Brides often forget that along with the dress and the makeup, your hair is one of the most important elements of your wedding style. Just like you prep your skin and body by eating well and staying hydrated, your hair needs the same amount of love and care.
We caught up with Kathy Christou, owner of Valet Salons who spoke to us about the best way to get wedding ready hair.
How soon before your wedding should you have your hair cut?
We begin preparing the hair with regular trims once the wedding date is confirmed. We recommend a trim every 8-12 weeks to maintain the shape and health of the hair. I don’t recommend having a haircut a month before the wedding, especially if your desired hairstyle requires extra length.
How soon before your wedding should you have your hair coloured?
We recommend doing final colour changes usually 2 weeks before the wedding. That way if any further changes are needed there is enough time to do so.
We recommend a semi-permanent gloss to give the hair a glossy shine and keep it in good condition up until the wedding.
How long before your wedding should you have a hair trial? And why is a trial needed?
We strongly recommend two hair trials for our brides. One trial should be 6 months before the wedding. This confirms that the style, hair colour and hair length are all on the right track for what the bride wants. This timing will also coincide with the bride’s initial dress fittings and give the bride an idea on how everything will tie together.
We then suggest the final hair trial one month before the wedding to also discuss the bridesmaids and flower girl’s hair. At this final trial, we also organise the timing and preparations if there will be any hair extensions or hair pieces needed.
Do I absolutely have to have a hair trial?
We highly recommend it. It is important for both the bride and hair stylist to know exactly what style the bride is after as well as the timing on the morning of the wedding. Brides often forget it’s not just the hairstyle discussed at the trial but also the timing and run sheet for the morning.
A trial is the safest way for brides to avoid being disappointed on the day. It also helps things run smoothly, as the hair stylist may have bridesmaids, mother of the bride and others to work on. We need to ensure we plan everything correctly so the bride has enough time to be ready and out the door on time.
If my hair is dry and brittle, what can I do in the lead up to my wedding to have it as healthy as possible?
We recommend weekly hair masque treatments in salon or at home. Hair masque treatments leave the hair soft and shiny and help to prevent future damage to the hair. They act as a seal.
Should I wash my hair on the day of the wedding? Or the night before?
It is preferred that your hair be prewashed from the day before to avoid the hair being limp. It also saves time on the day on washing and drying the hair, especially on long hair or if you have many bridesmaids as well.
Do deep treatments really work? Is this something you can maintain at home?
Yes, treatments work in many ways. Using a protein treatment helps to bond breakage in hair and moisture treatments help to restore dryness of the hair. These treatments can be maintained at home so long as you have the right products and know the correct way to apply them.
I want to have hair extensions on my wedding day. Should I bring my own?
If the bride has her own hair extensions, we are happy to work with them as long as they are human hair which can be used with our heating equipment. We don’t recommend synthetic extensions as they are not compatible with heating devices and don’t promote a natural look.
Remember, hair extensions don’t always need to be for length. They can also add volume to fine hair. Hair extensions can also be an option for brides that do not wish to colour their hair. You also have the option of hair pieces which are a great a great way to enhance a style for ponytails or side swept hair styles.
Now go on Rapunzel, get your locks in tip-top shape. You’ll thank us later!
