7 Wedding Hair Color Tips for Timing Your Perfect Shade (2024)

Choose a Colorist

Before the wedding, take your colorist selection seriously —and don't be afraid to meet with a few. According to AbbyHaliti, balayage expert andfounder ofAbbyHaliti Color Studio, there are some surefire ways to know when a colorist is the one.

"Pay attention to their body language and if they take the time to truly listen to your needs," says Haliti, whose clients include Olivia Palermo. "A skilled colorist will go above and beyond to achieve the desired color, as they understand the importance of catering to your individual preferences."

It may be tempting to ask your stylist to help you out with color, too, but Haliti recommends taking a different approach. "It's advisable to seek out a colorist who specializes solely in coloring, as they will have the expertise and experience to deliver the best results," she says.

Have a Thorough Consultation

Michelle Hong, Founder and Creative Director of NYC The Team, suggests booking a "lengthy consultation" with the person you're trusting your wedding care color to. The sit-down should take place about six months before the wedding, so that you'll have ample time to plan.

Use your consultation to map out a timeline and a clear plan for getting the bridal hair color that's best for you. Hong suggests asking exactly how how many times you'll need to color your hair before the wedding, and what you'll need to do to maintain the hue between salon sessions.

"The most important thing" to ask about, she adds, is the timeline. You should leave the consultation with a clear picture of all the pre-wedding appointments you'll need to book, and when they should take place,

Make sure that you provide a good amount of information, too. Hong recommends telling your colorist which hairstyles you plan to wear at events leading up to the wedding, and at the wedding itself. If you're going to wear extensions, be sure to note that as well. Your colorist can dye them so they're a perfect match for the color you have as you say I do.

Book Your Final Appointment

You may start planning your wedding hair color six months in advance, but you should schedule your final appointment much closer to the big day.

In most cases, two weeks is the sweet spot for bridal hair color. You’ll have had a few shampoos since you left the salon, but not so many that your new hair color is starting to fade. Plus, you'll have had some time to get used to any changes.

If you're planning to get highlights, this timeline holds strong. After two to three weeks, the color will still be fresh — but it won't appear too bright at the roots or around the face.

The caveat is if you're going for an all-over color that's on the darker side, or adding lowlights. In that case, you can get your color done one to two weeks before from the big day, as opposed to two to three weeks out.

The reason? Darker colors tend to fade faster than lighter hues. Therefore, when you're darkening your hair, you'll want to have fewer shampoos between the salon visit and your wedding day.

Avoid Anything New Right Before the Wedding

"Don't try a deep conditioning treatment that you’re unfamiliar with a week before the wedding," says New York hairstylist Tiffany Fodor, "I once had a client try this on her own before her wedding day and her hair was beyond oily because the product wouldn’t come out after shampooing multiple times."

Speaking of ill-advised risks, "Don’t try a new person or new look weeks before your wedding day," says Fodor. "Every hair colorist has their own techniques and you won’t know if they’re talented with your hair until it’s too late."

Hong warns against trying a color that strays too far from your typical style. "Classic and natural looks best as it looks timeless and sophisticated," she asserts. "You never want to look back at the photos years from now and wonder why your hair color was what it was!"

That said, if your go-to hair color is mermaid blue, then that's classic and natural to you. (And it will look pretty fly with a jewel-flecked veil.) As a rule of thumb, go with a hue that you can see yourself loving now, and years from now.

Cut Before Coloring

If you're getting a haircut before your wedding, do it before you color your hair. Fresh haircuts are a foundational component of your wedding look. They'll help you reach your desired length; they'll give you wisps in all the right places; and they'll actually help your colorist. After all, a good haircut provides a fresh canvas for a dreamy new color.

But imagine this: You just dropped some serious cash at the salon on balayage that drips into perfectly brightened ends. Then you get a haircut, and all those perfectly placed streaks are left staring up at you from the floor. Lesson learned: Get your hair cut before you get your color, not after.

Oh, and one more thing: Before your book your pre-wedding haircut, make sure that you've narrowed down your wedding hairstyle. Will it be up or down? Will you part to the side or in the center? This info is invaluable to both your colorist and your stylist, who can work together to create the wedding hair you have in mind.

Give Your Wedding Hair the Proper At-Home Care

Choosing the right salon is key, but what you use in the shower also matters. Caring for your hair color means stocking up on the right at-home products, so shop accordingly.

Your hair color trousseau should include the following: color-preserving shampoos, color-safe conditioners, and cool or tepid water These ingredients create the perfect co*cktail for preserving wedding hair color.

Color-safe shampoos are created without sulfates, which can open up your hair cuticles and cause color to fade. Instead of these chemicals, most color-preserving shampoos contain conditioning agents. This will help your cuticles stay sealed, and give your hair some added smoothness and shine.

Leading up the wedding, keep your hair hydrated with a color-safe conditioner. Remember, hydrated hair means sealed cuticles, which helps color stay intact.

Lastly, try your best to steer clear of hot water. We know a hot shower can be relaxing —especially when you're trying to steam seating plans out of our pores. But too much heat can alter the porosity of your hair, leaving it dry and brittle. At least for now, try to keep it cool (or at least tepid.)

Loop In Your Makeup Artist

Be sure to inform your makeup artist of a color change, and schedule a trial for when you have your new hue.

Hair color has the power to shift your overall coloring and this can affect the route you go for your wedding day makeup choices. If your makeup artist has been notified —and has seen you with your new wedding hair color — they'll be equipped to show up with all the right shades and tools on the big day.

Also, make sure to keep your colorist informed of any big style changes. If you decide to use hair extensions, for example, you'll want to take your hair wefts into your colorist so they can match them specifically to your wedding hair color.