The Perfect Wedding Hairstyle

You may be used to wearing the same hairstyle every day, but most brides have their hair professionally styled to suit a number of factors – the shape of their face, the style of dress they are wearing, any accessories incorporated into the hair, etc. Here are our Top Ten Tips for creating the perfect hairstyle for your wedding:

1. Decide as soon as possible if you want your hair to be long or short for your wedding. If you have short hair and would like it longer, most hair grows only about ½ inch per month, so early planning is essential. Hair extensions can be a possible solution as well.
2. The second big decision is if you wish to wear your hair up or down. Sometimes this depends on the dress style and if you are comfortable exposing your neck. In general, having your hair up tends to make you appear older than you are, which may or may not be important to you.
3. Hairstyles are extremely personal, but consult well in advance with a few hairstylists on the most appropriate cut and style for your face's shape. Many hair salons have computers that allow you to see different hairstyles on your face.
4. Do a trial of your hairstyle a few weeks before the wedding to ensure that the style can be completed in the time allowed and that it does indeed suit you and fit with your idea of perfection.
5. Acquire any accessories you will be including in your hairstyle at least one month before the wedding, so that they can be used in the trial hairstyle/makeup session.
6. Tiaras and other headpieces are currently very popular with all brides, and work well with either short or longer hairstyles.
7. Don't forget to coordinate your hairstyle choices with your bridal attendants, so their choices complement you rather than outshining you, the star of the day!
8. Short hair can be very attractively styled for a wedding, so don't feel pressured to grow your hair longer or add extensions unless you want to. Guests may wonder who the bride is if your hair is normally short and you add shoulder-length extensions for your wedding!
9. If you plan to color your hair, settle for a subtle change in shade or highlights rather than a dramatic switch from your usual color. Be sure to have your hair professionally colored to assure all goes well with the process and experiment with the color well in advance of the wedding in case you decide you do not like the shade once you see it. The same advice should be followed if you plan to perm your hair – experiment in advance.
10. Ensure your hairstyle complements your dress fabric as well – stiffer fabrics suit short hair or “up” hairdos, while softer fabrics tend to suit hair worn down or with curls or tendrils drawn down.