The Bridal Prep Guide.

What to bring

• Inspiration photos — 3–5 favorites, ideally on brides with similar hair color, skin tone, and features to yours.
• Your veil & hair accessories — or photos of them, so we can style around them.
• A photo of your dress — the neckline and vibe shape the hair and makeup direction.
• A white or light top — wear one to the trial so photos read “bridal.”
• Your hair extensions — highly recommended for most brides; see Chapter 05 to order in time.
• A fresh trim, if you want front pieces out — have your layers & face-framing pieces trimmed before the trial so we can style them.

What to expect

Plan for 2–3 unhurried hours. We’ll talk through your vision, try the full look (hair and makeup), photograph it in natural light, and take detailed notes so it’s recreated perfectly on the day.

How to give feedback

Be honest — truly. “Can we soften the eye?” or “I want to look more like me” is exactly what a trial is for, and nothing makes us happier than dialing it in together. Take selfies in different light, sleep on it, and tell us everything within a day or two while it’s fresh.

The night-before routine

• Double wash the night before — shampoo twice so hair is truly clean; buildup fights curl and shine.
• Blow 100% dry, no straightening — fully dry hair with its natural body is the perfect canvas (and wet hair costs precious timeline minutes).
• Minimal product — skip oils, dry shampoo, and leave-ins unless we’ve told you otherwise.

Cuts & color

• Final color: 2–3 weeks before the wedding — fresh enough to glow, settled enough to look like you.
• Final trim: 2 weeks out. No dramatic new cuts within a month of the day (trust us on this one).
• Match your extensions to your final wedding color — order or re-check them after your last color appointment.

Choosing yours

• Type: clip-ins are our wedding-day gold standard — comfortable, damage-free, easy for us to place and blend, and yours to keep wearing forever.
• Length: 18–20” suits most brides; go 22”+ only if your natural hair is past shoulder-blade length.
• Weight: this is the one everyone gets wrong — for updos and volume you want 160g minimum; fine hair often needs more, not less.
• Color: match your ends, not your roots — and match to your final wedding color (order after your last color appointment, or bring the extensions to it).
• When to order: at least 4–6 weeks out, and bring them to your trial so we can test the blend.

Our favorite brands

Aftercare & keeping them

Brush gently from ends to roots with a loop brush, wash only when they feel coated (cool water, sulfate-free shampoo, air dry), always use heat protectant, and store them clipped together in their bag or a shoebox. Cared for, good clip-ins outlast the marriage’s first several anniversaries.

The room

• Natural light — choose a space with plenty of it, big enough for your beauty team and your bridal party. It’s the single best thing you can do for your makeup (and your photos).
• A large, clean table in front of a big window — request one from your hotel or venue before the team arrives.
• Seating — 2–3 high stools or counter-height chairs, plus regular chairs for the party.
• Open outlets — near the setup table, one per artist.
• Tidy backdrop — getting-ready photos happen here. A quick sweep of bags and boxes into a closet is a gift to your photographer.
• Robes or button-downs for everyone getting services — nothing that pulls over the head after hair and makeup are done.
• Snacks & water — a fed bridal party is a happy bridal party. Think grazing board, not garlic fries.

A sample timeline

We build your real timeline backward from the photographer-ready time and send it in advance. As a planning rule of thumb, allow about 45 minutes per person, per service (bride: 60–90 for both). A morning for a bride + four might look like: