If you are planning a wedding in Chamonix or the French Alps, I would start thinking about your makeup artist earlier than you might expect.

Weddings here are often destination weddings, and the dates can book up very early. Summer is busy, winter is busy, and many couples are planning around venues, travel, photographers, planners and potential weather.

For bridal makeup, I would say the average booking window is around nine months to a year before the wedding. But it is often much earlier. I have had people reach out up to eighteen months ahead. I have even had a bride who wanted to book me before her final wedding date was confirmed. I could not take a deposit without a date, of course, because I also have a family and need to be sure I can 100% commit. But it shows how early some brides are thinking about their makeup artist now.

Is one year before the wedding too early?

No, not for an Alps wedding.

If your wedding date is important, your venue is booked, and you know you want a particular makeup artist, a year ahead is sensible. It gives everyone time to plan properly and it gives you more choice of suppliers. Brides are realising more and more how important it is to select a makeup artist who aligns with your vision and who will bring warmth and calm to your bridal preparations, so they’re looking and locking in their MUA early. 

It also helps if your wedding involves travel, an early start, a remote location, a large bridal party, or multiple events. In the Alps, logistics can matter more than people expect. A road closure is often a lot more than just a small inconvenience. Sometimes it can mean an hours-long detour. And changeable weather conditions can mean longer travel times…or even snow chains!

Can you book last-minute?

Sometimes, yes.

I do occasionally have weddings that come out of the blue within a month. If I can make it work, fantastic. I had a bride coming from Dubai who realised quite late that she wanted a makeup artist and booked me with about three weeks to go.

So it is always worth asking.

But if you have a specific date, especially in peak season, I wouldn’t rely on last-minute availability.

When should you have the trial?

A bridal makeup trial usually works best a few months before the wedding, but it can happen earlier as often people want to meet their artist before committing, which is normal and understandable. Your makeup artist will be with you on one of the biggest days of your life, so it’s important to align and make sure the vibe is right. With a few months to go, you normally have a clearer idea of your dress, hair, flowers, setting and overall feeling of the day. That helps because makeup is such an integral part of your day. It needs to fit the whole look.

If you are travelling in for a destination wedding, we can discuss whether the trial happens when you arrive, up front on a planning or recon trip…or somewhere else entirely. I often travel to brides for trials, depending on location, convenience and budget.

Often with destination weddings, I offer to do the trial a day or two before the wedding, perhaps ahead of the welcome party - the makeup can then be tweaked and repurposed for the evening. In this case, we will do a video call together beforehand to discuss the makeup. 

What if you are not sure about your look yet?

That is completely normal.

You don’t need to know exactly what you want before you make contact. Of course, it’s helpful if you have a general sense of what you like, but the trial and intro call are placed to refine everything.

I usually ask brides to bring some references, but I also suggest you take a look at my home page portfolio and choose a few looks that feel close to what you want. That is often more useful than Pinterest alone!

Think about your wedding timeline early

Don’t leave your makeup timing until the final week.

If you have ten bridesmaids, you may need a second artist, or at least a very early start. If your ceremony is in winter, you may need to think about daylight for photos. What time is sunrise and sunset? If the ceremony is outside or high in the mountains, of course weather, travel and lift opening delays can affect the day’s timeline.

This is why planners (and experienced photographers) are so useful in the Alps. They understand the rhythm of the day, the light, and the logistics.

Your makeup artist should fit into that plan calmly, not add extra stress to it.

The ideal booking timeline

As a rough guide:

- 12 to 18 months out: enquire if you know your date and artist preference

- 9 to 12 months out: a very sensible window for most Alps weddings

- 3 to 6 months out: trial, depending on travel and planning schedule

- Final weeks: confirm timings, location, bridal party numbers and any changes

Every wedding is different, but the earlier the key people are aligned, the calmer everything feels.

My advice

If you feel you have found the right wedding makeup artist, don’t wait too long.

The right person is a lot more than just a talented MUA. It is someone who listens, understands your version of your look, who is experienced enough to handle the environment…and brings the right energy into the room on the morning of your wedding.

For an Alps wedding, that is worth planning early.

Planning your wedding?

I’m Laura Wilson-North, a makeup artist based in Chamonix but often in Geneva, working across the French Alps, Swiss Alps, Italy and beyond. If you’d like to talk about your wedding day or your ideas, whenever your big day is, I’d love to hear from you. Get in touch!