Getting Married in Italy? Here’s How to Find Your Perfect Destination Wedding Hair & Makeup Artist
Planning a destination wedding in Italy is one of the most exciting (and sometimes overwhelming) experiences you’ll ever have. Between choosing your venue, planner, photographer, and all the dreamy little details, there’s one thing that can truly set the tone for how you feel on your big day — your bridal hair and makeup artist.
As someone who has worked in bridal beauty for over a decade, I know how personal this choice is. You’re not just looking for someone who can create a beautiful look — you’re choosing the person who will be with you on one of the most emotional mornings of your life. My goal with this article is to help you find the right artist for you — someone who understands your style, your personality, and your vision for the day you’ve been dreaming of.
Start with style — yours, not theirs
When you begin researching wedding hair and makeup artists in Italy, start by asking yourself:
What feels like me?
If you usually wear minimal makeup, you probably won’t feel your best with a heavy contour and full-coverage foundation. The same goes for hair — if you love soft movement and undone texture, a perfectly sculpted updo might not feel authentic.
Instead of scrolling endlessly through Pinterest (which in the last year has become an AI-only hub for unrealistic expectations), look on Instagram for real wedding content. Find artists who regularly share their work on actual brides — not just stylized shoots.
Create a folder on your phone where you can save screenshots or posts of looks you genuinely connect with. It’s okay to have more than one direction — maybe one look is more romantic and another slightly more polished. When you bring your favorites to your artist, a good professional will be able to notice the similarities between them and talk through what you actually want to see on yourself.
This part is all about connection — both with your vision and with your future artist.
Should you hire a local Italian makeup artist or bring someone you already know?
This is one of the biggest questions destination brides ask.
And it’s such a valid one.
Bringing an artist you already know can feel like the safe option, especially if they’ve worked with you before or you trust their work completely. But once you factor in flights, accommodation, travel days, and the legal side of working in another country, it quickly becomes a very costly (and sometimes stressful) choice.
In most cases, flying an artist to Italy means covering several nights of accommodation — they’ll likely need to arrive at least two days before your wedding or welcome event and stay an extra night afterward. You’ll also need to consider travel insurance, transportation, and the small chance that something unpredictable (like a delayed flight) could affect the schedule.
Hiring someone who is already based in Italy, on the other hand, can simplify things enormously. You’ll avoid those travel-related costs, and your artist will already know the local rhythm — how to plan around the Italian heat, how long it actually takes to reach certain venues, and so on.
The most important thing when choosing a local artist is communication. Make sure they speak fluent English and that you feel fully understood from your very first conversation. I always encourage my brides to ask as many questions as they need — a good artist will welcome that and make sure you feel heard and supported throughout the entire process.
What about the bridal hair and makeup trial?
If you’re planning a wedding abroad, scheduling your bridal trial can feel like a puzzle…
…but I promise, it’s doable.
The ideal time for a trial is when you fly over to Italy for a venue visit or your menu tasting. That way, you can coordinate everything in one trip and see how your beauty look feels in the same setting you’ll get married in. If your wedding is in summer or fall, many couples visit in winter to finalize details — that’s often the perfect moment for a hair and makeup trial in Italy.
If that’s not possible, another great option is to book your trial a couple of days after you land in Italy the same week of your wedding. It might feel tight, but think of the trial as a calm, creative session where you and your artist work together to refine your vision.
It’s not just about testing products — it’s about seeing how you feel in your look, how the hairstyle moves, and how the makeup settles after a few hours. It gives clarity and peace of mind, and it helps you get to know your artist on a more personal level.
After all, this is the person who’ll be with you while you sip your coffee, laugh with your bridesmaids, and take those deep, grounding breaths before walking down the aisle. You want to feel completely at ease in their hands.
My honest advice
Whether you’re getting married in Lake Como, Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast, or a hidden vineyard in Piedmont, finding the right bridal hair and makeup artist in Italy comes down to two things: trust and alignment.
Look for someone whose work reflects what you naturally gravitate toward, who listens when you talk about your comfort zone, and who communicates clearly from start to finish.
Your wedding morning should feel calm, joyful, and real — and the right artist will not only make you look beautiful but also help you feel beautiful.
Hey, I’m Bea!
I’ve never been a full-glam kind of girl — I’ve always loved soft, effortless looks that still feel like you. My specialty is natural to soft glam bridal makeup with glowy, bronzey, dewy vibes that photograph beautifully and stay timeless in person. After 12 years working abroad in Australia and Canada, I moved back home to Italy to bring that international experience to destination brides getting married here.
