Becoming an amazing bridal hairstylist!

This may sound obvious but to become a successful wedding hairstylist you will need to be great at more then just upstyling! You may be asked to do a curly or straight blow-dry, GHD curl hair, create waves or braid.

You do not need a formal hairdressing qualification to become a wedding stylist but you will need to learn the craft. The best way to do this is to take the relevant courses and practice relentlesly what you learn.

Once you have embarked on your chosen courses you will need a good quality mannequin head for the simple reason that practice will make you an amazing hairstylist. I recommend L’image  https://www.limage.de/?___store=en

Your next step is to market yourself!

The first thing a potential client will want to see is images of your work, you will need  a portfolio, preferably on your website but instagram works very well for hairdressers. Some successful stylists don’t have a website and market themselves solely on social media with great success.

To build your portfolio you have a few options;

You can collaborate with other suppliers in the industry and organise a styled shoot, think about teaming up with a makeup artist that may be just starting out like yourself, you will gain from marketing each other especially on social media.

You can rope in your friends and family for hair-do’s, photographing the finished result, I’m sure they will love a free ‘do’!!  Phone cameras give great photographs but do play with the settings to make sure you are posting the very best version of the image. I always say its quality over quantity when it comes to displaying your work.

Hiring professional models and photographers will obviously give you a professional result but this comes at a big cost and I am not sure how necessary it really is. The choices are up to you and your budget.

The more bridal work you do the more you will organically grow your portfolio, so do make sure to photograph every bride, I like to shadow the photographer on the morning as he/she sets up the shot according to lighting etc and I usually end up with a better image. Ensure you ask the brides permission before you post the image to social media.

I also make a note of the photographer on the day and ask him/her for some shots afterwards.

Asking your bride directly for photographs, this covers the permission aspect also, they are usually only delighted for you to use the images

Developing your own style

Obviously you will be able to create all looks but generally you will have a look or a style that you love doing above others, this can be soft and whimsical or structured and precise. This will be a natural progression and will develop over time, so don’t force it.

On the wedding day it is important to demonstrate confidence in your ability, be competent and in control. You may come across a person that is a little ‘difficult’ but remember not to take it personally, this person has never met you before and may have other issues going on. Be patient, keep cool and remain in control.

Contact me

If you would like to contact me directly for more advice please do, I would be only delighted to answer your questions. Send me a message using the contact me tab on the home page or find me on Facebook and instagram