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ALFREDO DE BENEDICTIS FOUNDER | HAIRSTYLIST
Alfredo De Benedictis is an Italian-British hair stylist and salon owner with over 40 years of experience. Since 1989, his passion for innovation has led him to create groundbreaking hair tools that minimize stress on the hair while delivering flawless results. From the iconic Rootpermer and Wellformer of the ’90s to the global hit Babyliss Curl Secret, Alfredo’s mission remains the same—developing tools that protect hair health without compromising style.
In this guide, we’ll explore what makes the best travel hair straightener, how to pack it safely, and why the KEEO Genius is your perfect companion for smooth, healthy hair wherever you go.
Your wedding day is one of the most important and memorable moments of your life. As the bride, all eyes will be on you. Not to mention all the photographs taken by family, friends, and professional photographers. Naturally, you’ll want to feel and look like the best version of yourself. And yes, that includes having a truly great hair day.
Beautiful bridal hair starts with healthy hair, but all that planning and preparation can take its toll on your luscious locks, leaving them looking and feeling less than fabulous.
So, what can you do to ensure your bridal hair is as beautiful as the rest of the day?
The key is to prep your hair well in advance of the wedding.
We know you’ve got a lot on your plate with cake tastings, menus, and gifts, not to mention table settings and seating plans.
That’s why we’ve created this handy timeline, offering expert tips and hero products from a year before the big day until the morning of the wedding. We’ve even included aftercare to ensure your hair doesn’t suffer the after effects of styling.
Follow this guide to ensure gorgeous, healthy bridal hair no matter what style you choose.
| Timeline | Activity/Tasks |
|---|---|
| 12 Months Before | Establishing hair goals and starting treatments |
| 6 Months | Decide on hair colour and trial wedding styles |
| 1 Month | Begin intensive conditioning and final trims |
| 1 Week | Final hair preparations and washing schedule |
| Wedding Day | Style hair and manage last-minute maintenance |
| Post-Wedding Aftercare | Recovery routines and hair repair treatments |
Like so much wedding planning, wedding day hair prep begins around a year before the big day.
Even if you’re not sure of the exact style you want to go for, now is the time to decide on the cut and colour you’d like to have.
If you're considering a colour change, start as soon as possible to allow time for a healthy transition.
Book a consultation with your colourist and create a plan for reaching your ideal shade by your wedding day.
You can also use virtual try-on apps to experiment with different tones and lengths to see what flatters your face shape and complexion.
If you don’t usually colour your hair, think carefully before making a drastic change. You want to feel like yourself on the day. Take the advice of your colourist on which shade suits you best, and run it by your significant other if you are considering a pronounced change. Also, remember that hair trends, like clothing, come and go. Unless bold is part of your signature style, it’s usually safer to opt for a timeless, classic look that won’t date in your wedding photos.
This also goes for your cut and the length of your hair. A dramatic chop may take time to get used to and if you have never worn extensions before, they can feel odd.
Collect images of hairstyles you like and factor in your makeup look and the neckline of your dress or wedding outfit when deciding how to wear your hair.
Beautiful bridal hair starts with a healthy foundation. If your strands are feeling dry, dull, or damaged, now is the time to focus on restoring hydration, moisturisation, strength, and shine, both inside and out.
Supplements can boost hair health alongside a protein, vitamin and mineral-rich diet, but you usually need to take them for at least a few months before you start to see the benefits.
If you have split or dry ends, this is an ideal time to ditch them with a good cut. You don’t want to lose length closer to the wedding, and having damaged hair trimmed away now will allow time for healthy regrowth.
At this stage, you should have settled on a cut and colour for your bridal hair. Now, it’s time to finalise the exact style you want.
Depending on the colour and whether you are having highlights, balayage or a more solid shade, you may still be gradually changing your colour in preparation for the big day.
Now is also the time to lock in your overall look.
Hair styling for weddings can be soft and simple with loose waves and natural curls being popular choices. Alternatively, many brides favour an updo or sleek and straight tresses.
Some brides incorporate flowers or jewels into their hairstyle, while others like to keep things simple to showcase the dress and the veil or tiara.
There is no right or wrong, only personal preference.
Use this time to experiment and trial a few different options until you find your perfect match.
Some hair goals will require a little help, such as extensions, bun sponges and other tools to give your hair a longer, fuller look. Make sure you match your extensions to the final colour your hair will be on the day. You should have any extensions fitted at least two weeks before the wedding to ensure they grow out slightly for comfort and have been washed a few times.
The most discreet and comfortable hair extensions, micro bonds, can be fitted a couple of weeks before the wedding (they last for three months), so you have plenty of time to get used to them.
You can also use ‘invisible’ tape hair extensions or clip-in hair extensions for a low-commitment look.
If you are doing your hair yourself, this is the perfect time to trial your full look (with accessories, extensions, and products). If you’re working with a stylist, now’s the time to book your bridal hair trial so you can troubleshoot anything in advance and tweak your prep routine if needed.
The final countdown is on and with pre-wedding stress peaking, your hair might need some extra care and attention.This is the time to indulge in intensive hair care treatments.
Start with scalp care, ensuring it is not too dry or oily with proper nutrition and hydration and treatments tailored to your scalp and hair type. You can book in for a professional scalp massage, massage your scalp in the shower or use natural oil.
Next, nourish your strands with a hair mask tailored to your hair woes.
Avoid overwashing your hair to avoid it becoming too dry, and use leave-in conditioners and hydrating serums, particularly on the ends of your hair, to boost moisture retention.
And don’t forget to drink plenty of water. It does wonders for your skin and your strands.
If you colour your hair, now’s the time for a final visit to your colourist. Book an appointment for a toner and root tint if necessary to ensure your hair looks perfect on the day.
Expert tip: Do not incorporate any new products into your routine the week before your wedding. Keep things simple and pared-back. Use your usual shampoo and conditioner before your hair trial and before the wedding. If you wash your hair with a super-softening conditioner or mask the morning of your wedding, it can be much harder to style.
The big day has arrived, and it's time to bring the final look together.
Ensure you book your hairstylist early to avoid feeling rushed. If you are doing your own bridal hair, give yourself plenty of time to get ready - being ready to leave with hair and make up done an hour before the wedding is customary.
If you are heat styling your hair, schedule that before your make-up, to avoid smudging or melting.
Have a hairspray or wax stick handy to tame any flyaways before the ceremony and in between photos, particularly if it's a windy day and the shoot is outside.
Hair styling for weddings can involve lots of clips and grips to hold hair in place, which can make hair feel heavy and cause damage from pulls and snags.
If you can, loosen some of your hair for the reception and after-party to prevent a tension headache.
If you want a hairspray to keep your look in place all day, all night, trust us, this is the best one for the job. Every hairstylist we know has a can in their kit.
Tigi Bed Head Wax StickLoved by celebrities such as Hailey Bieber this product will help you achieve an iconic bun or slicked-back style.
Oribe Invisible Defense Universal Protection SprayIt might be expensive, but this stuff works. It provides heat protection up to 450°F and contains lots of lovely conditioning and strengthening ingredients (such as plant-based collagen and vitamin B) for a super-sleek finish.
With colouring, teasing backcombing, and styling products, most post-wedding hair is sorely in need of some TLC.
While hair might not be your top priority after the wedding, we recommend using a cleansing shampoo the next morning to gently remove product build-up without stripping moisture.
In the days that follow, focus on recovery:
When it comes to bond repair products, this pre-shampoo treatment is the best of the best. Olaplex’s patented (and scientifically proven) formula leaves hair feeling and looking stronger, shinier and smoother from the first use.
Kérastase Blond Absolu Cicaflash TreatmentThis conditioning treatment mask is packed full of hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and edelweiss flower to amp up gloss and shine. It also helps blondes appear brighter and more vibrant.
KEEO Genius StylerWith contoured plates and a protective air gap to promote hair health and minimise heat damage, the Genius styler helps to reduce any of that typical straightening-inflicted breakage.
We hope this timeline has taken some stress out of planning your bridal hair journey and helped you feel more confident about what to do (and when).
Remember, the healthier your hair is, the better it will look on your special day. The first step is getting it in tip-top condition and maintaining those beautiful, healthy tresses so they can handle your chosen bridal hairstyle.
After that, a few touch-ups on the day and some intensive aftercare should keep you looking your best.
If you are heading off on honeymoon, check out our holiday hair care guide for top tips on protecting your hair from the sun.
Congratulations, we hope you have a wonderful time!
It is usually recommended that you wash
your hair the night before your wedding. Washing the night before allows your
hair to dry fully and build up a small amount of natural oil that will help
keep your style in place. However, your hair's texture and planned hairstyle
will have some bearing on this.
For example, if you have an oily scalp, you
should wash your hair the morning of your wedding. Ditto if you have curly hair
and are wearing it naturally.
Extensions should generally be washed the
morning of the wedding rather than the night before, as you can then use
products to add body and volume.
Either way, you should consult your hairdresser
and avoid using new products, as they could affect your hair’s texture and
interfere with the styling process.
The optimal time to colour your hair is a
week to a fortnight before the big day.
There are a couple of reasons for this:
This time frame allows the colour to settle and fade slightly, appearing softer and more natural than just-coloured hair, which can sometimes look too bright
and brassy.
It is not long enough for significant regrowth, so you won’t have dark roots spoiling your look.
If you have a sensitive scalp, this also allows any irritation to settle down.
However, this should be your final colour
appointment and planned well in advance to ensure time for any adjustments.
Top tip : This treatment can have an
unpleasant smell and needs time to settle, so it is best to get this done 4-6
weeks before the wedding.
Along with the Keratin collagen smoothing treatment, the following are popular for pre-bridal hairstyling:
Always consult your hairstylist before
booking a treatment, as it can affect the texture of your hair, making it
harder to style.
