I remember planning for my wedding and scrolling for hours and hours on Pinterest. While scrolling, I originally had in mind some cute styles for my box braids. The theme was a bohemian styled wedding and I wanted to sport my beautiful natural hair in a low maintenance style. I became more and more disappointed when I discovered everywhere I turned the brides were anything but women of color. I wanted a style that would work for me instead of tailoring my hair to something I’m not. In the end, I opted for sew-in extensions for a quick and manageable style. Sew-in extensions are a beautiful option for your wedding day. However, it was not my dream hairstyle. To prevent this from happening to any other brides of color, I met with Erika Joy, a talented StyldLife stylist. She taught me a few hairstyles any bride of color could confidently wear on her wedding day.

At first, I thought meeting with a StyldLife stylist would be intimidating. I was nervous about keeping up with the tutorials, describing my vision, or leaving without getting the look I wanted. Thankfully, that was not the case. Erika Joy matched my learning pace and took things slow. She made sure I understood everything and patiently waited for me to catch up if needed. To fully understand my vision, she had me send over inspiration pictures. Her wedding hairstyle ideas flowed endlessly from there.

Here are the looks we came up with:

This pulled back look is a half-up style with braids, it’s simple yet elegant. It's perfect for brides who don't want their hair in their faces but also don't want to wear an updo. To achieve this look start braiding as close to the crown as possible and braid towards the back of your head. Be sure to section your hair in half and leave out the bottom half of your hair. Then take the two braids and secure them with a small elastic and bobby pins if needed. At this point combine the braids and tuck in the remaining hair to create a twisted braid effect.

This style is also simple yet super beautiful and can be spiced up by adding hair accessories or flowers to your hair. Simply create two medium-sized braids on each side of the top of your head, and pin them back. You can choose to combine the two braids into one or pin them separately. I chose to leave out two single braids in the front to frame my face, but it is optional. This hairstyle is ideal for those brides wanting a classic bohemian look.

This particular look is probably one of the most unique and creative of the looks that Erika Joy created. It looks elaborate but is actually very easy to achieve. Create a side part, and braid one side of your to the back. You can judge how high or low you want the braid to be, and try not to braid too tight. The goal is to get the braid as large as possible. Next, you’ll need a few bobby pins to secure the braid beneath your hair so it is unseen. Finally, take a thin hair tie and pull your hair to one side to create a ponytail.

If you want to achieve the waves at the end you can do one of two things. Use flexi rods and dip the braiding hair in hot water for more defined curls or braid your hair into several braids and dip into hot water for looser waves. I went for the latter and love the way they came out.

My StyldLife appointment was a lifesaver! I wish I would have known for my wedding. The experience was super helpful and I encourage any bride to book an appointment with a StyldLife stylist for maximum wedding preparation.