When you decide to plan your wedding in the next two months, you get pretty used to making decisions on the fly. That’s exactly what happened to me a few months ago when I decided (after 4 years of engagement) to wrap up my planning process in 8 weeks and clean it up. I quickly learned what was non-negotiable and what I could do without, but I didn’t have the time to think deeply about either.
That’s exactly why I decided to refrain from flowers except for a small bouquet and a chestpiece for my husband and father (the venue was dark anyway). I also decided to buy a used dress that I could receive within a week and only need minor alterations.
I also decided not to hire a hairdresser, a decision that got the most eyebrows from my friends. In the weeks leading up to the wedding, I told everyone that I was going to do my own wedding hairstyle, hoping to see their reactions and find some peace of mind. Many people have agreed that I keep my hair neatly styled every day (cheers, friends), but many have questioned whether I have the chops to keep that style up all day. I often saw it. That was a fair question.
However, I didn’t want my hair to look overly “coiffed” anyway. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve walked out of a salon and been satisfied with the way I looked. I often come home feeling like my hair is too polished and doesn’t look like me. In addition to that, loosely curled hairstyles are my favorite and I didn’t think it would be too difficult to master applying it to a half-up style.
The good news is, it all worked out in the end, I received tons of compliments on my hair throughout the day, and a satisfying shock when I told people I did it myself. Along the way, I also learned some valuable lessons. If you’re considering doing your own hair for your wedding, keep reading as we’ll share everything below.
First of all, my bridal hair looked like this
Images: More Wedding Stories Image: Other Wedding Stories
Tip 1: Watch lots of videos
It’s 2024, so when I decided to do my own bridal hair, my first destinations were of course TikTok and Instagram. To be honest, it was a little hit or miss. But what I could glean from the many half-up bridal hairstyles demonstrated on the app was that it’s entirely possible to create a simple half-up style at home.
This video was especially helpful because I hadn’t thought about creating a smaller ponytail as an anchor point for a half-up style. This became the most important step in getting the ponytail (or veil) to the right height. I couldn’t really see the back of my head while I was working, so a ponytail kept everything securely in place. The place where I was working.
Tip 2: Now is not the time to get creative with your product
If you’re like me, you might feel the urge to buy all the new products before the big day, hoping that newer is better. Resist this urge. Trying new facial treatments or skin care in the run-up to your wedding can be risky (and, as far as I know, prohibited). Changing your hair care routine during the week of your wedding can also be risky. Not advised.
I mean, I washed my hair the night before because I knew it would move better the next day. If you know your hair will be greasy on the second day, of course, stick to what you know and wash your hair the morning of your wedding day. I used my usual tried-and-true Pureology Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner ($96), followed by Ouai Leave-In Conditioner ($55). When blow drying with my favorite Dyson Airwrap ($721), I also layered in my usual heat protectant and anti-frizz products.
I also used Got2B Hairspray Glued Blast Freeze Hairspray, $17, which is the only hairspray that holds my hair in place. That said, I definitely sprayed a little more than usual. The moral of the story? Stick to what you know.
Tip 3: Always prepare your hair
Whether you’re heading to the salon for a specific treatment or sticking to your usual routine to keep your hair in tip-top shape for your big day, hair prep is different for everyone. I was due to get married at the end of September, so my biggest worry was that my head would be starting to get damp from the Sydney humidity by this time. So two weeks before the wedding, I headed to Salon Her for an exfoliating treatment.
In the end, the lashing rain and high winds became my most ferocious hindrances, but the keratin treatment still served its purpose. This means you can avoid frizz and flyaways.
Tip 4: Take your time
I didn’t want to panic during the process, so I took more time than necessary to do my hair that day. I was getting ready at home with the groom, so I didn’t have my mom, sisters, or friends as second eyes. To be honest, Steve didn’t know what he was looking at.
To calm myself down, I put on my favorite album (Harry Styles’ Fine Line, of course) and told myself over and over again to calm down. Every time I started to speed up or felt stressed, I stopped, took a deep breath, and reminded myself that I had plenty of time. Here’s the best tip I can give you – no need to rush.
This was also important when approaching every aspect of the hairstyle. I blow-dried my hair the night before, but since I’m an oversleeper, I had to start from scratch on the wedding day. I started by sectioning my hair and using my trusty GHD Classic Curl Tongs ($280) to curl every section of hair on my head. I took my time here and held each hair around the tongs for a few seconds longer than usual in hopes that the curls would last longer (which they did). I then sprayed each layer of fresh curls with hairspray. Once my hair was completely cool (I had to step away from the mirror), I combed out my curls and touched up any fallen areas.
Tip 5: Make your ponytail higher than you think
In the weeks leading up to the wedding, I went to my regular hairdresser twice. The first time was for the aforementioned keratin treatment, and the second time was to finish off my highlights. It was a great opportunity for me to share my special bridal hairstyle tips. Jake’s top tip? I needed it to make my ponytail higher than I expected.
This may sound like a small, insignificant tip, but it was invaluable. In fact, one of my favorite elements of my hairstyle was how lifted my hair and face looked throughout the day. I believe this is what keeps my half-up style in place on the top of my head. I used a mini rubber hair tie to secure the hair around the top of my head in a ponytail, then twisted the back section of my hair to cover the hair tie and secured it with regular old bobby pins.
I found this TikTok video very helpful, but I found it easier to use mini hair ties instead of bobby pins for the initial half-up placement.
Tip 6: Practice, but don’t overdo it
Depending on your personality, you may overprepare. In my case, even though I styled my hair perfectly during practice, I was more afraid of messing up on the day. I knew if I overprepared I would end up in a hellish spiral and experiments, so I practiced my hair the night before and thought, “This is going to work!” For example, on my second attempt, I slipped in a hair accessory, but immediately told myself to hold on tight and pulled it out, choosing to keep it as simple as possible. If you’re the type of person who goes through multiple trials and then settles down, I recommend doing that instead.
A practice run can also help you understand whether you should give up and hire a hairstylist. As I was getting my hair done, I said to my now-husband that hiring a hairstylist wouldn’t necessarily make my hair look better, but it would have made the wedding day less stressful, and in hindsight, it might have been better. I realized halfway through that I couldn’t do it. I got a good deal.
That said, I am proud of the result and never wanted my hair to look any other way. I was 100% satisfied with it. If you want to do your own hair for your wedding, I think that’s highly supported.
angela lowe
