Bridal Hair Prep: What to Do (and Stop Doing) Before Your Wedding Day

Getting your hair ready for a wedding isn't just about the style on the day. What you do in the weeks and months before makes a much bigger difference than you'd think and some of the advice floating around online is either vague, contradictory or just plain wrong.

With 10 years of bridal prep under my belt here is what actually works:

Start further out than you think

If you want your hair to be in its best condition on your wedding day, you need to be thinking about it at least three months beforehand. Hair takes time to respond to changes, whether that's a new routine, a trim, or cutting out heat.

If your hair is dry, damaged, or just not behaving the way you want it to, the time to address that is now, not the week before.

Get a trim, but not too close to the day

A trim about six to eight weeks before the wedding is ideal. It removes split ends, which makes hair look healthier and hold a style better and gives enough time for your hair to settle so it doesn't feel "just cut" on the day. Avoid anything drastic in the final four weeks. This is not the moment to try a new length or a fringe. Put the scissors down, just trust me.

Think carefully about washing

A good hair cleansing technique is very overlooked. Make sure you are washing your hair correctly (twice) and i highly recommend a detox shampoo at least once a fortnight on the run up to the wedding. Hair that is weighed down with products is very hard to style. Read this blog if you're looking for advice about washing your hair closer to the wedding day. When Should I Wash My Hair Before My Wedding?

This is the best detox shampoo I've tried and I'd recommend it for all hair types

Be careful with oils and heavy treatments close to the day

A lot of brides overcompensate for dry hair by going in heavy with oils and masks in the days before the wedding. A little goes a long way and too much can leave hair greasy, weighed down, or resistant to styling. Try to stay away from any heavy oils at least a week before the wedding.

Don't try anything new in the final month

New shampoo, new treatment, new colour technique, all of this needs to be done with enough time to see how your hair responds. If something goes wrong with a treatment you've never tried before, you want weeks to fix it, not days.

The same goes for colour. If you're refreshing your colour before the wedding, do it two to three weeks before, not the week of. Colour that's just been done can look a bit flat or too shiny depending on the light and it needs a wash or two to settle into itself.

At the trial, pay attention

Your hair trial is not just about finding a style you like. It's also a test run for your hair's behaviour. Notice what your stylist says, notice what your hair does, and make a note of it. If they mention your hair is particularly fine, or holds curl really well, or needs more product than usual, that's useful information.

Come to the trial with your hair in the condition you'd expect it to be in on the day. If you normally have it coloured, have it coloured before the trial. If you're planning to wash it the night before the wedding, wash it the night before the trial too. Oh, and if you're adding any accessories it helps to bring them too.

If you're based in London or Hertfordshire

I work with brides across London and Hertfordshire and offer a hair and makeup trial as part of my bridal packages. If you're in the early stages of planning and want to talk through what would work for your hair type and your wedding day look, get in touch here or find out more about working with me.