Question 1

How do I book in for an appointment at Tonic Studio?

Accepted Answer

Head to our Studio page to book your appointment online. If you can’t find the date or time you’re after, please send us an email at studio@tonicagency.com.au

Question 2

How do I enquire about my wedding or event?

Accepted Answer

For wedding and event enquiries, please fill out our enquiry form at BOOK > Weddings & Events

Your enquiry will provide us with the important info we need to match you with the right artist and put together a proposal for you to review.

Question 3

What happens after I’ve submitted my wedding enquiry?

Accepted Answer

Once we receive your enquiry, our booking team will personally select the best artists for you and send a proposal. Your proposal will include details about the selected artists, their rates, how to book a trial, and timing information To secure your booking, we require a 25% deposit, which you'll find in your proposal. If you have any questions about the proposal before confirming, please feel free to email us at hello@tonicagency.com.au.

Once your 25% deposit is paid, you’ll receive a confirmation email which will highlight the next steps. Approximately four weeks before your event or wedding date, we’ll reach out to re-confirm the location and timing of your booking. Finally, 10 days before your event or wedding date, we’ll send a final confirmation email with all the details — your schedule, final payment info, and artist payment details.

Question 4

When is my final payment due?

Accepted Answer

To secure your booking, a 25% deposit + GST for all services is required. This deposit will be deducted from your total quote based on the services you’ve booked.

If you've booked a trial, the final payment for the trial is due 10 days before your appointment, and this will be subtracted from your total quote.

The remaining balance (including any travel, parking, or early fees) is due directly to your artist 10 days before your booking date. You’ll receive an email with the final amount and your artist’s payment details.

Please note, full payment is always required before the booking date.

Question 5

Why is GST applied to my booking?

Accepted Answer

Since we’re a unique agency representing over 40 artists, our booking system may be a bit different from the usual. Rather than always providing an invoice, we create a personalized proposal for each enquiry we receive. To confirm your artists, we require a 25% + GST deposit. Please note, the GST is only applied to your deposit and not to your final payment due to your artist. If you have any questions about your payment, feel free to reach out to accounts@tonicagency.com.au

Question 6

How much do you charge?

Accepted Answer

We’ve got an amazing team of hair and makeup artists – from emerging talent to some of the most in-demand names in the industry. Each artist brings their own vibe and experience, so there’s someone to suit every style and budget.

Our artists set their own rates depending on their level of experience, availability, and how in-demand they are. Here's a general idea of what to expect:

Melbourne: Prices usually start from Artist $160 - $180 & Senior Artist $180 - $250 per service
Sydney: Prices usually start from $180 per service

Travel or call-out fees apply depending on your location. In Melbourne, a travel fee will apply per artist if you're more than 10km from the CBD.

In Sydney, if your booking is less than 10km from the CBD, a $50 call out fee will apply per artist. Anything more than 10km from the CBD will incur a travel fee.

A few things to keep in mind:
Early morning bookings prior to a 6:30am start time will incur an early fee
Public holiday bookings may come with a surcharge
Trial prices vary by artist and can take place either at their home studio or at your location – a travel fee may apply if the artist is travelling to you. 
Any parking costs incurred by your artist are to be covered/reimbursed. Where available Valet Parking will be used and charged to room number on arrival.

If you’re not sure who’s the best fit for you, we’re happy to help you find the right artist!

Question 7

Do I need a certain number of hair/makeup services for my booking?

Accepted Answer

Most of our artists have a minimum call out of 3-4x services. If you require below this minimum, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate your booking.

For single hair and/or makeup services we have our Tonic Studio in Prahran available. You can book an appointment here.

Question 8

Do I get a list of artists to choose from?

Accepted Answer

At Tonic, we work closely with a talented and diverse team of artists, so depending on your date, location, the services you’re after, and availability, there are usually a few different artist options to choose from. Based on the details you share in your enquiry, we take the guesswork out and handpick the artist we think will be the best fit for you. From here, we’ll send you a proposal featuring one artist who we believe is the right match to bring your vision to life.

That said, if the artist we’ve chosen doesn’t feel quite right, no problem—just let us know! If you can, please email or text through a few inspiration images so we can better understand your vision and suggest other artists who might be a better fit.

If you'd prefer to see a couple of artist options upfront, please mention this in your enquiry form and we’ll do our best to make that happen.

Question 9

When should I have a trial?

Accepted Answer

Once you submit your enquiry, we’ll send you a personalised proposal, which includes the option to have your bridal trial for hair and/or makeup. You can secure your booking by paying the 25% deposit outlined in the proposal.

We recommend getting in touch with your artist via email to schedule your hair/makeup trial around 3–4 months before your wedding day. By this time, most of your key vendors, dress, and overall styling decisions are almost finalised, which helps ensure your hair and makeup trial aligns with your vision. To schedule your trial date/time, you can find your artist’s contact information within your initial proposal.

We understand there’s a lot of advice and inspiration out there, and it can feel overwhelming!  Having your trial a few months out gives you clarity and confidence—and your artist will be there to guide you every step of the way. Whether you're unsure or need some advice, they’re here to support and consult with you.

Just a heads-up: weekend availability for trials can be limited, as our artists often reserve weekends for weddings and larger bookings. We please ask for flexibility where possible.

Question 10

Can I have a trial before securing my artists for my wedding?

Accepted Answer

We completely understand that you may prefer to have a trial before committing to a booking. If that’s the case, just send us an email to let us know, and we’ll place your wedding date on hold for 4-6 weeks while you connect with your artist to arrange a trial. Once your trial is booked, we’ll send through a 25% deposit invoice +gst to secure the appointment.

Please note: If you wish to have a trial prior to committing, we suggest booking this as soon as possible as booking a trial does not secure your wedding date. Your wedding hair/makeup booking will only be confirmed once your wedding deposit has been paid.

Question 11

What’s involved in a trial?

Accepted Answer

We highly encourage our brides to book a trial—it’s a great opportunity to meet your stylist and workshop your look ahead of the big day. It also gives both you and your artist the chance to collaborate and fine-tune your vision, helping to create a calm, seamless experience on your wedding day.

Depending on the artist you have booked and their preference, trials can be held at the artist’s home studio, at our Tonic studio, or at your home. Most trials cover one complete hair or makeup look, but if you'd like to explore more than one style, just let us or your artist know ahead of time so we can schedule extra time and confirm the rate.

Please note that trial services may be charged at a higher rate than your wedding day service, as they may take longer and include a more detailed consultation.

If you decide not to have a trial, that’s absolutely fine too—our artists are experienced and will take great care of you on the day. It’s helpful to send through a few inspiration images beforehand to give your artist a clear idea of what you’re envisioning.

Question 12

What is your bridal/events cancellation policy?

Accepted Answer

We kindly ask you to note that our 25% deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable, as it covers the time, planning, and admin that goes into creating and securing your booking.
If you need to cancel or are unavailable for your booking, please note the deposit can’t be refunded or moved to another date.

For booking dates more than 6 weeks away, the deposit will be retained if you choose to cancel a service or your booking. However, in some circumstances we endeavor to be compassionate and may be able to offer a postponement at our discretion and we will attempt to book the same artist pending availability. Please note that rescheduling may incur a 15% fee based on your total updated quote.

For changes made within 6 weeks of your booking, the deposit will still be held, and a $50 cancellation fee per artist per service will apply.

For additional information, please refer to our full terms and conditions.

For our studio & workshop cancellation policy, please head to our Terms & Conditions page.

Question 13

What products do Tonic artists use?

Accepted Answer

Our artists use a combination of the best products the industry has to offer, including Giorgio Armani, MAC, Nars, Stilla, Dior, Charlotte Tilbury, Hourglass, Benefit, Tarte and many more. Hair products include Kevin Murphy, Eleven Australia, White Sands and many other professional quality products. Our artists can cater to different skin types and sensitivities so if you have any specific needs or concerns regarding products, please let us know.

Question 14

How do I time my hair & makeup on the day? Will Tonic provide a schedule?

Accepted Answer

We are experts at creating a run sheet for your booking! We will reach out to you 4-6 weeks prior to your booking date to confirm the time everyone needs to be ready by. Once we have this information, we can create a schedule for you based on the number of services you have booked. If you are unsure what time you should be ready by, please let us know and we can assist you with this.

Question 15

What time should hair and makeup start on my wedding day?

Accepted Answer

We work out our schedules based on how long each artist requires to work. Most artists take approximately 45 minutes to 60 minutes per service. Some artists require more or less time, and we will work out the schedule for you based on your ‘ready by’ time.

Question 16

What happens if my artist becomes unwell or is no longer available?

Accepted Answer

While our artists truly work magic, they’re human too—and on the (very!) rare chance that someone becomes unwell or unavailable for your booking, please rest assured we’ll take care of everything. We’ll arrange an experienced and trusted artist replacement from our Tonic team, carefully matching you with someone whose style and skill align closely with your original artist, so you’ll still be in the very best hands.

The beauty of booking with our agency is that you will always be taken care of and never left stranded on your special day!

FAQs