People, today I had my very first wedding freak-out. It sounds surprising because planning this wedding has not been stress-free by any stretch of the mind, but I’ve never shed actual tears over anything.
But this hair thing has me at the end of my rope. First, though, the good news: the gal who styled me was fabulously nice and I have every confidence in her skills. She knows what she’s doing. And the style she gave me this morning was certainly pretty. The trouble, though, is that maybe I’m not being specific enough about what I want. For reference, here are the first two updos that I got, followed by my inspiration photograph.
Hair trial #1, which, while lovely, is too low for my taste. Also the front was a disaster:


Hair trial #2:


Aaaand my inspiration photo. If I could just buy a wig in my hair color that looked exactly like this, I would do it in a second:

I think it’s funny that I showed both stylists this picture of Eva Longoria and the previous two updos are what I ended up with. It’s like we weren’t looking at the same photograph. Anyway, without further ado, here is today’s updo:



I realized I forgot to get one taken from the front, so here’s a photo I just took of myself. Apologies for the blindingly shiny face; I had to lighten the CRAP out of the shot so you could see my hair.

For the sake of being thorough, here’s the back again, this time without natural lighting (sunlight hides frizz really well).

Okay. So here’s what I CAN say: this is a lovely hairstyle. Lovely, lovely. Very classic. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t match up with my vision – and I completely believe that my vision is possible, because if there’s one thing I can brag about it’s that I have pretty, easy-to-style hair. My main trouble with the updo is it looks alarmingly similar to how I wear my hair every single day. I mean, the style I got today is how my hair looks when I’m WORKING out for, eff’s sake:

And I didn’t even look in the mirror to do that! (p.s. That picture is from April, so about 15-20 pounds ago. Weird. And Awesome. I’m proud of my bod these days.)
Anyway. Back to the hair. In conclusion, while I can appreciate how lovely today’s style was, I simply don’t think it does my hair justice. I think, though, that since the stylist was so wonderful and clearly talented, I might ask for another trial with her and try to be very honest and specific. When we were finishing up this morning, she said that on the wedding day she would add more volume to the back and make the curls go lower. Here’s what I think she meant:

…or, if you’ll bear with my rudimentary Photoshop PowerPoint skills, here’s a rough idea:

(Do you love my fashional BlueTooth? I’ve started using one so I can stop having breakouts around my cheeks and ears from holding the phone against my face.) So, yeah, I’m feeling pretty frustrated right now. I think part of this is my own fault; I should know how to articulate what I want. And I shouldn’t be shy about saying that I don’t like a particular detail of my hairstyle while I’m sitting in the chair. I’m such a jerk for saying I love it to the stylist’s face and then coming home and ranting about it on my blog.
I’m at my wit’s end*, people. Hence the sobbing breakdown I had as soon as I saw Dave. I went straight from the salon to his office so we could go run errands together, and when he told me I looked pretty I started wailing. Obviously I’m going to have to get another hair trial, and that’s going to cost more money, and I’m going to have to get more and more bitchy with my stylist(s) until I get what I want. Oh crap, writing that last sentence made me cry again. What the frig is going on?! I’m having a meltdown! Good thing I have a cupcake tasting in t-minus 30 minutes, or this day would be a total bust.
So, people, what do you think? What would you do? Am I right in thinking that I just haven’t had a homerun in the wedding hair department yet?
*Is there an apostrophe in “wit’s end”? Apologies if I effed up the punctuation with that one.

21 comments
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June 26, 2009 at 9:47 pm
Kelsey
Hi Elizabeth,
Good luck on your half marathon tomorrow! From what I’ve read, it sounds like you have put a ton of effort into training for the race. Nice work, I’m sure you’ll do great.
Leslie Welsheimer sent me the link to your blog this week with your news about getting a book deal. That is so awesome. I checked out your blog on Monday and haven’t been able to stop reading it since. You are hilarious and have been inspiring me to (maybe) start my own blog… we’ll see.
Good luck tomorrow and I’m sure your hair will look stunning for your wedding – although it seems like none of your stylists have understood your vision yet, I am sure one of them will get it.
Kelsey
June 26, 2009 at 11:03 pm
Wiggs
Thanks, Kelsey! Nice to hear from you! I’m always happy to have new readers.
June 26, 2009 at 10:06 pm
whitneyinchicago
Oh Wiggs. I’m sorry that they haven’t been able to make your hair how you want but I am sure that it will finally work out and you will be such a beautiful bride. Do you have other pictures that you can find of the style you want from the back? Maybe multiple pictures will help articulate exactly what you want.
June 26, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Wiggs
Yeah, I’ve been thinking that. The trouble is that Eva Longoria’s style from the back isn’t that great – but I have a couple of other pictures of the backs of ‘dos that I like, so you’d THINK they’d be able to figure it the eff out. Grumblegrumble.
June 26, 2009 at 10:25 pm
wholefoodswholeme
you really do have such amazing, beautiful hair, it baffles me that it’s the one thing you are having a hard time with!! i have a feeling you will get the perfect do in the end though. don’t settle!!
June 26, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Wiggs
Aw, thanks. Well, aside from the usual stress of wedding planning, I’ve been lucky to skirt any other real issues…so I guess this is my token wedding crisis. Good thing I’ve still got a month to figure this friggin stuff out.
June 26, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Katie
It will all work out in the end, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to be upset that your haven’t found what you’re looking for yet. I agree, maybe multiple pictures will help get the point across. Or you could even bring pictures of these three and talk about why they didn’t work for you? Just remember that you will look gorgeous on your wedding day because you are gorgeous!
June 26, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Wiggs
GREAT suggestion Katie – and I say that because I had the same idea. This morning I came equipped with about 10 photos, including all angles of the previous two styles and my inspiration hairstyles, too. I think I just haven’t found the right person, maybe. My mom and wedding planners saw the hair and all agreed that it’s fairly unsalvageable. I think I’m just going to try a different stylist.
June 26, 2009 at 11:59 pm
Courtney
You have badass hair, what is up with these stylists?!?! It’s like they’re all so close and just dancing around what you want. I’d be a bitch. You’re wedding day, your hair, your dinero. ;] Stylists think they know.
They know nothing.
June 27, 2009 at 12:02 am
Wiggs
HAHA, my thoughts exactly. Maybe you could just come with me and get snippy with them, since I’m incapable of it. I don’t know what my deal is. Whenever someone is performing a service for me, I’m completely unable to demand what I want (one time I got a pedicure and the guy made my toes BLEED before I finally asked him if he could please stop scrubbing my feet with a razor).
June 27, 2009 at 12:00 am
Courtney
P.S. I love your blog. LOVELOVELOVE. I’d say I love you, but that’s weird. But I love everything you do on this blog. I’m even making your potatoe salad to take to a wedding shower tomorrow. Yep. Wiggs obsessed.
June 27, 2009 at 12:02 am
Wiggs
Well I DO love you for saying that. And I don’t care if it’s weird.
June 27, 2009 at 12:25 am
mmclaughlin
I’m completely the same way when it comes to services…even when I go home crying later, I just can’t tell them that – and I usually give them a good tip too! I agree with everyone about taking multiple pictures of what you like from as many angles as possible. I got lucky and loved my wedding hair, but I wanted a pretty traditional style. Of course I had major drama elsewhere in the wedding process…all part of the deal I guess. But don’t worry, when it’s all over you’ll still be happily married and remember it will be the most fun day of your life!
June 27, 2009 at 12:29 am
Wiggs
I tipped her 25 bucks today even though the trial was free! God, I suck. I’m glad I’m not the only one who has trouble in those situations, though. And you’re right – it’s going to be a fun day no matter what.
June 27, 2009 at 1:41 am
jenny marie
Well my favorite of your 3 hair trials is the first one. And I love the hair style you are going for (eva longorias). i think it is TOTALLY possible to get that look. I would just keep trying. sucks cause it costs you every time but you want to be happy on your wedding day and everythime you see you wedding photos. i know its gotta be frustrating, sorry.
June 27, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Alex
I’m just like you… I have actually even SUFFERED through a massage that was way to hard, just because I didn’t want to hurt the person’s feelings!
About your hair. Taking all the pictures with you is a great idea. Here’s another. Take them in and ASK if they think they can actually style as it is in the picture, before setting an appointment. Pay attention to their reaction. Best of luck to you.
June 27, 2009 at 8:32 pm
Andrea
I would bring in as many pics as you can even if they are of different styles just so you can show how you want the back and the front and the volume. Maybe have her show her what is thinking before she starts putting it up.
June 28, 2009 at 5:52 am
Ana
I have to say that this third hairstyle trial is my least favorite, just because a)it does nothing for your very pretty face and b) it doesn’t look like wedding hair…so no matter how talented a stylist, I’m surprised that after hearing that it was a wedding hairstyle that she didn’t at least try to pump up the volume. By the way, completely sympathize with letting people know what I want, just because I usually think that being nice is good karma during any kind of transaction, but i usually end up being more passive than nice….hopefully, this all made sense. Good Luck with the next trial
July 1, 2009 at 2:14 am
HALLELUJA!!! « The Beholder
[...] wedding in Seattle, don’t even consider anyone else. That’s how good she is. To recap, these are the photos of the previous three [...]
July 17, 2009 at 3:37 am
Broke Bride-to-Be
I heart the back of trial #1. Very Taylor Swift in the US Weekly two weeks ago. I actually clipped that pic out for inspiration because I liked it so much. Maybe she can dress the front up some?
November 21, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Sammiy
It looks like you should leave some hair out by the ears and bangs and curl it.
That’s what seems to be making the difference.
But it’s very pretty alltogether. :p