So far I have had the opportunity of doing the whole “wedding hair” thing only twice in my life: once of course for my own wedding and once for my best
friend’s. It’s on the latter of these two experiences that I would like to dwell for a moment as it demonstrates a few of the biggest wedding hair
boo-boo’s you’ll want to avoid.
Being one of the Matrons of Honor I had the opportunity of having my hair done with the bride on the morning of her wedding. She was going to a salon
I had never been to and knew nothing about and rather than go in for a trial run a week or so before the wedding I figured whatever the stylist did to my
hair would be just fine. Yes well…famous last words. The problem, I suppose, originated in part because my best friend requested that we all wear our hair
in some sort of sleek up-do. This was bad news for me because A- I never wore my hair up and B- I had bangs. You may be able to see from your vantage point
that I was heading into disaster (no pun intended) but I of course was rather blithely unaware of my impending peril. I was one of the first to be styled on
the morning of the big day and at long last—and far too late—I realized that I could be in trouble. The girl doing my hair was trying her best but it was clear
that she had no idea how to deal with my bangs and still make the style look sleek. In order to give herself time to think no doubt, she went ahead and started
on the back of my hair. To give my ‘do a little more interesting look she took a couple pieces on each side and twisted them then pinned them into the back of my
bun; a little unusual and definitely not me. Once that was finished she took a deep breath and steeled herself to deal with the front…so did I. She decided to
sweep them to the side. When the attempt to blow-dry my bangs in one direction failed miserably she resorted to hair spray, lots and LOTS of hairspray. Now my
bangs were certainly in a side-sweep but they also looked as if she’d used some kind of shellac to secure them there. We looked at each other in the mirror and
both knew I didn’t like it but what could be done? With other girls to be coiffed and time running out I was stuck. Throughout the rest of the morning I had plenty
of time to consider how humiliated I would feel as I walked down the aisle, grimaced through pictures, greeted friends and family, and took my seat at the head table
all with this truly horrible hair. The thought of it made me faint dead away…ok not really, I just wanted to.
I’m sure that upon reading this little story you’ve been able to spot all my mistakes and make mental notes to yourself not to repeat them. Fortunately I was only a
bridesmaid here but you will be the bride and you certainly don’t want to go through your special day in deepest mortification over your hairstyle. Learn from me and
follow a few simple tips that will save you, and your hair, a lot of misery.
1. Take the time before your wedding to find a hairstylist that you respect and trust to do your hair for your big day. Schedule a trial run around a week before your
wedding and be very specific about what you’re wanting; if you have a photo be sure to bring it. Once you find a style you’re happy with either take a picture or have
your stylist make a few notes so they’ll have no problem replicating it when you come back. Don’t be afraid to speak up during your trial run; the whole point after
all is to find a style that will make you feel beautiful for your special day!
2. Go with a hairstyle that fits you. If you never wear your hair up then trying to pull it off on your wedding day may feel uncomfortable and out of place. Similarly
if you can’t stand having your hair in you face then leaving it down may have you screaming for the nearest scrunchie before you can say “I do.” While you want to look
beautiful and elegant on your big day you also want to look like you. Go with a hairstyle that reflects your wonderful, unique personality!
3. Avoid any major hair cuts. While this didn’t play into my fiasco it’s something that you should definitely keep in mind. Getting a new hair style too close to your
wedding can be dangerous. What if it’s now too short to create the style you had selected or worse yet, what if you hate it? If you really want to go for a new look
either save it until after your wedding or have it done several months before your big day so you have enough time to let it grow out again if you find it was a mistake
4. Consider the future. You’ll be seeing this hairstyle in every picture and video of your wedding for the rest of your life. While going with a super trendy ‘do may
seem like a good idea now, you may look back in a couple years and wonder what on earth you were thinking. Consider going with something that has a timeless quality to it
and you may be saved from hiding all your pictures 10 years down the line.
I still can’t see a picture of myself at my friend’s wedding without feeling nauseous but hopefully my experience will help you avoid a similar fate. The time and effort
you put in to finding your perfect hairstyle now will definitely pay off in the end!
- Kelsey Gonzalez