How to Choose a Bridal Hairstyle

As a professional hairstylist and having been a bride myself, I have a unique perspective of everything you need to know to pick the perfect hairstyle for your big day!

On your wedding day, you want to feel the most beautiful you have ever felt. These steps will ensure you are completely in love with your look and help you avoid any possible hair disasters (one less thing to worry about, am I right?) This will be a lengthier post, but as a hairstylist I can tell you these are all important things to consider, so stay with me!

Your hairstyle is a decision that you can save for later on in the wedding planning process. There are a lot of external factors that are going to affect your hairstyle, so it’s best to figure these things out before choosing your hairstyle. Here are some things to consider:

• WEATHER
  • is your wedding indoor or outdoor?
  • will it be windy?
  • do you have hair that gets frizzy or curly with humidity?
  • will you be too hot with your hair down or too chilly with it up?
  • is there a chance your hair will get rained or snowed on?
• DRESS & ACCESSORIES
  • will your hairstyle look good with the style of dress you’re wearing?
    • is it strapless? will you feel too exposed with your hair up?
    • is there a detail of the dress you’d like to show off that will be covered if you wear it down?
    • is your bohemian braided hair going to look good with your classic formal dress?
  • do you plan to wear a veil or a hairpiece?
  • will your hairstyle cover a special piece of jewelry you’d like visible?
• PERSONAL
  • will curls hold well in your hair if you choose to wear it down?
  • do you plan to dance a lot and need a really secure style?
  • do you tend to get sweaty and need the hair off your face or neck?

It’s great to have some photos of what you’re looking for to show your stylist. However, browsing images of bridal styles can be really overwhelming! Pinterest has enough hair photos to keep you scrolling for a lifetime.

My advice is to find photos with hair that is as similar to yours as possible. This will give you a realistic expectation of what your hair will look like with that style, and avoid disappointment when you see it on yourself! Here are some factors that will affect how your updo looks:

• HAIR COLOUR
  • hair with dimensional highlights and lowlights will appear to have much more texture and movement than a solid brunette
• LENGTH
  • will your curls flow all the way down to your mid back like they do in the photo?
  • do you need to purchase some clip-in extensions to achieve the look you love?
• THICKNESS
  • styles with thick, full braids are absolutely beautiful, but usually cannot be created on thin hair without adding extensions or a foam doughnut
• TEXTURE
  • do you have curls or waves you plan to leave natural on your wedding day?
  • can your pin-straight hair be curled like the photo?
• ACCESSORIES
  • where will your veil or hairpiece be placed in the style you chose?

Once you have assessed each of these elements, you can get specific with your Pinterest searches and narrow down the overwhelming selection.

It’s good to have a handful of photos with similar styles as inspiration so your stylist can get a good idea of what you’re looking for. Your hair probably won’t look exactly like any photo, so having a general feel you’re going for is better than expecting your stylist to duplicate one perfect image you found.

Now that you’ve planned the logistics, here are the practical steps you should take leading up to the big day.

• BOOK A HAIR TRIAL
  • plan to see your stylist a month or two before the wedding to try out the bridal style you chose – this appointment will help you make sure you love your look, and will give your stylist a chance to try a few things and figure out what works without the pressure and time crunch of the wedding day
  • BRING YOUR ACCESSORIES WITH YOU TO THE TRIAL: your veil, hair extensions, flower crown, jewels, whatever you plan to wear in your hair – their placement is extremely important and will affect your entire style
• WASH YOUR HAIR THE DAY BEFORE THE WEDDING
  • freshly washed and fluffy hair is usually difficult to style into an updo – you want your hair to be clean, but with a bit of that second day texture to it (imagine the feeling of cotton VS silk)
• PART YOUR HAIR WHERE IT WILL BE PARTED FOR THE STYLE
  • after washing your hair, you want to let it dry with whatever part you need for tomorrow’s style – wherever it dries is where it’s going to set and will be nearly impossible to change
• AVOID PRODUCT AND HOT TOOL STYLING
  • you can blowdry your hair with a lightweight heat protector, but stay away from heavier products and avoid any flat ironing or curling – once your hair is set with a hot tool, your stylist will have a really hard time getting it to set any other way
• WEAR A SHIRT THAT ZIPS OR BUTTONS UP
  • you do NOT want to pull a shirt off over your fresh updo! I have had brides literally cut their shirts off to avoid ruining their hair. This is the perfect excuse to get those cute matching bridal party robes 😉
• PACK AN EMERGENCY KIT
  • it’s a good idea to carry a kit with a mini hairspray and some hair pins in case you accidentally get snagged or dance a little too hard (we provide these kits for brides at my salon, ask your stylist if they have this option!)
• MAID OF HONOUR CRASH COURSE
  • if you plan to take your veil or any other accessory out during the reception, have your hairstylist show your Maid of Honour exactly where she put the securing pins and how to safely remove them without ruining your hairstyle