Beauty & Cosmetics

Wedding Hair Styles, Bridal Hair and Wedding Hair Dos: Selecting Your Perfect Wedding Hairstyle or Bridal Updos

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Wedding Hair, Bridal Updo and Headpiece Help

By Gretchen Maurer of WeddingHair.com

Okay, so you have worked really hard to get the ring and now you proudly have it on your finger. A date has been set, good. Your mom and future mother-in-law want to take you gown shopping. Okay, you can handle that, you have a general idea of the type of gown you like, you’re prepared for your moms comments, so far so good.

But before the shine even wears off the ring you are bombarded with details, details!

• Your sister wants to know how you are going to wear your hair so she can figure out hers.
• Your best friend wants you to borrow her shoes. Yuck, you cringe as she spouts out, “You know… something borrowed!”
• Your step mom wants to buy you wedding hair accessories and you panic inside remembering her stuck in the 80’s flashy taste.
• Your dad wants to know where the honey moon is going to be so he can turn in his mileage points before they expire and gift you a flight.
• Your aunt is asking about the flowers, because you know flowers are her special hobby and you are her favorite niece.
• And, your maid of honor wants to know what colors you are thinking about for the bridesmaid dresses because her wedding is four weeks after yours!

Yikes!!

So frantically surfing the web for bridal hairstyle experts; here you are. Allow me to shed some light on the hair style and veil questions you most certainly will have.

First, answer these questions:

• What time of day is the ceremony?
• What is the general feeling you are going for; formal, fun and relaxed, beach side, or classic?
• Did you set aside money in your budget for beauty and hair services?
• Are you a salon regular, as in high maintenance, or are you a “walk in the salon when you think of it” type of girl? Or somewhere in between?
• Do you know what you want? Do you want an updo?
• Do you know what you don’t want?
• Do you care more about the veil and headpiece or the hairstyle?

Ceremony time& general feeling:

Save the sparkle, glitz and rhinestone hair accessories for a late afternoon or evening wedding. Also, if you are considering a theme, night time is better to host a great band for swing dancing or jazz. These weddings can be fun for guests who like to party and get into the mood with you! But if your crowd prefers a classic country club wedding or historic church by the duck pond wedding, your hair should be softer, classic and your make-up more natural. Day or morning weddings complement an earthy theme, beach ceremony or a country setting. Silk, fresh flowers or shell accessories in the hair set off these environments best.

There is nothing wrong with a bit of sparkle for a morning or day time affair but keep the rest of the accessories low key.

Because I am involved with the wedding industry people love to show me their daughter’s photos. Sometime it is down right painful! One young bride; day time wedding was crowned with an ornate rhinestone and crystal tiara. Chandelier earrings were dangling away and her lovely décolletage was covered with an ornate necklace. Veil was flowing as were bouncing curls fighting for their place in the photo. There were just too many competing factors that her daughter got lost! If something seems to scream at you or stands out too much go with your gut, no matter how pretty it is. The overall look should flow and be seamless in its expression of you.

High maintenance or low key:

You know who you are even if you don’t want to admit it. If you have your stylist in your fave-five secure her services for your wedding ASAP. This is also a good indicator you may know what you want and you’re willing to pay for it. This goes for the headpiece too. Put these line items into your budget right away even if you have to fight for them.

If you are low key at least make sure you get a trial to try out some ideas even if you are planning to do your own hair. My website, Weddinghair.com, has tons of DIY styles to give you some help. To help in deciding what to do with your hair show your stylist pictures of your gown and tell her your colors and ceremony time. A safe look is always a half up style which keeps the long hair lovers happy.

Somewhere in between? Discipline yourself to look on line at real weddings and in magazines and gather up as many photos as you can to take to your stylist. You will begin to see a pattern to your choices making it easier to settle on a perfect style. You will find real brides by surfing through photographers web sites.

Hair or Headpiece:

If you excitedly tried on a ton of headpieces and veils without giving a thought to a hairstyle underneath, you are a veil bride. Purchase your veil of choice first and have your stylist work around it to find a complimenting style.

If the thought of wearing a veil seems like a death sentence then skip it if you can get away with it. (Many moms still put pressures on to get their daughters to wear a veil.) If you must wear a veil to appease loved ones make sure your stylist knows this and allows the hairstyle to accommodate an easy escape. Also if this is the case don’t put out a lot of cash for it’s five minute appearance, you can pick up an inexpensive veil at your local craft store or on-line. Honestly they are very simple to make and your artsy aunt may be able to help out.

Finally, if you are some where in-between with many choices staring you down there is hope. Don’t be pressured into buying the “matching veil” from the gown shop, you can always order it later. You need to look like yourself but with a bit more punch. Have an open mind during the trial phase. Being dead set on a look is like having blinders on. Have a wedding hairstyle trial first, and then veil shop. You will know when it’s right; just the way it happened with your groom.