Bridal Hair Consultation Tips

For any bride, hair is a big part of their look so making sure it’s just how they want it is important… no pressure. But, consultations are a big help with making this easier for you as a stylist and them as the bride. Whilst we’ve shared tips for Perfecting Your Consultations in a previous blog, there’s so much more to consider for bridal hair so we thought we would share some extra considerations.

IT’S ALL IN THE PREP

When it comes to the hair consultation, a good tip is to encourage your client to do some prep beforehand. This surely won’t be a big request as it's very likely she's thought about how she wants to look from the moment she said or was answered “Yes”. Having your bride come to the consultation with lots of information helps you make the most of your meeting together…

·Knowing the details of her wedding dress such as the actual design, colour and any embellishments are very helpful so you can suggest hairstyles to compliment the dress.

·Finding out what her thoughts are on headwear such as tiaras to veils will help you with any initial ideas you have to support her vision.

·Asking her to have a think about what she wants from the extensions and why she wants them for her wedding will help you select the best application method for her. This includes finding out about her length and volume.

·Another big consideration is also her hair colour. Is she after a major colour change that needs to be factored in?

·Find out about the wedding itself – is it formal, relaxed, inside or outside? The more information will help you know about her vision for the big day and what hairstyle would be best suited.

·Suggest her to bring some images she has seen and liked to give you some inspiration. Also, don’t forget to share our “Bridal Hair” Pinterest Board to give her some further ideas. Doing this is a perfect starting point to discuss and understand what she likes to guide your suggestions.

·If needed, find out all of the details for additional styling work for bridesmaids and mother of the bride.

·Request her to bring her diary to have her key dates to hand, from the actual wedding day to Hen Party too if she also wants her hair done for that.

CONSULTATION

Overall, our consultation forms will guide you through most of the key things to discuss. But, as well as the prep notes above, there are also a few extra considerations to go through to understand your bride's expectations…

A few pointers for getting the hairstyle to complement and enhance the dress include:

·A dress clearly from a set era, may lend itself to a hairstyle to match this. For example, a 60’s vintage dress may need a 60’s inspired look to match.

·For dresses with high necklines, up-dos may be the best option for your bride to emphasise the dress. 

·Slim fitted dresses need an equally slick finish such as ponytails. Our Remi Cachet Ponytails create a long sleek pony in less than a minute. For a high fashion look, this can be placed high on the head or placed low for an everyday look. Don’t forget as this is made with 100% Human Hair you can style the hairpiece to your desired look.

·Long lengths are particularly shown off very well on backless dresses. Here at Remi Cachet our hair extension lengths range from 10” to 30”.

·The seasons can also inspire the hair, from summer weddings that require hair up to stay cool, to winter weddings where letting the hair down to cloak the bride in hair is perfect.

·If they are changing their look for the evening, check what the additional outfit change is and if maybe suggest a second style. For example, Paris Hilton famously changed looks three times in her nuptials last year. The easy-to-use Wavy Wrap might be a godsend for an undone bun look as they relax into the celebrations. 

Although weddings are so exciting, some important considerations to take note of for hairstyling are…

·Adding a full head of hair may not be sufficient for those impactful up-dos so additional hair pieces such as our Clip Ins may be useful to add in just where they are needed. 

·Similarly, if the bride is new to extensions, a more manageable and natural look with Half Wefts and mid lengths may be more sensible, and add extra hair pieces on the day.

·To make the most of the extension’s lifespan, the Bride needs to commit to the aftercare and specifically if she’s heading to the sunshine for honeymoon they will need to consider the additional care and our tips to avoid hair discolouration.  

MOVING FORWARD

Having finished your consultation, it may be worth helping them focus on getting their own hair healthy ahead of the wedding. Healthy eating and staying hydrated is a key, not only for their skin and nails but also their hair which is worth mentioning. 

Subject to your assessment of their hair, you may also want to suggest additional treatments to really help improve their own hair resulting in it being a good base for your extension work and for it to look its best on the day. Similarly, any colour work can be done ahead of time so that it is perfect for the big day. 

Defining who is doing different elements of the work is key, so if you don’t offer colour work or bridal updos, then you may need to help communicate with the other stylists to make sure everything works together perfectly. 

We would also strongly recommend that they get back in touch with you if they want to change their look and colour to you updated. For example, they may even need a new colour match before you purchase any hair.

APPLICATION

Timing wise, first-time extension wearers need to consider having them applied around 8 to 10 weeks before the big day to be able to get used to them and learn how to care for them. This still gives sufficient time to refit them at a maintenance appointment a couple of weeks before the big day. Not only does this allow the hair to settle, it also allows there to be time for any last minute tweaks.

The application method and the product you choose will depend on the look they want to achieve. Something to note is that hybrid methods are increasingly popular and great for swapping to smaller, finer options like Pro Tips for hair lines whilst keeping the volume and main application with another method like a Weft.

Placement is also key specifically for updos, so all bonds are hidden, as well as ensuring veils and tiaras are taken into account. Overall, fittings should give more space from the scalp to allow for more movement for tying the hair up.

HAIR TRAIL 

A great opportunity to confirm what the bride wants is to take into account any changes and what works, or not, when trying out a look. Occasionally, a further trial might be necessary. 

If everything is a solo job with yourself, great. However, if your bride is using another stylist on the day itself then hopefully, they can feedback any recommended amendments for the maintenance appointment at least 2 weeks beforehand. If the bride feels they want more hair, then retailing the hair pieces like Clip-Ins are perfect as you can colour match that perfectly. 

Bridal work is high pressure, but the results can be so rewarding, playing a small part in someone’s special day. Don’t forget to share and tag us in on your bridal work, from the in-salon application to the big day styling, so we can feature you in other bridal pieces.

Don't forget to check out our Pinterest board, Instagram guides and our "The Bridal Trends For 2022" blog post for some inspiration to help at your consultations.