Choosing your wedding hairstyle is just as important as finding your wedding dress. With so many choices out there, simple things like hair health and color can fall by the way side. The last thing a bride needs is a bad beauty decision that can sabotage her big day — one that will be documented for eternity.

Expert colorist, Mia, from the award-winning Color by Mia, provides expert tips for coloring and styling hair so that every bride can look picture perfect on her special day.

Wedding Day Color Prep

Patience is a Virtue: The longer you can wait between salon visits, the better your hair will look on your wedding day. The longer the root length, the easier it is for your colorist to conceal. Visiting the salon more often than 5-6 weeks can result in the color overlapping, which will result in a more obvious grow-out and possible damage.

*Coloring Tip: Never schedule a salon visit the day before the wedding. The bride should schedule an appointment at least 2 weeks prior from the wedding date. This will give time for any last minute adjustments to color after the bridal hairstyle run-through.

Gray Strays: Instead of tinting hair with your usual permanent color, consider using a semi-permanent color to disguise any gray. Rather than sporting an evident straight line of color, using a semi-permanent color will blur out the grow- out line.

Brighten Up: No matter what a bride’s current color is, I recommend she always go a shade or two lighter. This will instantly make a bride appear younger and give a fresh, brightened look.

Stay Pure: If you live in an older building and have a lighter hair color, you may want to invest in a Brita- style shower head to remove any impurities in the water. This will prevent dulling from build-ups.

Color Saver: Always wash and rinse hair with cool water to keep color fresher, longer.

Wedding Day Style:

50/50: Donned by the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, try a gorgeous half up and half down hairstyle. With this look, brides can show off a sexy, long do’, while eliminating distracting hair away from the face.

Soft & Messy: Try a sexy up do’, with a side of soft and messy. This look will expose a bride’s natural beauty, while allowing her to look effortlessly put together.

Bun Be Gone: This wedding season, say goodbye to the classic low bun! Trending brides are growing long locks and wearing their hair long for their big day. Add some shine to your locks and wear a dainty bejeweled headband. This will draw eyes to your face, without being overly distracting.

Wave Hello: This wedding season, brides are saying goodbye to straight hairstyles and adding some bounce to their hair. Whether you do large, bouncy waves, or smaller, loose waves– stray away from straight. Adding some curls will give hair more body and will look much more natural from any angle in wedding photos.

Follow these bridal hair tips and look flawless as you walk down the aisle!