I started with them we spoke about doing hiring them to do my wedding parties hair at the hotel .... it wasn't a problem. They sort of quoted me a price which was totally reasonalbe <then /> but we didn't write anything down.
Last time I was there because everything seemed loosey goosey I asked them could they please write my wedding down in the book since there was someone in there who was already booking them.

My bridal party asked me to give them a definitive answer in terms of what their hair would cost?  So I just called the salon and asked them if we could just talk about timing and the day of as well as cost that I needed to let everyone know.
 
 Well I was just informed (because their telling me because of the time of day - they would need to arrive @ 5am in the morning + travel the price would be....

For each bridesmaid: $175 per girl
And for my sisters who are not in the party but gettng their hair styled it will be $100.

I am FLIPPING OUT.  Oh My God I don't know what the hell to do?!?!?! I feel so stupid and blind sided ....I just think that is an exorbitant price.

I'm at a loss..........I'm really feeling so disenchanted and a little bit shocked and surprised.  The price is no where near what they originally told me and I'm upset.
I don't know what to do but I certianly can't have these girls paying for a simple style costing each of them $175!

I'm screaming inside.

Riss91

Don't freak just yet! Call them up and speak to the salon manager. Explain that you were quote the original price, but when you requested written documentation, the priced jumped way up beyond your budget. Ask her if she can work something out. They will likely not want to lose all of that business.

Did the original cost include travel costs?

MYLOVE315

It was the owner I spoke to...she runs the biz w/ her daughter. They knew from the get go travel was involved. It was always just a light chit chat again and again about my wedding but from the beginning they told me they could do it.

When she heard my silence over the phone  I said how can that be? That's nowhere near what you quoted me? She said well it's because of the time of day???? If it was primtime like 11am on a Saturday or smack in the middle of a Saturday I get that....  I understand they have to be there @ 5am is a drag ( but becasue it's only 2 of them)
that's why they have to come @ 5am.

I can't in all honestly use these ladies. I feel somehow it was a bait and switch. I personally like them I do but I feel they smelled money and their hitting me between the eyes w/ the charges.  I can't have my girls pay this kind of money!  It's not fair.
How does it go from $70 - $75.00 up to $175!

I really blown away and now I feel its my responsibility to find someone. I quickly started to call a few places that were recommeneded here....what a surprise I'm getting married in MAY AND THEIR BOOKED!  arrrrrrrrrghhhh

Riss91

I used the salon that me and most of my BP go to regularly and they STILL wound up changing the price on me. But, they're a bit flighty and we hadn't written anything down. Also, the price only went up like $5-$10 per person.

It sucks that they're doing this to you. I would tell them that you are really upset that this wasn't presented to you upfront, because you cannot afford the new price. They need to be forced to confront what they did.

In the meantime, you should continue your search. One thing you might want to do is talk to stylists in private because many of them will do the work as a freelance job outside of the salon. They are usually more flexible in their pricing, too because they can set it at whatever they want. If you find one stylist, just ask her if she has a friend - most of them know many competent people in the business.

Good luck!

Bat937

Are any of your BM  or sister's local?  Maybe their regular stylist can do it. Maybe even do the group.
If there was any way to avoid it, I wouldn't go to anyone other than my regular stylist for a special occasion because they know my hair best.

MYLOVE315

Yes, all my BM's and sister's are local however, my one sister usually goes by the stylist I use  hence the ones who just decided to up the amount immensely.... My other 2 sister's use a guy I particualry don't care for the way he does hair...he just doesn't keep up w/ the times.  I'm in such a quandry.

I put a call into Michelle LoConte but unfortunately she's booked -- she's recommending her sister but I'm not so sure about that. My niece who's freind is a stylist is going to see if she could do it.  I really can't believe what salons are doing and it's seriously disappointing and I feel its taking advantage of us.  They have us where they want us. 

**RISS91** Thanks for the advice / tips...I'll continue my search but I thought I had this all settled in Septembe!!!!! Shame on me once again.  I felt like I was so ahead of the curve ball and now look!  This blows!

tsteger

Check out Andrea Beckerich at 

https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fweb.me.com%2Fangbeck%2FSite%2FHome.html&h=86ada

kristinanddan

Try Mandy from LaSorella Bridal as well. She's in Jersey but travels to you the day of.

And how ridiculous that they raised the price by $100 - that certainly does sound like greed and trying to take advantage of a bride so close to her wedding day.

The lesson here to anyone who hasn't booked a stylist yet - get a signed contract immediately with quoted prices.

MYLOVE315

**Kristen**
Thanks for the lead I'll check into Mandy. I am so disappointed in myself I should know better....I never thought something like this would happen and yes my initial instinct is that this is greed! It's one thing to raise the price 10 or 20 but when they told me the price at the get go and I brought them even more business since I've been going there and this is what they do?  The excuse was well it's the time in the morning. Oh really? You told me you had a team!  You knew the time from the start! You wouldn't have to be there @ 5am if you had a team!  Wow another learning curve for me!  The makeup artist for everyone isn't even charging me anywhere close to that! and she's doing everyone as well AND travelling!

**Tsteger** thanks I'll look into Andrea as well.  Thankfully I have this board to turn to. I'm hoping something pans out....it has to.  I will perservere but I'm so fricken angry!

Thanks again!

ssage

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-york-hudson-valley_im-between-ready-cry-scream?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:113Discussion:033271af-76a3-4596-aca5-3b522a3cfd4aPost:7db0311c-ba2e-4ee0-b768-a0cc984a747e">Re: I'm in between ready to cry and scream...</a>:
[QUOTE]I used the salon that me and most of my BP go to regularly and they STILL wound up changing the price on me. But, they're a bit flighty and we hadn't written anything down. Also, the price only went up like $5-$10 per person. It sucks that they're doing this to you. <strong>I would tell them that you are really upset that this wasn't presented to you upfront, because you cannot afford the new price</strong>. They need to be forced to confront what they did. In the meantime, you should <strong>continue your search. One thing you might want to do is talk to stylists in private because many of them will do the work as a freelance job outside of the salon. </strong>They are usually more flexible in their pricing, too because they can set it at whatever they want. If you find one stylist, just ask her if she has a friend - most of them know many competent people in the business. Good luck!
Posted by Riss91[/QUOTE]

This!  That is ridiculous....it is one thing to go up a little bit...but it is another thing to more than double the cost! 

I wish I could recomment my stylist....but she is not a fan of doing wedding hair but did mine as a courtesy but as RIss said, I needed two so she had a friend come....and she was awesome as well. 

Shari16

That's terrible! I'm sorry you have to deal with this!
That's such an outrageous price. Would a bridesmaid really pay that?
Based on how much I'm paying, my girls are paying, and how much I've paid to have my hair done for other weddings, the price you were given sounds like highway robbery!

You can also try Nicole Francavilla - Beautybynicole.com
She lives in Chester but she also travels. Depending on where she is traveling to there may be a small fee, but I really don't know specifics. My venue is close to where she lives so I don't have to pay an extra fee.
For me It's $100/hair, $100/makeup (addt'l $20 for airbrushing) and for BM it's $75/girl per service. I've usually paid $75 to get my hair done for weddings so I didn't feel too bad if my BM did the same...

Good luck. Sorry you have to go through this. Feel free to vent to me anytime!

bridaljoy

That is so wrong!! Since your makeup artist is a lower price maybe ask her if she knows any reasonably priced hair stylist.

ssage

And honestly, if these are stylists you and your sister go to...I would threaten to leave the salon.  That is totally uncalled for

jessa66

How horrible! I cn't believe your situation..It sounds like something out of a nightnare.  I plan on using  a woman named Veronica - she did my hair at my cousins wedding and was great!  She travels to you - her # is 914-582-7215.

Good luck!!

MYLOVE315

Thank you all so much. I've written down everyone's recommendations and really appreciate all the tips and feedback.  I've calmed down a little bit.

I've come to find, thru this whole wedding planning process....especially in the beauty industry I have found time and time again stylists and salons can take such advantage and that SO bothers me!

I told my older sister (my MOH) that I am not going back there. She is due to get her hair colored tomorrow (she loves the eay they do her hair) she asked me to hold off on letting loose on them lol til she gets her hair done. I agreed but I did tell her I have every intention on telling them I was extremely disappointed that they did a bait and switch. I was recommended to them from someone here - and while I appreciated that becuase the stylists I was going to kept screwing my hair up.  That said, I still feel somehow they smelled money - I know business is business but how the hell they jumped from telling me it was $75 per girl and then when I finally pressed for an answer to get things buttoned up they came back with that answer! Actually she first quoted me $200 and then says Oh Lee my mom just walked in (its a mother daughter team) she said the BM's are actually $175. I was so silent and completely floored.

I have my list -- have started to make a few phone calls. The girl I'm using who does Brides only I reached out to her first. I hadn't thought of until late last night  but I remembered she said she had a team but needed 3 mos notice. When she heard the way my voice was shaking on the phone she said she would try to call a few freelancers for me and she would get back to me.  In the meantime, I'll go w/ plan B and reaching out to the recco's here.

Thanks alot ladies for all the support.  I'll let ya know what happens.

Bride2be110511

That is really horrible. I can't believe they did that!!!! If you are close with one of the hairdressers, maybe she can do it "on the side" for you. With myself, the person doing my hair, also has a small salon in her house, so she does hair on the side. She is having me come to her though (because everything is in her home), but she is only charging me $50.00 to do my hair!!!! So she's only 30 minutes from me. If I went to a salon in the mall that she works at, or booked her through her job, it would have been double. The only other suggestion, is maybe they can privately open their salon for you in the morning so you and your girls can get your hair done. That would decrease the "$100.00 travel costs" they are charging you! I don't know where you are in the Hudson Valley, but if you want to PM me, I can give you my hairdressers phone number. She is awesome! Goodluck!!