When it comes to weddings, timing is everything—and that’s particularly true for beauty treatments. That goes for wedding injectables, spray tans and, of course, hair colour. As a bride and a beauty editor, working out the ideal timelines for my beauty treatments has been high on my to-do list, and the first thing that went on that list was sorting out my hair colour. I've had every colour under the sun, so I understand just how long it can take to get from one colour to the next—you have to factor in growth, condition and the hue you want to achieve.
To help you on your bridal hair colour journey, I spoke to top colourists to understand everything you need to know about dyeing your hair for the big day.
Bridal hair colouring timeline
When to start wedding hair colouring?
Once you’re engaged or know you’re getting married in the near future, book a consultation appointment with your colourist. It might seem overzealous at first, particularly if your wedding is two years away, but this allows plenty of time to try new techniques, treatments and allow your hair to be exactly how you want it for the big day. As Luke Tyrrell, hairstylist and colourist, sums up brilliantly: “Bridal colour is a curated journey, not a one-off appointment.”
Your colourist can help you decide what colour is best for your wedding and what prep is involved, including when to book your appointments. “I recommend starting the process three–six months in advance. This allows time to refine tone, condition the hair properly and ensure the result is photo-perfect from every angle,” explains Luke.
“For blondes, I work over a series of sessions to ensure the perfect balance of depth and tone. For darker bases, I typically schedule two pre-wedding glossing services to assess fade and durability, especially for brides opting for warmer climates on their big day.”
During your initial consultation, they should discuss what you’re hoping to achieve, any limitations and how many appointments you need to prepare for the final hair colour. This is also where you should give your colourist any information about your hair, including whether you’re going to wear hair extensions for the day, so those can be dyed ahead of time.
If you’re not much of a planner then you need at least six months out from your big day to get your wedding hair colour planned. This gives enough time to prep and plan before that final colour appointment.
When should you have your last colour appointment before the wedding?
Most colourists recommend two weeks before the big day to have that final colour done. “I typically recommend the final colour appointment take place one to two weeks before the wedding. This allows time for the colour to settle, and for any tonal refinements to be made,” says Luke.
For a root tint, Yissel Tucent Herrera, colourist and stylist at HARI’s, suggests one week before to make it as fresh as possible, and to ensure it conceals any grey hairs, if that's an aim. Luke echoes this: “For high-impact blondes, or anyone requiring grey coverage, timing is key. I’d suggest scheduling closer to the day, around 5–7 days before, to ensure root coverage is immaculate and toners are at peak vibrancy.”
If you’re getting a gloss, Yissel also recommends you get it a week before as it “gives an amazing shine” before the big day.
Bridal hair colouring tips
Consider this for destination weddings
Hairstylist Chlöe Swift makes an excellent point that where you're getting married needs to be taken into consideration. “If you have a destination wedding in a warm climate, take a neutralising conditioning mask, or something with violet tones to help neutralise yellow out of the hair."
Placement matters
Going to a stylist who understands colour placement is super important. “Strategic colour placement can elevate a bridal style dramatically,” explains Luke. For updos, he likes to focus on the hairline placement with diffusion and depth underneath to avoid flatness in photos.” Chlöe echoes this: “Adding extra highlights around the face or top layers can show up nicely in updos, otherwise, the hair can look quite flat, especially in photographs.”
“Balayage is brilliant here as it creates soft contouring and movement throughout the lengths, while toners or glossing adds luminosity for a high-shine, editorial finish,” Luke adds. “Your wedding colour should look just as beautiful in person as it does under a camera’s flash.”
Virgin hair needs TLC, too
Repeat after Luke: “Healthy hair has its own glow.” And I couldn’t agree more. Prioritising the health of your hair will always yield amazing results.
He recommends Kérastase’s Fusio-Dose treatments. “These can be personalised in-salon based on the bride’s hair needs (be it smoothing, shine or strength). For brides who want a ‘lit-from-within’ finish without colour, steam treatments are a great addition to the wedding hair journey as they aid deep penetration of reconstructive or moisture treatments,” he continues.
Ace at-home colour care
Hair colour doesn’t just happen in the salon; it needs great after-care, too. ”Healthy hair holds colour better and photographs flawlessly,” says Luke, so it’s always a good idea to prioritise at-home care.
“In the lead-up to the wedding, I treat homecare like skincare prep for your colour,” the stylist tells me. Yissel recommends masking up to twice a week with a moisture mask if you have the time. As someone who works from home and has pretty dry hair, I’ve been letting masks marinate during the day while working, and it’s made a massive difference to the condition of my hair.
Luke also suggests using L’Oréal Professionnel’s Metal Detox products to “remove copper particles that oxidise in the hair fibre and destabilise toners.” I personally love this range, too, so I have incorporated it into my routine.
Best bridal hair colouring products
