Wedding Hairstyle in Italy

Continuing the chapter on my wedding preparations.......

I've had my hair done in the Netherlands, El Salvador, Canada, United Kingdom, United States, and my experiences have all been more or less the same - fairly pleasant. I can't say the same thing about my experience in Italy.

So, this story is for anyone who is getting their hair done in a foreign country for special occasions or for a wedding. I found the wedding hairstylist through my friend. I went for a trial and brought some pictures from a magazine and showed the stylist a general idea of what I thought would look nice on me. She created two different styles for me - full up-do and a half up-do. It took approximately one hour and it wasn't that pleasant. No one spoke any English in the "Parruchiere", so I was very lucky that my friend could speak fluent Italian. In my experience of having my hair done, the stylists usually use heat rollers or velcro rollers and use a hair dryer. I've never had an experience where a curling iron was used. Well, this was my first introduction. They curled my entire head of hair with a curling iron and my hair hurt. They curled every inch of my hair to the very roots. I was horrified knowing that I would have to go through it all over again. However, the story gets worse.

At the end of the practice session, the stylist said that she wanted to see me again the night before the wedding. Why? She wanted me to have my hair shampooed at the hair salon. She had special products to make my hair more malleable on the day of the wedding. I thought this was just another way to get more money out of me, but I couldn't say no, I didn't know how. I tried, but she was adamant that I must come in. So, the night before the wedding, I arrive at the Parruchiere and they shampooed my hair, but it felt more like a scalp assault. No conditioner was used, so my long hair was very tangled. I thought I could leave, but no, they dried my hair to the bone and started curling it with a curling iron. I was soooooooooooooo confused. Why would I need my hair curled again? Wasn't I coming in the next day to get my hair done before the wedding ceremony? Anyhow, I left the hair salon, looking like a poodle. I was quite distressed because I really didn't know what I would look like on my wedding day. I met my fiance/husband and his friend afterwards and they couldn't help but laugh - I looked ridiculous. They couldn't understand my experience and placated me that everything would be okay tomorrow. I don't think men understand how truly important the relationship between hair and women are.

The next morning at 8am, I arrived at the hair salon. All the curls had relaxed and my hair was almost straight again. The stylist thought I had washed my hair, but I reassured her that I had just combed my hair. Anyhow, I went through the "painful"  process for the THIRD TIME, and thankfully, my friend Kate was with me to hold my hand and it all worked out for the best.

Practice day: Hair half-down. Way too many curls. Why are they still using curling irons?? It took two women to do my hair.

Final result - full up do. Not bad.

Me and the Stylist.