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Updated Apr 28, 2026The Average Cost for Professional Wedding Hair & Makeup, According to Data
Trust us, hiring a beauty pro is worth the extra dough.
Photos: Stocksy,Design: Tiana Crispino
The average cost of professional wedding hair and makeup might seem like a drop in the bucket when it comes to your wedding expenses (Florals! Food! Alcohol!), but planning for every last cent is crucial. Wedding stylists put in hours of training, work within demanding timelines and spend full days on their feet to make sure you look and feel your best, so that's bundled into their overall price too. To keep you on track, we're breaking down the average cost for professional wedding hair and makeup. Then, you can go hire the glam squad of your dreams from The Knot Marketplace.
At a Glance
- One of the largest and longest-running studies of its kind, The Knot Real Weddings Study uses data from recently married couples to report average wedding costs.
- According to The Knot Real Weddings Study, the average cost of professional wedding hair and makeup services is $300; the average cost of wedding hair styling is $150 and the average cost of wedding makeup is also $150.
- The factors influencing the cost of professional wedding hair and makeup are: the stylists' experience level, number of hours worked, if there's a travel fee, the complexity level of your services, trials, gratuity and the number of artists.
- The next step for personalized budgeting is to check out wedding hair and makeup costs near you with The Knot Budget Advisor, a free planning tool.
In this article:
- What's the average cost of profesional wedding hair and makeup?
- What factors impact professional wedding hair and makeup costs?
- How did The Knot calculate the average cost of professional wedding hair and makeup?
- What's next for booking professional wedding hair and makeup?
What's the average cost of professional wedding hair and makeup?
The average cost of professional wedding hair and makeup for the bride is $300 in total. This number typically just accounts for the actual services performed on the wedding day itself and does not include hair and makeup trials or gratuity. According to The Knot Real Weddings Study, 72% of marriers hired a wedding beauty professional, so it's worth setting aside room for professional hair and makeup in your wedding budget breakdown.
The average price of wedding-day hair and makeup also changes depending on a couple's budget tier (just as the average wedding cost does). Below, see a breakdown of what couples with small, medium and large budgets usually spend on professional wedding hair and makeup:
- Lower cost quartile: $210
- Median cost quartile: $280
- Upper cost quartile: $390
While the average cost of wedding hair and makeup stays relatively consistent, it shifts the most from region to region, with high cost of living areas showing higher prices for services, and lower cost of living areas showing lower ones.
FEATURED VIDEO FROM THE KNOT
| Northeast/New England | Mid-Atlantic | Midwest | South/Southeast | Southwest | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $360 | $360 | $260 | $290 | $280 | $320 |
What's the average cost of professional wedding makeup?
The average cost of professional wedding makeup is $150, according to The Knot Real Weddings Study. Keep in mind that this number is an average, and pricing will vary depending on where you're located. You may also pay higher wedding makeup prices if you want to hire a senior makeup artist, as opposed to booking a newer stylist or visiting a makeup counter or salon.
What's the average cost of professional wedding hair?
According to The Knot data, the average wedding hair cost is $150. Much like with makeup, the bridal hair cost typically includes the beauty professional's time and travel fees (if they'll be traveling to your wedding location or hotel). Professional hairstylists also have access to salon-quality products and styling tools, so whether you're dreaming of something simple and classic or one of the latest trending wedding hairstyles, a pro will ensure that your locks look absolutely perfect.
What's the average cost of professional wedding party hair and makeup?
Wedding hair and makeup prices typically look a bit different for bridesmaids. According to The Knot data, you can expect an average cost of $210 total for both services. This breaks down to $110 per wedding party member for hair and $100 per wedding party member for makeup. However, determining who should foot the bill is not so simple. To help you navigate expenses, check out our cost breakdown of who pays for bridal party hair and makeup.
What factors impact professional wedding hair and makeup costs?
While the average cost of wedding hair and makeup for the bride typically falls in a standard range, there are certain factors that'll raise your cost. These factors mostly concern additional time, travel and the level of stylist expertise. Learn more below.
Experience Level of Stylist
Autumn Skye, professional makeup artist and owner of SkyeDaze Beauty, says that one of the main factors that affects how much hair and makeup is for a wedding is the artist's experience level: "Clients aren't just paying for the service itself, but also for the artist's years of education, training, certifications and licensing." Your overall wedding beauty cost accounts for each stylist's knowledge and expertise, as they know all the best tricks and trends to execute your desired wedding makeup look and hair style.
Professional hair and makeup artists also usually use a premium selection of products, especially if they're more experienced. "Many artists invest in high-quality, luxury products to ensure longevity and a flawless finish," Skye adds. "This investment in premium products often influences pricing."
Overall Hours Worked
Hair and makeup pros tend to charge hourly, so the longer they need to be at your venue, the more expensive it's going to be. Additional billable hours are required for marriers with large wedding parties that all need hair and makeup done, and also for newlyweds who request their hair and makeup stylists stay on site during the wedding for additional touchups throughout the event.
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Bridal hair is also typically styled dry, which means that your hairstylist will ask you to arrive with clean, dry hair on the day of your wedding. From there, your stylist will create your desired look. If you're interested in a blow-dry service, be sure to discuss this with your stylist in advance, as there may be an extra charge since more hours will be spent on your style overall.
Travel Fees
Couples having a destination wedding can expect to pay travel expenses for their hair and makeup pros, like airfare, hotels and transportation if you're flying them to your location. The same rule might apply if you're asking a wedding beauty professional to travel beyond their typical service area, even if they're still within state lines. For example, there might be a travel fee required if you book, say, a wedding hairstylist based in Boston and you're getting married in the Berkshires in Massachusetts (a two-hour drive away without traffic). This fee would cover things like gas and potential lodging, if you're requiring them to remain at the venue for touchups late into the evening. Every stylist has a different policy around travel fees, so add a query about them to your lists of questions to ask your hairstylist and questions to ask your makeup artist.
Extras & More-Elaborate Services
If you're requesting anything beyond a typical wedding hair and makeup look, there may be upcharges for additional beauty bells and whistles. On the makeup side, opting for airbrush foundation, which is applied with a special machine and gives your look a smooth, long-lasting finish, can cost an additional $10–$25, as it takes more time and skill to apply. False-lash application may add $10–$25 to your makeup total too. Strip lashes take less time to apply and might be less expensive or included in your overall cost, while individual lash application is more tedious, time-consuming and, ergo, expensive.
On the hair side, wedding hairstyles cost more when you add in things like fancy updos, elaborate braids and clip-in hair extensions, adding an additional $30–$50 to your total. You'll get a better idea of the exact hair cost once you've completed your hair trial.
Hair & Makeup Trials
A wedding hair and makeup trial will typically add $225–$350 to your overall beauty budget. Though, we highly recommend booking one prior to the wedding to test out your look and make tweaks as needed. This will ensure that day-of application goes off without a hitch. Occasionally, your quoted price might include a trial, but if it's not explicitly mentioned as included in your fee, you likely will incur an additional cost.
Gratuity
Plan to budget 15–25% of your final beauty total (likely around $50–$75 per service) as gratuity for your artists. This includes your hair and makeup, your wedding party's hair and makeup, and any other beauty services you booked for your VIPs. Be sure to check your contract to see if your glam team has any service fees already included. It's crucial to tip your wedding vendors for their amazing work!
Number of Artists
Larger bridal parties or on-site touch-ups may require extra artists or some extra wiggle room in your hair and makeup timeline. Expect to pay an additional hourly rate of $100–$250 per stylist if you need more beauty professionals on the day.
How did The Knot calculate the average cost of professional wedding hair and makeup?
The Knot Real Weddings Study was used to determine the average cost of wedding hair and makeup. The study, running for 20 years, collected responses from 10,474 US couples that married between January 1 and December 31, 2025 for its most recent edition. Annually, it captures responses from real couples to get data on the current wedding landscape. To learn more about current methodology, check out the complete The Knot Real Weddings study read-out.
What's next for booking professional wedding hair and makeup?
As the average cost of wedding hair and makeup varies most by region, consult a free tool like The Knot Budget Advisor to get pricing data from couples in your area. While the average cost for hair and makeup will vary depending on this factor, along with details like additional services and the complexity of your desired look, it'll provide a great baseline number to keep in mind as you track your expenses. Next, research local wedding beauty pros on The Knot Vendor Marketplace.
Additional reporting by Cathryn Haight.
