Every little girl has imagined herself walking down the aisle at her wedding. Every little girl has the same vision-she is the most beautiful she has ever been in her life! Every detail is perfect. Hair, gown, skin, makeup, even her teeth are perfect. She is the vision of happiness.
This vision can be intimidating for some brides. Actually, getting married does not make them nervous; achieving that perfection makes them CRAZY! This is where a professional stylist can be a girl’s best friend.
Catherine Harris, owner and Lead Stylist of Garden Street Salon has some words of wisdom to share. First of all, hire a stylist you can talk to. Make sure you speak the same hair language. Your regular stylist may not be your wedding stylist. Your regular stylist can take care of your color, highlights and other chemical processes but your wedding stylist will give you the final finishing polish you desire for your big day. Once you have your stylist booked and the deposit paid, you can begin the journey of defining your style.Book a trial consultation at least four weeks prior to your wedding. “Bring pictures of your wedding gown and ideas of air styles you envision,” advises Catherine. This will give your professional a good idea of your overall look for the day. “Realize that not all hair looks right in all styles.” Catherine encourages brides to be realistic and flexible. “The bride’s hair may be the wrong texture, wrong cut, or wrong type for the style.” As with any wedding day professional, it is always best to put your trust in the expert and let them work their magic! Who would know better than someone who has devoted their life to hair?
Here are some styles to consider:
· Extremely pretty and romantic is simply wearing your hair down, unpolished and loose, maybe with soft curls. “Loose and natural is in” says Catherine. Beautiful, but sometimes difficult to control. Especially in the heat and humidity of the Gulf Coast. Discuss with your professional how to control frizz and maintain your desired texture.
· Half up/Half down is very popular right now because it is flattering on almost every bride. A little more controllable than completely loose but equally romantic. You can accessorize the gathering point with a pretty barrette, flower, or a rhinestone comb.
· If you choose to put your hair up, consider your entire style. Catherine advises against the tight ponytail – “it’s rarely pretty on most brides.” Especially those who wear a full skirted ball gown, the proportions may not be flattering.
· The chignon is a traditional style for the bride who wants control and classic, worry-free style. It’s a lovely knot, a bun, or a tuft of hair situated at the nape of the neck. It can even be styled into the shape of a bow for a dramatic finish.
Most any style can be enhanced with hair accessories. Very trendy in the Gulf Coast is using fresh flowers for your wedding day hair. “Consult with your florist on what flowers will last throughout the day, and coordinate with the other flowers from the wedding.” Catherine recently styled a bride’s hair that got her flowers from Plant and Flower. The floral designer wired the bride’s flowers so that Catherine could easily pin them into the bride’s hair. “The flowers were perfect for the bride’s beach wedding. Plant and Flower even delivered the bride’s hair flowers to my salon so the bride didn’t have to make the extra trip.”
Catherine says she has noticed fewer brides wearing veils and tiaras. Brides are being more creative and are using less traditional hair accents. One trend is the Spanish mantilla without a veil. Similar to a fascinator, a mantilla is a beautiful, ornate comb that sits in the top of the up do. Combs are a great option because they can be found in a variety of styles or they can easily be made and placed anywhere in the hair. Headbands are a versatile option as well. They can be as extravagant (pearls, rhinestones, sequins) or as simple (satin ribbon, hair braid, piece of lace from the wedding gown) as you desire. Catherine’s recent favorite hair accessory was peacock feathers. “They looked great!”Two weeks before the wedding get a trim or a touch up. You don’t want your hair to look too new. Don’t make any major changes to your hair without time to make the necessary repairs if something goes wrong. This includes complete color change, Japanese straightening, relaxers, or perms. If you attempt to color or perm your hair at home, be prepared for a less-than professional outcome. This is not the time to experiment!
One week before the wedding confirm your appointment for yourself and any other ladies who will require hair services. “Brides remember to book themselves, sometimes they remember their bridesmaids, but always will add someone last minute like their Mom.” The staff will be more than happy to accommodate your last minute arrivals but realize the added time is subtracted from someone else. Unfortunately, this “someone else” usually ends up being the bride.
Things to remember:
· You don’t need to grow your hair extra-long to get your perfect look. “Hair that is 2-3 inches below the shoulder is actually the perfect length for a wedding up do,” Catherine suggests. Hair that is too long is typically unhealthy, and too heavy for wedding day hair.
· Make sure to bring enough accessories for everyone. Catherine often finds the bride is disappointed when only a few of her bridesmaids have sparkly hair pins, or barrettes, or flowers.
· Up dos and styles are considered pieces of art. Monet, given the same paints, brushes and canvas would never be able to paint the same piece of art the same way twice. It’s the same with hair. Your stylist is an artist and will be inspired by your pictures and ideas. Even after your trial, expect your hair to be a little different. Relax – it you will be beautiful!
· Hard to believe but, dirty hair is always better than clean hair for styling. Unless you have extremely oily skin, wash your hair the night before the wedding. Use as little conditioner as possible and absolutely do not flat iron your hair. In fact, Catherine recommends using Paul Mitchell’s Spray Wax or styling gel to ‘dirty’ your hair. Clean, silky hair will not hold your style!
· And just a little extra advise – Don’t wait until the week of your wedding to get a facial, or get your eye brows waxed. You don’t want to be red and puffy in your wedding pictures. Your skin will need time to heal.Short hair?? Never fear! Catherine says a great stylist will know exactly what to do with your hair and there are lots of options! “The prettiest wedding hair I have ever seen was short hair.” You can fluff your short hair and add a large flower on a hairband. Spike it and add a rhinestone clip. Depending on the thickness of your hair, you can even add clip-in extensions. They are less expensive than you think.
