Hi! I’m Gina

Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of photographing hundreds of weddings, couples and families – so many that, frankly, it was hard to choose my favorites. When I look at these photos, I’m not just seeing the lighting or the composition, I’m seeing the memory that was made in that split-second, the moment that I was able to preserve for these loved ones. Take a look through the galleries, and if something resonates with you, get in touch via the Contact page. I’d love to get to know you and help tell your unique story.

I love helping my couples as much as possible throughout the wedding planning process and am very excited about sharing a new series of posts from my favorite wedding vendors! These experienced and talented wedding professionals will share their advice on all aspects of the wedding process. Todays tips come from the amazing wedding hair stylist, Lena Hartford, of Hair That Moves.

Great wedding tips on choosing your perfect wedding hair stylist

“Choosing your Hair Stylist for your wedding is such an important part of your wedding day. Not only are they helping you create your dream wedding look, they also set the tone for the day. The getting ready portion of the wedding day should be fun, relaxing, exciting and in the company of a great support system.  An experienced wedding hair stylist will be well aware of the timeline for the day and ensure that you are picture perfect when you need to be. If your hair stylist is running behind schedule, this can effect your entire timeline. It is the hair stylist’s job to make sure that the bride is done on schedule, working with the bride, photographer and event coordinator to keep everyone on the same page.  When I am working with a bride I make sure to talk with her about the vision of her wedding day. If she is concerned about timing and not being rushed, I may add in some more time. If I know the photographer wants ample time for photos, I may schedule that in as well.

After having a trial with the bride, there is no question about the style she is looking for. It is so fun creating her vision and seeing her happy reaction. I also like to know what the rest of bridal party are looking for, some have their own visions and others follow direction from the bride. The bride may have requested that everyone have their hair up, or that everyone can do whatever makes them feel pretty. All things that should be talked about previous to the day so that the wedding day is stress-free.

When you are hiring a hairstylist for your wedding ask them about their experience with weddings, the details of the trial and the time they will need on the wedding day for you and your bridal party. I always recommend having a trial as early as possible. Make sure it is a complete hairstyle and not just an idea of what it may look like. See how long it lasts, are the curls right? Do they share your vision? To help convey your ideas, you can make a Pinterest board, include must-haves and god please no styles!!! I love these and find them really helpful when creating a brides vision!

All of these details are things that an experienced wedding hair stylist will know and take care of. Like all professionals, experience with weddings is vital. Your regular hairstylist may give you the best hair cut or color and has been your friend forever, but they may not have experience with weddings. In fact, only about 20% of hair stylist do formal styling so I strongly recommend you look elsewhere before committing to them.  An experienced wedding hair stylist will book about 12 months in advance, so if you want someone to come to you and meet your needs, book early! It is never too early! I continually get phone calls weeks before weddings after brides have had trials and they are not happy and unfortunately I can’t help them because I am already booked. It is better to be safe!

If you are unsure about where to start your search, you can always ask your photographer for recommendations. They have worked with many hair stylist and know who they can trust with great customer service and polished work!”

– Lena Hartford, Hair That Moves

Thanks so much for these helpful tips Lena!

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