If you are getting married in Chamonix, Verbier or somewhere else in the French or Swiss Alps, choosing your wedding makeup artist is not just about finding someone with beautiful pictures on Instagram.

The setting matters. The light matters. The weather matters. But most of all, the way you feel with the person matters.

My approach to bridal makeup is very personal. I am not here to change faces. I love to emphasise someone’s features rather than changing their face or creating a mask.

On your wedding day, I think you should feel like the best version of yourself: elevated, beautiful, but still completely recognisable.

That sounds simple, but it is not always what happens. Some makeup artists have a very defined signature look. That can be wonderful if that exact look is what you want, but it can also mean that every bride ends up looking like the artist’s style rather than herself.

For me, the most important thing is versatility and listening. In my opinion, a great artist should be able to step out of their own style and really understand what the bride wants.

If you want natural bridal makeup, that might mean almost no visible foundation and very soft definition. For someone else, “natural” might still include a smoky eye. Everyone’s version is different.

That’s why the conversation matters so much.

Photo credit Gaetan Haugeard

Look for someone who listens, not someone who takes over

When you are choosing a wedding makeup artist in Chamonix or the French Alps, look beyond the finished images.

Ask yourself: does this artist seem to adapt to different faces, different ages, different skin tones, different styles of wedding?

If every bride looks exactly the same, that may be a sign that the artist has one strong look. Not necessarily wrong, but worth being aware of.

I think the bride should always remain the centre of the look. The makeup should support her, not dominate her. It should work with her face, her personality, her dress, her setting and the kind of day she is planning.

A wedding in the Alps - or even the nearby towns of Annecy or Geneva - often has a very personal story behind it. Many couples who marry here are here because they have adventured together: skiing, climbing, hiking, travelling, spending time in the mountains.

The wedding is often an extension of that shared life. So the makeup should fit that feeling too.

Think about the environment you are getting married in

The Alps are not a neutral backdrop. They are part of the day.

You might be getting ready in a chalet, going outside for photos in bright sun, walking to a ceremony spot, standing by a lake, heading up a lift, or dealing with wind, snow or heat.

Believe me, I have worked in all the temperature ranges you can imagine! I have had brides in blizzards, brides in strong summer sun, brides putting on sunglasses, jackets, helmets or goggles.

The makeup has to last, but it also has to feel comfortable. It cannot just look good for ten minutes in a hotel room.

That means skin prep, product choice and timing are all important. It also means communication with the photographer, because natural makeup in real life and natural makeup in photographs are not always exactly the same thing.

Photo credit Emily Victoria

Ask practical questions before you book

A few good questions can tell you a lot as you’re choosing your artist:

- Have you worked on weddings in Chamonix, Megeve, Verbier or the Alps in general before?

- How do you approach natural bridal makeup?

- How do you get makeup to last in outdoor conditions?

- Do you do a wedding makeup trial, and how collaborative is it?

- How do you handle early starts, travel or remote venues?

- Are you comfortable working with my skin tone, skin type and the look I want?

I also think it is important to ask yourself how you feel on the intro call.

Your MUA could be with you just before you walk down the aisle…that’s huge! They need to bring calm, warmth and confidence into the room and into that moment.

Choose someone whose work already feels close to you

Before a bridal makeup trial, I always suggest looking at the artist’s own portfolio and finding two or three looks that feel aligned with what you want.

Pinterest can be useful, but a lot of bridal makeup images online are heavily edited, filtered, or not even real human faces. They can be helpful for general direction, but they are not always realistic.

If you can say something like “I loved the way you did this bride’s skin” or “I like the softness of this eye look”, that’s much more useful.

It shows that you understand the artist’s style, and it helps the artist understand what you are drawn to.

The right artist should help you feel like yourself

For me, wedding makeup is not about a big reveal moment where the artist turns you around after ninety minutes and hopes you love it.

It should be a collaboration.

We should be talking throughout, adjusting as we go, checking that you feel comfortable before we move on.

Your wedding day is not TikTok. It is not Instagram. It is your wedding day.

The right wedding makeup artist will care about how you feel in person, how the makeup photographs, how it lasts, and whether it still feels like you. That’s the sweet spot.

Planning your wedding?

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