If you are budgeting for bridal hair and makeup in 2026, UK brides commonly pay £200 to £400 for their own hair and makeup, according to Wedding Answers. Bridebook puts the average UK spend on wedding hair and makeup at £811.
At the top of the market, Bridebook found bridal makeup alone can reach £400 and bridal hair £300 or more. This guide sets out what UK artists charge in 2026, what a luxury quote includes, and how to get an accurate figure for your own wedding.
Average bridal hair and makeup prices in the UK (2026)
These are published UK figures from two wedding planning sites, in pounds, for 2026.
| Bridebook (July 2026) | Wedding Answers (June 2026) | |
|---|---|---|
| Bride’s makeup | From about £150, up to £400 | |
| Bride’s hair | From £120, up to £300 or more | |
| Bride’s hair and makeup together | £200 to £400 | |
| Average UK spend on wedding hair and makeup | £811 (£394 makeup, £417 hair) | |
| Trial | £90 to £150 with an experienced artist | £50 to £120 per service, usually charged separately |
| Bridesmaids and mothers, per person | From £60 for hair or makeup | £50 to £100 each, per service |
| Party of five, hair and makeup | £700 to £1,200 |
Both sites note that prices vary with the artist’s experience. Neither gives a figure for travel or early starts, which most artists quote per wedding.
What does a luxury bridal hair and makeup quote include?
At Botias every wedding is quoted individually, with your styling, the bridal party and any travel in one clear figure, agreed before you book. There are no packages to fit yourself into and there are no surprises later. This is what sits inside that figure.
| What is included at Botias | |
|---|---|
| Your hair and makeup on the morning | Styled by me personally, on location |
| After you are ready | I stay to help with your dress and place your veil, and see you down the aisle |
| Touch ups and look changes | For destination weddings I stay all day for touch ups and look changes |
| Your bridal party | For large bridal parties, I can provide top makeup artists and hair stylists to work alongside me |
| Travel | Inside the one figure. For destination weddings I travel the day before. |
What you are paying for with a luxury bridal artist
At Botias, I specialise in creating modern, timeless bridal hair and makeup for brides who appreciate refined, effortless beauty.
Working across London, Essex, the UK and destination weddings throughout Europe, my approach is always centred around individuality, beautiful skin and enhancing natural features with careful attention to detail.
I have worked in bridal for 19 years, and my work has been featured in Vogue Australia, Harper’s Bazaar and SheerLuxe. I also work with luxury wedding planners in the UK, Ireland and overseas.
How much is a bridal trial?
UK artists charge £50 to £120 per service for a trial according to Wedding Answers, and £90 to £150 for an experienced artist according to Bridebook. Some include the trial in the bridal price and many do not, so ask.
My trials are at my studio in Stansted, three to four months before the wedding. Brides marrying abroad plan the look with me over a video call instead.
During my bridal trials, I take the time to understand how each bride usually wears her makeup, what makes her feel confident and how she envisions herself on her wedding day.
From there, we create a look that feels completely personal.
Bridesmaids, mothers and a second artist
Bridebook puts bridal party hair or makeup from £60 per person, and Wedding Answers puts it at £50 to £100 each per service, so a party of five having both can reach £700 to £1,200. For large bridal parties, I can provide top makeup artists and hair stylists, and they are quoted within your one figure.
Who pays for the bridesmaids is a separate question, and there is more on it in my bridesmaid hair and makeup guide.
Travel fees and destination weddings
Many UK artists charge travel on top, particularly for early starts and rural venues, and add accommodation when the venue is far from home. At Botias, travel sits inside the one figure, so there is no separate travel fee to add. For weddings abroad I travel the day before.
How to get an accurate quote
Send these with your enquiry, so your quote can cover everything in one figure:
- Your date and venue, and where you are getting ready if it is somewhere else.
- Who is having hair, makeup or both, including mothers, bridesmaids and flower girls.
- Your ceremony time, so the morning can be planned back from it.
- Whether you are marrying abroad, and where.
My guide to choosing your wedding hair and makeup artist has the full list of questions to ask before you pay a deposit.
Frequently asked questions
UK brides commonly pay £200 to £400 for their own hair and makeup in 2026 (Wedding Answers), and Bridebook puts the average UK spend on wedding hair and makeup at £811. Luxury and highly experienced artists charge more.
Bridebook puts bridal makeup from about £150 to £400 in 2026, depending on the artist, with an average UK spend of £394 on wedding makeup.
Many do, particularly for early starts, rural venues and weddings that need an overnight stay. At Botias, travel is included in the one quoted figure.
It depends on the artist. Some include the trial and many charge for it separately, from £50 to £150 across the two UK guides above, so ask before you book.
Wedding Answers puts it at £50 to £100 per person per service in 2026, and Bridebook from £60. A party of five having hair and makeup can reach £700 to £1,200.
Every wedding is quoted individually, with your styling, the bridal party and any travel in one clear figure, agreed before you book. There are no packages to fit yourself into.
Book your wedding hair and makeup
If you would like a quote for your wedding, tell me your date and venue and I will come back to you personally with one clear figure. You can see more of my bridal hair and makeup here.
About the author. Boe Wright is the founder of Botias, a luxury bridal hair and makeup artist based in Stansted, Essex, with 19 years in bridal. Her soft glam bridal style has been featured in Vogue Australia, Harper’s Bazaar and SheerLuxe, and she works across London, the Cotswolds, Ireland and destination weddings abroad. She also trains working bridal artists through 1-2-1 mentoring.
Sources: Bridebook, wedding beauty prices (updated July 2026); Wedding Answers, how much do wedding hair and makeup cost (June 2026).
