How to Explain the Wedding Hairstyle You Want to Your Bridal Hair Stylist

So you have the dress and the accessories, and you even have an idea of the wedding hairstyle you want to wear on the big day. But how do you communicate this to your bridal hair stylist when you probably haven’t worked together before? A hair trial is hands down the best way to make sure you’re both on the same page before the wedding. But even if you’ve already booked a trial, you might be at a loss for how to explain the look you want. We turned to award-winning Hampshire wedding and event hair stylist, Sabrina Buck of Love Is In The Hair By Sabrina, for advice. Read on for her top tips, along with some gorgeous bridal hair inspiration from Sabrina and a few more of our Make Me Bridal pros!

The first step in communicating with your bridal hair stylist is to go back to basics. “Think about how you want to wear the style,” suggests Sabrina. For example, do you favour your hair all down, half-up half-down, in a mermaid braid, a ponytail, or an updo? While your stylist can try out a few options at the trial, it’s a lot easier if you’ve already narrowed it down. Take the neckline of your wedding dress as a starting point. For example, if the gown has an intricate back, you won’t want to cover it with your hair. It’s also worth considering which hairstyles you feel most comfortable wearing in daily life.

Next, it’s time to consider the overall look that you’re trying to achieve. Some examples of styles that Sabrina suggests are: boho, classic, glamorous, vintage, modern, relaxed/natural. Think about the overall look and feel you are trying to achieve and the venue itself. While you should wear a look you love (and can adapt to fit the style), you want to make sure your bridal style is cohesive with the overall vibe on the day. (Want examples of different kinds of looks? Don’t forget you can filter our bridal style inspiration tool by style or keyword!)

Texture can mean various things when talking about hair styling, but in regards to bridal, it usually refers to whether you are looking for a smooth, sleek style, or one that has curls, twists, braids, etc. “Think about texture,” says Sabrina, “especially in the crown area. Are you preferring sleek and clean, ridges, curly, twisted, braided?” There’s no right or wrong answer here – it’s all about preference. However, texture can add a lot of volume and interest to your bridal hairstyle, which looks especially great in photographs.

Next, it’s time to nail down the details. Some of the questions Sabrina suggests you ask yourself are:

• Where would you like to see volume?
• Do you want face-framing sections left down?
• Do you want your ears covered?

Again, this is all about choosing a style that you love and are comfortable wearing all day long! If you hate having hair in your face, don’t choose a style with lots of wispy tendrils hanging down, and if you love a centre parting, don’t choose a style with a deep side part.

Now that you’ve narrowed down the details of the style you imagine, it’s time to share the details with your hair stylist. Inspiration pictures are the best way to do this. Try to choose photos of models with hair that is the same colour and texture as yours (i.e. curly, straight, etc.) and a similar length. Send them to your stylist before the trial, so they have the opportunity to see what your style is, but be sure to bring them along to the trial as well. That way, if there are any differences in how you interpret a style (boho, for example), you can iron out any kinks through discussion. Your stylist can also suggest alternatives or fresh ways to achieve the overall look you want but in a way that best suits your hair.

Ultimately, it’s the goal of every bridal hair stylist to capture a bride’s vision of how they want to look on their wedding day. Communicating clearly is a big part of that, so if there’s something you don’t like at your trial, be sure to speak up!

Still looking for the ideal bridal hair stylist in your area? Be sure to check out all the talented artists in our directory!