So he's popped the question, you've set the date and now you have a wedding to plan. This can be either the most exiting part or stressful part.
I recall a bride once telling me as I styled her wedding morning bridal dressed hair that...
"Today is all about the love and all I can do is hope the people I've hired do what they have been paid to do"
I thought this a great outlook for several reasons. On the morning of a wedding with so much emotion in a room, following months of meticulous planning, scaling pinterest till your eyes bleed, re arranging seat plans till you just give in, hen parties with the in laws and not to mention countless dress fittings. All's left to do is RELAX... Relax and enjoy your moment. Because your wedding day truly is a special moment in life and if you allow yourself to be consumed by what may or may not go wrong you will surely miss the LOVE.
Now to the point in hand. Finding and sourcing a good hair & makeup team may seem a daunting task as there are so many out there. To assist you in making your choice I have listed below a few facts to consider before making a decision.
Budget
Do not scrimp on your hair and makeup for your wedding day. This may be an area where an already exhausted budget cannot stretch but I feel wholeheartedly that your wedding is your moment. That second when the bride enters the room, it falls silent just before your song begins. Everybody turns to look at you and your husband to be eyes meet yours. it is at this moment that you want to feel at your most beautiful, your most radiant., your most confident. If you have a good wedding hair and makeup team they will have ensured your bridal beauty needs are met precisely and you look and feel at your most breathtaking.
Location & Availability
All good stylists will get booked up pretty fast throughout the peak of wedding season, you may get lucky and find one last minuet however it is better to be on the safe side and book at least 6 -18 months in advance. A deposit should reserve your date. Plan to have a trial at least 8 weeks prior to the wedding. Upon deciding who to go with, your service provider should be more than happy to share images of their bridal portfolio, social media links to their work and a website showcasing their services that is easy to follow and has a feel about it that you find inspiring at the same time as fitting in with the type of wedding you want.
Research & Enquire
It goes without saying that you will of course do some research to source all of your wedding services, however what a lot of us tend to do is go for only the first page on google and don't delve much deeper. Always bare in mind that often the first businesses you see on search engines have paid to be there. This does not instantly make them the best. Dig a little deeper. Social media is great platform for viewing genuine organic bridal beauty providers. You can follow prospective companies, see if they have any discount offers, communicate instantly via messaging. This is a great way to really get to know whats out there. Also do not be put off by calling them direct. So often we communicate only via email, if you actually call and speak in person, you are much more likely to get the low down on discounts, offers, even last minute cancellations if you're struggling with a last minute booking.
Get Creative
As you travel along your wedding planning journey you will undoubtedly come across countless things that inspire you. It can become overwhelming with so much choice available. My advice is to create a mood board or scrap book. There are free apps that offer this service. I understand weddingspot.com is a good one hitched, and bridebook to name but a few. Good old fashioned paper and glue work also and make for great memoirs to look back on. Dont forget to include the source should you wish to order or book with them as wedding plans progress. Downloading images discovered on pinterest will be easier online with their free app. Use your mood board to create themes you like such as perhaps English rural wedding, woodland setting, vintage wedding and so on this will undoubtedly help you visualise how you want your wedding to look and feel whilst helping to budget and spend the money where you need it most..
Get the dress
Your dress will always determine how you wear your hair on the day. The type of neckline you have on your gown will impact if a complete hair up style, loose side swept, or partial hair up, are fitting. I always say that you want your hair to compliment the wedding gown not clash with it. A good hairstylist will be able to offer lots of advice, be prepared to discuss different looks with you and share images they feel would fit your needs.
The hairstyle
Your bridal hairstyle shall need to be first and foremost a style that you feel happy and confident in. Your pre wedding trial is the opportunity to try out differing looks and really see what suits you, If you are unhappy at any point always feel at ease to raise any issues with your stylist. A few points to consider in choosing your bridal hair style are:
YOUR HAIR LENGTH - Is your hair long enough or thick enough for the style you want, if not then clip in hair extensions are your go to saviour. A good high end bridal hair stylist should be able to offer countless options for adding length and volume.
YOUR DRESS - Will your hair compliment your dress for a flowing seamless and chic look.
BRIDAL TRENDS CONFIDENT - Try to avoid falling for the latest wedding trend. Think back to when Jordan married Peter Andre and we all wanted a pink princess horse and carriage and glitter everywhere!! I recommend a timeless look, of course in keeping with your individual style sense. You may enjoy vintage retro looks or wish for a plaited romantic look which of course would be stunning but if either weren't a look your used to on your hair, then an in depth consultation with your bridal hair stylist and a thorough pre trial would be vital to ensure your happy and of course CONFIDENT.
Thanks for reading
Photography courtesy of Simian Thaw
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