76 weddings booked for 2025 as a bridal hair and makeup artists

We'd love to hear about you. So tell me your name, where you're from, what services you offer and how you got into the bridal industry.

Perfect. My name is Maddie and I am a hair and makeup artist. I am originally from Australia but I now live in Italy in Tuscany and I love living here because it's just like wedding central. And I have been a makeup artist for about nine years and a hairstylist for about three or four years. Australia just doesn't have that many people and it's really spread out. So the wedding industry in Australia is quite small and it's really competitive. So moving to Italy, a place that is quite small compared to Australia and has such a high population density and also such a huge amount of destination weddings, international couples. Every year it's been going from super quiet to super busy. So it has been a very interesting transition. It's been a wild roller coaster ride. But I've gone from doing maybe late weddings a year in Australia to doing nearly 80 weddings a year in Italy. No, sorry, over 80. I've had 86 weddings this year and I already have 76 weddings booked for next year, which is just mind blowing. I literally never ever in my life would have expected that this would happen. It's a very pleasant surprise.

Pleasant surprise because I remember the last time I heard about how you were doing in the program, you had said that for 20, 24 you booked, I think it was like 57 weddings, something like that. And it seems like you've done doubled it much.

It's crazy.

So where were you at prior to joining the program? What was going on where you were like, I think this is the right step for me. I think I want to join and get into business education. Have you ever done business education prior?

No, I'd never done business education prior. I had owned an E commerce store in the craft space. So completely separate to beauty. I know a little bit about marketing and social media, but not in the sense of marketing myself as a service and not in the service industry either. It was all product based. So I hadn't done any courses or anything like that in terms of my bridal business. So this was the first big investment that I made into education in ring and I felt really scared to take that leap financially and also I just wasn't sure if I was ready for it. But it was honestly one of the most pivotal things I did for my business. I am lucky because I moved to this market that was just booming and there was not enough hair and makeup artists to service the demand, obviously I can speak English, so that's great for my destination wedding clients. But when I moved to Italy, I really didn't know how it was going to go. I had two weddings booked in before I moved from Australia and I think I did about 12 weddings the first year that I was here. And then I was noticing a really big influx of inquiries coming through for the following year. As I was starting to post more consistent content about my weddings that I was doing in Italy and establishing a bit more of a presence here. The inquiries just kept rolling in and I thought, crap, I need help with this. So that's why Bridal Boss Academy has been amazing because it helped me streamline all my systems at that customer journey flow happening a lot more seamlessly, figure out my pricing in a way that makes sense for me in a completely new market. It was really difficult to figure out where to place myself and just everything really tightened up and professional so that I could take this opportunity and run with it and make the most out of it, which I really feel like I have honestly made the most out of this year. And next year is going to be even crazier.

I feel like you truly like, oh my God, too many weddings. That's not a bad problem.

What an awful problem to have.

Such a bad problem to have. But you truly optimize that because it's. People live in wedding destinations and cities where it's booming, but it's a different thing to optimize on it. And I feel like you truly have with how you're booking. So the systems that you had prior, did you start using Dubsado once you joined or did you have something different?

So before I. I think I was looking into getting Dubsado before I signed up with bba, but it was like it wasn't that that far beforehand. It was very close together that I was thinking about it. Then I saw the course and I was like, maybe I'll do the course and it will help me figure out how to use the system better. So Dubsado has been incredible. It's like my lifesaver. I would be drowning in admin with 86weddings if I didn't have Dubsado. I have brides every day saying, why are you the most organized vendor that I have? I love the questionnaires, I love the contact that you have with me. I never had to worry that you were going to show up on my day. Whereas I think it's a very last and loose industry in Italy. It's kind of the vendors will get your deposit and they'll be like, cool, see you on the wedding day. There's no communication. There's no official systems or processes that they go through. So I feel like my brides are very relieved to know that their booking is safe. It's in a system, it's guaranteed. It's there. We have communication. So Dubsado has been amazing. And having your help to set it up in a way that makes sense for the bridal beauty industry has just been such a game changer for me, and I'd be drowning if I didn't have it.

I love that. Don't you feel like you're saving so much time every single week? And it's like, best compliment when a bride compliments your communication. My hair makeup's great, but the communication, thank you 100%.

And I'm not naturally a massively organized person, so to have that there as my safety net and have them say that, oh, my God, you're so organized, I'm like, thank you.

Am I just the best? So tell me, because also the last time I heard from you, you had said that you were able to actually raise your rates twice. So I would love to hear your mindset behind that and from prior to joining the course to how you were able to do that with the program. Also, were you doing a la car and do you do packages now since being in the program?

Cool. I have actually raised my rate four times since I've moved over and since doing the course, so that's been incredible. In Australia, beauty services really don't charge very much. And I think it is because it's such a competitive industry and there's just not enough business, it's tough. You really have to try super hard to stand out and set your rates at the top. And because I wasn't really making that my focus and I wasn't investing in myself a lot of back in Australia, I wasn't charging all that much. And then moving to Italy discovered that the average price was quite a bit higher than Australia. So I met in the middle somewhere when I first moved, and I was doing a la carte pricing when I first moved and just trying to scramble for a booking and cut a deal, and I was just trying to get whatever I could. But then once things started adding traction and once I did the course and really figured out, well, don't look for other people and what their rates are. Look for what makes sense for you. Set your goals, set your targets and indicate that value through your social media and how you Handle your customer interactions, communicate that value and people will pay it. So that's been a really important lesson for me and believing that I should be charging what everyone else is charging or I think we all have imposter syndrome to a certain point. And so charging what I felt like I was worth, which was people are willing to pay more than what I thought I was worth. So I've raised my rate so many times and I now run on a package system which I just feel has been working so much easier for me. I probably convert about to 75% of my inquiries, which is incredible. And I think it's because I am able to communicate packages in a really easy to understand, precise way. I hardly ever get questions about oh well, if this only includes three people, what if I've got four? So that's been really great because it took me a bit of trial and error to really figure out what was going to work. But through the BBA program I was able to really figure out what was going to make sense for other people, I guess and make sense for me. And so I've got to a really happy place now where I'm super proud of the rates I'm charging. I honestly never thought I'd be able to charge so much. I never thought that I would be making six figures in my bridal business, especially not within a year and a half of being in a new country. Next year I'm targeting to make within the six figure range, which is just phenomenal. And that's been able because due to putting up my prices and due to communicating my value and being able to convert most of my leads.

So that is incredible. I was so curious to see where you were at with that and honestly I can just feel like you oozing with confidence about your packages, your services, what you offer, which is so key, wouldn't you say, when it comes to not only bring your prices up but then sending it out and then getting a bride to convert, you know what I mean? I think that's so key and I can just feel it oozing from you the confidence you have in yourself, which for me is the biggest one of all. I love that and I'm so proud of you. How does it feel to be able to be a six figure earner now?

It is wild, honestly. And it's like I'm just so proud of myself as well. To come to a new country and to be able to really make a mark and feel like I'm just kicking goals around every corner is pretty amazing. My Lovely husband hasn't had to work since we moved, which is nice for him, actually. We're expanding our bridal business to have a mobile bar service, a combi van that we're going to be offering at weddings now. So being able to have that financial security in a new country with all these new expenses and things like that, that goes into moving somewhere new, to have this as a security for us to then be able to take other risks with other business ventures in the bridal space has just been massive. And then it's also given me the flexibility to travel, which is what we've moved here in the first place for, so. But also to know that I'm charging these rates now and I feel like I'm worth it, which is, I think a huge thing as a bridal hair and makeup artist because I like gaslight myself into believing that it's too much, I'm not worth it or anyone could do this. And it's not the case. So I'm feeling really confident in my skill set and also where I position myself in the market here now, as.

You should, because you're a CEO now and you're a boss, what would you say you feel like any hot tips on something you feel was like one of the number one things that helped you be able to hit that six figure year?

There's so many things that I learned in the course that have been pivotal to that and I think I honestly, truly feel like that business end of things is something that a lot of hair and makeup artists don't focus on enough. Like that customer journey, how you market your services, how you communicate them to your clients, and then also that customer journey that's going to get them referring you to other people are saying, he was so organized, he was the best. I never have bridezillas, they're always so delightful on the day. And I think that that is built in the process of working with the brides throughout the whole most pivotal thing for me to be able to make a mark on the industry here and to stand out from the competition too, for sure.

I feel like you're definitely standing out if you're getting 75% conversion rate overall, you're doing it. Did you find, did you use any of the email templates? Did you find any of those helpful and did you feel like you saw more conversions once you started using those as well?

Yeah, 100%. I use the email templates. I have my dubsado set up with all the questionnaires, all the templates, all the customer flows and that's super helpful because it takes the strain off me. But the templates are really great, like the languaging and it just. The templates help you think of everything. If I was trying to work my way through Dubsado on my own, trying to figure out that customer journey, I would have had a panic attack, I think, because it is a lot to untangle. So to have that all laid out in front of you, you do the course in order and it's like, cool, we set up this, then we move on to the next thing, we set up that, then this flows into this, and then you do all these things. And it's like if you had to try and figure that out on your own, you would just be so tangled up, it would be so hard to actually get it done. So the course was so helpful. Oh, that's amazing.

I'm so glad that I feel like you implement it straight away. What did you find yourself implementing things right away. What was the first thing you started implementing?

The first thing I started implementing, I'm pretty sure it was. I set up the questionnaires pretty quickly. And just even getting basics of the back end of my Dubsado organized was really helpful because I did already have some bookings that I needed to wrangle into this system. So I manually imported all of my existing bookings into the system. It took me a while to wrap my head around the workflows, but once I did, that was really helpful. It was sort of. I had to chew off the right sized pieces of the courses I was going and just get them done when I could. But just getting everything set up, the templates and the questionnaires are really helpful for me.

That's amazing. So were there any points in the program where you were like, if this wasn't in and it was deleted? No, this is exactly what I would need. If I deleted every from the program, what would be the one thing you'll be like? Please keep it.

The dubsado stuff. And I know that that might be controversial for some people because I'm sure there's others that are using Honeybook or whatever, but Dubsado thing was huge for me getting that organized. And I know that a lot of people probably in the course for a lot of the social media and the content side of things, which I have to admit, I have not been an exemplary student when it comes to the social media side of things, but I have been chasing my tail with having inquiries and bookings. And so I've just been trying to nurture those before getting stuck into posting regularly like me. It was the Dubsado and also the pricing guide I think is mind blowing for so many people. I thought that was amazing.

That is so helpful to know because one you just said right there, you were like, I didn't even do the social media. And I pulled that out of the new version going forward. Now bridalpreneur, Socials and a whole other piece because I think you're a testament to say you don't necessarily need to show up all the time. If you, you have your emails, you have your client journey, you have that all mapped out within Dubsado. Dubsado is like, that really is a crucial piece. So I'm so glad you shared that because to me, I wouldn't even think like, Dubsado is the piece that really helped for you. But I'm really glad to hear that.

And I think I'm lucky because I'm in this unique position where it's just there's not meant. There's not much competition and the market's crazy. So I am lucky that I don't have to try very hard to get inquiries, which is amazing. And I don't have to, I don't have to try that hard to get the bookings. But it's like holding onto the bookings and communicating your value once you've got them to then convert them and nurture those bookings for the whole period that you have to. That's been really important for me. But to me it does make sense that the content is separate from the business side of it. Dubsado, the pricing, all of that kind of thing. So I get, okay, cool.

I was seeing the same thing because I was seeing some people didn't want to use the social media, some people just wanted the social media. And you truly like when you add social media, you'll add more fuel to your fire. But I think you're listening to you. I feel like we're all just going to move to Tuscany so we can start our wedding businesses.

Actually, we should.

You're flourishing over there. Are you hiring?

I actually have a team next year, so that's another really cool development. And one of the girls that I met in BBA on the Facebook group, Samantha, she's coming out in October because she's booked herself a wedding out there. So I'm going to get her some bookings in October when she comes out.

But Samantha Keefer, makeup artist, she amazing. I'm chatting with her in a few weeks. That's so Fun. So cute.

She's so supportive on Instagram. She always messages and plus stories. She's the sweetest. So she has a wedding in Italy in October, so we're gonna work together when she comes out.

Oh, my God. Did you love having the community aspect where you could you. It seems like you guys were having friends. I know Samantha was having zoom call chats, groups.

I bet she was. So it was just nice to be and to have a group that's. We were all, I guess, very in very similar journeys and at very similar points in our business where we were established and we really needed to figure out how to level up and make the most of the what we had in front of us. And that was a really cool aspect of the course is to be a part of that group and get to network with other people that were right there in it with you. And for me, I've got a few friends in the community out here now, but it is quite an isolating industry to be a part of. And I'm in a country where I'm not great at the local language. So it was really great to have that community to fall back on and to ask any questions, especially getting through all of the technical stuff, the dubsado and all that sort of stuff.

I love that literally warms my whole heart. I want to do a meetup of Bridal Boss Academy maybe in the future. Maybe, yes.

Sign me up.

So, last question. If somebody was on the fence of joining Bridal Boss Academy, what is something you would tell them?

I think what you put into it is what you're going to get out of it. You can't just sit there and hope to sponge up the information and that it's going to sink in. You've got to put in the hard work and you really have to knuckle down and take the course as it comes and just chip away at it. I know sometimes it can feel really overwhelming, but if you just set some goals and plot away at it, I feel like it is just going to completely change your business. I think we kind of get in this little rut sometimes when you work for yourself and you're in the bridal industry. And like I said, it can be quite isolating, but you have to understand that there's a whole big market out there and you really need to figure out how to just grab it. And the course is going to help you do that. And I think as well too, figuring out how to price yourself, how to communicate your value to brides in a way that they'll be saying, worries I pay $1,000 for my wedding. Ha. No problem. So doing the course gave me the confidence to put my prices up, know that I was giving the value that deserve those prices. Capture a new audience and really make the most of it and just get this business rolling on an amazing trajectory. So if you're on the fence, you've got to put in the work, but it is going to change your business.

So much and you are just such a testament to that. And I love, I really wanted to chat with you because you're doing so amazing and I feel like you me share such similar values and you're like, I'm not afraid to put the work in. But also, I love how you made it unique to you because I know inside the program I talk about going and niching down to bridal hair only, which was my journey. But I loved how you kept the journey for yourself of still doing bridal hair and makeup because that's what feels right for you and I feel like you truly implemented it to its fullest potential. And I'm so, so, so happy and proud that you're seeing this success and you're seeing the results and your husband or partner doesn't even have to work now. What? That's amazing. You're going to be hitting six years. I just see so much success coming your way and I can't thank you enough for being a part of the program and for chatting with me today. Thank you so much. Thank you. So where can we find you? What's your Instagram handle?

My Instagram is Madeline Boucher. Bridal Voucher is B A U C, I A and I also have Tick Tock. I'm Maddie Boucher on TikTok. So a lot of my brides find me on TikTok and I just post a little bit more real content life in Italy, A few wedding day vlogs and things like that.

So amazing.

Thank you so much for the Bridal Boss Academy because it literally has been such a game changer. So I truly feel like I would not be here without it.

Thank you.