Hairdos for Your ‘I Dos’

HAIRDOS

For Your ‘I Dos’

While planning for their

wedding day, brides spend countless hours preparing guest lists, seeking out and securing the perfect venue and may spend an entire day getting lost in the magic of finding their perfect dress in a store.

Just as important as the elegant frame-fitting fabric of their wedding dress is the way their hair will be presented to guests on their big day.

To help brides prepare for and achieve the hair of their dreams for their wedding day are salons of the High Country. Mark of Eden in Ashe County, Shear Shakti in Watauga County and Battle Born Beauty salon and boutique in Avery County all have unique and hands-on approaches to ensure that brides are radiant and confident as they say “I do.”

Mark of Eden, Jefferson, NC:

Mark of Eden is a full-service hair salon located in Ashe County that offers cuts, colors, perms and more. The salon was named a finalist at the North Carolina Wedding Awards 2020 for Hair and Makeup Salon of the Year in Northwest North Carolina.

Owner and stylist Tera Blevins shared that Mark of Eden has a wedding contract with Twickenham House and Hall, which is a popular wedding venue in Ashe County. This is an open contract, which means that both Twickenham House and Hall and Mark of Eden can make any changes when planning for an event.

Stylists will travel, depending on the size of the wedding. If it is a large wed-

Photo courtesy Mark of Eden

ding and will take several staff members to do hair and makeup, the staff will ask for them to come to the salon. Usually there is not much room at venues for multiple stylists and people to get ready at once, Tera says.

When they do host large bridal parties at the salon, she says they go the extra mile to ensure that those in attendance feel special. Typically they will serve a brunch, including strawberries and sparkling wine, along with printed signs placed around the salon to welcome and celebrate the wedding party.

Mark of Eden does complete a practice hair and makeup look for brides and their bridal parties. They can work with any hair type or cuts, including dreadlocks, Tera says.

Mark of Eden follows a schedule while doing hair and makeup, typically smaller children, in-laws who are helping to set up and the bride go as close to last as possible. Having an itinerary and the order in which people will be getting ready helps both the stylist and the wedding party stay on schedule for the big day, Tera adds.

In the past, Mark of Eden stylists have traveled to Myrtle Beach and Charleston, S.C. for destination weddings. Tera says they do charge a traveling fee since they will be out of the salon and are having to bring their equipment. If they travel to a venue that is located in Ashe County or its outskirts with a party of more than six getting their hair done, they will not charge a traveling fee. Staff are prepared to travel and have a complete traveling system that includes lights, mirrors, extension cords and power strips for hair appliances.

For more information about Mark of Eden and the services they offer, visit the Facebook page @MarkofEden or call the salon at (336) 246-8830. Mark of Eden is located at 203 Long St. in Jefferson.

Shear Shakti, Boone, NC:

Shear Shakti is a hair shop and massage studio that opened in December 2009 and is located in the heart of downtown Boone.

Owner/hairdresser Charlotte Baxter and Manager/Wedding Coordinator Jamie Church shared some information about the business’ role in producing spectacular looks for brides on their special day. At the salon, Jamie and Charlotte focus more on the task of wedding hair while another team of stylists specializes in makeup and the remaining stylists focus on a little bit of both.

Jamie serves as the main point of contact for weddings, which the shop discovered was the best way to tackle the large volume of weddings they service. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Shear Shakti was averaging about 50 weddings per year. The stark majority of the weddings they serviced were destination brides from other areas of the United States.

At Shear Shakti, stylists have found that the more rules that are set and followed, the easier the process is for their staff and brides. The brides appreciate the strong contract the salon has fully with them, which allows both parties to form a relationship. Shear Shakti staff require a practice of the hairstyle a bride chooses for their wedding day prior to the big day.

Shear Shakti stylists do travel to wedding venues and will charge a travel fee. While they do encourage people to come to the salon, they mainly travel to complete hair and makeup looks for weddings. If the wedding will be held in a location where stylists will need to stay overnight, Shear Shakti staff will ask that any hotel rooms or other fees be covered for them.

Hair extensions are also available at the shop, which provides three different types of extensions to choose from. If a bride or other member of the wedding party brings their own extensions, stylists will install them for a fee.

More information about Shear Shakti and its services can be found by visiting the website at www.shearshakti.com or Facebook and Instagram pages @Shear Shakti. To speak with a stylist or begin planning wedding hair and makeup, call (828) 865-7425 or email shearshakti@ gmail.com. Shear Shakti is located at 693 W. King St. in Boone. Photo courtesy Sheer Shakti

Battle Born Beauty salon and boutique, Banner Elk, NC:

Battle Born Beauty salon and boutique is located in Avery County and is ideal for those interested in hair extensions and bridal hair services.

Owner/hairstylist, Alexandria “Allie” Oliver shared some of her expertise and the services offered by Battle Born Beauty. She says she found her passion in bridal hairstyling long before she even started beauty school. Hairstyling has always been a creative outlet for her and she says she loves being able to share her love for hair on such a special day. For Battle Born Beauty, services are listed individually and package pricing is offered for larger parties. The salon offers on-site services with a small travel fee, in which all tools and products are transported that are necessary for the convenience of the bride and bridal party. The staff loves hosting smaller groups at the salon if that is more helpful for their

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timeline. Pricing and other terms as well as establishing a timeline are discussed during a consultation prior to any commitment or booking.

Allie says scheduling a hairstyling trial allows for an opportunity for stylists to connect with the bride and confirm details. A hairstyling trial opens lines of communication for inspiration including hair accessories, determining if the hair will complement the wedding dress, deciding whether to use or forgo hair extensions, and confirming the number of services and location. At Battle Born Beauty, Allie says she likes to utilize a trial session as a follow-up consultation while the stylist and bride “try on” different looks.

Battle Born Beauty salon and boutique is located at 2949 Tynecastle Highway in Banner Elk. For more information about their services and business hours or to contact a stylist, visit the website at battlebornbeautybbb.com, Facebook page @Battle Born Beauty or Instagram page @battlebornbeauty_bbb.

Trends and Tips From Our Experts

As far as current trends, Tera says Mark of Eden creates a lot of styles that incorporate braids. She says braids are a good choice for weddings as they tend to hold well. Other popular trends, which help add more volume and body to the hair, are both tied and clipped in extensions and halos, Tera adds.

Tera also will take into account the position of the bride and groom during traditional wedding ceremonies. Traditionally, the bride stands on the left and the groom stands on the right. Therefore, she advises brides wear a style where the focal point will be on the right side of their face so it will be more visible during the ceremony.

Typically, stylists at Mark of Eden will exchange phone numbers with the bride and communicate via text. Brides will often share pictures of their dress and hairstyle ideas with the stylist who will also share recommendations with them. For example, if the back of the dress is a focal point it would be optimal to go with an up-do to show off the details of the dress.

Charlotte and Jamie said that if Shear Shakti stylists feel that it is important to the bride, they will ask to see the dress beforehand and make an effort to match the hair to the dress.

According to Charlotte and Jamie, hair trends vary by the year. The two from Shear Shakti said that the majority of brides turn to popular vision discovery engine Pinterest to find the style they want and share it with a stylist.

In 2021, Shear Shatki styled a lot of low buns for weddings, but did not see a single, defined trend. Both Charlotte and Jamie agree that wedding hairstyles are more of an individual choice based on what the brides and their wedding party prefer and are comfortable with. They see a fair amount of people who want to leave their hair down or half up/half down and about the same amount who opt to wear their hair completely up.

One tip Charlotte and Jamie provided is to remember that when it comes to up-dos, sometimes less is more. It is not uncommon that brides may feel like they do not have enough hair to achieve their dream wedding hairstyle. However, many times it is the opposite and if soon-to-be brides have been growing their hair out for months or years, sometimes it is in their best interest to shed a few inches before it is styled for the wedding.

Another observation Charlotte and Jamie made when it comes to bridal hair is that styles are less sleek and uniform in comparison to the foolproof styles that reigned in previous decades. Today, brides tend to lean more toward a whimsical, tousled and natural look rather than a structured look. Donning a style that is more free-flowing also works well for outdoor weddings when wind and other elements may be present.

Allie at Battle Born Beauty also likes to take the weather into account when helping bridal parties decide hairstyles.

“In our area, weather can be unpredictable. It is important to me to ask my brides whether or not they will tolerate their hair flying around their face, neck and shoulders if left all the way down,”

Allie says. “In other circumstances, brides feel more comfortable and confident with their hair pulled all the way back. I have noticed that hair that is pulled all the way back, or even in a complete up-do with small pieces framing the face, really showcases the dress because it takes away the distraction of free-flowing hair.”

Allie adds that exposing the neck and shoulders, especially if the dress has a great amount of detail or sleeves, can be more comfortable since the hair will not get stuck on the embellishments. At Battle Born Beauty, Allie says her staff often incorporate delicate hair accessories, florals or heirlooms to make the hairstyle speak true to brides.

The hair trends that Allie sees and hears being requested the most include a low, textured bun and/or loosely held half up, half down styles with a braid. Additionally, a couple of styles that she has seen grow in popularity over the last year are textured ponytails — high and low — and sleek and swept back face-framing hairstyles so the hair is placed towards the back. She loves doing styles similar to those because they look so classic.

“Regardless of what the hairstyle inspiration is, the real trend is how it is executed,” Allie says. “In my experience, brides and bridesmaids often request a more natural and loose, boho and deconstructive approach to their hairstyle. What is really fun about this is that it allows me to have more creativity when combining the style inspiration to their hair.”

As a hair extension specialist, Allie can guide brides through the process of selecting hair extensions that would be suitable for them. If the bride is not committed to the process of maintaining hair extension methods that would require salon visits, then clip-in hair extensions are a great choice. It also depends on their willingness of investing in the hair itself. Hand-tied hair extension methods usually come at a higher cost; however, they are attached for up to eight weeks so the bride does not need to worry about taking them in and out daily, which is great for those who want to keep the bridal look throughout the honeymoon. These are also custom colored based on the bride’s actual hair, and are usually much more comfortable.

Whether up, down, elaborate or more simple, the stylists from all three salons agreed that the hairstyle chosen is dependent on the bride and what is most important and comfortable for them. They all commented that making the bride feel their best on their big day is the ultimate goal.

Bailey Little

Bailey currently works for Ashe County Schools and freelances in her spare time. She enjoys drinking coffee, listening to music and traveling.