Where will you travel for wedding makeup, and how does it work?
Where will you travel for wedding makeup, and how does it work?
The short answer? Pretty much anywhere, if we can make it work! I LOVE travelling. I love discovering new places, working in beautiful and sometimes slightly crazy locations, and pushing myself further as a makeup artist. I’m based in Chamonix in the French Alps, and I’ve worked a ton across the mountains, lakes and cities in France, Switzerland and Italy. But I’m absolutely not limited to the Alps. Whether you’re planning a wedding in Verbier, a celebration at Lake Como, a beautiful old villa in Tuscany or something much further afield, I’m always happy to have the conversation and hop on on a plane. I have dreams of doing weddings in Africa, perhaps even a safari wedding one day. That would be a dream come true.
Which wedding destinations do you cover?
My home territory is the French and Swiss Alps. I’ve worked in Chamonix, Megève, Annecy, Geneva, Verbier and the Italian Alps, and I’m very comfortable with the practicalities of weddings in mountain locations. I find myself zig-zagging across Europe for bridal makeup and editorial jobs regularly, and I’d LOVE to talk to you about doing your makeup even if it’s much further afield. Would I fly halfway around the world for one bride? Absolutely, yes! But it has to make sense for both of us. Travelling for a wedding involves time away from home, additional expense and making sure there’s enough time to arrive and prepare properly. And ultimately it’s about you and me, and making sure we vibe properly. But if you have an exciting wedding planned and you like my style, please get in touch.
How much do you charge for travel?
It depends on where your wedding is. For weddings in the Chamonix Valley, within approximately 20 kilometres of my home, travel is included. For weddings further away in the Alps, I generally charge a per-kilometre rate, which includes road tolls. That works well for many destinations around the French, Swiss and Italian Alps.
For more distant weddings involving long-distance trains or flights, I tend to prepare a personalised travel quote. There’s a point, generally somewhere around 150 to 200 kilometres from home, at which calculating everything by the kilometre can become less practical or gets crazy expensive. It might make more sense to find a different way to travel, or make different accommodation arrangements, rather than drive.
For destination weddings, I’ll consider the full journey, transport, accommodation, baggage, meals and the amount of time I’ll need to be away. Sometimes the bride or planner can arrange accommodation or meals as part of the wedding arrangements, particularly if everyone is staying at the venue. I’m happy to discuss those details together and find the most sensible solution for us both.
When do I pay for your travel and accommodation?
We’ll agree on the travel arrangements and costs through a personalised quote. If I need to book flights, trains or accommodation in advance, I’ll usually ask for those expenses to be paid upfront so I can secure the arrangements at the agreed price.
For weddings where I’m driving, mileage is generally included in the final invoice, with the balance due 14 days before the wedding. Of course, if your plans change and I can recover an expense, such as a refundable hotel booking, I won’t charge you for something that hasn’t actually cost me. Similarly, if a wedding is cancelled and I haven’t had to make the journey, I won’t charge mileage for driving I haven’t done.
Do you travel for bridal makeup trials too?
Absolutely. I do it all the time.
I’ve travelled for trials around the Alps, including Annecy and Méribel, and I’ve also travelled to London. I completely understand why a bride wants to meet her makeup artist and try the look before the wedding day. It’s a big decision, particularly when you’re getting married somewhere far from home. Travel charges apply to trials too, and we’ll discuss those in advance so everything’s clear on both sides.
For weddings further afield, one of my favourite solutions is to combine the trial with another event during the wedding celebrations. For a wedding in Tuscany not too long ago, for example, I suggested doing the bridal makeup trial just before the welcome party.
That gives us time to work together, develop the bridal look and make any adjustments. Then I can tweak the makeup for the evening ahead, so the bride is ready for the welcome celebration. Two birds with one stone! You can read more about how I approach trials in my bridal makeup trial FAQ.
When do you arrive for a destination wedding?
It depends on the distance, the season, the wedding schedule and how complicated the journey might be. If I’m flying to a destination wedding, I prefer to arrive a day or two before the wedding.
Flights can be delayed, luggage can go missing, and I want to arrive properly rested and ready to work. I know what it’s like when your kit doesn’t arrive with you. That’s happened to me travelling to a wedding in the Greek Islands before!
If I’m working in the Alps, I also think carefully about the season. A winter wedding in Verbier or another mountain resort might involve a very early start, snow, icy roads or mountain passes that are temporarily closed. And unlike most cities, a road closure in the Alps can sometimes mean a three-hour detour rather than a quick diversion. If the schedule demands it, I’ll suggest staying near the venue the night before. All of this is about making sure that, on your wedding morning, I’m there, I’m organised and ready to get started to get you the makeup you’re expecting.
How do you travel with a professional makeup kit?
Ah, the glamorous side of destination makeup artistry! Generally, I drive or fly, although trains are an option too. For journeys across mainland France in particular, I’d be happy to consider taking the train rather than flying, partly for environmental reasons. The makeup kit itself needs a bit of planning. If we’ve had a good consultation, I already know something about your skin tone, the looks we’re creating and the people in your bridal party. That means I can carefully optimise my kit rather than travelling with every single product I own. Trust me, that’s a lot!
Even so, a destination wedding will often mean a whole checked suitcase dedicated to makeup, as well as my own luggage. And makeup isn’t always particularly travel-friendly. Foundations and creams need to be carefully packed because things can leak. Delicate powder palettes are another story entirely, so I often keep the more fragile ones in my hand luggage or wrap them carefully if they’re going in the hold.
Then there’s the challenge of actually getting everything into the venue. Historic Italian villas, beautiful old European buildings and mountain chalets are wonderful places to work. But they weren’t necessarily designed for someone arriving with a professional makeup kit! You can find yourself carrying equipment up several flights of stairs, with no elevator in sight.
As I’m writing this I’m planning a wedding in Italy, and I’m looking at my kit; a modular setup with a backpack, a carry case and an extra grab bag. Much easier to carry around an old building than one enormous suitcase. A little less glamorous than the finished bridal photographs, perhaps ;)
Why book a destination makeup artist instead of someone local?
Key question. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with booking a local makeup artist. There are wonderful artists everywhere, and sometimes that’s the most sensible choice. But I think when someone chooses to fly in a specific makeup artist, they’re choosing more than geographic convenience. They’re choosing an artist whose work they love, whose approach they trust and who they genuinely vibe with.
Natural bridal makeup is surprisingly difficult to get right. Making someone look like the most beautiful, glowing version of herself, without looking heavily made up, requires experience, judgement and a really good understanding of the person sitting in your chair.
That’s my approach, and it’s something I care a lot about.
Some of my destination enquiries come from brides who’ve already experienced my work at a friend’s or family member’s wedding. Perhaps I did their bridesmaid makeup, they loved how they looked and felt, and now they want me to be part of their own wedding too. I think that’s one of the nicest compliments I can receive. For those brides, geography isn’t necessarily the deciding factor. It’s about finding the right person.
Do you enjoy travelling for winter weddings in the Alps?
I really do! It might sound slightly strange when you think about setting off in the dark, in the early hours of the morning, potentially driving across snowy Alpine roads. But there’s something about it that I absolutely love. The mountains are part of my life, and I enjoy the adventure and the challenges that come with working here. Of course, that means planning carefully, understanding the environment, allowing enough travel time and knowing when it’s sensible to stay overnight. There’s something about the winter weddings that really thrills me, even with the early starts and the snow!
My advice
If you’re an international bride and you’ve found a makeup artist whose work you genuinely love, don’t automatically rule them out just because they don’t live near your wedding venue. Ask them whether they have experience of travelling to do makeup.There may be a way to make it work, and the practicalities might be simpler than you expect.
For me, it’s always about finding the right balance between the destination, the travel arrangements, the budget and the relationship with the bride. And if that means packing my kit and setting off on another adventure, I’m generally very happy indeed. Let’s go ✈️
Planning a destination wedding?
I’m Laura Wilson-North, a natural bridal and destination makeup artist based in Chamonix, working across the French Alps, Swiss Alps, Italy and beyond. Whether you’re getting married in Megève, Verbier, Lake Como, Tuscany, elsewhere in Europe or somewhere more adventurous, I’d love to hear about your plans. Get in touch and let’s see if we can make it happen!