The reception, the dress, the date… Many aspects of your wedding need to be planned with at least a year or more in advance and there's no exception for hair, make up or your cake. To help alleviate some of that wedding stress, I've gathered some great tips from industry experts like, stylist Kristine Hahn from 101 E. Center Salon in Nazareth, Lauren Bennett from Lauren's Makeup Designs in Allentown and Amy Cozze of Cozze Cakes in Nazareth.
Hair
- Brides should plan on booking two pre-appointments before their wedding day. The first appointment should be at the three-month mark to try a few different style options, and the second appointment should be one month before to finalize the style for your wedding day. This will give the stylist time to make sure any changes need to be made. Remember, pictures and Pinterest boards are great tools to bring to your appointment, and always bring your veil to make sure it works with your hair design.
- Maintaining your hair is just as important as the style you want for your big day. If you color your hair, make sure you are scheduled the week before your wedding day for retouching. Haircut changes, if any, should be around the three month mark, and schedule a trim to freshen it up around four weeks prior. Make sure your hair is conditioned well up to the wedding date.
- Since stylists can take their tools with them, many salons offer on-site styling, as well as in the salon. When booking your wedding day hair, check the salon's requirements to go off site. Some may have a travel charge depending on the amount of miles they need to get to your location. And if it's a large bridal party, an extra stylist or two may need to tag along to help.
Makeup
- In order to achieve the perfect look for your big day, bring photos and Pinterest boards to share your inspiration. With the Internet so accessible you can pull up celebrities on recent red carpets to see makeup looks that can easily be recreated for bridal makeup.
- Looks for brides can range from natural to extravagant. It all depends on you and the overall theme of your wedding. Most brides go for a natural look, but you should feel comfortable with your makeup. Decide whether you want to simply enhance your natural features or if you are looking to make a statement and want to go all out with a dramatic look.
- Booking a makeup artist can be done up to two years in advance by some brides. Make sure you have a makeup trial with the makeup artist you select; many companies have multiple artists and you want the trial and your day done by the same makeup artist. The trial allows you and the makeup artist to discuss what type of look you are going for on your wedding day, as well as possibilities like if you want airbrushed or traditional makeup and if services can be at a salon, their facility or on location.
Photo by Amy Cozze of Cozze Cakes
The Cake
- Make sure your baker/bakery is licensed, insured, and up to date on health inspections. Home bakers can be cheaper, but may not follow the same standards and guidelines as commercial bakeries. Most venues require that your wedding cake come from a properly insured bakery, which protects them, you and your guests.
- Wedding cake pricing is almost always priced "per serving" and largely depends on the design and flavor choices. The price of your cake will not be determined until you have the final design nailed down. Bring pictures to your consultation so the cake designer will have a starting point and can give you price ranges with each design.
- When to book... This may vary slightly depending on the bakery. Basically, it is almost never too soon to at least book the date once you find someone you feel comfortable with. The details of the order can typically be finalized at a later time, but six months to a year is a safe timeline to reserve your date.
With 2.3 million weddings a year, we hope that these tips will help to make yours one in a million, while being a little bit less stressful and, most importantly, one that looks, feels and tastes better than you could have dreamed for.
About the Author
Patrick McIvor is an International Haircolor Educator, Blogger, and owner of 101 E. Center Salon/Education/Creative Center. As one of the most respected colorists in the industry, McIvor was the founding Color Director for Nick Arrojo and Rodney Cutler at Arrojo Cutler Salon on 57th Street in NYC and has now rejoined Nick Arrojo as Brand Strategist & Techni-Color Director of ARROJO. McIvor is a cultural junkie inspired by international cosmopolitan influences from fashion and global trends to technology. The team at 101 E. Center Salon creates beautiful, sexy, believable hair in an intimate studio environment utilizing technology to make guests the center of a TechniCulture Salon Experience. McIvor is featured in the book “50 Hairstylists” and was named one of the best colorists in the USA by Allure Magazine.
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