Initially, I was going to frame the question as "Why do you charge so much?" but then I thought about it, and it's all relative, isn't it? Before I did the following breakdown of what's involved in my business, I thought my service was priced reasonably; someone else might think it was too much, and another person might think it was too little. It all depends on your finances and what you value (and don't). For every booking, whether a one-person elopement or an eight-person bridal party, I put in at least seven hours of work. A bridal party of four people would be approximately twenty hours! Here's a breakdown of my time: Pre-Wedding: - Correspondence: emails, invoicing, questionnaire, writing up notes, chats/meetings, run sheet (minimum 2 hours of work) Trial: - The makeup trial is in my home studio, so I spend a lot of time cleaning and setting up; the trial itself is three hours, and afterwards, I pack everything up, clean and sterilise my kit and prepare a photo collage along with notes from the day (every trial is approx. 8 hours of work) Wedding Day: - Packing and travel, set up, makeup, and pack down (minimum of 4 hours), even for one person, as I stay until you are dressed and ready to walk out the door! Post-Wedding: - Unpacking, cleaning and sanitising (minimum 1 hour of work) Extras: I bear additional costs and responsibilities, such as Insurance, legal compliance (maintaining Terms and Conditions, privacy policies, etc.), replenishing my makeup kit (makeup products have a shelf life), website, marketing, car expenses, and superannuation (as a small business owner, I cover my own). In considering this question, I've realised that I should probably charge more for the quality of service I provide. I don't understand how other wedding makeup artists who charge less can make a living! However, when setting my prices, I aimed to make my service accessible to most people, and I stand by that. If you choose me as your makeup artist, you are making a wise investment in quality and value. If you'd love to book me but it's just too much of a financial stretch, keep an eye on my Instagram page for venue open days and expos I'm attending. I always offer special deals at these events. Currently, I also have a 'share the love' special running; just find and click the blue heart on my website.

Yes, you can. But booking a trial makeup by itself will not hold your wedding date. Bookings are on a first-come-first-served basis, and my dates are limited, so you will unfortunately run the risk of someone else booking in. I recommend having a trial makeup one to three months before your wedding date when all the other elements are in place: your dress, the colours your bridal party is wearing, the flowers, your hairstyle and your jewellery. These elements will have a connection to your makeup design. If you are interested in booking me for a trial makeup only please fill in the contact form and mention it in the notes section. A trial makeup alone (without a wedding booking) is $300.

No, not all of them, and it’s an ongoing dilemma of mine. I believe in cruelty-free products. No animal needs to be harmed for beauty or any purpose. I have been a vegetarian for 30 years and am appalled by how prevalent animal abuse is in our society. Unfortunately, not everyone feels the same, and the lure of the almighty dollar is more potent than ethics. Most makeup companies do not test on animals during their manufacturing process; however, if they want to sell their products in China, they are bound by Chinese law, which requires some finished products to be tested on animals. https://crueltyfree.peta.org/ When I work on a film, I am sometimes supplied with makeup products necessary for the actors I work with. At the end of the job, the products are in my kit. After much thought and deliberation, I decided that throwing them out would be irresponsible and wasteful, so the best thing I can do is use them until they are finished or expire. My commitment is that all new products I buy are cruelty-free.

If you've been researching different makeup artists, you may have already seen some standard terms and conditions on their websites. However, it's important to note that DIY or template T&Cs, not tailored specifically for a business by legal professionals, may not offer the best protection for the business or the client. I made a significant investment and put in a lot of effort to have my terms and conditions prepared by a reputable business lawyer. My current practice is that when you submit my contact form, I will send you a quote for the services you're interested in, along with my terms and conditions. This allows you to review the terms before making any commitments.

The minimum number of people required for a weekend booking is three. However, there is no minimum for a weekday wedding.

A trial makeup for the bride-to-be is essential. You are the star of the show! In the film world, we call them test makeups, and all the main characters have at least one. Makeups are often drawn first and the products selected. After that, the testing process begins – the first tests are usually on an extra and then on the actor. We photograph and sometimes film the tests. We look at the results and make any necessary adjustments. This process ensures everyone is happy – the director, producers, designers, and actors. Can you imagine getting to the first day of filming and everyone having to stop work because the makeup isn’t right!? It would waste a lot of time and money. It would cause stress, and confidence would be lost. On Mad Max - Fury Road, we tested for three months! And we won the Oscar for it! I see your wedding day the same way. It’s a production. You have spent a lot of time, money, and effort in its planning, and you want to be sure everything is the way you want it. A trial makeup is one way to ensure your look is how you imagine and that you feel comfortable with me too.

I allow 1.5 hrs for the bride and 1 hr each for the bridal party/guests. I also add 30 min set up time and another 30 min to pack up. These timings ensure that there is enough time for skin prep, makeup application and a tidy up in between each person. Together we will discuss the timings for your wedding day, and I will provide a makeup run sheet for you, your bridal party, and relevant vendors.

Yes! I’d love to have a chat with you! Please fill in the contact form, and I will send you a no-obligation quote and a link to book a free phone call.

No! I love natural skin tones. If you have your heart set on a fake tan, please only go one or two shades darker than your natural skin tone with preferably no tan or just a very light mist on your face, and also, prepare to have one before your makeup trial.

I prefer not to rush through my work and don't want people sitting around in their makeup for more than five hours. Therefore, the maximum number of people I will personally make up is four. For larger bridal parties with more than four people, I will arrange a second makeup artist. This ensures that everyone's makeup is applied with care and attention and that the atmosphere is as relaxed as possible. The additional cost for a second artist is a flat fee of *$200 in addition to the per-person cost. While this may seem like an extra expense, it reflects the second artist's minimum callout fees and travel costs. It's a small price for the enhanced service and experience it brings to your event. *price will increase to $250 for all 2026 quotes.

I use what works, not what’s in fashion. Often makeup products come out of the same manufacturing plant with a different label on the front. Meaning some less expensive products perform just as well as high end. https://fashionedits.com/do-all-major-fashion-and-beauty-brands-get-their-products-from-the-same-manufacturer/ I currently use skincare from Clemence, First Aid Beauty, Go-To, Gressa, La Mav and QED. My makeup kit includes Armani, Charlotte Tilbury, Chanel, Danessa Myricks, Ere Perez, Eye of Horus, Face Atelier, Jane Iredale, Natasha Denona, Kryolan, MAC, Makeup Atelier, RCMA, The Balm, Viseart, and more!

I charge a minimum of $50 travel for every booking. This charge covers the time it takes to pack my kit and travel up to 25km from my home in Woodford. So anywhere in the Blue Mountains from Glenbrook to Blackheath will be $50. After that, the cost is an extra $1.50 per kilometre, as per Google Maps. For locations 150+km drive from my home, I will likely need accommodation the night before the wedding and possibly after, depending on start and finish times. If your bridal party is large and I have booked another makeup artist, they will need accommodation too.