Wedding-Day Hair: How Do I Decide?
By:Stefanie Jackowitz
It’s one of the age-old questions for brides-to-be: How should I wear my hair on my wedding day? There are many professional perspectives on choosing a wedding-day style that both works with the dress while still remaining uniquely special to the bride. Specifics on how to prepare the hair for that day-of styling session are also important. We’ve interviewed two of our trusted NYC partners for their take on the subject: TV personality and style expert David Evangelista and Megan Garmers, founder and director of MG Hair and Makeup.
Q: Is the bridal hairstyle decision driven by you or the bride herself?
A: David Evangelista: The bridal hair decision is usually a collaborative effort on both the hairstylist and the bride. I believe that working together always makes the end result amazing!
A: Megan Garmers: The hair and makeup look is always directed by the bride and her personal influences for that day. It is her day, not ours. She is the one who will look this way in front of her friends and family members and how she will be captured forever in photos and video. Based on the look(s) she likes, we discuss how realistic the look is given her natural hair texture, length and amount and what things can or cannot be changed with product, tools, techniques, extensions, etc. At the end of the day, the bride needs to feel comfortable with whatever style she chooses.
Q: How do you know when to suggest an updo vs. down and flowy?
A: David Evangelista: I suggest hairstyles based on the style of dress. I usually keep the hair down/half-up half-down/ wavy, etc. when the dress has a romantic, lacy flow to it. For dresses that are more modern and contemporary, I usually pull the hair all up.
A: Megan Garmers: The good thing is that there is no way you have to wear your hair for your wedding anymore. A couple decades ago, you wouldn’t be caught dead without an updo on your wedding day. Now it is really about the overall look. A lot of the decision between up and down hairstyles has to do with how the bride normally wears her hair. Is she the type of person who always ends up putting her hair up and back or is she the type of person who likes her hair down around her neck? These are really important determining factors because the wedding day is a long day and the worst feeling is when you have a long day and you feel uncomfortable.
Q: What are some suggestions you have as far as add-ons to make a bridal hairstyle unique?
A: David Evangelista: As for as add-ons to make a bridal hairstyle unique, I will suggest hair pieces to accentuate a style or hair accessories to make a style sparkle!
A: Megan Garmers: Lots of brides like to incorporate flowers as a headpiece, crown or accent to their hairstyle. These are very customizable as you can use just about any combination of flowers to make your desired unique statement. Others will use a jeweled clip or comb, even a brooch.
Q: Do you suggest a bride wash her hair before having it styled the day of the wedding?
A: David Evangelista: I personally like to work with clean hair the day of the wedding. I suggest the bride shampoo her hair the day of. It’s all in the prep when you are creating wedding hair.
A: Megan Garmers: We get this question a lot. It is really important to know your own hair. Some people can go longer than they care to admit without washing their hair and others needs to wash it at least once a day because their hair gets really oily. If your hair is best second day, then wash it the day before. If your hair gets greasy fast and you wash it every day, wash it that morning. If you are in doubt, remember that it is always easier to add more product to make the hair “dirty” than to make it clean.
Q: Is there anything you suggest a bride do after the ceremony to refresh her hair for the rest of the evening?
A: David Evangelista: Sometimes, I will suggest a bride use a little hairspray on a brush or comb to reset hair if it is pulled up. If the hair is down, a little dry shampoo at the root will give a little lift.
A: Megan Garmers: A small can of hairspray and bobby pins come in handy if your style is more on the sleek end of the spectrum or if you need to tame flyaways or baby hairs. For hair that is down and starts to lack volume, you can add a little dry shampoo to the roots and finger-comb or fluff it. Be careful not to spray too much dry shampoo or it will look like you just got a serious case of dandruff between the ceremony and reception.
Check out our photo gallery of bridal hair trends from the last few years at the link below. We hope it gives you ideas for your wedding. Enjoy!
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