From the moment you got engaged you have probably been thinking mostly about the dress. True, your wedding dress is a major part of your big day, and it's something that you should feel beautiful and comfortable in. Shoes and jewelry are also a big part of the package, and you'll need to consider all of your choices carefully when you're planning your ensemble. However, there's one more thing that brides often overlook until it's too late: Hair! Your haircut or style is just as important to your appearance on your big day as are your gown and accessories. And like the other aspects of your wedding, hair deserves some planning.
Cutting It Close. Here's the rule: Do not make any drastic changes to your hairstyle in the two months before your wedding. If you've always had shoulder-length hair, don't crop it to within an inch of your scalp just weeks before the big day. If you've always been a brunette, postpone going platinum until after the honeymoon. Honestly, if you've waited to make major changes until now, you can wait a while longer.
You just can't fix serious hair mistakes quickly. A bad dye job can follow you for months, even if a professional tries to correct it. (Hair dye can damage hair beyond recognition, so you shouldn't fool around with going from very dark hair to a very light coif on your own, anyway.) A too-short cut can take months to grow out to a length you're comfortable with, depending on how “too-short” you went. Even though you might adapt a healthy attitude and come to terms with everything that's gone wrong on top of your head, you don't want to look back on your wedding pictures and think to yourself, “That hair! I can't bear to look at it!”
If you have just recently set a date for your wedding and you have almost a year between now and the big day, go ahead and experiment, but only with a trusted colorist or stylist. When it comes down to the home stretch, do what you've always done. If you know that the hairs on your head need a good week or two to chill out and regroup after a cut and color, then don't pop into the salon three days before the wedding. Give your head enough time to settle down and look its best for the big day.
Capturing That Perfect Look for Later. You probably won't have your stylist with you when you take off for your wedding, but this doesn't mean that you should arrive at your destination without a plan for your wedding-day hair. If you're wearing a veil or headpiece, take it in to your hairdresser at least a couple of months before the wedding so that the two of you can talk about what type of hairstyle will look best. Bring a picture of your dress; talk openly with her about the ceremony and how formal or informal it will be. She should have some good ideas about what might work best for your hair. Be prepared to make several visits to work out the best style.
Once you've perfected your wedding-day hairstyle, you have to plan a way to achieve that look on your wedding day! When you get home from the salon, have your maid of honor (or your mom, or your future hubby) take some pictures of your perfect 'do.
Then, about two months before the wedding, find a stylist or a beauty shop near your ceremony site (your wedding coordinator will be able to give you a recommendation; if you're planning on your own, ask a female wedding vendor for the name of a good hairstylist in the area).
Book two appointments for yourself. The first one will be a consultation as soon as you hit town so that you can meet face-to-face with the hairdresser and discuss your hairstyle for the wedding. Bring along those pictures from home — and your headpiece — to this meeting. The other appointment will be on your wedding day, so don't be shy during the first meeting — make sure that the stylist understands exactly what you want before you leave the shop.
by Shelly Hagen
