Should I Wash My Hair Before My Wedding Updo?
Yes: for a wedding updo, arrive with your hair washed and fully dried, since clean, dry hair holds pins and takes styling product the way your stylist expects. Wet hair has to be dried here as an add-on with an extra charge, which takes time out of your morning. Skip heavy conditioners and oils, and follow the prep notes from your trial.
Key takeaways
- Arrive with hair washed and completely dry, with no heavy product.
- Your trial is where you learn whether your hair holds best freshly washed or a day later.
- Ask every person in the party to prep the same way so the morning stays on time.
Why Does Clean, Dry Hair Hold an Updo Better?
An updo is built on the hair itself. Clean hair has body, grips pins and responds to heat and product in a predictable way. That gives your stylist a solid base to work from.
Damp hair resists shape and keeps drying while it is pinned, so a style can loosen as the day goes on. Hair coated in oil or heavy conditioner gets slippery, and pins slide. A clean, dry start is the simplest way to help your style last from the first photo to the last dance.
Should You Wash the Night Before or the Morning Of?
It depends on your hair, and your trial is the place to find out. Some hair holds best when it is freshly washed. Very fine or silky hair can hold pins better with a little natural texture, so a wash the night before may work better.
Arrive at your trial prepped the way you plan to on the wedding day. Your stylist will see how your hair behaves and tell you which timing to use. Then do exactly that on the morning.
What Should Stay Out of Your Hair Beforehand?
- Heavy conditioners and oils. They weigh hair down and make it slippery.
- Styling products. Leave those to your stylist, who chooses products for your style.
- Anything new. The week of the wedding is not the time to test a product.
- A wet head on the pillow. Sleeping on damp hair can leave kinks and uneven texture.
If there is a product you use every day, mention it at your trial. Your stylist will tell you whether to keep it in your routine for the day.
How Should You Dry Your Hair at Home?
- Dry it all the way to the roots. Damp roots are where a style loses its shape first.
- Use a light hand, and skip heavy styling unless your stylist asks for it.
- Brush out tangles gently, so your stylist starts with smooth hair.
- Leave your hair loose, with no tight elastics that leave dents.
- Wear a button-front or zip-front shirt, so nothing gets pulled over your hair later.
What Happens If You Arrive With Wet Hair?
Your stylist can dry it. For updos and special occasion styling, drying wet hair at the salon is an add-on with an extra charge, and it adds time to your appointment.
On a morning with a full bridal party, those minutes push every later start time back. If your timeline is tight, arriving dry is the safer plan.
Does Fine, Thick or Curly Hair Need Different Prep?
Fine Hair
Fine hair may need a little grip to hold pins and curls. Your stylist may suggest washing the night before rather than the morning of.
Thick Hair
Thick hair takes longer to dry and hides damp spots underneath. Make sure it is fully dry through the inside layers, not just on the surface.
Curly Hair
Curly hair may be best left in its natural pattern or smoothed first, depending on the style you chose. Ask at your trial and practice the prep at home before the day.
How Should the Bridal Party Prepare?
The same rule applies to everyone in the chair. Bridesmaids, junior bridesmaids, flower girls and the mothers of the bride and groom should arrive with hair washed and dried and no heavy product.
Send a short message the week before so nobody is caught off guard. Wet hair adds time, and on a wedding morning time is the one thing nobody has extra of.
How Does the Trial Help You Practice the Prep?
Prep for your trial the way you will for the real day. Arrive with your hair prepped the way you plan to on the wedding morning, so your stylist sees how it behaves and how the style holds.
If you come in a different way, the trial tells you less. Our article on whether you need a bridal hair trial covers what to bring.
All bridal hair services include a formal style with veil pinning or hair jewelry application, so bring your veil or comb to the trial too. You can see the full list of bridal services on our bridal hair and makeup page.
Where Does Color or a Cut Fit Before the Updo?
If you want color or a haircut before the wedding, do it before your trial, so your hair settles and the trial shows the hair you will actually have. For the full order of steps, see our bridal hair and makeup page, and pick a stylist from our team who will carry your plan from trial to wedding morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dry Shampoo Okay Before a Wedding Updo?
Ask at your trial. Some hair holds better with a little for texture, and some does not need it. Your stylist will tell you what suits yours.
Should Hair Be Blown Out Smooth or Left With Some Texture?
It depends on the style. Some updos grip better with a little natural texture, and some need a smooth start. Your stylist will tell you at the trial.
Do the Bridesmaids Need to Wash Their Hair Too?
Yes. Ask everyone in your party to arrive with hair washed and dried and no heavy product, so the morning stays on schedule.
What If There Is No Time to Wash on the Wedding Morning?
That is often fine. Many people wash the night before. Ask at your trial which timing works for your hair, and plan for that.
Can a Hat or Scarf Go Over the Hair on the Drive In?
Choose something light that will not flatten or crease clean hair, or carry it in a bag instead.
Book Your Bridal Trial
Have questions about your prep? Email saltsalonspa1@gmail.com, call (224) 788-8028, or book your bridal trial online. Every bridal style is listed in the Bridal section of our Service Menu.
