Why are Bridal Makeup so expensive❓
Hello Zesties & bride to be👰🏻♀️
Many of you have probably wondered why wedding vendors and bridal makeup are sooo expensive. Here’s a breakdown of the truth behind the makeup rates 💸
𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸
In the corporate world, administrative roles are a paid job on their own. As freelance makeup artists, we handle all of this ourselves on top of doing the actual makeup work. This includes tracking client details and bookings, preparing and sending invoices, and managing monthly and yearly finances. It may not seem like part of the job people see, but it takes a lot of time, attention, and consistency to run everything smoothly—especially when you’re working solo.
𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
We handle hundreds of client enquiries each year, which means juggling many ongoing conversations at the same time across different chat channels, each with their own unique questions and needs. These aren’t copy-paste replies — every conversation is personalised. We take time to understand each client’s preferences, needs, and expectations to make sure they feel heard and well taken care of from the very beginning.
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
Many of us dont actually come from a business or marketing background, so we have to continuously learn and keep up with the latest marketing strategies to reach and showcase our work to clients. On top of doing makeup, we also spend time taking and editing photos and videos—just like photographers and content creators. There are also additional costs involved in running ads and promotions.
𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀
This is a major expense on its own. We don’t just use “makeup products” that we have on hand. We constantly test new products to ensure quality, and not everything works out, so some items go unused or are discarded. Most purchases are made with clients in mind, not personal use. On top of that, we also invest in essential tools like makeup luggage, lighting, and other equipment needed to run the business professionally.
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗨𝗽𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴
We also constantly stay updated with the latest trends and work on improving our skills to meet the standards of such an important day. Bridal makeup isn’t everyday makeup—we’re part of someone’s once-in-a-lifetime moment! So to keep up, we invest in courses and workshops, which can be quite expensive. Some even travel overseas to learn from top artists, with each course costing around $2–3k or more.
𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
And then comes the actual work on the wedding day itself. We usually wake up at very early hours—often before anyone else. If your makeup starts at 4am, we’re already up by around 2.30am preparing ourselves and our kit. As we’re often the first person you meet on such an important day, the energy and atmosphere we bring really matters. It can truly set the tone for the bride’s morning. No matter what we may be going through personally, we always show up with our best energy to make sure the bride feels calm, comfortable, and well taken care of.
𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁
You may also not be our only client for the day. There are times where we have back-to-back appointments across different parts of Singapore—from the east to the west. One bride usually means multiple locations, not just one. It can involve travelling to your home early in the morning, then heading to hotels or different venues throughout the day, often back and forth. This also means carrying heavy makeup luggage and equipment along the way.
𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀
This job is unlike most others—we can’t simply pass the work to someone else or take MC easily when we’re not feeling well. There are times we still show up even with fever, managing it just enough to ensure the bride still looks her best on her big day.
For those of us who are pregnant (like myself, having gone through two pregnancies), it can be even more challenging—carrying heavy luggage around, dealing with fatigue or nausea, and still showing up fully for clients. Weekends and public holidays are often fully booked for weddings, which means less time for family. And while weekdays may seem free, they are usually filled with pre-wedding shoots, trials, and administrative work.
💗 So all in all, I really hope the hard work behind freelancers like us is better understood and appreciated. These services are not for ourselves, but for you. 💗
𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘂𝗽 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 are there to help you look and feel your best. 𝗣𝗚/𝗩𝗚 ensuring every moment is captured beautifully for you to look back on for a lifetime—they’re not taking those photos for themselves, but for the couple. 𝗚𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀 spending countless hours curating and preparing the perfect dresses, down to every small detail, to make sure you feel your best on your big day. 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 putting in a huge amount of work behind the scenes—sourcing fresh blooms, designing and arranging each piece thoughtfully, often working late into the night or early morning to ensure everything looks perfect and stays fresh for the event. 𝗘𝗺𝗰𝗲𝗲𝘀 who helps to set the flow and energy of the wedding. They prepare scripts, coordinate with vendors, and ensure the program runs smoothly so the couple can simply enjoy the moment. 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 managing the entire day behind the scenes—coordinating vendors, keeping to timelines, and handling any unexpected issues so everything runs seamlessly for the couple.
