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 fianc? 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.

---

Wedding Reception Entertainment - Choose Wisely

When planning your wedding, what type of entertainment are you looking for? A comedian? A clown? A 3-ring circus? Of course not ? you are looking for high quality entertainment that is tailored... Read More

Tahiti Honeymoon Resorts: Fun-tastic Experience

Tahiti honeymoon resorts are the best places you could think of when you think of a romantic and passion filled honeymoon. Tahiti is the picture perfect place for your honeymoon. If you cherish... Read More

Choosing your Wedding Favors

How do you give thanks and make a lasting impression on your guest? The answer is simple, with a wedding favor. A wedding favor is a small token of appreciation for your guest... Read More

3 Easy Steps to Buying the Right Engagement Ring

You've made the plunge, you've decided to get married. Congratulations!Don't think about it now, but there are many things you need to think about before the big wedding day comes, and one of... Read More

The Wedding Aisle - Who is Walking You Down it?

Choosing who should walk down the aisle with you is not as easy at it has been in the past. In the past, it has always been assumed that the father of the... Read More

Ten Beliefs That Can Contribute to an Unhappy Marriage

Have you ever wondered why your marriage isn't happier? If so, you're not alone. Numerous spouses are struggling with the same question.At least part of the answer may lie in the words you... Read More

Wedding Gown Styles

The wedding gown is most important choice for a bride during her wedding. Every bride dreams of an enchanted wedding and a beautiful gown is what can make the bride look like a... Read More

Relationship Advice: A Map for Your Marriage

Have you ever been lost?My favorite line about being lost comes from an old "M*A*S*H" episode where Hawkeye says, "We're not lost. I've been lost before, and this is not what it looks... Read More

Selecting Mens Formalwear For The Wedding

Have you ever noticed that weddings seem to be all about the bride? There's information available for the wedding dress, shoes, makeup and accessories. But...what about the groom and his ushers? After all,... Read More

Infidelity: How ?My Marriage Made Me Do It? is a Cop-out

Ask someone why they had, or are having an affair and you may hear something like this: "I have a lousy marriage. My marriage is dead. There is no intimacy, no sex, and... Read More

Legislating Morality: The Sanction of Marriage

Biologically, a coupling between male and female (with some very rare exceptions like aphids, mites, and some lizards) is required for procreation, critical for survival of the species. On the other hand, marriage... Read More

The Reality of Arranged Marriages

Arranged marriages have been a topic of interest for centuries. Authors across the ages have explored this theme at length, and it still surfaces in literary works today. What's the appeal? Is it... Read More

10 Ideas for Perfect Wedding Gifts

Wedding ceremonies are the stuff fairy tales are made of. Marriages are made in heaven, it is said. Keeping this age-old adage in mind, a heavenly atmosphere is created at the wedding venue.... Read More

Net Savvy Indian Brides and Grooms

India is a diverse, multi-cultural country with people of various religions, communities and sects living together in harmony and peace. Each community has its own set of religious rituals, traditions and multitudes of... Read More

Wedding Shower Invitations: An Overview

The purpose of a wedding shower is to celebrate the bride and provide her a moment to share with family and friends before the big day. Traditionally, the bridal shower is hosted by... Read More

Organizing The Wedding Menu

Deciding the menu is a pretty simple affair. Once you've chosen your menu items, you can move on to organizing the wedding menu. By organizing I mean planning how people will sit, what... Read More

Write An Apology To Your Spouse: How to Apologize In a Way That Really Works For You

Being apologetic doesn't come easily for me. Unfortunately, being inconsiderate and self-centered does. So I realized long ago that my marital survival would depend on two things: 1) learning to apologize and 2)... Read More

Your Wedding Countdown

This is intended as a guide to help you plan the essential elements in the count down to the wedding day. Organise everything in advance and everything should go smoothly and seek help... Read More

Nevada Wedding Laws

While you may be headed to Las Vegas for a quickie wedding or a prolonged celebration, take time to find out what the law requires before you buy that plane ticket. Each state's... Read More

Classic White Color for Bridal Gown

Ever since Queen Victoria wed in 1840, however, white has remained the traditional color for wedding gowns and bouquets. A woman then used her dress for Court Presentation after marriage, usually with a... Read More

Choosing a Maui Wedding Photographer

You can rest assured that the charm of your Maui wedding will be captured in photos. This is because it is nearly impossible to photograph the island poorly.Any photographer who lives and works... Read More

Cookie Wedding Favors

Cookies as wedding favors, create an unique twist on the time honored tradition of providing small gifts to guests, as a token of appreciation from the bride and groom. Initially wedding favors were... Read More

Twelve Ways to Make Your Spouse Dislike Sex

It's really not difficult to ruin what could have been great sex. If that's your goal, following these twelve suggestions will ensure that, over time, your spouse will become very creative in finding... Read More

?ello? ?ello? ?ello? Is that the Wedding, then?

You hear them at champagne-flowing parties. You hear them in crowded trains. You hear them in bumpy buses. And much, much too often you hear them at weddings.They're a curse and abomination to... Read More

Maui: A Prime Wedding Destination

Most visitors to Hawaii would agree that Maui is the most beautiful of all the settled islands there. For your wedding ceremony, for that special day you'll remember for the rest of your... Read More

Expressions of Devotion: Buying Engagement Rings, Wedding Rings, and Wedding Bands Online

Ritual symbolism abounds in everything we do; this is particularly the case when an individual commits their love and devotion to another and offers a promise of marriage. The custom of offering and... Read More

Wedding Favors - How to Graciously Thank Your Wedding Guests

Thank You, Merci, Arigatou, Gracias, Xie-Xie?Gratitude is a universal emotion. People of different cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs can understand no matter what language it is expressed in. This sentiment is experienced at momentous... Read More

Beautiful Balloon Wedding Decorations

Need a quick idea to dress up a mediocre wedding? Balloon decorations are just what you need. These do-it-yourself ideas are not only low-cost but also lovely additions to a wedding ceremony or... Read More

Catering to Your Wedding

Wedding catering has always been one of the most crucial aspects of planning a wedding. Besides choosing the food menu items for the palette, you also need to think of other factors ?... Read More