How to Do Your Own Wedding Hair

Some brides feel that having their wedding hair done professionally is an absolutely must. However, hiring a stylist costs money, and it requires a lot of coordination and planning before the big event. Many brides opt to do their own hair, and the results can be just as good. If you have a solid plan and a talent for styling, you have what it takes to do your own wedding hair.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Magazines (for inspiration)
• Travel kit containing pins, tail comb, brush, curling iron and shine spray
• Hair spray

1. Start to think about your hairstyle at least 6 months in advance of your wedding, if possible. Doing multiple practice sessions and getting your hair in shape will take time.
2. Collect pictures from magazines (not just wedding magazines) and the Internet to get ideas. However, do not spend too much time doing this. Eventually, you will have to pick a style and stick with it if you hope to perfect it.
3. Use deep conditioning treatments for your hair. You should start weekly deep treatments about 3 months before your wedding.
4. Minimize your use of damaging styling methods and treatments, such as excessive blow-drying. Leaving your hair alone whenever possible will help it get into great shape for your wedding day.
5. Conduct a trial run with your style about 2 months before your wedding. This will give you the chance to make changes or deal with any hair-related problems, such as split ends or bangs you no longer like.
6. Try out several different styling products, such as shine spray and styling gel, during these practice sessions. Keep track of how much product you use. The product that makes your hair look gorgeous when applied in a pea-sized amount may make your hair look greasy when applied in a quarter-sized amount.
7. Wash your hair the night before, rather than the day of, your wedding, especially if you are creating an updo. Just-washed hair can be more difficult to style.
8. Put together your own bag or "kit" of hair supplies, which should include pins that match the color of your hair, a brush, tail comb, hair spray, shine spray, hair-grips and curling iron or other styling tools. This bag comes in handy when you have to style your hair away from home.
9. Apply styling products at the root of the hair to ensure optimal body and effect. The best way to do this is to apply the products close to the scalp.

Tips & Warnings

• When using combs or hair pins, leave them in for a few hours during your "practice runs" to make sure they stay put.
• Remember to incorporate your veil or other hair accessories during these trial runs.
• Avoid mixing different brands of styling products. Doing so may yield minimal results. Products that derive from the same label are designed to work together.

Who Can Help:

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