Ask a Professional Bridesmaid: Can I Do My Own Hair and Makeup For the Wedding?

Dear Jen,

 

I’m decent with a curling iron and I have enough make-up that I could open up my own little mini pop-up Sephora. Do I have to pay $175 for my hair and make-up to get done along with the bride and the bridesmaids on the wedding day? If I could not pay for that expense, my wallet and my face would be very thankful.

 

Sincerely,

A Made-Up Expense

 

Dear A Made-Up Expense,

 

I respect any bride who takes the time and the effort to find a group of hair and make-up professionals to swing by and help the bridesmaids get glammed up on the wedding day. Even if that comes at an out of pocket expense for the bridesmaids, it’s worth it. Especially because last time I used a curling iron, a chunk of my ear fried off onto the sink. The time before that, when I tried to do my own make-up, I drew on lips, that I thought looked like Kylie Jenners but actually looked like Ronald McDonald.

 

For someone who knows how to maintain their own frizz and brush on a face of make-up themselves, it’s worth holding on to the close to $200 you’d spend to have someone else do it. The first thing you should do, is chat with the bride. Tell her you appreciate her finding someone, but you believe you can do your own hair and make-up yourself. Tell the bride if there’s a certain look she’d like the bridesmaids to have, you’re happy to do that look. Make her feel even more calm by doing a practice run of your hair and make-up before the wedding and sending her those photos.