u/Expert_Arrival7313

I feel like I'm losing my mind with this wedding and I just need to rant to someone who isn't my poor fiance or bridesmaids.

I'm an October 2026 bride so I'm late to the game in getting my HMUA booked. Unsurprisingly, a lot of artists are unavailable. That's fine - I'm not angry that people beat me to the punch. What I am angry about is just how horrendous some of these vendors are.

• One makeup artist was so unfriendly and awful to talk to that even her work (which was beautiful btw) couldn't make up for it.
• Total lack of organization for SO MANY artists! No shows, missed emails, some don't even do contracts and just expect you to venmo them
• The company I had selected - who is literally one of the most popular and highly recommended companies for hair and make up in my wedding city - has kept me waiting on contracts and basic info for like two weeks and I've had to chase them down for the most basic level of communication
• Why is it such a hit and miss even at these price points? It's not like I'm trying to find budget artists here! I'm paying over 1000 for just myself (and paying extra for bridesmaids too!)
• I've heard that a lot of DC brides have had issues with the HMUA stuff but I genuinely had no idea it was this bad. I'm from out of state and I'm stunned by how unprofessional this all is.

At this point I'm reaching out to other artists and I'm considering flying someone in from another city that has a better beauty scene.