Six months before the wedding, have a major consultation with your stylist of choice. Bring along the headpiece and the picture of the dress if possible. The more the stylist knows about the mood of the wedding, the better he or she can create the perfect hairstyle.
Do not use the portrait session as the "dress rehearsal." There should actually be a "test run" for the portrait.
During the "test run" walk around with the hairstyle you plan to wear to determine its comfort level. A good rule is: the simpler, the better, since pins can hurt, and intricate styles are often delicate.
Consider the time of day and type of wedding when choosing a style. Loose styles are appropriate for informal or daytime weddings, while up-dos portray a formal, evening look.
Remember that some hairstyles can add inches to a bride's height, and shorter brides may want to use this to their advantage.
Do not have any chemical treatments the day of the wedding. That is not the time for surprises!
Hair color looks its best the first two weeks, so have your hair colored a week to two weeks before the wedding.
If a permanent wave is necessary, have it done a month prior to the wedding.
Hair that is too fine and over-conditioned does not style well, so deep conditioning treatments should not be used within four days of the wedding. For best styling results, shampoo hair lightly the day before the wedding and, if possible, do not wash hair the day of the wedding.
Stylists and makeup artists do their best work in their own environments with their own tools, so have your wedding party meet at the salon a couple of hours before they need to be at the ceremony for pictures. This increases efficiency, (and usually costs less).
