How to Make Your Wedding Hairstyle Last All Day

WeddingPodcast
Written By Lou O'Brien

Think of your hairstylist as your wedding morning hero. Part artist, part problem-solver, and the magician who makes sure every strand stays picture-perfect while you’re twirling, kissing, hugging and happy-tearing your way through the day. Your hair doesn’t just need to look good at the start, it needs to stand strong against Sunshine Coast humidity, ocean breezes and a dance floor that gets a little rowdy after the champagne kicks in. And that’s exactly what Alyssa Armstrong from Keighley Collective helps her brides do.

Alyssa isn’t just styling hair, she’s setting you up for a hairstyle with stamina. She knows how to prep your hair properly, which products actually work (and which ones are a one-way ticket to frizz-town), and how to choose a style that suits the weather, your hair type and your wedding vibe. Whether you’re dreaming of soft romantic waves, a sleek low bun or a boho braid that holds strong even when Uncle Dave insists on a twirl, Alyssa has the tips, tricks and expert guidance to make it happen. Because your wedding day is a marathon, not a moment, and your hair deserves to cross the finish line looking fabulous.

Hollywood waves

Bridal Hair That Lasts - Tips from a Sunshine Coast Pro

Alyssa has been in the hair industry for over a decade and brings a gorgeous mix of editorial flair and timeless elegance to every bride she works with. After years working in top salons and even behind the scenes at Fashion Week, she took the leap to launch her own business, Keighley Collective, in 2023 - and her brides couldn’t be happier.

 “It’s all about prep and products,” Alyssa says. “If your hair isn’t healthy, hydrated, and looked after before the big day, it just won’t hold - no matter how much magic I work on the day.”

I couldn’t agree more! As a photographer, I’ve seen firsthand how much confidence radiates from brides who feel amazing about their hair and makeup - it really shines through in every photo.

Hair Bridal prep before ceremony

How to Make Sure Your Hair Lasts from Ceremony to Dance Floor

Here are Alyssa’s top tips for keeping your wedding hairstyle flawless all day long:

  1. Start Hydrating Early:
    Begin using nourishing hair treatments two months before your wedding to keep your hair hydrated and strong. Even five minutes in the shower can make a huge difference.

  2. Keep Up with Haircuts:
    Regular trims every six weeks help remove dry ends that don’t hold a curl well. Healthy ends = beautiful, long-lasting styles.

  3. Choose the Right Style for the Weather:
    Alyssa says, “If it’s humid or windy, listen to your stylist. Sometimes an elegant updo will hold far better than loose waves, and you’ll thank yourself later.”

  4. Use the Right Products:
    Invest in high-quality products designed for layering. Alyssa loves Wella and Redken, especially for their hydrating creams and anti-humidity sprays.

soft bun bridal hairstyle

My Favourite Takeaway from This Episode

I loved chatting with Alyssa - she’s warm, creative, and genuinely cares about her brides looking and feeling their best. My biggest takeaway? Preparation is everything. Your hairstylist can only work their magic if your hair is healthy, hydrated, and prepped ahead of time.

Photo: Ben Sowry

Listen to the Full Episode

You can listen to the full episode featuring Alyssa Armstrong from Keighley Collective right here:
👉 How to Make Your Wedding Hairstyle Last All Day – with Alyssa Armstrong

Planning Your Sunshine Coast Wedding?

Hey, I’m Lou O’Brien - long-time local and wedding photographer behind Pop the Question! I’ve photographed hundreds of beautiful Sunshine Coast weddings and love helping couples plan their dream day with ease.

If you’re still searching for the perfect photographer to capture all the love, laughter, and in-between moments, I’d love to chat!

📷You can view my packages here - Wedding Photography Packages
🎧 Want more wedding wisdom? See all Pop the Question episodes here
📘 Download my FREE Sunshine Coast Wedding Planning Guide - it’s full of local tips and insider advice to help you plan with confidence.

A huge thank you to Alyssa Armstrong from Keighley Collective for joining me and sharing her expert advice. You can find her here:

💻 Website: https://www.keighleycollective.com/
📸 Instagram: @keighleycollective
🎵 TikTok: @keighleycollective

Episode Transcript

Lou (00:31)

As a photographer, I get the privilege of seeing couples for most of their day. And one of the things I find is that if my bride can feel confident and happy all day, it makes my job so easy. And that's why today I have asked Alyssa from Keighley Collective to come in and talk all things hair with us.

Alyssa is actually a bride-to-be, which is very exciting. But yeah, Alyssa and I have done a few jobs together this year, actually, which has been a lot of fun. And every time the beautiful brides have their hair and makeup done with her, they are just so happy. And I just love working with Alyssa because

She makes our brides look just absolutely radiant and just ooze with confidence, which makes my job absolutely easy. And that's why I wanted to invite her here today to talk with us. So hi, Alyssa, how are you? Yeah, no, it's good to see you. And here's Kiki again. Alyssa and I were working together the other day and Alyssa was hanging out with Kiki.

Alyssa Armstrong (01:27)

Hello, I'm good, how are you? Thank you for having me. Super exciting.

No.

Lou (01:40)

while she was doing the hair and makeup for one of our brides. So yeah, Alyssa, can you tell everyone a little bit about yourself?

Alyssa Armstrong (01:48)

Yep, sorry, I'm Alyssa not Keighley. That'll be my new last name.

Lou (01:51)

Yeah, yeah,

very exciting.

Alyssa Armstrong (01:55)

It is exciting. So yeah, I'm 25 and I started in the industry, ⁓ god, six years ago now, but I've been, yeah, I've been a hairdresser for 10 years, which is crazy. But yeah, so I started Keighley Collective in November last year. So I went out on my own, which was scary but exciting. So yeah, and then I've done fashion week. I worked for a salon for...

Lou (02:02)

Wow!

Yeah.

Alyssa Armstrong (02:21)

over six years doing bridal hair and yeah, so it was time to take the plunge and do it myself.

Lou (02:27)

Yeah,

that's fantastic. Yeah, it's a great training ground to be able to work in a great salon and work under a whole lot of other amazing stylists. So yeah, you're very lucky. Yeah, fantastic. Well thank you again for coming. So today, let's dive into it.

Alyssa Armstrong (02:33)

yeah.

Yes, I've learnt a lot, that's for sure.

Lou (02:45)

Okay, our question today is, would like to know how to make sure that a hairstyle lasts all day from ceremony through to dancing.

Alyssa Armstrong (02:53)

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, this is a common question actually. I get this every email enquiry that I get. My biggest thing is like for hairstylists, it's the prep and the products that you use. And I use really like high quality products. Like you've got to invest in your products. But these products are designed to be layered. that's probably the scary thing for brides is

Lou (03:18)

Hey.

Alyssa Armstrong (03:18)

I don't want a lot of product in my hair and I'm like no trust me you need a lot of product. And it's the prep like if the brides aren't washing their hair properly using the right shampoo, doing treatments, know getting their colour maintained, then it's not going to hold. Like if your hair is dry those ends are going to be so hard to brush through and if know your ends are dry and you don't get a haircut those ends aren't going to curl properly. So that would be...

Lou (03:43)

Yeah, that's actually, that's

a great tip that you're saying, like, actually for a bride to prepare her hair, like, the weeks, months before the wedding. Yeah, that's a really good tip.

Alyssa Armstrong (03:46) 

my email, once the bride books for her trial, it'll say like, start treatments two months prior to your wedding. That gets you in the habit, but then the month before, your head is gonna be super hydrated. So we don't have that issue. And even haircuts, like getting haircuts every six weeks just to get those dead ends off will make such a big difference. And the way they prep their hair too, like washing the night before, the morning of.

Lou (04:08)

Yeah.

Alyssa Armstrong (04:21)

blow drying it, just you know, looking after your hair.

Lou (04:24)

Yeah,

yeah, no, that's so important because I mean, some brides might think, we'll just turn up on the day and you're going to work your magic, but you have to start on a really good canvas. Yeah, yeah.

Alyssa Armstrong (04:27)

Mmm.

Yep, 100%. It's like your face, your moisturiser face, good moisturiser hair.

Lou (04:40)

Yeah.

wow. I love that. That's a great tip. And what about on a wedding day, like the elements? So we've got wind, rain, humidity, like all of those. How do you deal with that?

Alyssa Armstrong (04:43)

Yeah.

It definitely comes down to the product, but I'm for my bride. So if it's raining, I'll be like, okay, look, it's raining. I think we should go up because I'm not going to have a bride. I really want my hair down. be like, yeah, that's fine. When it's not fine. If it's raining, it's windy. It's going to get wet and fly all over the place. So I'll encourage them to go up.

Lou (05:09)

Yes!

Alyssa Armstrong (05:15)

or change their hairstyle a little bit or some brides just they don't care they're like yeah that's fine I'll stick with my hairstyle and if it blows around whatever so like you have yeah we have brides on either end but humidity products a big one we've got lots of anti-humidity sprays and you know all that fun jazz but staying inside would be my best tip stay inside the aircon instead of going in and outside

Lou (05:23)

Yeah.

Yes. Yeah.

Alyssa Armstrong (05:41)

into the humidity, like it's just, yeah, your hair's gonna be like poof.

Lou (05:44)

Yeah, I love that. And I actually love that you talk to them on the day. Like if it is windy or raining or something. I mean, as a photographer, I don't mind the rain, it's the wind. And if they have their hair down and have those beautiful Hollywood waves, which look amazing indoors, and then they come out and it's like, ⁓ you know, you're better off.

Alyssa Armstrong (05:49)

Mmm!

Yeah, yes, time. Yeah. Yeah.

Yes.

Yeah, yeah exactly, yeah.

Lou (06:11)

like listening to your hairdresser because they know what's going to work and then I mean some of your updos the last updo that you did that we worked on together was absolutely gorgeous. She had some beautiful like you know side pieces down and it was gorgeous but we were originally going to go down but it was too humid so

Alyssa Armstrong (06:12)

Mmm. Mm-hmm.

thank you. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah. Mmm. Yeah, way too human. And that's the thing, like I'm for my bride. I'm not just there to do the hair. Like I want them to have a good day and I don't want them to be like, my gosh, my hair's flying everywhere. Like you're still gonna look beautiful, but we just need to change it a little bit just so it holds all day.

Lou (06:42)

Yeah.

Yes,

great tip. Absolutely love that. That's fantastic. Okay, so Alyssa, our next little fun bit is our pop the question. So you're ready? This is our mystery wedding themed question. I'm going to pull one out from here. They're all in here. Let's see how we go. Oh my gosh. This is always fun.

Alyssa Armstrong (06:53)

Yeah.

Hehehehe

Thank you.

Lou (07:09)

Okay, our question today.

Alyssa Armstrong (07:11)

Hmm

Lou (07:12)

⁓ what's the most unique wedding theme you've worked on?

Alyssa Armstrong (07:16)

⁓ I will remember this one forever. Like a Bridgerton style wedding, because I've never done stuff like that and I was like, okay, I can do this. So she had, originally she had like a, what do call it? It's like a crown, like the braid that goes all the way around. That was the challenge for me, for sure.

Lou (07:18)

Yes? Yes?

Yes. Yeah.

Alyssa Armstrong (07:35)

And then we actually ended up changing to, it was like a big pull through braid with extensions and it was so beautiful, like so beautiful, super Bridgerton vibes. Old flowers, really vintage. I was like, this is really cool. Coming back.

Lou (07:41)

I love that. That's so cool. Yeah. ⁓ good one. Great answer. Okay. So, Alyssa, before we finish off, I always like to give our listeners some great actionable tips or advice. I think he said some earlier. So if a bride is looking to book the hairstylist and they want their hair to last, what are some tips you want to give them?

Alyssa Armstrong (07:54)

Yeah, that's cool.

Yeah, so definitely keep your hair moisturised please. Lots of moisture treatment, doesn't have to be at a salon, doesn't have to be crazy expensive, but you know, just five minutes in the shower. Keep up your hair trims and your colour maintenance and just really good quality shampoo and conditioner. That's going to make a world of difference.

Lou (08:34)

Okay.

Fantastic. Do you have a favourite brand?

Alyssa Armstrong (08:38)

Yes, I really love Wella. Wella have amazing products. Or Redkin, that's my new favourite. Because they're so, I wouldn't say heavy, but they're like, it's called a heavy cream for a reason. It's super moisturising. And I put most of my brides on that and their hair feels unreal and super shiny, which I love.

Lou (08:44)

Okay.

Yeah.

cool, okay, I might have to go out and get that myself, I think. Awesome, well thank you so much for coming today. Now, can you just share with everyone where they can find you on the socials to get in touch?

Alyssa Armstrong (09:01)

Yes.

Thank you.

Yep,

yep, so my Instagram is just Keighley Collective, so is my TikTok and my Facebook, so we're all the same. ⁓

Lou (09:15)

Yep. Okay. Very easy. Thank you. And thanks everyone for listening in today for Pop the Question. You can find Alyssa's details and all the show notes on my website, which is imagesbylouobrien.com forward slash pop the question. So thanks Alyssa. I really enjoyed chatting to you today.

Alyssa Armstrong (09:18)

Thank you.

Thank you,

thank you so much for having me.

Lou (09:36)

You're welcome. Okay, bye.

Alyssa Armstrong (09:38)

Bye!

Podcast link - How to Make Your Wedding Hairstyle Last All Day

👍 Keep up with Pop The Question & me, Lou O’Brien – Sunshine Coast Wedding Photographer:

Lou O'Brien https://imagesbylouobrien.com
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