This Is When to Color Your Hair Before Your Wedding

Whether you have a fuss-free beauty routine or skew a little high maintenance (no shame!), having extraordinary hair color on your wedding day is a big deal for many brides. Whether you're a hair-coloring enthusiast or considering a dye job for the first time, you have a lot to figure out when it comes to dying your hair before a major event like your wedding.

Regardless of your hair type or color—long, short, thin, thick, dry, oily, red, brunette, blonde, you get it—it all depends on the type of service you want to have done before the big day, from highlights to a root touch up or possibly a dramatic change. All of these coloring services are totally doable before your "I do's," but giving yourself an appropriate amount of time is key to ensuring your locks look their best.

For a professional take on the right time to color your hair before your wedding, we tapped two industry experts: Adrian Wallace, a colorist at the Rita Hazan Salon in New York City, and Chase Kusero, co-founder of IGK Hair Care.

When Is It Safe to Color Hair Before a Wedding?

"Come in two weeks before your wedding for a routine color to give it time to settle, look more natural, and to make any adjustments if necessary," says Kusero. If you're trying something new—like going from brunette to blonde—Wallace recommends making the change about six months before the wedding.

“Start a few months out to give time for adjustments," says Kusero. Stay close to your natural color and make small adjustments until you’re comfortable with more change. “Be clear with your colorist on the end result you’re looking for and bring photos for inspiration. Figure out what he/she thinks about timing and set out a plan for how often you’ll come in. You want to start as soon as possible to give your hair time to adjust to the new look and to make any changes. Especially for big color changes, your hair needs time to go through all the processes.”

Most Popular Hair Requests

“Typically, women want to go lighter for their wedding. They want to look softer and brighter," says Wallace. While Kusero sees a lot of root maintenance in addition to "requests for highlights for a pop of light and color dimension.”

Color Corrections

“You can always say if a style isn’t exactly what you’re looking for or if you wanted something more subtle or with more impact for your wedding," says Kusero. "At the end of the day, colorists are professionals and in the customer service industry—they want you to be happy with your color and will understand if you want to make a change. A corrective color appointment could be okay—it will depend on your hair type and what needs to be done. Your colorist would be able to advise.”

New Colorists

“It’s not usually a good idea unless you’re able to go a few months before your wedding," says Kusero. "It’s best to stay with your current colorist who already knows how your hair responds to color and treatments. Everyone is different.”