6 Tips for a stress-free wedding day morning

Ensuring you have the best possible hair outcomes on your wedding day is actually not all about the hair! These tips are an essential guide to starting your wedding day of right. Beginning from the moment you wake up, creating the right atmosphere and setup ahead of time will ensure you have a stress free morning full of bubbly and girly fun. Get ready to take notes brides-to-be….

#1 Timelines are key 

Having a wedding day timeline is absolutely crucial to how your day will run, and it all starts with getting ready.

Ask your photographer what time they require beauty services completed by to ensure there is no confusion with timelines on your wedding day morning. If your beauty vendor does not provide a schedule for the services, create your own and allocate a time slot for each bridal party member. When you put your day-off timeline together, keep these time frames in mind:

• Hair: 30-45 mins for each bridesmaids, MOB/MOG, attendants. Bride 60- 90 mins

• Makeup: 30-40 mins for each bridesmaids, MOB/MOG, attendants. Bride 60 mins

• Touch up time for all bridal party members at the end of services 10-15 mins

#2 Prepare your space

The best rooms to get ready in are large enough for your bridesmaids, hair and makeup artists, photographers and anyone else who might stop by. Don't over look the importance of a room with great natural lighting, your beauty team and photographer will thank you. Try to prepare two separate areas for your beauty team, one close to a window for your makeup artist  and the other close to a power out-let for hot tools. Clear tables and have chairs ready for your team so they can set up and get started straight away!

#3 Hang your dresses and veil

The wedding dress, bridesmaids dresses and veil should be removed from the bags to allow the fabric to settle and air first thing in the morning, This also makes for a cute photo opportunity!

#4 Plenty of food for your crew

Everyone will be busy and focused on getting ready on the wedding day morning, put your MOH or bridesmaids in charge of pre-ordering nutritional food to snack on through out the day. And call ahead for your coffee orders to avoid waiting in queues.

5# Create a playlist

Great tunes can set the perfect vibe, create a playlist that reminds you of the fun times you shared with your squad. And don't forgot to pack a speaker so you can get those tunes pumping!

6# Steam your dresses

I have saved the best for last and this one is so often overlooked. Ladies steam those dresses before your beauty team arrives! No wants their hair done in a room full of humidity!

If you enjoyed our Tips for a stress free wedding day morning you may also enjoy 5 wedding day hair hacks every bride should know.

One Fine Day wedding Fair Sydney, 2019

I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my first weekend back in Sydney than at the One fine day wedding fair! The two day event showcased the latest Australian bridal trends with the runway show set in the dramatic sandstone backdrop of the Bangroo cutaway. I was front and centre for the first runway show of the weekend and did not miss a single moment as over 80 incredible looks including Bridal, Menswear and Bridesmaids shimmied down the runway.
Australian fashion is always a breathe of fresh air, never over complicated, easy on the eye and always willing to try something a little different. The runway was filled with plunging necklines, cut away backs and the dreamiest skirt and top combinations you ever did see!

Wedding decor included elements of earthy tones with boho rugs and white backdrops for the minimalist bride or an abundance of hanging greenery and vines paired with crystal chandeliers, pomas grass and soft pastels for an elegant english garden vibe.

For those of you that didn’t make it put it in your calendar for next year and for now sit back and enjoy a runway recap of my favourite looks captured by One Fine Collective…

Australian designers

Anna Campbell | Moira Hughes | Karen Willis Holmes

Helen Manuell | Bowie Rae | Chosen by one day bridal

EM bridal boutique | Fashionably Yours | Forever New

Guipurean bridal | Ivonn Couture | Madi Lane bridal

Oleg Cassini | White Meadow | White Runway

With Love Mallika

Head pieces by Maria James

Hair & Makeup by Rebecca Paris

A winter wedding at The Berkeley Church

There is something incredibly magical about a winter wedding, I am not sure if it is the festive decorations, the white fluffy snow or cuddling up under the mistletoe toe for the first kiss as newlyweds.  At BHC we are loving the trend of more and more brides choosing to say " I do" during the holiday season!

Monica’s wedding day morning was a hive of activity with her family home bustling with dogs, bridesmaids and festive cheer and I felt right at home, as the year before on exactly the same weekend I was styling the hair for her sister’s wedding in the same place! Monica's bridal style was modern with a touch of glam and after previewing a hairstyle choice of classic vintage waves she choose to go for a more natural hairstyle with elements of her everyday life! Sometimes less is more and there is no point trying to compete with such a show stopping gown!

The Berkeley church in downtown Toronto is perfect for a wedding any time of year though fill it with Christmas wreaths, pinecones, gingerbread houses and a cool palette of green you would swear you have been transported to a Christmas wonderland fit for the movies!

If you are into romantic first looks, candid captures, a whole lot of love and of course cute puppies, look no further then Monica and David’s winter nuptials!

Every moment of this magical winter wedding was captured by Amrita Singh Photography

Photographer Amrita Singh | Venue Berkeley Church

Wedding gown Mikaella bridal

 Hair Bridal Hair Collective | Makeup Stephanie Cruz

Florals Cool, Green and shady

If you enjoyed this real wedding you may also enjoy… An intimate wedding at The Gardiner Museum

Intimate fall wedding at Hockley Valley Resort

Our bubbly bride Janice had her hands full when she was planning her wedding at Hockley Valley Resort long distance from Ottawa, though this didn't stop her from adding some major DIY elements. Because lets face it if you have got the talent why hold back, especially on your wedding day! She designed all the of the stationary, calligraphy and signage as well as the decor and centre piece arrangements filling the room with personal and sentimental touches.

Janice's original vision for her wedding day hairstyle was to wear it up, although after careful consideration she felt a down style would reflect more of her personal style. We opted for soft waves with a slight twist, adding an embellished hair vine at the back of the hairstyle which complemented her Hayley Paige gown perfectly.

Hockley valleys’s lush backdrop and changing leaves set the tone for Janice and Chris’s nuptials and made for a magazine worthy photo session. Lushana Bale photography will have you falling in love with every detail of this fall wedding.

This beautiful wedding was recently featured on The Event Source blog!

Photographer Lushana Bale photography | Venue Hockley Valley Resort |

Planner As you wish weddings | Wedding dress Hayley Paige

 Hair Bridal Hair Collective | Makeup Mobile Makeovers

Florals Coriander Girl | Tent Decor Eventure Designs

If you enjoyed this real wedding you may also enjoy.. A Garden Wedding at White Oaks Resort

A Modern wedding at The Burroughes

It was inevitable  that Carolina's show stopping gown was going to spend a lot of time in the spot light on her wedding day created by local talent Catherine Langlois  and inspired by an Oscar de la Renta design it was worthy of the red carpet! 

Not wanting to compete with her dress, we keep Carolina's bridal hairstyle elegant with a modern take on the French twist complementing the silhouette of her dress and all over bridal style. Carolina seamlessly paired her chic style and modern details with the elegant charm of The Burroughes building for their reception. 

 Carolina had a large bridal party and beauty team of four and rather then be confined to a small space she had the ingenious idea of renting out  her condo party room, for the morning's preparations. This gave everyone plenty of space and an abundance of natural light, which your beauty team will always thank you for! It also allowed other family members to drop by and say hello in a relaxed and fun environment. Even if you don't have your own condo with a party room ask around, I recently had a bride use a friends condo party room in Toronto, which also proved to be the perfect getting ready space for a larger bridal party!

 See it all unfold through the lens of Lindsey Grey with this beautiful wedding also recently  featured on Event source.

Photographer Lindsey Grey | Venue The Burroughes | Wedding dress Catherine Langlois

Florals Blooming Floral designs | Hair Bridal Hair Collective | Makeup Blush and bows 

Day of co-ordination  Romeo's Daughter

If you enjoyed this real wedding you may also enjoy.. " An intimate wedding at the Gardiner Museum".

HAIRSTYLISTS EXPERT GUIDE FOR OUTDOOR WEDDING HAIRSTYLES

Photography Corryn Fowler 

With the hot humid months of summer now upon us  taming our manes can be more challenging then ever! But we have got you covered with expert tips and solutions on how  to keep your hair looking amazing through those hot summer wedding days and nights...

1. Hydrate

Having an outdoor wedding means that you will be dealing with humidity and hair that has the potential to frizz or become fly-away! Hydration is the secret to conquering frizz and fly-aways. Tame your mane in the lead-up to the wedding by topping up the moisture levels with weekly hydrating treatments, and leave-in moisture creams and  oil based serums. Stop the moisture routine a week prior to the wedding to ensure your hair won't be weighed down with extra moisture.

2. Bedhead

Waking up your wedding day morning with a serious case of bedhead is not the best start to picture perfect hair especially when you will also be dealing with the outside elements. Invest in a hair-friendly silk pillow case to help reduce static, frizz and to preserve your fresh blow-out which is the foundation for your wedding day hairstyle.

3. Updos

All hair types come with limitations and the location of the wedding day should be a factor when choosing a wedding hairstyle. Updo's especially braids are fantastic for the warmer humid months and out door celebrations as they will stay in place all day leaving you with one less thing to worry about.

If updo's aren't for you consider your natural texture and try to work with it. If your hair is naturally frizzy or fly- away consider a beach wave texture or hairstyles that are undone and imperfect like a textured pony or half updo.

Photography Eighty fifth Street Photography 

4. Be prepared

We are all about preventative measure and one of the best ways you can prepare the hair for an outdoor ceremony is with the right products. Your outdoor survival kit should contain a mini hairspray that does not contain water, there will be plenty of moisture in the air and hairspray that is water-free is and will help combat frizz. A few bobbie pins, Anti-humidity spray is a must for those hot humid days and last but not least a bounce dry sheet always comes in handy for static fly-away hair.

Photography Joanna Dass

Our expert tips for outdoor hairstyles along with other Canadian hairstylists are also featured on  bridesmade.ca this week!

Elstile Intensive Bridal Hair Course in Pasadena

In December I attend a 5 day bridal work shop with the world renowned Elstile in sunny Pasadena, California. Elstile is a Russian hairstyling company that  has been blowing up the bridal hair world with their romantic, effortless and intricate hairstyles for the last few years. If your a bride-to-be it is highly likely that you have a least one of their sought after hairstyles on your Pintreast board,  and they are come of the most requested hairstyles from our  BHC brides.

I am a huge believer in education and much of my success has come from being able to offer our brides relevant, wearable hairstyles and when our brides started requesting these hairstyles I knew it was time to update my skill set and become Elstile certified.

The class was the perfect size of seven students and our day was broken up into a look and learn in the morning and a practical lesson in the afternoon, our teacher Martin was everything you hope for in a teacher patience, talented, passionate and encouraging. Everything he touched turn to gold ,well hairstyle gold at least! The first day was the most challenging learning the Elstile signature curling technique of texture and volume waves whilst mastering the Elstile curling wand which is unlike any wand I have used, though after you get it its a game changer to longer lasting curls.

 Our teacher explained  that:  " In Russia the clients expect to spend many hours in the salon to create these hairstyles and if they are created quickly, it would be assumed that the hairstylist has created an average hairstyle or is inexperienced. In LA the clients expect these hairstyles to be created quickly within in an hour, if the stylist takes longer it is assumed they are a beginner or inexperienced". Striking a balance is key, as professionals it's our job to ensure our clients understand the complexly and time required to create these works of art. As you know roman was not built in a day and great hair was not styled in 20 mins!

Hair by Elstile

I took away so much from this bridal work shop and it has added a whole new skill set  and knowledge base that I cant wait to share with all our BHC brides. I am sharing some tips  for brides-to-be and hairstylists who are seeking the Elstile look:
Tips for brides:

• Choose a hairstylist that is Elstile certified or has completed their on-line course. Ensure your hair stylist is comfortable and confident in re-creating the Elstile hairstyles before booking their services.
• The majority of the Elstile hairstyles require hair extensions and padding, consult with your hair stylist prior to your hair trial to ensure you purchase the correct length/weight of hair extensions for your hairstyle choice.
• Depending on your hairstylists level of experience these looks can take a minim of 1.5  to 2.5 to create, they are full of intricate detailing and take time to create. So make sure you account for this in your wedding day schedule.

Tips Hair stylists 

• If you are considering attending the practical workshop in Pasadena, I would recommend completing a least one on-line hairstyle technique before attending, so you can master how to use Elstile curling wand and you have a basic understanding of their signature setting style.
• I found the course to be an advanced level that would be ideal for a qualified hairdresser or students that have hair knowledge and styling skills.
• Elstile signture curls have varying degrees of longevity with there texture curls lasting 2-3 hours and ideal for a photoshoot, the volume curls are better suited for bridal hairstyling lasting 6-8 hours.
• Elstile hairstyles are complex and require time to re-create all the detail that is evident in their signature looks, if you are  looking to create a quick hairstyle on a bride with limited time I would recommend suggesting an alternative  hairstyles for your client.

If you enjoyed our blog follow us on Instagram @bridalhaircollectivebrides

A Garden Wedding at White Oaks Resort

I get downright giddy whenever a friend asks me to be apart of their wedding day celebrations and it was no exception when the first assistant we employed at BHC asked me to do the honours for her special day! A hairstylist in her own right I knew I had to pull out all the stops!

Lexi surrounded herself with the ultimate girl squad for her morning preparations they offered the right amount of support, laughs, stories and of course a mimosa or two.

Her gorgeous wedding venue in White Oaks resort in Niagara-on-the-lake  offered the convenience of a short walk down stairs to say her "I do" in an elegant outdoor celebration complete with an English garden vibe.

 Photographer Jessica Douglas captured all the fabulous florals, intimate moments and never ending smiles, from the beautiful bridal party to the elegant reception you can soak it all up here.

Photographer Jessica Douglas | Venue White Oaks Resort | Wedding dress Vera Wang

 Bridesmaids dresses David's bridal |Florals Cathy Martin  

 Hair Bridal Hair Collective | Makeup Mobile bridal

If you enjoyed this real wedding you may also enjoy.. "An elegant wedding at The Belcroft estate"