Our price is $150, but if you're a bride? That'll be $2000, your first born child and your dog. So, when a frustrated makeup artist decided to consult the moral compass of the internet otherwise known as Reddit's 'Am I the As*hole' about whether or not she was wrong to change her pricing upon learning her client was a bride, people were quick to help deem a verdict.
I am a makeup artist for the past 9 years. I charge $500 for bridal makeup, around 250 for bridesmaid etc makeup but for regular party makeup I charge around $150. So a few weeks ago, a lady had booked me for a party makeup on June 25th. She booked at 10am. I went there thinking I'd do a regular party makeup. I had agreed $150 with her.
As I was there, there were some people coming over. I assume relatives. At some point it slips from a woman about the wedding and I realize the woman I'm doing the makeup on is the bride. I'm doing a bridal makeup charging for simple party makeup.
I was completely pissed how she lied about the occasion, but I kept doing my job. After we were finished, she gave me $150 and I notified her that we are actually $350 short. She asked what I meant by that and I said that I did a bridal makeup. You're the bride.
That's what I charge for brides. She said we had agreed on a simple party makeup and that I am basically ripping her off because I worked the same amount of time and used the same products as I'd use in a bridal makeup so the title of the event shouldn't matter.
I told her she doesn't get to dictate how I form my prices. She then refused to pay me at all and called me a scammer and told me to get out. Before I left her mom threw $200 on my face and told me to get lost.
I was telling what happened to my friends and they all sided with the bride and said that unless I used more expensive products and I did extra labor then I'm not justified in charging her more and since she requested party makeup I should just charge her that. AITA?
If there was a different technique she performed once she learned this woman was a bride then perhaps her argument might make some sense, but the bride paid for the 'party makeup' package and that's exactly what she got.
Just because she's going to be putting on a white dress later doesn't mean she should have to drain her savings account. Weddings are tense enough without some scammer trying to squeeze extra dollars out of you because they learned the mascara they applied will also be attending a wedding and not a regular party.
She did not ask for bridal treatment and didn't do a makeup test run. You used the same products you would use on a simple party makeup and attempted to up-charge her $350 for what exactly?
Just because she's the bride and you want to squeeze more money out of her? If you used different products or it took way longer then sure I could see the up-charge. But you didn't and it didn't so yes YTA (You're the As*hole). - mrsorzhova728
YTA. Once you found out, you should have told her the prices for bridal makeup. And, seeing how everything you use for party makeup and bridal makeup is the same other than the setting spray she was right to call you a scammer. A $350 difference for a couple of sprays to set the make up??? That spray better be made of God's tears. - dayjuhwayjuh
YTA. As a fellow makeup artist there is absolutely no reason I can see for that massive price disparity. She asked for party makeup, don’t give her anything special beyond that. It was your choice to use the more expensive product, not hers, but even if it wasn’t— an extra $350?? Come on. - Tight-Relationship65
YTA. A wedding is a party. She didn’t ask for extra work done, you didn’t ask what kind of party it was before agreeing to the booking. She got around your sneaky price gouging practices and you’re salty, get over it. It’s reasonable to charge more for bridal makeup if you’re doing something more elaborate than you normally would, not just because it’s a wedding. - Temporary_Badger
YTA and a scammer, 350 for setting spray, ridiculous - 3a5ty
YTA. You gave her a party makeup and tried to charge her $500 when you found out she’s the bride. What changed in those few minutes? Lol. - bubbly_fairy30
Everyone agreed unanimously here that this makeup artist is 100% in the wrong and needs to take a cold, hard look at her business. Charging someone hundreds of dollars extra for a service because you discovered it's a wedding is part of what makes planning a wedding such a stressful, overpriced nightmare. Good luck, everyone (except this makeup artist).