With bridal season underway, prioritizing styles that last all day while achieving healthy and glossy-looking hair is top of mind for many bridal hairstylists.
Bridal hair and makeup specialist Kelly Rhodes Frank shares her expert advice on pre-wedding day hair prep, styling secrets and her go-to products to give her clients long-lasting and flawless bridal looks.
Dos and Don’ts of Bridal Hairstyling:
Do encourage your brides to prep their hair in advance: It’s never too early for brides to start prepping their hair for their big day. In fact, Rhodes Frank recommends starting a year out if possible. “[I tell them to] make sure they use minimal heat when styling daily and if heat is necessary, a good heat protectant is essential,” she says. “I recommend that they plan ahead with their hair and set up their appointments leading up to their wedding to make sure their haircut and colour is fresh and intentional. Colour plays such a big role in what bridal hairstyles look like, so it’s one of the most important steps of prep in my opinion.”
Do add treatments to your bride’s hair routine: “I recommend using a detangler like the UNITE 7Seconds Detangler daily or after each wash to protect and strengthen the hair. I also recommend that my clients use a treatment once a week, especially those with colour-treated hair, as well as a good argan oil to keep the ends healthy and frizz at bay.”
Don’t make any major changes too close to the wedding day: Rhodes Frank shares that she tells her brides to have their haircut or trim done at least one month prior to the wedding day, giving the hair time to settle yet allowing the ends to remain fresh but not too blunt for certain styles. “I highly recommend that my clients have their hair colour done one to two weeks prior to their wedding day. This will leave plenty of time for a quick fix or an adjustment to make sure everything is perfect.”
Don’t skip the hair trial: “A hair trial is so important! Even if your bride really trusts you and loves your work, a trial is a great way for you and your client to get to know each other and for you to get to know their hair.” Rhodes Frank adds that she reminds her brides to bring their veil and any hair accessories so they can see the completed look.
PRO TIP: Rhodes Frank always reminds her brides to choose a hairstyle that’s true to them and not to choose a style just because they think it looks bridal. She encourages them to choose a hairstyle that makes them feel comfortable and the best version of themselves.
How-To: Wedding Day Styling & Longevity
The Prep: Prep work is crucial in helping create long-lasting styles for brides. “Building a strong foundation in the hair sets a good bridal updo for success throughout a long day,” says Rhodes Frank. “Volumizing powders like UNITE Expanda Dust are a great product for building long lasting volume in hairstyles. A great working spray like Lé:Play Hairspray allows for flexibility and hold while leaving room for touchups and hair changes later in the evening.
The prep that your clients do to their hair is just as important, so Rhodes Frank instructs her brides to wash their hair the night before and encourages them to use products that are lightweight so that they don’t weigh down the wedding-day styles.
The Products & Tools:
Every bridal stylist has their own essential tools that they carry in their kits. For Rhodes Frank, aside from hair tools like curling irons, brushes and bobby pins, the most important parts of her bridal hair kit are the products that she brings. “A good heat protectant, working and finishing spray, volumizing powder and texture spray are my go-to’s at every wedding I work.”
“Being a bridal hairstylist in the South means knowing how to work around humidity and lots of it,” she adds. “Finding products that combat added moisture in the hair is key. Additionally, an updo is my personal favourite long-lasting bridal hairstyle. We have so many products and tricks to try and beat the humidity, but an updo is a sure-fire way to know the hair isn’t going to move all day and night.”
PRO TIP: When it comes to incorporating veils, clips and accessories without compromising the hairstyle, Rhodes Frank emphasizes the importance of having a good foundation. If you’ve built a solid foundation within the style, incorporating veils and hair accessories should be easy to do and help to accentuate the look.
Photos: Kelly Rhodes Frank
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