Hello everyone! It’s been awhile since we’ve dished out a little advice for our brides. This week we’re featuring our dear friend and amazing hairstylist, Ana Anderson. Ana is so sweet and has done some incredible work. Keep reading for some more information and amazing tips for any bride when it comes to hairstyles for the big day!

Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how/why you became a hairstylist.

A: I was always that girl that did everyone’s hair for dances and what not growing up; now, it’s a creative outlet that I feel confident in and am able to have fun with and make extra money on the side. At first I had absolutely no idea what I was doing when my friends began trusting me with their hair for their weddings or big events, but I quickly gained confidence by having my work featured in magazines such a Mpls St. Paul Magazine and Minnesota Bride. Outside of hair, I am a Project Manager at SPS Commerce, a technology company based in Minneapolis. My hobbies include home renovation, cooking, and entertaining for sporting events.

Q: What does a wedding look like from your perspective?

A: Weddings for me is a whole mix of last minute chaos, excitement, and pure joy all within a morning. I love coming in in the morning because there’s typically not much stress of family, timeline, and it’s people getting up with such a joy for the day while drinking coffee or a mimosa and just loving on one another. I’m not a morning person during the work week, but come wedding mornings, it’s the easiest to get out of bed!

Q: What are your more frequently asked questions and how do you address them?

A:

1. “What’s your favorite type of hair style to do” – This is a tricky question because it truly depends on the hair type. Ultimately, I love low updos – they stay all day, you don’t have to worry about humidity, curls falling, messing with how it looks it photos, etc. Other perks- blondes! Let’s face it, as a blonde myself, our hair is just more damaged. Though this isn’t an awesome perk day-to-day, it helps hold curls better and usually always does what you want!
2. “Do you want my hair dirty?” – No. And honestly, YOU probably don’t want it dirty either 🙂 My recommendation is to wash your hair the night before. This ensures it’s clean, dry, and ready for the action of the day! I  can always add product to make it “dirty” and this will ensure it’s the right product to help you look fresh and fierce all day!
3. “How should I schedule out my morning?” – This ultimately depends when your first look is or when you’re beginning photos. My recommendation is to never schedule out by the minute (ex: Samantha 10:00, Ashley 10:30, etc) but to rather know the approximate start time and end time, then just have an order for the ladies to always ensure we’ve got someone in the chair. Everyone’s hair takes a different amount of time – though I typically average about 30 minutes per bridesmaid, one may take 20, the next may take 40 – you just never know!

Q: What’s your advice to brides who are still searching for their hairstyle?

A:

• Pinterest & Instagram. If you’re constantly saving photos of wedding photos you like that all have similar styles of hair, chances are is that what you’re most drawn to!
• Know your hair. Being realistic about your hair is okay! If you know that your hair doesn’t hold a curl, I wouldn’t recommend doing it down. If you have short hair, a large updo probably isn’t the right fit for you. Setting realistic expectations with yourself beforehand will help you not be disappointed with it later on.
• Do a trial! A trial is not designed to be a time to see exactly how your hair is going to look on the big day. It is a time to talk things over with your stylist, try out different styles, and give the stylist a better idea of your sense of style.

Q: How should brides prepare for a trial?

A: Bring photos of styles that you like! Certainly not opposed to multiple photos if you like things about each, want to combine, or even things to avoid. Bring any accessories- veil, headpiece, clips, etc.

Q: How far in advance should brides schedule their hair stylist?

A: This is a tricky question. My answer is always this – book your venue, date, photographer.. then your hair and makeup people. If you do this right away, you have a better chance of reserving the stylist you want. With weddings, some people book years in advance. It’s not about booking within a certain amount of time, it’s truly about the stylist’s availability. My whole year could be “booked” or busy, but if you were to ask if  can do your wedding next Friday, I still might be able to if I don’t have a wedding that day!

We are so grateful for Ana’s input and hope you have a little more piece of mind as you plan for your big day. Ana will be moving to Arizona this fall, but has always loved the idea of destination weddings and travel. So feel free to reach out to her for your big day!

Thank you to our wonderful intern, Olivia, for preparing this amazing blog post about Ana. Check out Olivia, how freakin’ cool she is, and all her adventures HERE.