Bridal Hair Stylist Goes Above and Beyond the Call of Duty

You are locked in your seat on the most famous roller coaster in the world, the Cyclone in Brooklyn, New York. Your fiancé is right next to you, both of you dressed in wedding attire. As you go up the steep climb the preacher, who is seated behind you, begins reading your vows. At the pinnacle of the climb, you are pronounced Mr. and Mrs., only to let out a loud scream as you plummet almost 60 miles per hour at a 60 degree incline. On the second time around, your hair stylist, who is seated next to the preacher, reaches over and fixes a few hairs that have fallen out of place in your fancy bridal updo?

Okay, so the hair stylist didn't actually sit behind you next to the preacher, but other than a few other minor details this is a true story for Gretchen Maurer, an on-location wedding day hair and make-up specialist. She has been taken to many places throughout New England from Connecticut to Pennsylvania, Newport, Rhode Island, Manhattan and New York State with her bridal clients, including many different venues such as the Cyclone roller coaster, Bed & Breakfast Inns, small homes, even elaborate country clubs.

There are many important qualities that a top wedding hair stylist must have in order to have a thriving bridal beauty business which includes satisfied bridal clients. These include being flexible, being able to determine face shape and designing a hair style to suit, knowing the latest trends and fashions, continuous training and education in formal hair styling, being on-time and also having the ability to assess a women's overall image

Maurer began doing bridal hair right in hairdressing school in the early 80's. "I loved the sculpturing, balance and texture that bridal hair design challenges me with," she says. "The key to being successful in the bridal business," says Maurer "is the ability to read a woman's style and face shape so that I can design a balanced look for the total image and balance the bride from head to toe." Maurer first looks at pictures of the bride's dress, considers the time of day of the wedding, then she moves on to face shape, ethnic heritage, personal image, hair type and length, headpiece and puts it all together in a fabulous bridal hair style designed specifically for each individual bride.

Face shape knowledge is very important for a hair stylist. Maurer says, "I have a new bride coming up who has a heart shape face. This means a broad forehead and temple area with a small chin. Plus she is very petite. So a low chignon in the back is a perfect balance for her." Maurer adds, "Height will come from her tiara and veil." Face shape is used in the hair style selection process since one style may look great on someone who has an oval face, but simply awful on someone with a square face. This is also an important factor for brides who bring in hair style photos they like from magazines. Some stylists will simply create the hair style for you, disregarding the fact that the photo, for example, may show a model with a heart face shape, and you may have a round face shape.

Maurer recommends that her clients bring in sample photos of hair styles that they like, along with any other photos such as photos of brides dresses, headpieces, tiaras, etc. so that she can get an overall sense of the brides likes and dislikes. From there she can design a hair style that suits the bride's overall image. Staying in tune with fashion trends and styles that her clients like is very important in the overall bridal look.

The age of the bride is also very important in the design of the bridal style. A bridal hair style will be very different for women in their 30's or 40's compared to women in their 20's. Maurer says, "I have a freelance team of hair stylists that I work with and I always try to give the younger bridesmaids to the younger hair stylists."

Maurer has expanded her bridal business beyond the salon in her website, www.weddinghair.com by offering a broad spectrum of wedding hairstyles designs and hair lengths and textures that the bride can pick out and order a hair kit. The hair kit is simply the hairstyle photographed step by step with directions and many after shots. Some brides will try to do the hairstyle themselves, some will have a friend or family member do it and some will take the hair kit to the salon and have a professional stylist do the wedding hair style. Maurer says, "Brides, for the most part have never been a bride. They need help choosing a look and www.weddinghair.com is designed to do just that. The hairstyles represent a broad spectrum of designs and hair lengths and textures. My articles also provide useful information. It is a one of its kind website."

In short, selecting your wedding hair stylist is an important part of creating your overall wedding look. Gretchen Maurer, and her website www.weddinghair.com , gives us insight into what a successful wedding hair stylist goes thru for each bridal client and what you should look for in selecting your stylist.

Gretchen Maurer is the author of The Business of Bridal Beauty, published by Milady Publishing. She is creator and owner of www.weddinghair.com Maurer's articles and hairstyles have been published in numerous publications and web sites including The Knot, www.NewYorkMetroWeddings.com , Modern Bride, Modern Salon, Passion, American Salon, WeddingBells, Bridal Star Hairstyles and Teen Star Hairstyles. Brides Magazine has awarded www.weddinghair.com as the "Best Beauty Web Site"

Author Perriann Rodriguez is the founder of Hair Resources, http://www.hairresources.com and http://www.hairresources.net , a global website for current hair styles, hair extension info, beauty salons and everything else related to hair. She has published the number one best selling E-book, 2005's Most Popular Hair Extensions, and also the E-Magazine, Wedding Hair Styles. Rodriguez is listed in the United States Register of American Writers and the 2004 Who's Who of Business and Professionals.

---

Dallas Wedding Receptions

The most important day of your life is drawing near... Read More

Wedding Loans ? When Wedding Bills Are Postponing the Wedding Bells

Somewhere when you least expected, you find the person who... Read More

How to Have a Sizzler of a Honeymoon! Article No. 6

It wasn't the wedding of the century. Six people in... Read More

Minor But Important Duties For Your Wedding Party, Bridesmaids, and Groomsmen

Your wedding party is a major factor in the success... Read More

Have A Simple, Small, Green Wedding

A wedding is one of life's major rites of passage.... Read More

Selecting Mens Formalwear For The Wedding

Have you ever noticed that weddings seem to be all... Read More

The Marriage Test

Love should not blind a couple to the realities of... Read More

The Beautiful Bride To Be ? Beauty Tips For The Big Day

It goes without saying that we all want to look... Read More

Lighting The Way When Two Become One

Whether you want to add a little extra romance to... Read More

Marriage Missing its Spark?

If the fires of passion in your marriage have been... Read More

Common Format Of A Wedding Reception

The following article can be copied but you must keep... Read More

How To Hire A DJ For Your Wedding

Hiring music entertainment can arguably be the most important booking... Read More

Beach Wedding Cakes

Looking for beach theme wedding cake ideas?When it comes to... Read More

Marriage Problems: Help in Preventing Them

When we want to be successful at something in life,... Read More

Wedding Web Site Design - How to Design a Wedding Site That Others Will Rave About

If you are in the process of design a wedding... Read More

Men?s Moissanite Wedding Rings To Beat Other Gifts Any Day

Whoever said diamonds are women's best friends, surely missed on... Read More

Marital Fulfillment: Tips for Intercultural Couples

Through my personal & professional coaching practice, marital issues often... Read More

Bachelorette Parties: Fun Alternatives to a Wild Night

If bar-hopping and male strippers aren't the bride's idea of... Read More

Wedding Invitation Labels and Envelopes

Computer printed labels are a time-saver, but they make the... Read More

Belize Honeymoon Resorts

The enchanting Belize honeymoon resorts captivate every visitor through the... Read More

Intimacy, What is It Really?

Simply put, intimacy is more than sex or making love.... Read More

Man Made Diamonds, The Affordable Alternative

Diamonds may be a woman's best friend, but modern man... Read More

Florida Beach Weddings

There is nothing more romantic than a wedding by water... Read More

Low Budget Wedding Reception

The reception alone will bust your wedding budget if you're... Read More

Las Vegas Wedding Packages

One of the good things about Las Vegas Wedding Packages... Read More

Wedding Planning 101: Create a Wedding Planner

Did your wonderful husband-to-be recently "pop the question" and now... Read More

Getting Married? Read this 1st.

Original gift ideas for your Bridesmaids and Bestman.What better way... Read More

How to Plan a Cheap Wedding

There's no doubt about it, weddings can be expensive. The... Read More

The Night They Invented Champagne

In the dim past of the last century, good time... Read More

Wedding Flowers -- Determining What You Need

Wedding flowers make up a large part of the wedding... Read More

Top 5 Wedding Favors and Why

WHAT ARE THE TOP FIVE WEDDING FAVORS AND WHY?At most... Read More

Marriage Tips: Breathe Your Way to a Happier Marriage

One way to increase your chances of enjoying a happy... Read More

Saving Money on Your Wedding Reception Using Reception Themes

Just like weddings, receptions are often theme based as well.... Read More