Hair Wedding Kit

My kit for hair styling at weddings is very large like our makeup kits. I have to ensure that I pack everything I may need in the kit for the day. I hold myself to a higher standard than any client could ever hold me to. Perfection is key! When you work weddings as long as I have, you realize on every wedding day, something will go wrong. I make it my goal, to assure that if something goes wrong it never involves my tools or myself, where it is in my control.

Before every wedding I organize and clean every brush comb and clip. I have to organize, buy and refill all my bobby pins and hairpins in every color, which include blonde, a few shades of brown, red, black and silver. Not only do I carry all these colors, but I also have small, medium and large in each color for the bobby pins. I make sure my curling irons, flat irons and blow dryers and different size attachments are all at optimum working order.

When we arrive on location for a wedding we are meticulous in regard to our set-up. We look over our area, get our black towels down and get irons plugged in and heating up. I have every size curling iron I can find, which includes three sizes of flat irons and a curling wand. In my favorite size curling irons I carry two, so if my assistant and I need the same size at the same time we are covered and also in case one stops working I have a replacement. After the irons are heating up I like to get everything out, so I’m ready to grab and go, while keeping things as neat as possible. Trust me, you wouldn't even believe some of the locations I have been for hair and makeup. The key is to be organized and keep things together as best as possible.

My next priority is the product. I am a product junkie to say the least and Oribe is my favorite. I have every Oribe product I can get my hands on, and I bring it all with me. You never know what is going to come your way, and I feel confident that I can attack anything with all my products. The products also help me achieve the styles people would like me to create and the finished look is polished and complete. It helps transform an every day look into a special event look.

Once the product is organized I like to make sure all my combs and clips are out and ready. One thing people notice about my kit is that everything is black. I purposely chose this because it makes everything look uniform and it fades into the back of pictures, so that it is not distracting in your photos. I might also be a touch OCD!

Once the irons are hot, everything is organized and our area looks like a personal salon… We are ready to go!

Once we start, we are off, we go for hours upon hours without stopping, sitting, eating drinking or even going to the bathroom. The first priority and step of a wedding hair is to set the bride’s hair. I like to set the bride first because I want her hair to sit in the curl position for the longest. This ensures that the desired hairstyle will last the bride all night. I curl the whole head, roll each curl up and pin the hair. Once the desired look is determined I can choose the appropriate tool for those curls whether it is a flat iron or curling iron and which size to use. When everyone is set, they all look the same, but once the hair comes down, it all looks different. When I am setting the hair, I’m thinking the whole time about the end look. Not only do I determine the type of tool, but I’m also thinking about the direction I will need each piece of hair to lay. Every hairstylist is different, the finished look may be a similar result, but how we created it may be completely different. This is what makes us artists! I find beauty in the endless options and I love to have fun and be creative.  This is definitely where I am most conformable!

One thing that is very important to remember when giving your stylist a photo of your desired look is to stay realistic.  Ask yourself some questions: Does that picture have the same type of hair as me? Look at the thickness, texture, color and length of the hair to determine if it would be a good match for you.  Are the models wearing hairpieces, wigs or extensions? Is that style something that will look good on me? How do you normally wear your hair? We are usually the most comfortable in the way we normally wear our hair, so take that into consideration when picking a style. I love when clients bring me pictures, it helps us get on the same page and start a conversation on their desired outcome. But, I like to use those pictures as inspiration to create a customized style for my clients that will look best on them. When I am given this freedom some of my best work is created allowing me to truly feel like my puzzle is complete.
 
Once I have everyone set I will either do any makeup that has been agreed upon or I begin finishing my art. I take the hair down, add more product, a little back combing and the magic begins. This is the part that amazes people because the hair comes together and sometimes it only takes minutes. The biggest secret… while everyone thought I was simply curling hair I was setting the groundwork for my creation. Once I reach this point the hair goes where it’s needed, I pin and the hair is complete. I truly love what I do and I love creating.

Once everyone’s hair is done, I will finish everyone off with hairspray and place the veil on the bride. We then give our hugs and wish them the most amazing day. I always tell my brides to truly try and enjoy each special moment in the day. To be really present in the moment because it goes by so quick, and in a blink of an eye, one of your best days in your life is a memory. Watching the bride walk out the door toward her future is always beautiful.

Then we return to our work and clean up our kits.  At this point the exhaustion finally hits us. It is the first moment we realized how many hours we just worked without breaks, the bathroom, water or food. We are in survival mode and our organization goes right out the window and we start throwing everything in our bags. We quickly load the car and get moving to the closest restaurant for food and a nice glass of wine. We reflect on the day, consider things we can improve and simply breathe. Then we go home and start planning for the next weekend when we get up to do it all again. After all these years of working weddings we realize that it takes more than being good at your art to survive wedding season. You truly have to have a love and passion for this type of work and our team at EB Elite Artistry truly possesses the passion for this industry.