When Maeling Murphy set out to choose a natural hairstyle for her walk down the aisle, she ended up with one of the most-talked-about wedding updo’s of the year. As the popular hair blogger behind Natural Chica, her thousands of loyal followers ooooh-and-aaaahed at her stunning style that was picture-perfect for her nuptials.
We caught up with the newlywed to get her take on how to create a style as equally as gorgeous as hers and inside tips for keeping your hair in place from the early morning until the reception ends.
Q: What inspired your wedding day hair style?
A: I was fortunate to have the help of my bridesmaids and stylist, Tamika Fletcher of Natural Resources Salon in coming up with my wedding hair style. I knew I wanted to wear my hair natural, but in a style that you wouldn’t see me in on a regular day. I eventually decided that I wanted a side bun style and was able to work with Tamika in going through different variations of the style until we decided on the final look. It was so great working with Tamika, who is definitely one of the best natural hair stylists I know!
Q: How did your hair style make you feel?
A: I felt like a queen! I had never experimented with a style like that before and I loved that it really fit with my whole theme that day. Most importantly, knowing that my hubby wanted me to wear my natural hair that day and hearing him say I looked amazing topped the cake!
SEE MORE PHOTOS OF MAELING’S WEDDING HAIRSTYLE!
Q: What advice would you give naturals on finding a natural hair stylist? What was your experience with that process?
A: When trying to find and decide on a natural hair stylist, one of the first questions I would ask is if they do consultations. Don’t be afraid to ask them to see photos of their current work and even what types of products they use in their salon. With Tamika, I first learned of her online through her natural hair product line, Earth’s Nectar Hair Care. I then found out she was also a hair stylist, and truly admired the creativity in her styling and her passion for healthy hair care. We connected several months before my wedding and I was thrilled when she agreed to come out to Atlanta to style my hair for my wedding.
Q: Sometimes naturals decide to have their hair straightened for the big day. What made you decide to wear your hair in its natural or blown out state?
A: As a natural hair blogger, over the years I’ve seen so much creativity when it comes to natural hair styling so I knew I wanted to wear a creative but elegant natural hair style for my own special day. Most importantly though, my husband specifically requested that I wear my hair in its natural state since he loves it that way and thats how it was when he met me. I had no problem fulfilling that request.
Q: What products were used to ensure the style held throughout your wedding day?
A: My style wasn’t very product heavy at all. Tamika used products from her line, Earth’s Nectar Hair Care, to ensure my hair was moisturized and had a nice natural sheen. What really helped to hold the style together was an incredible amount of bobby pins!
Q: Did you get your hair done the day before or the day of the wedding?
A: I prepped my hair the night before by washing and conditioning, followed by Tamika stretching my hair using a blow dryer. Tamika did the actual styling on the day of the wedding.
Q: Were any extensions added?
A: No extensions were used in my style.
Q: Did you wear the style throughout your honeymoon? If not, how soon after was the style taken down?
A: I guess you could say that I wore a part of the style for a couple of days after the wedding. I had to take the bun down that night because there was no way I was sleeping comfortably with a huge bun at the side of my neck lol. I did keep in the side twist and fishtail braid for a couple of days and wore a side ponytail, after letting the bun down.
Q: Any additional information you may have for naturals seeking the perfect natural wedding-do, and what to look for in a natural hair stylist?
My advice to bride-to-be’s out there that are trying to decide on a style, is to do a couple of trial runs with hair styling to make sure you’re really comfortable with the style. If you’re wearing a veil or any other hair piece, make sure you include that in your trial as well to make sure your style also meshes well with the placement of your pieces! You can’t control everything on your wedding day, but you want to minimize as many unwanted surprises as possible.
Bee Wade is a celebrity makeup artist and naturalista behind the blog All Things Bee. Follow her makeup, beauty and hair adventures on Instagram and Facebook.