Destination Bridal Hair and Makeup Artist Sydney - Stephanie and Andrew's New Zealand Pre Wedding

Amy Chan
Mar 1, 2019
3 min read

Updated: Jan 14

Hair & Makeup: Amy Chan Hair & Makeup Artistry

Although we are a Sydney based bridal hair and makeup studio, travelling internationally with our clients has always been an important part of our work. For Stephanie and Andrew, our destination bridal hair and makeup artist team based in Sydney had the opportunity to travel to the stunning landscapes of New Zealand to create hair and makeup for their special experience.

The weather could not have been more perfect, and to make the most of their limited time in New Zealand, Stephanie and Andrew arrived at our Airbnb early in the morning at 4:45am. The day began quietly and calmly, with Andrew quickly falling asleep on the couch while Stephanie had her hair and makeup done for the very first time. These early hours often create the most intimate and memorable moments, allowing the bride to ease into the day without pressure.

Destination bridal hair and makeup requires careful planning, flexibility, and an understanding of how different environments affect both hair and skin. Stephanie’s look was designed to feel natural, refined, and timeless, ensuring it photographed beautifully in soft morning light as well as outdoor conditions later in the day.

As a Sydney bridal hair and makeup artist studio specialising in destination weddings and pre wedding experiences, our focus is always on creating beauty that travels well. Stephanie and Andrew’s New Zealand shoot was a wonderful example of how thoughtful preparation and experienced destination bridal hair and makeup artistry can turn an early start into a relaxed and meaningful experience.

Stephanie wanted a very natural style of hair and makeup that's also chic, timeless and classic. To achieve this look, we used Becca Cosmetic's highlight and contouring to enhance her features, rather than dark, heavy makeup. Foundation wise, we use our all time favourite DMKC to perfectly match her healthy skin tone. This foundation holds exceptionally well and is also water resistant, making it extremely long lasting. For her blush, we put our trust on MAC Cosmetics and blended 2 colours together to achieve the natural, sun kissed glow. And as for her lips, we mixed MAC Cosmetics' FANFARE with our own custom lip balm to create the tinted lip look. As everyone's natural lip colour is different, though using the same lipstick, the colour may turn out to be slightly different. To us, this is a change we embrace as it gives personality.

For Stephanie's hair, we used Cloud Nine's original iron to create the locks she requested, and used Schwarzkopf's OSiS number 3 hairspray to set her hair.

Once hair and makeup were complete, we headed straight to the famous Glenorchy shed, spending the morning by the crystal clear water. Despite the number of tourists at the wharf, everyone was incredibly kind and respectful. With Stephanie dressed in an elegant evening gown, they graciously cleared the way, allowing us to capture uninterrupted moments against the stunning backdrop.

With locations close to one another, the shoot continued at a nearby forest along the Kawarau River, a location well known as one of the filming sites for The Lord of the Rings. Surrounded by natural textures and soft light, the setting provided the perfect contrast for the final photographs of the day. After completing the shoot, we headed straight to the airport, continuing on to the next destination location as part of our ongoing destination bridal hair and makeup work.