AITJ for my sister-in-law asked me to do her makeup for her wedding, and I said no.
For context, I’m starting makeup artist training in one month. I’ve done her makeup for smaller events two or three times before, but I noticed mistakes each time and wasn’t happy with the results.
Her wedding is in October, and she has asked me twice since spring whether I would do her makeup. I thought it over and ultimately decided not to accept the request for the following reasons:
- I don’t have a professional makeup kit. So far, I’ve always done makeup using my own products, which I of course disinfected properly.
- I don’t have professional makeup brushes either. The same applies to them as to the makeup products.
- I would have to do makeup for multiple people, with different skin types and different personalities, and I simply don’t have the experience or skill set for that yet.
- There are 100 times more things that can go wrong at a wedding, and I don’t want to be the person blamed if things don’t turn out the way they imagined.
- My instructor also recommends that I don’t take this on yet. I simply won’t have the necessary level of knowledge and experience by October.
This past weekend, my husband’s family asked me once again to reconsider. I thought about it for three days, but I came to the exact same decision. I’m simply not ready for this.
At the same time, I now feel that I don’t want to do it even more because of the way this situation has been handled. I feel that by not accepting my “no” as an answer, she keeps trying to cross my boundaries and is being disrespectful toward me, and that’s something I’m not okay with.
They are also trying to emotionally pressure me by saying things like, “But she asked you so kindly and lovingly, and this is such a big deal.” Yes, it is a big deal. That’s exactly why I don’t want to take it on.
I recommended some very good makeup artists in our area to her, but she wants me to do it for free.
It also bothers me that, this time, they went behind my back and asked my husband to try to convince me (those were literally his words, and I’m not exaggerating). Why can’t they just come to me directly and ask me?
I find it really difficult because I already often feel like they don’t consider me part of their family. This situation may not have confirmed that feeling, but it has definitely made me start questioning it all over again.
TL;DR: I said no to doing my sister-in-law’s wedding makeup because I’m not trained or experienced enough yet, and my instructor agrees. Despite that, her family keeps pressuring me to change my mind, even involving my husband behind my back. It’s made me feel like my boundaries aren’t being respected, and honestly, I don’t want to do it even more now.