July 15, 2026
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Bridal Makeup and Hairstyle in Sicily: the Professionals’ Guide for International Brides
Organizing a wedding in Sicily means relying on professionals who know the area inside out: the Mediterranean climate, the humidity, the wind of the seaside locations and the warm light of the island influence every choice related to makeup and bridal hairstyle. To offer future brides — Italian and international — an authentic and concrete guide on wedding make-up and hairstyling in Sicily, we interviewed three professionals who work every day alongside couples who choose the island for their most important day: Paolo Costarelli (hairstylist from Catania), Anna Shabeka (make-up artist from Catania) and Irina Farfallina (hairstylist and make-up artist, with a studio in Palermo).
Their answers tell what to expect from a bridal make-up and hairstyle designed for the Sicilian climate, how much time to allow for bridal preparations, how best to prepare if you arrive from abroad and what information to share for a stress-free getting ready — with guests, bridesmaids and mothers included. A useful read for those who are looking for make-up artists and hairdressers for weddings in Sicily, between Etna, Taormina, Syracuse, Catania and Palermo, and want to really understand how those who deal with bridal looks work on the island.
1. What makes the wedding look preparations unique in Sicily
Professionals agree that the charm of Sicily — light, sea and natural elegance of the locations — is a huge strength for the wedding look, but that it should be managed honestly with respect to the practical aspects: heat (over +30-35 degrees Celsius in the hottest months), humidity, wind and very long wedding days. Irina Farfallina sums it up like this: “Sicily is a beautiful island, time passes measured, the sun warm and the sea salty. As a professional, I advise brides to rely on the WP timing calculation, to trust the make-up artist / and hairdresser if they recommend one look or another depending on the weather conditions.”
Along the same lines, Paolo Costarelli : – Sometimes some inspirations seen online have to be adapted, for example by preferring more resistant structures than completely loose hair, especially in seaside locations – precisely to withstand humidity and wind.
Both agree that it is this sincerity — explaining to the bride why one choice is more suitable than another in the Sicilian context — that builds a real relationship of trust with the professional.
Paolo Costarelli sums up: “It is precisely this sincerity that creates trust: the bride understands that you are not simply performing a hairstyle, but you are designing the best look for her and her wedding in Sicily.”
2. Years of experience and international couples
The three professionals have been working for years with couples from all over the world, an important fact for foreign brides who are looking for a team already accustomed to different nationalities, skin and hair types:
• Paolo Costarelli has been working with international couples for 4 years.
• Anna Shabeka for 8 years, with American, Canadian, African, English, Italian, Russian, Chinese and Japanese brides.
• Irina Farfallina since 2018, with mainly British, American and Swedish couples.
3. When to book the makeup and hair trial?
On the make-up trial, Anna Shabeka and Irina Farfallina agree in preferring the morning, because of natural light: Anna is available “every day of the week” with a preference for the morning, while Irina works “during the morning working week”, explaining that for a make-up artist the morning light is essential to evaluate the real result.
Paolo Costarelli’s point of view is different: as a hairstylist, his indication concerns the time of year rather than the day of the week — he advises brides on November, March and April, the months in which professionals are generally more available for a bridal trial.
4. Practical tips: hair and skin in the Sicilian climate
- Hair
On hairstyle, Paolo Costarelli and Irina Farfallina agree that Sicilian humidity is the key factor to manage, especially for those with thin hair. Paolo recommends sharing in advance the type of hair, reaction to humidity and any extensions, working on the preparation of the fiber to give volume without weighing it down; on curly or wavy hair, on the other hand, it aims to enhance the natural texture by protecting it from frizz. Irina goes in the same direction but in a more direct way: “If the bride has thin hair, I always recommend him to take the extension. There is a lot of humidity in Sicily and the extensions are like the base for thin hair. So the half-up, half-down or old money waves hairstyle lasts until the end of the night.”
A general important note: for a better hold of the hairstyle, wash your hair one night before the wedding and not on the same day!
- Skin and make-up
Even on skin and makeup, Anna Shabeka and Irina Farfallina are aligned: both insist on a constant skincare routine in the days leading up to the wedding. Anna recommends not neglecting cleansing, hydration and sun protection, “especially in Sicily”; Irina adds more specific lifestyle tips — eat healthy, drink plenty of water, get at least 7-8 hours of sleep — as well as a moisturizing mask twice a week, to get married with glowing skin.
An important general note: do not expose yourself to direct sun from 1 pm to 4 pm, despite the season. The sun in Sicily is almost African, and if the bride comes from Nordic countries or has very fair skin, my personal advice is to avoid long days at the beach before the wedding and to move them during the post-wedding chill.
5. How long to plan for the bridal look of the wedding day?
Paolo Costarelli expects about 90 minutes for the hairstyle, Anna Shabeka about an hour and a half for make-up, while Irina Farfallina — who follows both hair and make-up for the bride herslef — indicates an average of 2 and a half hours overall, adding that it is important to define the desired look in advance to optimize time on the wedding day.
6. Why the bridal look has a different cost than a make-up or hairstyle for another event like a birthday party, for instance?
Paolo Costarelli and Anna Shabeka agree on a point that often sparks doubts and discussions among brides: the true difference in bridal services lies not in the technique itself, but in the level of responsibility, the careful time management to align with the wedding day’s schedule, and the overall vision behind the service. Paolo likens it to a truly custom tailoring process. This involves personalized advice and styling that considers not just the bride, but also her gown and accessories, along with dedicated fittings to ensure impeccable wear throughout the entire day.
Paolo: “For a birthday or an evening event, the look can remain beautiful for a few hours and mainly follows an aesthetic taste.
In a wedding, on the other hand, everything is designed to last perfectly for many hours, resisting emotions, hugs, photos, changes in light, often heat, humidity or wind.”
Anna points out that bridal makeup involves transfers, committing multiple hours — sometimes half a day — and giving up other clients, as well as constant communication with the bride throughout the preparation. Therefore, she notes, the pricing aligns with standard market rates that stylists typically follow.
Irina Farfallina adds a different perspective, more linked to the emotional component of the service: “A wedding is a special day in the life of a bride. The make-up must be persistent, the make-up artist must be a good psychologist. To support the bride with her excitement during the preparation.”
Here’s a thought for future brides considering having friends or acquaintances who are amateur stylists or lack wedding experience take on the role: “Be aware that your entire wedding day’s schedule hinges on your stylist. They influence whether you’ll arrive on time for the ceremony, if you’ll capture photos during the best light, or if you’ll be able to catch the sunset (which is fleeting in Sicily). A professional with extensive wedding industry experience understands how to manage time effectively, even under pressure. They also know how to collaborate seamlessly with other vendors, like photographers and videographers, to ensure your wedding day is nothing short of spectacular.
7. Tips for those who cannot do the trial before wedding day
When an in-person trial isn’t possible, which often happens for brides planning a wedding in Sicily from overseas, the three experts share a common idea: provide as much information as possible beforehand. However, each professional has their own preferred way of doing this.
Paolo Costarelli asks for photos of the natural hair, references, dress, veil, accessories and details on location and time, to design a realistic bridal look even before the meeting.
Anna Shabeka also prefer to have all the details communicated in advance and reserves, if necessary, a little extra time on the day for any changes.
Irina Farfallina , on the other hand, prefers a direct video call with the bride: “I recommend to brides to be to schedule a video call and talk to the make-up artist, telling all the bride’s wishes. But also listen to the make-up artist’s advices.”
8. Extensions for weddings: when you need them and which ones to choose
When it comes to hair extensions, which are particularly beneficial for those with thin hair or who desire a loose style that lasts all night, Paolo Costarelli and Irina Farfallina share a common view. They agree that Sicily’s high humidity can be challenging, and extensions help provide structure and hold, especcially for thin hair. However, their specific advice on how to use them varies.
Paolo evaluates the use of extensions based on hair density, the goal of the look and the required hold, and for the wedding he prefers 100% natural clip-in extensions, versatile and non-invasive, designed as a “technical tool, not the focus of the look”.
Irina recommends them more frequently — “almost every third bride” — especially as a base for thin hair in styles like half up – half down or old money waves, but warns not to choose them too long.
You can bring your own hair extensions, or you can rent them on-site. The color of the rented extensions can be matched to your own hair color on request.
9. How to prepare for an effective bridal look trial, especially if you are coming from abroad
Here an interesting difference in approach emerges, useful to know before organizing the trip to Sicily for the trial.
Paolo Costarelli and Anna Shabeka suggest to start with remote preparation: Paolo asks to send photos of the natural hair, reference, dress, veil, accessories and details on the location and time of the wedding in advance; Anna suggests conducting the trial in daylight to achieve the most realistic results. She also reminds us that daily skincare is essential for makeup to look its best.
Both receive in Acireale for a trial (near Catania), but they can also move to neighbouring cities (including Taormina).
Irina Farfallina , on the other hand, has a more “practical and face-to-face method”:
– I do all the trials in my studio in Palermo. I recommend you come alone for our consultation. This way, we can quietly focus together on finding the perfect look for you.
10. Guests and getting ready: what you need to know in advance
All three agree on the need to know in advance the number of guests to be prepared during the getting ready time.
The stylists ask for the precise number of people to be followed at least 3-4 weeks in advance (at the time of booking the service ideally, if possible), agreed with the wedding planner, together with the requested service, the ready time, special needs and spaces available for getting ready. To help stylists prepare and avoid delays on the wedding morning, please provide photos of guests with their natural look, along with their makeup and hairstyling references beforehand.
In summary, for brides who dream of a wedding in Sicily
A common thread shared by the whole team emerges from this interview: the Sicilian climate — heat, humidity, wind and light — must be respected and anticipated. Bridal makeup and hairstyle in Sicily work best when there is clear communication between the bride and the professionals. This can involve sending photos in advance, a video call, or a trial session booked in advance. And, of course, trust your stylists and the essential advices they provide.
It is precisely this collaborative approach, coordinating expert hairstylists and makeup artists with extensive knowledge of Sicily’s unique environment, that I, alongside Etnamare Weddings and Events, implement daily in the planning of weddings and elopements in Sicily, between Etna, Taormina, Catania and the other locations on the island.
All the pictures in this post are from real weddings I planned for my brides. You can find more stories in my portfolio or on my Instagram page.
