Your Wedding Hair 3155 views

Wedding-day hair is one of the most important considerations for a lot of brides-to-be. Sarah Richardson offers some advice on what to think about when choosing your style.

Here’s the story of my bridal hairdo. I wanted the look that I now realise was along the lines of Jennifer Aniston’s or Jessica Simpson’s wedding-day hair – loose and ‘undone’ in that way that, ironically, takes hours to achieve. I foolishly thought that describing this to the stylist at my hair trial, without showing her any photos, would be enough. It wasn’t, because I didn’t explain myself well enough. This meant that the result of the trial was beautifully tonged individual curls (good), but in an overall shape most kindly described as ‘a big shock’, in every sense (bad).

I felt silly and didn’t speak up, silently vowing that, on the day itself, I would instead get the hairdresser to straighten my long, thick hair to within an inch of its life – anything to avoid the big, round Humpty Dumpty effect, or more hours of trial and error. As it turned out, I was happy to go sleek on the day, but I’ll never known what might have been. The moral of the story? It hardly needs spelling out – do your research. Many brides have a strong idea about the style they want for their wedding day, but it’s worth keeping an open mind until you have explored all the possibilities. Building up a collection of images from websites and magazines is the ideal way to get initial inspiration, but why not also ask honest friends and family – and, perhaps more importantly, your hairdresser – what is likely to suit you, and what is or isn’t possible with your hair? Bring several photos to your trial to discuss with the stylist.

Many factors will determine whether you wear your hair up or down on the day. Probably the most important is what suits your face best. As a very general rule, logic dictates that a round face is complemented by an updo that adds height or a sleek ’do that doesn’t give the impression of extra width, while a long face suits styles with volume rather than those that are long and straight. However, rules are sometimes made to be broken, so you’re best off experimenting and seeking some honest advice on what works best.

It sounds like an obvious point, but be sure that your hair looks good from both the front and the back. In my case, experience of having my hair up tells me that, even if a stylist crafted the most beautiful chignon, my fringe would probably not hang quite right, or my parting would look severe. It was, therefore, an easy decision to wear my hair down. Many people, by contrast, look great with their hair swept away from their face, either loosely with a few strands left down to soften the look, or scraped back tightly into a striking bun which, by pulling your hair taut, will have the added benefit of acting like a non-surgical facelift! The other option, of course, is to consider a style that’s half-up and half-down.

Whether your hair is long or short, you might want to add a finishing touch in the form of accessories. Many brides don’t need to deliberate – they dream of wearing a fairytale tiara. Check out our tiara Q&A for more details on the different styles.

Other accessories can be as subtle or as dramatic as you like. Fresh flowers are an ever-popular choice – but make sure you choose a stylist who’s confident working with them. A simple bridal comb is perfect for loosely holding back your hair if you’re going for a relaxed beach wedding, while more elaborate styles can give a formal effect. Alternatively, choose a crystal hair clip, decorative hairpins or slides. Antique or carefully crafted costume pieces can become cherished heirlooms in years to come, but cheap and cheerful items from high-street stores can also look stunning on the day.

• If you’re planning to have your hair coloured, permed or cut for your wedding, it’s a good idea to have it done no later than two to three weeks before the big day. This way, your hair will settle into its style, and there’ll be time to deal with any unfortunate mishaps.
• Wear a zip-up or button-up top when having your hair styled on the day so you won’t leave a hair out of place when getting changed.
• Take photos of the front and back of your hair, both at your trial session and when you’re experimenting with styles at home. This will give you a far better idea of what suits you than just looking in the mirror.

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Photos by kind permission of Karen Turner.

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