Wedding Hair: When to Book, What to Expect, How the Trial Works

Brides ring me in a bit of a panic. They want their wedding hair sorted. They have not booked anything. The wedding is in six weeks. I tell them the same thing every time.

Wedding hair is one of those bookings people leave too late, then stress about. It does not need to be that way. Here is what we actually do at the salon, when to book, what the trial is for, and the bits brides always forget.

The short version

Book six to nine months out if you can. Three to four months is normal. Six weeks is the realistic minimum to fit in a proper trial. Hair up runs £35 to £50, and the trial is the same price as the wedding hair itself.

We are at The Hair Collective on Hitchin Road in Stopsley. Bridesmaids and mums of the bride pay the same as the bride. We open early on the day if your ceremony is tight, sometimes from 7am. Klarna is available if you want to split the cost.

When to book your wedding hair

Ideally six to nine months before the wedding. That sounds like a lot, but Saturdays in May, June, July and August fill up fast, and the bridal trial sits in there too. If you are getting married on a Saturday in summer, I am usually booked out by Christmas the year before.

Realistically, most brides come to us three to four months out and we make it work. The minimum I would advise is six weeks. That gives us time for one proper trial and a backup appointment if anything needs adjusting.

If you have left it later than that, ring us anyway. Sometimes there are slots. We have done full bridal looks with three weeks notice, but it means less room for trial and error.

What wedding hair costs at the salon

Bridal hair up runs from £35 to £50 depending on the look and the length. Long, thick hair with intricate pin work sits at the top end. A simple low bun or soft waves sits closer to the bottom. The price covers the styling itself, not extensions or a blow dry the night before.

Bridesmaids and mums of the bride get the same hair up service at the same price. We can do everyone together at the salon, or one of the girls can come to your venue. Travel adds to the cost, so I quote that based on where you are.

If you want extensions for fullness, we order them four to eight weeks ahead. Tape extensions for a wedding sit at £60 to £70 per hour, weft at £70 to £80. Klarna is available if you want to spread the cost across the trial, the extensions and the day itself.

The bridal trial, what it actually involves

Book the trial four to eight weeks before the wedding. Come with washed hair, inspiration photos, and your veil or any accessories you plan to wear. Pinterest is fine. Bring three or four pictures, not thirty.

We try the look properly. Same products, same pins, same finish you would have on the day. Then I photograph it from every angle so we both have a record of what we agreed on. We check how it sits with the veil, how it looks when you tip your head back, and whether the style still holds after a couple of hours.

If something is not right, we change it there and then. Most trials end up with two looks tried, sometimes three. The trial is the same price as the wedding hair itself. If you book the wedding with us, that price stands. We do not double charge.

The day itself

We open early for weddings, sometimes from 7am if there is a tight ceremony time. Tell us your venue arrival time and how many people are getting their hair done, and we work back from that. Allow forty-five minutes per hair up, plus blow drying time if needed.

You can come to us at the salon on Hitchin Road in Stopsley, or one of the team can travel to you. Most brides come to the salon if they are getting ready locally, because the chairs, the lighting and the kit are already there. For venues further out, we travel.

The bits brides forget every time

Do not get a drastic cut in the month before the wedding. Trims are fine. A new fringe two weeks before the big day is not. Same goes for major colour. Book your colour appointment around two weeks ahead, not the week of, because the colour needs a bit of settling time and a wash or two before the day.

Order extensions six to eight weeks out, not three weeks. Suppliers can be slow, and you want them in plenty of time for the trial.

Take a photo of yourself with the hair done after the trial. When the wedding day comes and the nerves kick in, you have already seen the look on you. Brides forget how good they looked at the trial. The photo is your proof.

Booking with us

Ring the salon on 01582 730381 or book online. Tell us the date, the venue and roughly how many people are having their hair done. We will block out the time and pencil in the trial. If your wedding is in the next four weeks and you have nothing booked, do not panic. Just ring us. We will tell you straight if we can fit you in.

Ready when you are. Book online, check our full pricing list, or see all our services. We will block out the wedding date and pencil in the trial in the same call.