Your 6-Week Countdown Checklist to Scoring Perfect Wedding Hair

First of all, make sure your hairstylist is available on your wedding day, advises John Barrett stylist Dhiran Mistry. And once you've secured that, the pros agree it's time to come up with your overall concept and theme in terms of style and color. Time to revisit that Pinterest board.

"Certain styles need different attention regarding the color," Mistry notes. "If the look is an updo, then highlights will pop on the hairline. And to keep your hair in good condition, bimonthly treatments or hair masks are a must."

Put together a schedule for color appointments over the following months, advises Glamsquad creative director Giovanni Vaccaro. "If you are happy with your current length, the six-month mark is generally a good time for a cleanup, and then you can maintain the style and length by getting trims every two to three months following before the wedding day," he notes.

Also, it may seem early but this is the time to secure extensions. "If you plan to wear clip-in hair extensions, now is the time or get color matched, and ordered," explains Matrix SoColor celebrity stylist George Papanikolas. "It also gives you time to play with them so you know how much hair feels right for your head."

"Two weeks before the big day is the ideal time to have your last color appointment and trim," Vaccaro notes. "This gives you just enough time to make any last-minute tweaks or adjustments in case your color doesn't come out exactly how you want it."

Mistry adds on: "Sometime hair goes into shock after being cut and colored. Most people like their cut and color after a few washes anyways."

According to Papanikolas, "You want to have time for the color to settle in, especially if you get highlights. You also want to have time in case something needs to be adjusted." The one exception: grays. But we will get to that soon!

"No need for a cut at this time as your freshly trimmed hair will start looking better and better," Vaccaro reminds. "As far as color, take photos of yourself in different lighting to get a good sense of how your overall tone appears in photos. You'll be surprised to find that what you see in the mirror actually appears differently in photos. If anything needs to be adjusted, do it now! You could potentially benefit from a toner and moisturizing mask."

Everyone agrees that maintaining hair health is key. "A gloss can be done for color to add some shine, and hair masks at this point will still help condition," Mistry advises. He suggests leaving it in overnight to soak your strands in nourishing vitamins.

As we mentioned, there is some debate about when to dye those pesky silver strands. "If you have gray, you want to push the color out as soon as the wedding as possible," explains Papanikolas, who suggests covering them a week out. "You get a half inch regrowth per month."

But Hazan advises to do it closer to the event. "I highly recommend coloring them one to two days before your wedding to ensure there is no fading and color is as fresh as possible." The takeaway: chat with your colorist to make that call based on how quickly your mane grows!

Rule number one: leave your mane alone. "You definitely shouldn't be playing with your hair at this stage," Mistry warns. "The only thing left to do is hair masks and leave-in conditioners. And no products should be left on the roots as this will cause irritation and buildup."

Papanikolas wants you to embrace air-drying. "As tempting as it may be, no washing, blow-drying, or heat styling," he says. "You want hair to be as healthy as possible for the big day, so that means staying away from any unnecessary heat!"

It's time to answer the big question: when should you wash your hair?

"Depending on how you are styling your bridal hair, this is a precious time, and your stylist should have given you guidance and instructions on exactly how to prepare for the big day," Vaccaro notes. "In general, for updos, hair that isn't freshly washed works best." Papanikolas agrees: "If you are wearing an updo, wash your hair the night before so that the hair has more grip and texture."

But if showing up to your wedding day with anything but pristine strands is terrifying, don't worry. Mistry is on your same page. "Personally, I love to work with clean hair, and I haven't yet met a bride who chooses to go to her wedding with dirty hair. Who wants her future husband to feel that on their first night together?"

If you're wearing your locks loose, Vaccaro recommends washing hair in the morning using a lightweight conditioner.

This is also your last chance to make your color look amazing. "Brides should apply an at-home color gloss when they wash their hair before the wedding," Hazan says. "This adds lustrous shine to help color-treated hair maintain its vibrancy."

Time to chill out and smile for that camera! "Now you are completely in the hands of your stylists, so let them do their thing and you enjoy your big day," Mistry says.

Papanikolas echoes that sentiment: "Sit back, relax, and let your stylist work his or her magic! Remember, the most important part of your wedding day is enjoying it."

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