As a bride planning her upcoming fall wedding, I get it—you want to look like the absolute best version of yourself. And, after you find “the dress,” thinking about how you’ll style the look is up next. Accessories come first (you’ll need the shoes for your first fitting, jewelry at your second, and the full look for the third), but beauty should follow suit, and be dictated by your personal style, your neckline, and what will make for jaw-dropping photo moments. Selecting your wedding hair look can feel daunting, and is often a customized, individual process. Some brides opt for waist-length extensions, while others opt to shave it all off (like yours truly) The truth: There’s no wrong way to look on one of the most exciting and romantic days of your life.

From picking the right hairstyle to figuring out when to touch-up your roots, we tapped four mega- celebrity hair stylists for the best bridal prep advice you’ll ever receive.

 

Your Hair Health

If you’re still a few months out and think your hair could use a little oomph, try popping a daily vitamin with biotin.  You gotta get healthy on the inside so you can thrive on the outside.  However this is not a quick fix—the more lead time you have to load up on vitamins, the better.  You have to give it at least 3 months of consistently taking them to notice any difference.  And try your best not to stress; stress can cause hair loss. Try not to heat style too much either and focus on hair treatments. Even if you feel like masks and creams can weigh your hair down, trust us (and the experts): Your hair needs vitamins to continue to grow.

 

Your Hair Cut

While we support being as experimental as you please, most experts do agree on holding off on drastic changes until after your wedding day.  Right before your wedding is definitely not the time to go for an extreme change.  If you are set on having a big makeover, do it a year beforehand so you can decide whether or not you truly love the change you made. You can’t go wrong with a classic look on your wedding day.

If you are looking to go for the chop, do it because you know your soon-to-be spouse (and you) are sure to love it. Believe it or not, some brides (and grooms) love a bridal look without long locks. “This is rare, but I’ve had a couple brides that have said their future husband really love them with a short haircut. [These brides] deliberately grew their hair out so they could surprise their [partner] with short hair walking down the aisle.” The catch? “[The bride] always knew what she looked like with that cut—and had it already once before. She’s already thought it all out and purchased a dress to match the cut.” In short: Go short; but only if you know without a doubt that it’s a look you love on yourself. Your wedding day is not the time to experiment.

 

Choosing Your Hairstyle

Your dress should lead the way to your hairstyle selection. You want to think about the silhouette of the dress to make sure your hairstyle compliments it.  You should also consider the lasting memory of the photo. Think about hairstyles you may look back on in 10 years and think – ‘what was I thinking?  Ask your wedding hair stylist for advice.

 

Choosing Your Hairstylist

Do the legwork and select a stylist you feel 100% confident working with.

[Definitely] meet your stylist in person before your wedding day and do a hair trial (or two) in advance. Bring inspirational photos and listen to how they speak about the service they provide to see if they feel confident about performing it.  Also, ask for photos of real clients they have worked on before. Pay attention to the way they handle your hair in the consultation.

A hair trial is key and can save any major wedding day hair heartbreak. I always suggest a trial so there aren’t any surprises and miscommunications the day-of.  This is your opportunity to express exactly what you want so you can focus on other things the morning of your wedding.

On the day of, consider booking your bridal hair stylist on hand for all day coverage, especially if you plan to change into a reception gown or after party look that may require a different hair style. If you haven’t booked a hairstylist for the entire day, ask to have a few hair products nearby for touch ups, and consult with your stylist on how to use those products during your hair trials.