How to Get Perfect Destination Wedding Hair

You didn’t come all this way to look anything less than amazing. Pick the weather forecast that matches your wedding location to find the style that’s right for you.

Hot and Humid Climates

The Style: Up but loose.
Why it works: Whether you have all-out curls, a bit of wave, or a stick-straight mane, you’ll want to make the most of your natural texture while avoiding frizz. David Shmagin, a stylist at the Robert Kree Salon in New York City, calls this look “organised chaos.”
How to: Let hair dry naturally for maximum smoothness. Hair gets frizzy because it sucks moisture out of the air; avoid that fate by running a humectant styling product lightly over hair. Smooth hair with a curling iron and pin up random sections, starting with the sides.

Cold Weather

The Style: Pulled back with a low, asymmetrical bun.
Why it works: This style allows you to wear a loose hat without messing things up.
How to: Blow-dry hair. Run a drop of anti-frizz shine mist over hair to conquer flyaways. Pull hair into a low, tight ponytail. Use pins to fasten hair in a tight, off-centre spiral near the base of your head, covering the elastic.

Mild, Temperate Climates

The Style: Down but loose and easy.
Why it works: This weather invites an easy, natural look.
How to: Divide dry hair into large chunky sections and curl with hot rollers or an iron. Let cool completely before touching. Rake a dollop of shaping anti-frizz serum through hair.

Dry Heat

The Style: Up and clean-looking.
Why it works: Keeping hair away from your neck helps you stay cool.
How to: Dry hair and run a flat iron over it for extra gleam. Pull it into two high ponytails, says Shmagin, one on top of the other. Split the top ponytail into two sections. Wind each section around a curling iron to smooth, then pin to loosely cover the elastic. Repeat with the other ponytail. Rub a few drops of a silicone gloss serum over the front and sides.

Avoid These Disastrous Combinations

Hot Sun + Coloured Hair: The hot rays won’t zap your colour if you use a protective leave-in conditioner with SPF. Go easy to avoid looking oily.

Dry Heat + Dull Hair: In the months leading up to your big day, schedule weekly deep conditioning treatments to optimise hair’s health. For a quick fix, add shine with a dollop of moisturising pomade.

Humidity + Frizz: To keep hair smooth, you must first blow-dry it completely (any moisture invites frizz). Then seal it with a swipe of a frizz-fighting silicone product. Stash a mini bottle with a designated bridesmaid for touch-ups.

Sea, Sun + Fragile Hair: Stop hair from snapping and breaking by getting a clear gloss treatment at the salon (Redken makes a good one, says Shmagin). It lasts four to six weeks, he says, and protects hair while adding much-needed shine. Follow up on location with a leave-in strengthener.

– Maria Ricapito