The Budget Bride
If you are in the middle of planning your big day, then you know that the costs can rise within the blink of an eye. You can start off with all good intentions to have a budget, but let's face it ... there is always some wiggle room to it. To top that off, it really feels like no single part of your wedding day can be skimped on - from food to your face, a bride, and yes the groom too, would like to have everything be perfect. P-E-R-F-E-C-T. And who can blame them? It will be the biggest day of their lives after all.
When it comes to your skin, makeup and hair, there are ways to stay within if not really close to your budget.
A great way to keep your costs down - hire a freelance artist. If you shop around and get the right referrals, a freelance artist will have more competitive prices than a salon or makeup counter that has a pricey cost due to their operating overhead. Plus, a freelance artist will come to you on-location so you will save on driving and transportation costs the day of your wedding too. Plus, everything is done in the privacy of your home or hotel room. Bonus.
It's really tempting to use the phrase "if I book with you for my wedding day, will my trial be free?". Freelance artists have a skill and expertise that should be compensated for. They are spending that skill and their time on you each time you ask them for a trial, so you should pay for those services just like you pay for every haircut, every dental or doctor appointment, every time you get your car a car wash after buying gas. If you plan to book more than one trial, and also services for your bridal shower, stagette and rehearsal dinner - then expect to pay for each one. But what you can do when you book your makeup and hair services is see if they have wedding packages available. If they do, take time to read through all of them and see if any fits your beauty schedule. Maybe your artist has a package for trial runs, where if you book your wedding day, you'll get 15% off each trial run. Or, maybe he or she will have a package where your trial run, wedding day, and another bridal related session are grouped together. Long story short: don't expect it to be free, but do expect your artist to be open to "bundling your services" if you're booking quite a few of them!
Brow shaping. Facials. Mani/Pedis. It's a big thing. This is another time to ask the salon or spa you frequent if they will give you a package deal. Go armed with a list of days and times you plan to come in (it helps the manager or cashier see that you plan to come in for services more than once) and politely ask that if you schedule each service right at that moment if they can somehow workout a deal price. All you have to do is ask. Maybe if you come in for four visits, you'll get the fifth visit 50% off or better yet free. You might have to put down a deposit for each date - but who cares - you know you will need and will use those services. This will work better if you go to a salon or spa that will offer all services you need, as opposed to going to one place for facials, one place for brow shaping and another for your tips and toes.
Try doing your own makeup! You can go to any beauty counter at your local mall and get a makeup lesson just for buying the product they used. That might not sound like you are saving - but if you love the makeup they used, chances are you will use that same makeup even when it's not your wedding day. A refreshed makeup bag and tips and tricks! Can't go wrong there!
And a tip for keeping it on budget that doesn't deal with beauty:
Think outside the box. Choose to have your wedding on an "off" day! I've seen many beautiful weddings on Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings. Who says it has to be a Saturday? Guests love the ease of a Sunday morning wedding celebrated over brunch OR the short but sweet nuptials made official over cocktails and h'or d'ouerves on a Thursday night!
-bp-
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