Bracciano · near Rome
Indian wedding makeup at Castello Odescalchi
Round towers, frescoed halls and a lake below the walls. The castle at Bracciano is the fairy-tale Rome wedding, an hour from the city.
Please read first
Based in Pune, travelling to Castello Orsini-Odescalchi for your wedding.
Please note that Tejaswini is based in Pune, India and flies to Castello Orsini-Odescalchi with her own artists. Every destination booking is planned months before anyone boards a plane.
Travel, Schengen visa and stay costs for every team member are the client’s responsibility, always shown separately.
- Based inPune, Maharashtra
- TravelsWorldwide
- Flights & visasBilled at cost
- Stay & transfersCouple arranges
A little history
Five centuries of family history above the lake.
The Orsini family built the castle in the late 15th century on a hill above Lake Bracciano, and the Odescalchi family has owned it since the 17th century. Its halls still have Renaissance frescoes, painted ceilings and the furniture of a lived-in family seat.
It became internationally known as a wedding venue in 2006, when Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes married there, and it has hosted large private celebrations since, alongside daily visitors.
For the bride, the castle means stone stairs, cool halls and strong side-light through deep windows. We plan where she will get ready, often in a nearby hotel, and keep a touch-up room inside the castle.
The venue at a glance
What Castello Odescalchi means for an Indian wedding.
A planning summary from public information about the property. Your planner confirms spaces, capacities and permissions for each function.
- Location
- Bracciano, about an hour north-west of Rome
- Built
- Late 15th century by the Orsini family
- Owned by
- The Odescalchi family since the 17th century
- Setting
- Above Lake Bracciano, with courtyards, halls and towers
- Known for
- Celebrity weddings, including Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes in 2006
- Accommodation
- Guests stay in hotels around the lake or in Rome
The wedding day
A typical Castello Odescalchi wedding day.
- 08:00
Team sets up in the bride’s hotel suite near the lake
We ask for a room with good window light and a second room close by for family makeup, so the bride’s room stays calm.
- 09:30
Mothers and family first
Family looks run in parallel with the bridal skin prep, timed so nobody waits in the corridor.
- 11:30
Bride’s skin prep and base
Hydration, primer and a base built for strong side-light in stone courtyards and warm candlelight inside.
- 13:15
Hair, eyes, jewellery and draping
Maang tikka, nath and dupatta set with the outfit on, checked from every angle the photographer will use.
- 15:00
Portraits on the ramparts with the lake behind
First photographs while the makeup is at its freshest, before the busiest part of the day.
- 16:30
Baraat and pheras at the castle courtyard
The baraat usually gathers in the town below or in a courtyard; one artist stays with the bride for final checks.
- 20:00
Change for the reception
New lip, refreshed eyes and a second hairstyle if planned; allow 60–75 minutes.
Function by function
Matching each look to a Castello Odescalchi setting.
Mehendi in a castle courtyard
Shade and sun in turns inside old walls. A sheer, even base that photographs the same in both.
Sangeet in the frescoed halls
Stone halls and theatrical lighting. Defined eyes, sculpted cheeks and a base that will not look flat in low light.
Pheras at the castle courtyard
Towers, battlements and a wide sky. A classic red look built for strong side-light and an outdoor ceremony.
Reception in the candlelit halls
Candlelit vaults and long tables. Warm glow, richer lip colour and lashes that read across a big room.
Tejaswini
Your artist at Castello Odescalchi
Tejaswini has styled more than a thousand Indian brides since 2012 and treats castle weddings as two weddings in one: daylight on stone and candlelight in old halls. At Bracciano she plans both looks in advance and keeps a touch-up room ready inside the walls.
Watch
Bare skin to finished bride.
Four looks, one wedding
Specific to this venue
Castello Odescalchi details we plan around.
Worth doing
- Arrange a touch-up room inside the castle
- Plan rampart portraits with the lake at golden hour
- Allow for the drive from Rome or the lakeside hotel
- Choose shoes for stone stairs and cobbles
Worth avoiding
- Very long trains on narrow castle stairs
- A flat, matte base in candlelit halls
- Tight timings between the castle and Rome on the same day
- Assuming the castle allows every kind of fire or décor
Castello Odescalchi questions
Bridal makeup at Castello Orsini-Odescalchi.
Do you provide Indian bridal makeup at Castello Orsini-Odescalchi?
Yes. Tejaswini’s team flies from India for weddings at Castello Orsini-Odescalchi and covers each function for the bride, family and bridal party. The team’s flights, Schengen visas and rooms are paid by the family.
Where does the bride get ready for a Bracciano castle wedding?
Usually at a hotel near the lake or in Rome, with a touch-up room in the castle.
How far is the castle from Rome?
About 50 to 70 minutes by road, depending on traffic.
Is the light inside the castle difficult?
It is low and warm, so we add a little more definition to the eyes and avoid an overly matte base that looks flat on camera.
Can we hold the pheras in the courtyard?
Courtyard ceremonies are possible by arrangement; your planner confirms the set-up and fire rules with the castle.
How do we get a quote for a Castello Odescalchi wedding?
Message us with the dates, functions and the number of people who need hair and makeup. The quote lists the artist fee and the travel costs on separate lines.
Her work
Looks she brings to Italy.
Real brides styled by Tejaswini in India. The same hands and kit travel to Rome.
Keep comparing
Other Rome wedding venues.
Shortlisting more than one property? Each has its own guide.
Castello Odescalchi bookings
Planning your wedding at Castello Odescalchi?
Share the dates and the list of functions, and tell us which spaces you are considering. We will send availability, a suggested team size and an itemised quote, with the team’s travel shown on its own line.
