A wig on your wedding day?

““You can trim your wig to the length that works best for your wedding-day ‘do.Hemera/Thinkstock

The perfect wedding day means the perfect venue, the perfect dress and the perfect makeup. Your hair, though, can be a bit of a wild card. The smooth style so carefully ironed at the salon could frizz in the humidity on the way to the chapel. Your coifed curls could go limp by the time the reception begins. Your up ‘do could unravel after a few hugs from guests. The marriage, you hope, will last. So will all those photos. But your locks may need a bit of help, and one way to ensure gorgeous hair on your big day is to wear a wig.

Besides the threat of weather-wilt and bobby pin malfunctions, there are other reasons brides choose to wear wigs. Some women’s hair is thinner than they’d like it to be, and a wig can make it appear fuller. Other women’s hair won’t grow past their shoulders and a wig offers long tresses for a romantic day. Still others may have medical conditions that affect the health of their hair, and they long for their locks to look the way they once did.

Wigs are made from either actual human hair or from synthetic fibers, and the two have completely different benefits and challenges. Human hair wigs can be washed and styled just like your own hair, so you can use curling irons, curlers, flat irons and any other styling tool you might normally use. It’s a good idea to visit your stylist before the wedding to have him or her trim the wig and to try out several looks until you identify the one best for you. Just don’t forget that, unlike your own hair, human hair won’t grow back after a trim.

The unique benefit of human hair wigs is they can be dyed the same way your own hair is dyed. You aren’t, therefore, restricted to the color that comes from the manufacturer. You can buy any wig — short, long, curly or straight. In addition, you can select the texture you prefer, which is a bonus for women of color who may want to a wig that matches the more coarse texture of their natural hair.

The downside of a human hair wig is that, just as with your own hair, it can lose its style over time. Styles on synthetic wigs, however, won’t be affected by the weather or all those guests’ hugs. They retain their style, which is a huge plus if you want guaranteed perfect hair for the big day. Synthetic wigs come in a wide variety of lengths, in curly or straight styles, and you’ll find a variety of up ‘dos as well. You can wear it exactly as you bought it, or you can have your hair stylist trim it a bit here and there. Beyond that, what you can do with synthetic wigs is far more limited than with human hair wigs. You can’t change the style with a curling or straightening tool and you can’t change the color.

To wear a wig, start by tucking your hair under a wig cap. Some women have their own hair done in corn rows to more easily keep it in place and low profile under the cap. Wigs can be secured to your head in several ways. Most wigs are designed to stay in place when used atop a wig cap, and if you need the wig to stay in place for just one day, this will likely suffice. If you need more security, you can apply special wig adhesives that glue the wig to your skin to keep it in place. You can also sew combs into the interior of the wig.

While few wedding days are really 100-percent perfect, your hair can be exactly what you want. With the right wig, the only thing anyone else will see that day and in photos for years to come is the beautiful bride you were meant to be.

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Sources

• Royal Me Wigs. "What’s the difference between synthetic and human hair wigs?" http://www.royalmewigs.com/faq/content/1/49/en/what%26%2339s-the-difference-between-synthetic-and-human-hair-wigs.html
• Annabelle’s Wigs. "Bridal Hair Extension and 3/4 Wigs." (Sept. 22, 2012) http://www.annabelleswigs.co.uk/index.php?main_page=page&id=30
• Annabelle’s Wigs. "Hair Extensions." (Sept. 28, 2012) http://www.annabelleswigs.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=37
• Art of Wigs. "Attaching a Wig." (Sept. 27, 2012) http://www.artofwigs.com/faq
• Wilshire Wigs. "Creative Wedding Hair Ideas." (Sept. 21, 2012) http://www.wilshirewigs.com/weddingstyles.php