Attempting to do your own hair on your wedding day is not for the faint of heart. It can be a real struggle trying to get your hair to cooperate on a normal given day, let alone on a momentous day such as your wedding. Lucky for you, as a hairstylist who has seen it all, I have a few tricks up my sleeve!

First, you need to have your hair properly prepped. As I had mentioned in my “DIY Wedding Makeup” blog, you can’t possibly create a masterpiece without proper preparation. Now, this extends past good products and tools. You need to make sure your hair is healthy and well maintained. I advise my clients, shortly after engagement, to get on a strict hair care regimen. This starts with scheduling regular trims. I get it—you want your hair to be as long as possible; however, without proper maintenance you will be stunting your growth and left with lackluster locks. Next, stock up on good, professional products. Do your research, consult your hairstylist, and find a shampoo, conditioner, mask, and products that will aid in your hair health. My favorite strengthening treatment is “Olaplex Hair Protector No.3.” This miracle product will give you quick, amazing, healing results. Lastly, you will want to make sure you have products that will help prep your hair the day of your wedding. You need light, strong products that will aid in keeping your style fresh throughout the day and night. My favorite products to use on updos are Bumble and Bumble’s “Thickening Dryspun Finish”, Sebastian’s “Shaper Plus” hairspray and Rusk’s “Thermal Shine Spray.” Products can be very subjective but these three products are my personal staples.

So we have the hair in prime condition and we have established the products we would like to use. What now? Proper tools and styling! Setting the hair is a great method of preparation because it gives the hair volume, bounce, shine, and pliability. This technique has been around since the 60’s, and for good reason. If your hair is thick and coarse, I advise showering the evening before, giving yourself a good blow dry before bed, and setting your hair in the morning. If your hair is finer in texture, shower the morning of your wedding, blow-dry your hair, and set right after. Pay attention to how you place the rollers because the way you set them is the way they will curl. Once your rollers have set for an ample amount of time (at least 30 minutes or so), remove the rollers and, with an iron, curl any pieces that may have gone array. Regardless of whatever style you choose, these preliminary steps are key unless you are going for a straight or slicked style.

The best type of updo to attempt on your own is a soft, romantic, and curled style. Anything overly intricate or precise is inviting disaster. Besides, lived-in, soft looks are in, so why not take advantage? My favorite tool for such a look is a hair donut.

These come in various sizes and colors and provide great stability within the updo. Once your hair is curled and properly prepped, make a small pony tail in the area you would like your bun. Slide the donut form over the pony tail and anchor the bun in with bobby pins. The smaller the pony tail, the more hair that is left out. The more hair that is left out, the larger your bun will appear. You may opt for a low, high, or side bun. From here the process is quite easy. Strategically anchor the curls piece by piece with hairpins into the bun. It is helpful to use a mirror and check periodically to ensure your style is coming out as desired. This process can be slightly altered to create a multitude of looks.

Prep, set, and go! It’s really just as easy as that. Take your time and have a realistic end goal. Doing your own wedding hair isn’t easy, but knowing how to go about it is the first step to success! Practice, practice, practice and you’ll be a pro come your wedding day.