Simply Stunning Mantra Style
Arriving Soon: Your Big Day
We have put together some tips and tricks for picking the best hairstyle to fit you and each member of your bridal party!
Photography by Britt DeZeeuw
You want your wedding hair to look great, feel comfortable, work with your hair type, and complement your style and face shape. Here is a list of tips to help you accomplish all of that. Let your bridal party in on these tips to help them choose too!
Wedding hairstyle trial
Schedule it
Central Minnesota Brides magazine photo shoot
- Schedule your hairstyle trial two weeks prior to your wedding day.
- If you are considering coloring or altering your hair in any way, be sure that separate appointment precedes the trial appointment.
- If the stylist who will be doing your hair is new to you, send pictures of yourself, your hair and your desired look to the stylist before your trial run. *
- Bring any hair accessories you plan to wear in your hair, including your veil!
- Consider scheduling a trial run on your makeup too. Sometimes what you like on a picture is not what will look best on you.
*Before you get all Pinterest crazy and start pinning every hairstyle you admire, read on. Not every style is right for you. In fact, people will often think they like a style because the model is pretty. Try putting your thumb over the model’s face. Now, look at the hairstyle, considering all of the tips that follow.
Your hair color
Blonde, Red, Brown, Black; Highlights or Lowlights
Photography by Todd Myra Photography
1. Look through pictures with hair color similar to yours. Why is this important? Because reproducing the identical style will not reproduce the same effect if your hair color is different. Furthermore, texture shows up differently on highlighted hair than it does on solid colors. If you find yourself really stuck on a style but you don’t have the same color, your stylist can help you decide if changing your color to match the picture would be right for you. Maybe all you need is a few highlights or a warm, rich brown.
Your hair type
Thick or Thin; Straight, Wavy or Curly; Long or Short
2. Unless you will be chemically altering, adding extensions or changing the structure of your hair in some way prior to your hairstyle trial, be sure to select only those images that reflect your hair type.
Not sure what type of hair you have? Ask your hairstylist--the number one authority in this area.
If you plan to add extensions, consult a hair extension specialist to find out the best ones for you and the style you desire.
Longer hair is not always better. Depending on what style you choose, sometimes having medium length hair works better. Talk to your stylist early on about your desired outcome and whether to grow your hair out or keep your current length.
Please, please, please, for the love of all that is high and mighty, if growing your hair out, get regular trims and conditioning treatments! The last thing you want is 15 inches of hair with damaged ends. Your wedding style can only look frizzy and frazzled.
Your face shape
Round, Oval, Square, Heart
Photography by 99 Perspectives
3. Choose a style that complements your face shape. This is very important and not always easy. Most of the pictures on Pinterest will show only the back or side of the head.
If you choose such a picture, go to the mirror. Pull your hair back from your face and hold it high or low, as in the picture. You may find out that wearing your hair low (or high) does not complement your face shape.
Move your hair up and down until you find the placement that looks good on you. Don’t forget to take into consideration the neckline of your dress while placing your hair. If you choose a style that’s loose, you may need wisps cut to fit the shape of your face. Let the professionals do this.
The weather
Hot, Cold, Humid, Windy, Rainy
Photography by Studio 29
4. What will Mother Nature will do on your wedding day? Here in Minnesota, you need to prepare for anything.
During warm months, consider the possibility of wind, rain or humidity. Prepare by carrying a travel size hairspray recommended by your stylist. Spray your hair hourly—yes, hourly.
If it’s a sizzling summer day and you’re planning an outdoor wedding, your stylist will recommend wearing all your hair all up. This way the elements will have a harder time destroying your style. An updo tends to be worry free, plus it will keep you cooler. Still, carry a couple extra bobby pins to insert if needed.
Your stylist will tell you that wearing your hair down or partially down in hot weather is not recommended. Halfway through your big day, Aunt Martha, a stylist back in the day, is going to give you a French twist because that’s all she knows how to do, but you need your limp, lifeless tresses off your neck and back before you die of heat exhaustion.
Fall brides generally have more options. As always, a hot, or rainy, blustery day is possible. But if Mother Nature is behaving, the air will tend to be a little crisp and a lot less humid. Thus your curls will hold well with a minimal chance of frizz.
If you are a lover of winter and choose this time of year to say “I do,” wearing your hair down or partially down may be a good options—plus it may help keep you warm. However, if you choose to dance in the lovely falling snow, your curls could go downhill pretty fast.
Troubleshooting
If you still find yourself struggling, try allowing your hairstylist creative freedom.
Sometimes the best styles come about this way! Good luck and happy wedding day!
