Wedding Booking Stylist BEFORE the trial??

[Gwyn]

So I just got off the phone with a salon that seems somewhat reasonable in their prices (for Los Angeles). The cost for Bridal hair and make up is $200 plus a trial fee of $30. However, if you just want a trial without booking (tieing yourself down to the artist before you see how they do with you). Then you just come in and pay what he charges general population (40+ for hair and 65 for makeup).

Since I want an updo (no idea of it is complex or not I will put a pic below and you all can judge for yourself) It may very well be over the $40 mark just for the updo. And then I would still have to pay the $200 the day of.

Hmm...I wonder if i can come in for the trial and if i like it and book then just pay $30 for that day and then $200 the day of and if i dont like it just pay the 100+ for his time.... Does that seem like a reasonable question to ask?

Anyway my question to you all is, how many of you signed with someone before getting a trial by them? How did that turn out?

On a side note: I am a complete moron when it comes to hair and makeup so doing either of these myself is not an option.


What I am thinking for my hair is the top left picture. From the side it would kind of look like the top right ( i want some kind of side sweep). I want to have the flower in the bottom left it in my hair but centered on top of the bun thing, not to the side. My veil will be attached below the bun thingy.

 

[bee*]

I have made a booking for a make-up artist over here without having a trial yet. I want to have a trial done soon though so that I know for sure that she''s the one that I want to go with. It''s a bit nerve-wrecking booking someone without them working on your first though!

 

[JulieN]

ask if you can credit it toward the wedding day if you do book him.

 

[marchswallowbird]

Can you cancel the booking if you don''t like the trial? I would not commit myself to something as critically important as hair and makeup unless I was either confident of their work because they''d worked on me before, they had done a great trial for me, or I knew I could cancel without penalty if the trial did not go well (and just pay whatever the trial costs were).

Also, have you asked them if you have your trial and then decide to book, whether they will put the trial fee toward the day-of cost? A lot of places will do that.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

That is a pretty simple chignon. I would guess if he starts at 40.00, you''re well within that price with the style you have pictured below, so long as your hair isn''t down to your butt and curly or frizzy.

I personally wouldn''t commit to anything as important as your wedding hair or makeup without seeing his work first. Call the salon and explain that while you''re very serious about moving forward with him and the salon, you''d prefer to hold off formally booking until you''ve seen his work. Tell them if you''re happy, you''ll gladly book that day...however, a good compromise is to say that if you do not book that day, you will pay his normal fee.

It''s important to understand that stylists work solely on commission. Even if you''re totally unhappy with his work, that was still his time. Prebooking is done completely to protect the stylist and make sure that he gets paid and doesn''t "give his work away for free". When I started off in the business before I was business savvy and very green, I had a bridal booking with a younger bride. She was nice and I spent over 4 hours working, and re-working her hair...doing different designs and what not. Of course I gave her a free trial, because she had completely convinced me that she was going to be booking. However, it turns out her sister, who accompanied her to the trial, was in cosmetology school...and ended up taking my tricks to do her sisters hair for free.

Good luck, and I hope you love his work!!!