Almost immediately after an engagement ring has been placed on a woman’s finger, her thoughts turn to purchasing a wedding dress. But the hairstyle and the adornment she wears are just as important to creating the look she wants.

As a professional, I advise the bride to think about the look she wants before she buys a headpiece. Three simple questions go a long way to getting that look:

• What do you want as the attention-getter—the headpiece or your hair?
  
• Do you want an elegant look or something more natural?
  
• If your hair is long, do you feel comfortable wearing it up?

All of these will factor into the choice of hairstyles and accessories.
There are so many choices besides the traditional crown or tiara with a veil. I’ve used everything from fresh or silk flowers—either loose or in a wreath—to ribbons, lace, combs, pieces of jewelry, pearls, crystal beads, and sequins. Many of these choices may cost significantly less than the traditional bridal headpieces and still be the right touch to complete the total look.

Hair color and texture can also make a difference in the choice of hairstyles and accessories. These guidelines may help in your decisions:

• Highlighted or blond hair may show off curls better than dark hair; however, light accessories will get lost against the light hair and stand out against dark hair.
  
• Extremely fine hair may not be suitable for big curls, while extremely thick hair may not be good in a French twist.

There’s a false notion that a bride-to-be has to grow her hair long to have an elegant look. There are many ways to make hair look fuller and longer once it’s curled and pinned. Long human hairpieces can be attached and used to add more curls, twists, or a bigger bun to the hair for an up-do look. Of course, these must be planned ahead of time so the color can be adjusted to match if needed.

I personally don’t think a bride-to-be must drive herself crazy growing her hair long. Long hair isn’t for everyone. There are plenty of headpieces that will work with short hair and plenty of ways to make short hair look special.

Occasionally, a bride will feel too “done up” because she’s used to a very natural look on a daily basis. My response is that you aren’t wearing a dress for a normal day, so your hair can’t be like it is on normal days. The hair must compliment the dress as much as it should compliment her features.

At Shear Country Salon we recommend a practice run for hair and makeup before the wedding day. This way the desired look will be guaranteed, and it also reduces stress on the wedding day. Scheduling it on the day of a dress fitting or a bridal portrait will offer the possibility of planning the whole look together, rather than hair being an afterthought.

A wedding is truly a wondrous event. After all, it’s the most beautiful moment in a woman’s life. Every bride wants to hear, “She looks stunning.” As a professional, I’ve seen how the right planning for bridal hair can help create a magical affect. TPW