For ladies with super coiled kinks and curls, it’s so much fun to seek out the hairstyle you want for your special day! After some intense pinteresting and googling, narrowing down all the creative styles isn’t necessarily easy, but it’s worth it to stay true to your roots– especially on your wedding day. What’s amazing about natural hair is it’s versatility! Afros, twists, braids, weaves, crocheted, curled, set, straightened…the list really does go on. So on your wedding day, fear not that you have nothing to do with your hair! You were blessed with options, Sis, so you get to choose your favorite, most glamorous hairstyle. Walk down the aisle feeling your absolute best knowing that your hair is your crown and you can accessorize and adorn in the most striking ways!

1. Flexi Rod Set Curls

This style is first because it’s been my go- to for years! As a natural with type 4 hair, this is a set that looks better on day 2 or 3 and lasts me up to 1.5 weeks. Depending on the length of your hair, opt for the smaller rods if your hair is quite short or if you’re wanting a really tight curl. My hair is bra-strap length, so I usually opt for the orange rods which are 5/8″ or some combination of that size and larger (grey, purple and maroon) because curls of varied sizes are more authentic.

2. Flexi Rod Set Waves

Flexi rods make for a graceful and stunning bride. It’s undeniable. Instead of rolling from the bottom of the section and moving up the hair, instead take a section of detangled, moisturized hair from the top and start wrapping the rod from the root of the hair all the way down to the bottom. The result is fluffy, bouncy waves that are defined, but realistic and full of life!

3. Hair Banding Method

If you are intentionally staying away from heat straightened styles to prevent or rectify damage, you can wrap the length of your hair with thread for a stretched look. I love this because it preserves the essence of your natural curl pattern. You’ll need to set it the day before and leave it overnight to make sure it’s totally dry before the take-down. Be sure to moisturize it (L.O.C. method) while it’s damp, and then refresh with a bit of olive or jojoba oil as you’re removing the bands. From there, you can do an up-do or just rock it stretched! I love this look for you ladies with a fascinator rather than a veil!

4. Twists

Twists are amazing! And of course, there isn’t just one way to rock them. Senegalese, Havana, Marley, Mini, Chunky, Passion– I told you, there are so many styles to choose from! If you don’t know how and don’t want to take the risk because…uhmmm…it’s your wedding day, then don’t! Find a natural hair care stylist in your area who can hook you up! I love the Senegalese twists because the hair used to create this gorgeous look has a nice shine and the twists have a refined bohemian kind of feel.

5. Twist Out

After setting the twists (either flat, 2 or 3 strand) on freshly washed and thoroughly detangled hair and letting it dry completely, removed the twists with oiled fingers and gently separate the twists as much or as little as you like. I like to change my part after those steps to keep the hair from looking too styled. You can also use a pick to get at the roots to remove the lines of the parts. Or go for an elegant half-up/ down style. So pretty!

6. Braids

There are tons of intricate designs and creative liberties one can take with braids. For your wedding day, invite a little simplicity because everything else will be swinging in full power. Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to worry about your hair falling out of place, bobby pins not staying where they ought to, etc.? Try Fulani, box or micro braids for your low-maintenance wedding hair.

7. Braid Out

The definition on braid outs is so different from twist outs. I think they offer more of a stretched style and the curl pattern is a little more zig-zagged. Upon removal of the braids, fluff it out and separate the top half of your hair from the bottom. Then, separate the top half in two sections and very loosely twist that section. Play around with the location of where you want to pin it because your hair will surely have volume and offer different looks based on where you put the bobby pin. Take the other section, and do the same thing, pinning on the same side as the first section. Add a few decorative bobby pins or flowers to the front. Free the back or separate that into three sections and tuck and pin them in the back. Use the comb on your veil to secure into the back section.

8. Buns, Buns, Buns

High, low, to the side, 4 or 5 of ’em, my goodness! If you’d like a little more height, go for high. Love the sleek look, try low. Is your personality a little sassy, off to the side is perfect for you! If your dress is uber flirty, slay with 3- 5 buns running along the center of your head. Buns are a life-saver if you live where it’s too humid, windy or generally temperamental to wear your hair out.

9. Bantu Knot Out

I really like bantu knot outs on freshly washed, detangled and blow-dried hair. Apply a moisturizer and then begin twisting a section of hair at the root, pinching between the thumb and pointer finger as you make your way 3/4 of the length down. Once there, begin wrapping the hair in a tight circle around itself at the root. Then resume twisting the last 1/4 of hair and wrap that around the knot.

10. Weaves and Wigs

It’s 2019 y’all and there is no shame in wearing weaves and wigs– especially if you’re on a hair journey filled with healthful practices like growth challenges, heat-less approaches, moisturizing, deep conditioning and low-maintenance styles that promote length retention. Your wedding doesn’t have to disrupt the T.L.C. you’re extending to your locs! Let a weave or wig be the hair support you need, Bride!

11. Afro

Afros are like people– they come in all shapes and sizes. No matter what your hair texture(s), embrace your beautiful, wild afro Honey. Getting married is like being born again, so why not take that leap with the hair you were given?

I hope this inspires you to fall in love with the wedding hairstyle that best suits you! Wishing you Naturals the best hair days possible!

The post 11 Bridal Hairstyles for Kinks, Coils and Curls appeared first on Inspired Bride.

Choosing your wedding veil ought to receive as much attention as choosing your dress! Why? Because your wedding day is the one time you will wear one… Read on to learn about these fabulous bridal headpieces! With a little information and guidance, picking your veil will be easy and fun! Finding one that flatters you in your dress is important. Don’t let it become an afterthought. You’ll want something that frames how gorgeous you are on your Big Day!

1. The Birdcage Fascinator

These delicate headpieces are classically stunning and give the wearer a kind of incomparable, vintage mystique! A small comb or headband fastens the decorated netting in place as you stride down the aisle resembling a modern princess, adorned and bright-eyed. Bridal fascinators can be a simple or extravagant addition to your ensemble, as they can be ornately decorated with flowers, feathers, ribbons, pearls and lace. Try one on as you’re dress shopping, and you may find that an elegantly embellished birdcage fascinator complements your gown more adequately than a veil.

These pieces are worn at an angle, perching lightly on the hair and evoking curiosity because of their whimsical, light design. Though they’re considered unconventional, they are rising in popularity, which means that creators are coming up with all sorts of artistic decorative fascinators with couture in mind. Choosing to go with a piece like this means that your dress and headpiece won’t be competing for attention. If you’re in love with your dress, especially if it’s on the shorter side, and prefer for your silhouette to be the focal point on the glorious day, a fascinator will balance your look and still make an expressive statement.

2. The Crown

The history of bridal crowns go wayyyyyy back. Long ago, they were made with precious metals, jewels, glass and elements from nature like pearls or branches and fruits. Today, those themes certainly carry over in free-spirited, earthy brides and in those ladies who are feeling another kind of regal!

3. The Veil

There are several kinds of veils, and they’re all breath-taking. However, they all probably do not match your wedding style.

Shoulder, Fingertip and Elbow Length Veil — You probably figured it out! These reach the shoulders, fingertips or elbows and are a lovely choice with a dresses featuring a low or embellished back, ball gowns and A- Line, respectively.

Mantilla Veil — Popular in Spanish couture, these striking veils are usually circular in shape and made with lace and tulle, or silk. Traditionally, A large comb, called a peineta, is sometimes used to hold up the mantilla, giving extra height to the wearer.

Tiered Veil — Varying layers of tulle (2- 3) with the top layer worn as the blusher (covers your lovely face until the husband may kiss his bride). If there is a 3rd layer, that is often removable.

Ballet Veil — You won’t trip over this veil! It does not sweep the floor and falls to tea length (between the ankles and knees).

Chapel Veil: Distinctive and timeless, chapel veils reach the floor and represent what we most associate with a wedding veil. Iconic! Magnificent!

Cathedral Veil: Its length is spectacular! Greater than the train of your wedding dress… highly ceremonial and grand! A MUST if you’ve decided on a fairy-tale wedding!

Hopefully, you have narrowed down the possibilities for the veil you’re looking for! Final Tip: Remember that crystals are more photogenic than rhinestones (which can sometimes look like black dots when light reflects off them). May you feel like the Queen you are, Bride! Happy Wedding!

The post Fascinators, Crowns and Veils? How to Choose! appeared first on Inspired Bride.

Hello Beautiful Souls,

Oscar Wilde once said “To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance.”

This New Year, we’re taking our intentions a step further by acknowledging what those intentions are really about. YOU.

How was this year for you?

Did you start taking better care of yourself? Become more aware of your patterns? Set more boundaries or expand some limiting beliefs about what’s possible for you? Do you have greater self-esteem, self-worth and love for yourself and others than you’ve ever felt? Maybe the opposite happened… You became more distant, or ashamed of yourself for not losing the weight you wanted to this year. Maybe you’re anxiety and fear went into attack mode and sabotaged dates or job opportunities. Perhaps you’re wondering why you keep up with the same habits that lead you further from your true self, and cannot even fathom how to relate to yourself and others. The message below is meant to touch a chord of self-compassion within you.

2025 In Our Sights

Now that the year is coming to completion, you may remember that resolutions lost their luster a while back, as they can sometimes have us hold a death-grip to inflexible and incompatible expectations that add more stress (in the forms of guilt and shame) to our semi-chaotic lives. Many are now embracing the notion of intentions because they seem to allow us the freedom, time and space to grow without deceptive projections of being somewhere or someone other than where or who we are.

With Love,

In the heart-written lines to come, I ask that you devote one full day (within the week before or after New Year’s Day) to a ceremony of life-bonding with yourself. Self-marriage, or Sologamy, is a metaphorical and literal practice. The promise to practice cherishing and accepting yourself is equivalent to freely making an honorable, loving commitment to accept wherever you find yourself in life. Regardless of your relationship status, choosing to marry yourself is choosing to be a better partner to yourself; and this can only have positive ripples spilling into other areas of your existence. Read on to learn how you can create a Big Day for Yours Truly.

1. Sleep In

Or feel free to just lay around for an hour or two. Give yourself permission to be present and content exactly where you are this morning. Why rush to get out of bed when it’s one of the snuggest places in the whole world? Luxuriate in its warmth like it’s a a kangaroo pouch. Curl up with your pillows and take up as much space you can. The right, middle and left sides are your crystal seabed, a space for deep peace exploration and plush relaxation.

2. Bathe Like a God/ Goddess

After all, it is your wedding day! You deserve to be pampered. Run yourself a bath, toss a few drops of your favorite essential oils, flower petals, Epsom salts in to soak. Play music that relaxes you, if you’d like. Wash your hair and massage your scalp. Exfoliate your skin tenderly. Treat yourself with care, as if you were tending to yourself as a small and precious child.

3. Birthday Suits and Other Special Day Attire

On this glorious day, you may feel most comfortable wearing absolutely nothing, or maybe a dress that belonged to your grandmother, or a cozy pair of sweats and an over-sized sweater. As long as you feel 100% in it, wear it. This holy-day was made for you, so that you can bask in the glory of your imperfect perfection and love yourself as you truly are, with no conditions, demands or stipulations.

4. Mirrors and Candlelight

In a clean and clear space, light a few candles and sit before a mirror. Look beyond your appearance for the heart of the matter (You may have to close your eyes to see yourself from a space of non-judgment).  The essence, the layers of personality, or ego– all are part of you. So in this stage, you’re embracing what you see and what is unknown to you, as well as the parts of you that you appreciate and wish you could change. What matters is to spend time with your feelings here, allowing yourself to sense and feel whatever arises without attaching a story. Become curious about these feelings– where in your body you feel them. Ask your pain of its cause and be open to listening to the insights that come forth.

5. Take a Breath

It can be really uncomfortable facing yourself, allowing yourself to be consumed by the elements of your own identity. You’re your own world being forged by the universe’s hand, and it can be intense at times. Go outside, be among nature’s peace and beauty. Walk near water if it flows nearby. Listen for birdsong and turn your face to the sun. Ground your feet into the rich earth and know that you belong here. Breathe deeply, allowing the fresh air to bring new life into you as you go through the transition from “single” to “self-compassionate.”

6. Sacred Vows

You’re the only one for you, which is why you exist in the form that you do. You need nothing outside of yourself. Self-acceptance and self-worth cannot be granted by external influences. Your vows are to find the courage, the personal power to say and do the things for yourself that only you can. If there’s anyone who needs to be recognized as your soulmate, it’s you. From your heart, speak the vows aloud to your reflection.

Vows that I keep close to my own heart are:

• I vow to look inside myself for truth, so that I may trust my path completely.
• I promise to see myself naked, to sit with my feelings in times of pain, to embrace the child within myself when she hurts, feels afraid and unworthy.
• I pledge to dance when the sun’s brilliant rays shine upon my face, and I will smell the flowers blossoming in spring and listen when the wind
• makes music of leaves.
• I will remember not to judge myself too harshly for being human. Vulnerabilities, blind spots and all.
• I vow to do my best to appreciate all gray areas, and perhaps eventually, color them in.

7. The Morning After

Begin each morning by embracing yourself. Give a lazy sweet smile, for today is a day unlike any other. Look at your hands and kiss them delightedly! They are valuable tools that allow you to sculpt your reality. Put one over your heart, feel it dancing inside your chest? Knowing the song, beat by beat. Get familiar with your rhythm. You are now your primary partner (and always have been, but now you’re acknowledging it). You are the person most responsible for your health, wholeness and happiness; and you came here to discover truth and experience the full spectrum of being as a friend to yourself and all of humanity.

8. Finding an Ever-After

For the rest of your self-married days…

May you encounter whatever happenings meant to lead you deeper and more openly into the sound space of our own heart. Meditate, journal, exercise, paint on wood, dry flowers in the summer when they’re most fragrant, bake more. Spend your life cultivating loving kindness. Do you know how many beach bonfires, strangers meant to be friends and sunrises over the mountains await you if only you’ll wake up to them? Choose them?

In Love, One May Struggle

Pain doesn’t disappear just because we think we’re thinking positively or doing a bunch of aura cleansing yoga postures. However, we can learn to release that suffering by, first, feeling it and then, dissolving the emotional attachment to it. Feelings are universal, but also temporary– and are therefore, important messengers. Most of the time, we reject, avoid or deny our pain a presence in our lives, which is precisely the way to lose the present moment. Those hidden feelings reveal themselves in mysterious ways, however, through unconscious outbursts and behaviors that leave us questioning our sanity or if we were possessed when we said those hurtful things. By surrendering to the feelings inside of our suffering, rather than our judgments about it, we can shine light on the internal dark corners where unconsciousness is stored.

When tending to the garden of self-marriage, know that you will get your hands dirty. But that dirt is the sacred secure foundation for the flowers of your tender loving soul to bloom.

The post New Year Wedding for One appeared first on Inspired Bride.

Winter has hit and your wedding day grows near, but it’s never too late to start a “Healthy Glow” regimen. To protect your skin from winter dryness and preserve your fresh flawlessness, it’s necessary to take the time to treat your skin with care so you can put your best face forward on your special day. Make these practices part of your lifestyle so that your married life is your best life, in which you are conscious of your health, as that’s where a radiant glow comes from! So, if you want to shine like the sun, from this day forward, read on, my dears!

1. Get Your Beauty Rest

So. So. Important. Get enough sleep (7-8 hours) so you can wake up refreshed in the morning! When you don’t feel like you’ve had enough sleep, you don’t look like it, either. Your body is going through all sorts of processes during your sleep cycle (they don’t call it “R & R” for nothin’). Without it, the body produces more cortisol– the stress hormone. Not good, folks (unless you’re deciding to fight off a gang of purse-snatching Thai monkeys or to run for your life). Hyalauronic acid and collagen, which give your skin that youthful glow, start to break down because of stress and inflammation in the body-mind-cells. Not only that, but getting adequate sleep benefits your skin by allowing your body the time it needs to recover and process moisture in the body, balancing out the element of water in your system so you don’t have to worry about puffiness and circles around the eyes or noticeable wrinkles. “Quality sleep accelerates overnight skin repair—pair it with understanding Korean skin boosters for deep hydration, and you’ll wake up wedding-ready with a supple, luminous complexion,” says the owner of Meamo Shop.

2. Hydrate or Die-Drate

I know that sounds kinda silly, but it’s the TRUF! You were told as a child that your brain is a sponge. In a way, you’re whole body is. What I’m saying is… you are a distant cousin of Spongebob Squarepants. Seriously, though. You most like wouldn’t give your plants tea, coffee, gatorade, booze, soda pop, etc, so be sure to consume more water than you’re consuming anything else. Those beverages are fine in moderation (with the exception of the last two… keep alcohol to a minimum and pop is best left alone entirely), but when you wake up first thing in the morning, drink 8 oz. of good ‘ol H20. Thirty minutes later, drink another 8 oz of water. You won’t believe how alert and detoxified you feel. And you definitely won’t believe how happy your skin is to be moisturized from the inside out. If you’ve always battled dry skin, there’s a possibility you’ve been chronically dehydrated. Drink up!

3. Eat to Live, Not the Other Way Around

Take a good look at your consumption lifestyle, Bride-To-Be. What’s your energy level like most days? How do you smell? Does your skin break out frequently? Quality foods are becoming more affordable all the time because people are coming to realize their personal responsibility for their health. And with the cost of health insurance being what it is, you and your sweetie can start thinking of eating well as your own insurance policy. Purchasing organic fruits and veggies, quality proteins, heart and skin healthy fats, and fibrous grains (when possible, I know these things cost money) will keep your nourished for longer periods of time than foods with lower nutrient density. Your body will respond by utilizing nutrients more effectively and metabolizing energy resources to keep you fueled and fierce. Your skin, my Love, will flourish when you eat fewer processed products. The transition may be challenging, but you are worthy of vitality and radiance!

4. That Sunshine, Though

I’m not saying you need to convert to #VampireBrideLife. I’m just saying that hats and sunscreen do serve a purpose. Regardless of you’re age or marital status, when you’re 50, you probably don’t want people thinking you look 70 because of all that time you spent basking in the glorious sunlit days of your youth. Being proactive about protecting your skin from the sun’s magnificent rays is a preventative effort. It’s never too early to consider how vulnerable the skin is to burning, discoloration, spotting and cancer. Go for organic sunscreens so you can look out for the ocean, too, when you’re beach bummin’ on your honeymoon. I love finding a cute sunhat during my travels– they’re adorable and functional souvenirs!

5. Detoxify

Exercise benefits the skin by increasing circulation– the more blood flowing in your system, the more your body can process and expel waste products like free radicals, which rapidly age the skin. Physical activity is like delivering fresh oxygen and nutrients directly to your skin cells and whole body, helps relieve you of stress (remember, we talked about how damaging stress can be!), and boosts your self-confidence and self-worth. Oh, and consider fasting from time to time. Water fasts and dry fasts are powerful. You’ll feel your body in transformation, releasing energy that you don’t need to carry a day longer than you already have.

I hope these tips help you balance your skin, your body, your life. Start now and make these healthy habits a part of your daily life and you’ll be glowing not only on your wedding day, but as long as you’re alive to grace this divine earth with your lovely presence!

“If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.” ― Roald Dahl

The post Supple, Smooth Skin for Your Winter Wedding in 5 Steps appeared first on Inspired Bride.