There's a lot to hold in your head when you're planning a wedding, and hair can quietly slip down the list until suddenly it feels urgent. It doesn't need to. If you plan it out early, your bridal hair becomes one of the calmest, most enjoyable parts of the whole run-up — a bit of time in the chair that's just for you. Here's a simple timeline we use with brides here in Gortnahoe, so you know what to do and when.
9–12 months out: book your date
Saturdays in wedding season fill up fast, so the single most useful thing you can do early is get your name in the diary. You don't need every detail decided — you just need the date held. Once that's done, everything else can happen at a relaxed pace. If your day is a way off yet, that's grand; earlier is only ever better when it comes to Saturday mornings in summer.
The earlier your date is booked, the more relaxed every step after it becomes.
4–6 months out: gather your ideas
This is the fun part. Start a folder on your phone and save any look that catches your eye — updos, soft waves, half-up styles, veils, hairpieces. Don't worry about being consistent; the mix tells us a lot. It's also worth thinking about the shape of your dress, where your veil will sit, and whether you want your hair up, down, or something in between. If you're planning any colour changes, this is the window to start, so your tone is settled and grown in nicely by the day itself.
6–8 weeks out: the trial
A bridal trial is where the picture in your head becomes a real, wearable style. We'll try your chosen look — and often a second option — so you can see how it sits, how it photographs, and how it holds through a few hours. Come with your hair freshly washed the day before rather than the same morning, bring any hairpiece, comb or veil you'll be wearing, and wear a top with a neckline close to your dress so you get the full effect. It helps to book the trial for a day you can live with the style for a while afterwards, so you know how it wears.
Not sure what suits you? That's exactly what the trial is for. You can read more about what we offer on our bridal hair page, and we're always happy to talk options through before you decide.
The final weeks: keep it simple
- Trim and tone. A light trim about two weeks before keeps ends looking fresh, and a gloss or toner can top up your colour without a big change so close to the day.
- Don't experiment. The week of the wedding is not the time to try a new product, a drastic cut or a home colour. Stick with what you know your hair likes.
- Mind the basics. Good sleep, plenty of water and your usual routine do more for how your hair behaves than any last-minute treatment.
The morning of: let us take it from here
On the day, arrive with clean, dry, product-free hair unless we've told you otherwise, and give yourself more time than you think you need — a calm start makes everything smoother. Bring your veil and any pins or pieces, a mirror if you like to see the back, and let someone else carry the timings. Your only job that morning is to sit back and enjoy it.
Wedding hair is one of those things that's genuinely lovely when it's planned ahead and genuinely stressful when it's left late — so the kindest thing you can do for future-you is start early. Whether you're getting married up the road or travelling home to Tipperary for the day, we'd love to be part of it.
Thinking about your wedding hair? Have a look at our bridal service, then get in touch to hold your date and arrange a trial — call the salon on 056 88 34637 or book online below.