Post # 1

Member
141 posts
Blushing bee
Hi bees! I’m in the middle of wedding planning and I’m finding that small, logistical details I didn’t think of earlier are now becoming more stressful! I’m trying to figure out if I should have my bridesmaids do their hair and makeup on their own- has anyone done this? How was it recieved? If I would like to have my bridesmaids have their hair/makeup done, do they pay for it themselves or do I? I’m trying to figure out where I want to get ready, and I think I’d be happiest at my mom’s house with her, which is only 20 minutes from our venue. But when I think about having my 5 bridesmaids in the house getting ready at the same time it just sounds chaotic and stresses me out! Is that crazy? I know the bridesmaids are there to be with you, but I think I’d rather just have a more peaceful getting ready time with my mom. Can I tell them to arrive to the venue early with their hair and makeup already done? Will this be rude of me?
Thanks for your help bees!
Post # 2

Member
2696 posts
Sugar bee
cierrabear: every wedding I’ve been in I paid for my own hair and makeup. For my wedding I paid for my bridesmaids hair, then they paid for their makeup if they wanted it professionally done. Some did and some didn’t.
Post # 3

Member
7570 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
since it is your wedding, I think if you want them to have professional hair and makeup done, you pay. even if you make it optional for them, you should still pay. They wouldn’t have this expense if it weren’t for your weddimg so that makes it wrong to expect them to have to fund it. As for where they get ready, nothing wrong with asking (not telling) them to meet you at the venue already dressed and ready, but many bridesmaids really do look forward to this together-time with the bride. It’s not rude to miss it but you’d still be missing out on what some consider is the best part.
Post # 4

Member
2798 posts
Sugar bee
- Wedding: May 2015 - St Peter\'s Church, East Maitland, and Bella Vista, Newcastle
If you are saying they need to have hair and makeup done professionally, you pay. You can give them the option – “if you would like your hair and makeup done by th people doing mine, I’m happy to book it for you but it will cost you $xxx” but yeah, if you’re insisting, you pay.
Post # 5

Member
3584 posts
Sugar bee
cierrabear: i gave my Bridesmaid or Best Man the option. I told them how much it wpuld cost if they used my HMUA and they all picked. I only had one who said no hair but may change her mind.
Post # 6

Member
153 posts
Blushing bee
I definitely think you should pay to get hair and make up done Pro…. But in NZ these is the norm and you would never expect nz to pay for anything at all including the dress etc
Post # 7

Member
1183 posts
Bumble bee
I’ve not expected them to have it done. Ive given them the option of coming with me to my hairdressers in the morning (I’m not getting a specialist package so all 3 of us would be under £100) If they’d like their hair done, I’ll pay but make up and nails etc are theirs to decide.
Post # 8

Member
1443 posts
Bumble bee
I told my 3 BMs and my mom that if they wanted their hair & makeup done they’d have to pay for it. None of them chose to have their makeup professionally done, and I actually ended up paying for their hair (:
Post # 9

Member
78 posts
Worker bee
Missjan2015: I’m assuming by NZ you mean New Zealand, in which case your statement doesnt apply to everyone. I’m from New Zealand and when I was a bridesmaid five years ago I paid for my own professional hair and makeup. When I got married last year my bridesmaids paid for theirs. I paid for their dresses.
It varies from person to person.
Post # 10

Member
741 posts
Busy bee
I have 3 bridesmaids(sister and 2 friends) I am paying for their hair and make up as well as my mothers. We will be getting ready in my parents house, MUA and hair dresser are coming to the house.
Post # 11

Member
9519 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
I think that traditionally they pay for hair and make up but in more modern society that is less widely accepted. One of my bridesmaids is a single mother of two and the other is in graduate school. They are both taking the time to fly across country for the wedding and have other financial priorities. I’m in grad school too but am choosing to have the wedding so I assume to pay.
Post # 12

Member
6432 posts
Bee Keeper
cierrabear: I didn’t care about mine having theirs professionally done, and also had no style stipulations, so I didn’t pay. Had I wanted a certain look, I would obviously have paid. They all did their own bar one who chose to pay to have her hair done by the hair stylist, a day she paid for it.
The dresses, flowers, gifts etc cost a lot, and hair and make up would have been another $200 a girl.
Post # 13

Member
7570 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
Keep in mind that giving someone an “option” for professional hair and makeup is really not much of an option, as many ladies will say Yes to whatever the bride says. It is not really a choice Because they are not going to say No.
if they come up with the idea of professional hair/makeup on their own, fair play, but if you bring it up, you should pay. If you were in someone else’s wedding and they made you pay, that does not make it right to do the same to your bridesmaids.
Post # 14

Member
949 posts
Busy bee
I don’t know what the general rule is for where I live, but I booked the appointment for my two MOHs and myself and told them that it would be my treat to them. I wanted the experience with my MOHs and I didn’t want to place a financial burden on either of them.
Post # 15

Member
6432 posts
Bee Keeper
Horseradish: I get what you’re saying and did just that: didn’t even mention the professional hair and make-up in case they felt under pressure. It kind of back-fired though as a) none of them would have felt under pressure and b) one of them wanted her hair doing but wasn’t sure if she could get it done by my hair stylist, so we had to arrange it super last minute (like 2 days before). I wish I’d just mentioned it so they had the option (and it was totally just that, they knew I didn’t care about them having it done professionally, plus 3 out of 4 are weird about anyone doing their hair and make-up (one has slight OCD and is very particular; one is anorexic and can be funny about beauty treatments; another is an ex model and always prefers to do her own as she has lots of practice and excellent having to done professionally brings back bad memories of modeling lol); my friend was a bit awkward asking and I felt bad about that.