Getting Ready for the Big Day... Your Wedding!

It's the day most women dream of and imagine again and again as little girls, your wedding day! It's the most romantic day of your life and certainly one of the most important. A day that is all about you and your loving partner, a day that will be looked back upon and celebrated again and again throughout the rest of both of your lives. And you want everything to be absolutely perfect.

Wedding Hair - Getting off to a Good Start

Most brides who intend to have a large, formal wedding begin planning for the event at least a year in advance. This is also the best time to start planning for having luscious, healthy flowing locks on your wedding day. The average head of hair grows 6" a year (or a 1/2" per month) which gives you lots of leeway for correcting current problems and planning your bridal hairstyle. Check out the Ultimate Guide to Growing Long Hair to find out exactly what you should be doing and even more importantly, shouldn't be doing to ensure your hair is stunning come the big day. Remember, longer hair will give you more styling options!

Color and The Bride

Weddings aren't just about white anymore! Vera Wang, Demetrios, Venus... many of the most elegant bridal design houses are incorporating color into their wedding gown designs. Pastel shades of pink, purple, yellow and blue, either as a focal point or accent color, make exquisite additions to your bridal color palette. Some designers are even incorporating sparkling gold or silver into their gowns, with spectacularly glistening results! It's important to remember to consider how the hues you choose complement your own coloring. Remember, these are the colors that are going to be surrounding you all day and will appear in all your wedding photos and video. It wouldn't do to have a beautiful pale complexion and mane of copper hair surrounded by a decidedly uncomplimentary shade of teal, even if teal is your favorite color! Choosing hues that work with your own coloring will ensure that even your environment works to enhance your beauty. Check out the LongLocks Hair Color Chart to help you pinpoint the best shades to complement your very own coloring.

Much Ado About Wedding Updos

It's best to first decide which is more important to you, a certain hairstyle you've always dreamed of wearing on your wedding day, or the style of veil you've had your heart set on wearing. The hair style you choose and your wedding veil must work well together and making this happen can sometimes be a formidable task if not planned well ahead of time. Once you've decided with which to start you can work with your designer or hair stylist to complete the look.

If you have first chosen a veil, take it to your stylist at least a couple months before the wedding and work with them to create a bridal hairstyle that complements both you and your headpiece. Keep in mind that you don't want to do anything drastic like cutting, perming or dying your hair so close to your wedding that there isn't time to correct mistakes beforehand. If you are planning a big change do it early enough to leave time to make adjustments if you need to.

If you know your dream wedding hair style, have your stylist do your hair in the same style the morning of the day you are planning to shop for your veil. This way you can easily decide what headpiece design and length and style of veil will work best with your hairstyle.

Great tips to ensure your hair is perfect on your wedding day:

1. Take several photographs of hairstyles you like to your stylist when planning your look. Tear pictures of looks you love from bridal and hairstyling magazines or print hair style examples from the web such as those found in the LongLocks HairStyle Gallery.

2. Bring a friend along with a Polaroid or digital camera to capture the look from all angles so you can print photos and refresh your stylist's memory on your wedding day.

3. Consider wearing beautiful hair jewelry under your veil so you continue to sparkle even if you remove your head piece at your reception. A pair of one-of-a-kind LongLocks BridalStix (as featured in For the Bride magazine) will not only add a breathtaking component to your wedding hair style but will also become a treasured heirloom for future generations. Remember to take them to your stylist when planning your bridal hairstyle.

4. Consider not wearing a veil at all! A pair of LongLocks HairSticks worn alone, delicate flowers tucked into flowing curls, or even a string of pearls or lace ribbon woven through a braid can create a simple yet elegant look.

Traditional... or Daringly Different?

Want your wedding to be dramatically different than every wedding you've ever attended? Maybe this is your second wedding or you're renewing your vows and you've already gone the route of the classic shades of white or ivory. Why not do something daring with your style? Use your imagination and dare to dream a wedding no one will ever forget! For instance, consider wearing a spectacularly embroidered Japanese silk wedding kimono (called a "uchikake").

Adorning your hair with a sparkling LongLocks GeishaStix Japanese hair pin would complete the look beautifully.

Maybe you'd prefer to really buck tradition and wear something in royal purple silk with the back cut to there. Add a bouquet of bright yellow roses and a sparkling pair of LongLocks GemStix to your sleek bun. Tres chic!

Perhaps you have a treasured vintage gold lamé ballgown tucked away that belonged to your grandmother... pair it with a bouquet of deep, velvety red roses and really WOW your guests. Style your hair in a stunning vintage updo secured with a pair of gold-dusted LongLocks MajeStix.

Is traditional more your style but you still want to add a bit of daring? Try wearing a classic pastel or ivory wedding gown with a brightly colored petticoat underneath. No one will be the wiser until you kick up your heals at your wedding reception and show everyone your fun-loving side!

Wear a pair of traditional LongLocks BridalStix to keep your secret or perhaps a pair of petticoat-coordinating LongLocks SugarStix to hint at things to come!

Don't Forget Your Wedding Attendants!

Be they many or few, your attendants are a very special and important part of your wedding. You've worked hard to coordinate your style with their likes and dislikes and still maintain an elegant, sophisticated look for your ceremony. Don't forget to discuss hairstyles with your bridesmaids and maid of honor, not to mention your flower girl (or her mother). Do you want a similar look on everyone? You might want all the women in your wedding party with long hair to wear formal updos. Are there head pieces to consider? If so, your attendants will have to take the same steps ahead of time as you do to determine what hair styles will work with them. Would you prefer everyone do their own thing to represent their own personal style? You might want to have each attendant discuss her hairstyling ideas with you beforehand. And by all means, don't forget gifts for the women who share your special day with you! LongLocks HairSticks, Waltzing Willow Jewelry and our luxurious Chinese silk jewelry rolls all make wonderful gifts for your bridesmaids.

There are many things to consider when determining the look and style of your wedding. With a little effort and early planning everything will turn out beautifully and you'll have a magical day to remember forever and look back upon with happiness and love for all those who shared your special day.

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