The Nilgiris is the one district in Tamil Nadu where the weather is the first thing a makeup artist has to solve. Ooty, Coonoor and Kotagiri sit high enough to be genuinely cold in the wedding months, with mist in the mornings and damp air for much of the day.
That affects everything. Cold skin takes product differently, damp air works against set hair, and a base chosen for Chennai humidity will not behave the same way at two thousand metres. It also affects the bride physically: standing outdoors in a silk saree in Ooty in December is a very different experience from doing it on the coast.
These are largely destination weddings, with families travelling up and staying at the venue for two or three days. Anu travels for outstation and destination weddings, and the multi-day structure means engagement, ceremony and reception looks are normally booked as one arrangement.
