Say “I ‘DO” to Best Bridal-Hair Tips

You’ll say your vows and they’ll say ‘wow” with the Top 7 tips for perfect bridal hair by Top Joico Guest Artists Kim Bonadio and Chad Demchuk

It’s the Big Day. All eyes are upon you as you make your way down the aisle towards a lifetime of happiness. Your lace-tipped, hand-beaded gown? To-die-for. The flowers? A storybook arrangement of peonies and pink ribbon. Your hair? With any luck…just as perfect. After all, this is a one-shot opportunity to turn heads and make the most glorious bridal entrance ever.  That’s the bride dream come true and you’re the stylist charged to MAKE IT HAPPEN! Talk about pressure.

With so much riding on this one day in the lives of so many women across the country and the world, it’s no wonder that a recent national survey conducted by Wakefield Research for Joico revealed that 73 percent of women reported their wedding to be the biggest “hair moment” of their lives. (Ready for this? One out of three women said they’d rather trip down the aisle than have a lousy ‘do at the ceremony!) And yet, even amid all that self-induced pressure, surveys show that most brides don’t plan their hairstyle more than eight days prior to the wedding.

To make things easier—no matter how far ahead brides start thinking about their ‘do–we turned to top hair pros and Joico Guest Artists, Chad Demchuk and Kim Bonadio to help you give the best look that will be getting all the looks as brides across America walk down that aisle. Here are their best insider tips for a flawless bridal look.

Top 7 Bridal-Hair Insider Tips:

Hire a pro who works on-site: By having a hairstylist who comes to you, you’ll avoid the stress of dashing from salon to venue…including heart-attack-inducing traffic snafus. Sure, you’ll pay a small premium for the service; but the benefits outweigh the costs. Extra tip: Put the gig in writing, recommends Kim Bonadio –spelling out what will happen if the stylist is sick (i.e., a qualified substitute will be on call), and getting emergency contact numbers in case there’s a forgotten detail to discuss the night before the wedding.

Bring back-up hair supplies: It’s not unheard of for brides to forget to pack a hair ornament, or have one break mid-primp. But with a mini kit of spare hair pins, pearls, and beads, you can always jump into MacGyver mode and fashion a makeshift ornament in seconds.  (Simply slide a few of the baubles over one “leg” of the pin and insert into hair; cluster a few of these together for a more ornate look.) For fool-proof hair from the “I Do’s” in your ceremony to the dance floor at the reception, carry a purse-sized hairspray like Joico’s new Power Spray Fast Dry Finishing Spray, available in full-size and a mini perfect for your clutch!

Trial no error: It’s smart to have a hairdo run-through at least one week before your wedding; and once you’ve settled on a look, avoid making changes, advises Demchuk — especially when it comes to color. “Your style was designed around your trial-day hair color. Altering it [say, by changing highlights on tendrils that will be visible] could spoil the look.”

Shampoo…not! Unless you’re going to be wearing a loose blowout, wash your hair the night before the ceremony; slippery-clean locks have trouble holding a curl or staying put in an updo. You can combat any potential overnight greasies with a spritz of Joico Instant Refresh Dry Shampoo.

Go big or go home: Pageant hair is big for a reason—hair appears smaller in photography and when viewed from afar (i.e., from a back pew). Another reason to try for size: Your style will likely collapse a bit in height and width as the day wears on. To keep that volume in full-on hold mode, try Joico’s Power Spray. (Bonus: You can comb through hair without sacrificing texture or fullness and hair is soft and restylable.)

Don’t rule out a hairpiece: Faux strands may not be your daily MO, but if you’re marrying on a beach or in a humid climate–and are counting on straight hair–a few synthetic strands add-ons can be a brilliant way to compensate for waves gone rogue. Add Super Shine or K-PAK Protect & Shine Serum to keep them glossy and detangled for a naturally vibrant look all day!

Go for a glam version of “you:” If your personality is chill and your style relaxed, a highly-structured, Hollywood updo is going to make you feel like an imposter on your wedding day; and people will read your discomfort. Says Demchuk, “Better to reflect a glamorized, beautiful version of how you feel and who you really are.”

For more tips and expert advice, visit joico.com/wedding-hair.

About Kim and Chad

Bonadio is one of Joico’s top International Guest Artists, a salon manager and an educator and platform artist for Joico performing across Asia, Oceana and Europe and has been voted Boston’s Best Bridal Stylist. Demchuk, is also a top Joico educator and Guest Artists educating and performing across the U.S. and Canada and recently won the coveted award for Hair Colorist of the Year at the prestigious NAHA 2012.