A bridal trial is a rehearsal, not a consultation. It works best when you arrive with everything the morning will involve, so the stylist is solving the real problem rather than an approximation of it. Marco runs every trial at Mane Studio and asks for the same five things.
1. The veil, the comb, the clips
Whatever is going in your hair on the day, bring it. Where a veil sits changes the whole shape of an updo, and a comb that is heavier than it looks needs anchoring differently. If the veil has not arrived yet, book the trial for after it has.
2. Photographs of what you like, and one of what you do not
Three or four references are plenty. The one you dislike is often more useful than the ones you like, because it tells us which direction to avoid when we are improvising on the day.
3. Your hair as it will be
Same length, same colour. If you are planning a colour change before the wedding, do the colour first and the trial second. A balayage booked for the week before is a gamble on both.
4. The dress neckline, at least as a picture
A high neck and a strapless dress want different amounts of hair on the shoulders. A photo on your phone is enough.
5. Whoever is doing your make-up, if you can
Not essential, but a trial where hair and make-up happen together tells you far more about the finished look than two separate appointments a month apart.
Timings on the day
We allow ninety minutes for the bride and fifty-five for each guest, and we start at the far end of the party so the bride is finished last. For a party of six that means a 7am start. Book the trial at least eight weeks ahead so there is time to change your mind once.
