Websites for bridal hair and makeup artists vary a lot in cost depending on where you are in your business, what you need and who you choose to work with. The good news is there’s an option to suit most budgets. This guide breaks it down so you can go into the process knowing what to expect.
What makes a bridal HMUA website different?
The bridal industry is competitive and visually saturated. A lot of artists offer a similar service, work in similar venues and attract a similar clientele. The websites that stand out are the ones that feel distinct — and that takes more than a nice layout. It takes strong branding, confident copy and imagery that shows your work at its best.
A bridal HMUA website is built around your portfolio more than anything else. Your images are what sell your work, and how they’re presented matters enormously. Most artists work well with somewhere between five and ten pages, but there are a few things that can push that number up.
If you offer both hair and makeup, you might want a separate portfolio page for each service. If you have a large body of work, you might want to break that down further into specific pages by style, look or type of wedding. Some artists also have a separate page for their trial service, their education offering or upcoming masterclasses and events.
Your contact page needs more thought than most. Bridal enquiry forms typically include date, location, number in the party and whether a trial is included — a standard contact form usually isn’t enough.
And pricing. Whether you display full pricing or take an enquire-for-pricing approach, that page needs to be handled thoughtfully. Either way it’s one of the most visited pages on a bridal website.
Website options for HMUA’s
DIY with a template
People just starting out in their career are often drawn to this option, and it makes sense — it’s a lower cost way to get a professional website live while your business is still building. You can revisit and invest in something more custom as your business grows.
If you’re not sure whether you even need a website right now, this blog is worth a read first: Do You Actually Need a Website If You’re on Instagram?
Templates typically start from around £250, though you can find them cheaper and more expensive depending on the designer and platform. You’ll need to add your own copy, images and branding and handle the technical side of getting it live. A well-designed template built for this industry gives you a strong foundation. Browse professionally designed templates for bridal hair and makeup artists here: lainscreative.co.uk/the-template-shop
Working with a designer
If you want someone to build it for you, costs vary depending on the designer’s experience, whether you work with an independent designer or an agency, and what’s included. Industry-wide, prices in the UK range from around £150 to £10,000 and upwards — these are not my prices, just a guide to what’s out there. Most independent designers sit somewhere in between.
I personally offer two routes. A Website in a Week is a faster, more affordable option where your site is built in one dedicated week, starting from £895. A bespoke website is designed and built specifically around your brand with no template as a starting point, starting from £2,100. For artists who are established, fully booked and ready to attract a more premium client, bespoke is usually the better fit.
It’s always worth asking a designer what’s included in their price — platform setup, revisions and aftercare all vary.
The platform you use to build your website
If you’re working with a designer, they’ll usually choose the platform based on what they work with, so it’s worth asking upfront. If you’re building it yourself, the most common options for service businesses are Showit, Squarespace and Wix.
Showit is the platform I build all of my client websites on. It gives you genuine design freedom and a backend that’s easy to manage once your site is live. Plans start from around £21 per month on an annual plan. You can try it free and get your first month on me here (please note this is an affiliate link): showit.com/r/0l5yyf1y
Ongoing costs of a Website
Beyond the initial build, most websites come with ongoing costs. These include your platform subscription, your domain name (typically £5 to £15 per year for a .co.uk address) and any maintenance costs if you’d like someone to manage updates for you.
A maintenance plan is worth considering in this industry. Portfolios need updating regularly as your work evolves, and if you run masterclasses or events, that information needs to stay current. Outdated pricing, old images or a fully booked event page that hasn’t been updated all affect how professional your site feels to someone landing on it for the first time. My maintenance plans are completely optional: lainscreative.co.uk/maintenance-plans
Brand Assets needed for your website
The look and feel of your finished website depends heavily on what you bring to it. A few things worth thinking about before you start.
Photography is everything in this industry. Your website is a portfolio as much as it is a service page and the quality of your images directly affects how a prospective bride feels about booking you. Strong, consistent imagery across your whole site can make an enormous difference to how your website feels.
Video is becoming a popular addition to bridal hair and makeup artist websites. Behind the scenes content, real wedding clips and transformation videos all help a potential client connect with you before they’ve even made an enquiry.
Copy (the words on your website) shapes how people feel about you before they’ve seen a single image. If writing isn’t your strength, a copywriter is worth considering. You can find helpful resources and recommendations here: lainscreative.co.uk/resources
Branding makes your website feel intentional and distinct. In an industry where so many artists look similar, this is where you stand out. If your branding isn’t in place yet, it’s worth getting it sorted before your website is built.
Ready to talk about your website?
If you’re a bridal hair or makeup artist thinking about investing in your website, I’d love to hear about your business. Book a free enquiry call and we can work out what you need and whether we’re the right fit for each other.
Not sure which service is right for you yet? Take my short quiz and I’ll point you in the right direction: lainscreative.co.uk/resources
