How to Choose the Best Bridal Hairstylist for You
How do you choose who does your hair on your wedding or elopement day? There are so many options out there!! It can get overwhelming looking through bios, portfolios and inquiring to see if your personalities match and making sure they are in your budget or available on your day. Not to mention that you’re probably doing this same process with other vendors as well. It’s enough to make you just stop looking and try to do it yourself. But you want and deserve to be pampered and taken care of on this day. Plus, that YouTube DIY video didn’t work out, so now you’re back to looking for the best bridal hairstylist for you!
First, take a deep breath! Your bridal hairstylist is out there! Next, take a look at different bridal hairstylists close to where you’re getting ready/married. Take a look at their portfolios to see if there are any hairstyles that you like from their work. This part is important because if you don’t like any of their previous work, it’s likely that you will not like what they will do on your hair. If you do like the work in their portfolio, put them on the short list of hairstylists to reach out to.
Now, take a break!! You’ve earned it! Maybe take a day or two to decompress and then come back to your short list of hairstylists whose work you liked. Look at their website information to see if they are in your budget. If you can’t find any pricing on their site, then take a step back. If you have the time to spare and love their work, then keep them on the list. If you are short on time and/or money is an issue, then put them at the bottom of the list. You want to spend your time wisely and deal with vendors who are transparent with costs. Budgets are real, whether you have $50 or $5,000 for your wedding day beauty needs!!
Make sure you write down questions that you would like for the wedding hairstylist to answer. Some example questions are:
Are you used to working with my hair’s texture?
Can I do a bridal hair trial?
Are you able to come to my location?
How do I book you?
Take note of how they answer your questions and if they answer all of your questions. You should be able to ask as many necessary questions to get an idea of what it will be like to work with them. If they make you feel weird about asking questions, then they are not the person for you. If they avoid your questions, they are not the best fit for you. You should be comfortable talking to them and they should respond to your communication in a timely manner. Obviously not at 1 am, but definitely within 24-48 hours unless otherwise noted.
There should also be a contract between you and any vendor you choose, not just your bridal hairstylist. If they do not use a contract, that is a BIG red flag and you should move on to the next person on your list. You should have about one to three bridal hairstylists to choose from at this point. If not, maybe try expanding your search to a little further out. It’s better to pay a higher travel fee for an artist you love than to settle for someone that you are not feeling 100% about. Your wedding day is an important day and you want to feel confident in the vendor team that you select.
If you can, try to schedule a bridal hair trial/bridal hair preview before booking. If doing a hair trial before booking is not possible, then definitely schedule one after booking. If the bridal hair trial doesn’t go well, be honest with your hairstylist and give them a chance to fix it. Notice how they react to your thoughts and feelings. If they brush you off then you may want to cut ties. If they listen to your concerns and work to fix what you didn’t like, then they are a keeper. But make sure you have realistic expectations!!! If you are still not happy with your hair after they fix it or redo it, then you may want to go back to your list and book a bridal hair trial with the next hairstylist. It is better to lose your deposit and find someone that is a better fit for your wedding day hair goals than to settle and not love your look. You will have pictures from this day and one of the main aspects of those pictures is your total look, which includes your hair.
Once you select the best bridal hairstylist for you, sign the contract, pay the deposit, and relax!! You did it!! Your day is going to be awesome!! If you are getting married in North Carolina, and are looking for a bridal hairstylist, and feel like we’re a good fit, send me an inquiry! I would love to work with you!