Of course you’ve heard of good and bad hair days. Well, good and bad hijab days are a big thing as well for many Muslim women. Some days we are high-fiving ourselves in the mirror as our hijab continues to lie perfectly in place all day long, and other days we seem to be in a day-long tussle with the fabric to just comply.

Now, imagine it’s your wedding day, and all your flowers are perfectly arranged, the venue is blissful, the dress is immaculate – but your hijab literally slips off your head more and more with every tug on your veil, or tight hug from an excited wedding guest. This is NOT the time for a bad hijab day! But don’t panic! I’ve got five surefire tips to help prevent a bridal hijab disaster and ensure that you have your BEST hijab day on one of the most important days of your life.

You may have looked at a thousand pictures online and you’ve decided on the style you’d like to do for your wedding. Or maybe you’ve consulted with a hijab stylist (they exist!) or had a group discussion with your friends or bridesmaids. You know what the inspiration is, but what about the execution? What does it take to get those flowers to stay on your hijab or to make that drape sit as elegantly on your shoulder as it does on the model’s shoulder in your inspiration picture?

Sometimes, you’ll have to go to the fabric store and stitch some things together by hand, or get creative to make your hijab fit your unique wedding style.

Think about the functionality of your style with accessories and the events of your wedding day. If you’d like to show earrings, are they studs or are they dangly? Will your hijab style be able to show that, or that stunning necklace you’d like to wear? How can your teeka (jewelry that is pinned in your hair and lies on your forehead)stay in place?

What will be your hairstyle/texture under your hijab? Will you need to transition to a second look (in another hijab or no hijab if your wedding has some gender segregation)? What fabrics/accessories will you use to ensure that everything doesn’t just fall apart with all the hugs and dancing?

Most importantly – how can you maintain your modesty/coverage standards in your wedding style? These questions and more are why the devil is always in the details.

If you got help to do all the other services for your wedding, like makeup, nails, and hair – why did you think that your crown of glory could be left out? On your special day, plan to have help. Hire a hijab stylist, or at least get your friend/family member to style your hijab for/with you. That person should have been a part of figuring out all the details in the first tip.

A hijab stylist, or someone who you are enlisting as one, will help you to get the right fabric hijab, accessories and tools you’ll need, as well as do things like steaming, pinning and helping you transition you to any outfit/hijab changes you might need. As a stylist, I’ve styled bridal hijabs, and the bride is always thankful that she didn’t have to worry about a single thing.

So you watched some tutorials, you gathered the materials you think you’ll need, and so you have it all figured out, right? WRONG. Give yourself ample time to try on different styles with flowers, jewelry, a veil or whatever you want your hijab look to be. Then wear that style for a while to see how it holds up throughout the day.

Don’t wait until the day of to realize that you needed bobby pins, fashion tape, a shaping scrunchie, safety pins, straight pins and a non-slip headband or underscarf. It’ll be too late! And these items are not easily just sourced from the local Walmart! Plan a date for your stylist or family/friend to rehearse your hijab style on you at least two weeks ahead of the date. Why? Because you’ll want ample time to figure out that an organza turban wrapped over freshly straightened hair is a recipe for disaster, or that cream, ivory, and eggshell are three very different shades of white.

If you wear the hijab style for an hour or so, you might realize that your ears hurt with that thick undercap, and you would have much rather worn a thin, barely-there one. You’ll need time to order the right hijab and accessories from your fabric online store. If you’re wearing “white” for your wedding, try Haute Hijab’s woven in Ivory, satin in Ivory, chiffon in Winter White or, trust me on this, a fresh jersey in White. For those wearing other colors, I love satin in Champagne’ or Gold, even cascading pleats in Cashmere. If you seek color for your wedding hijab (or if you’re part of the bridal party or guest), there are so many options you’ll want to try out before the day to make sure it’s exactly what you want.

It’s your day, your style, and the right hijab for your wedding day is out there. A rehearsal is necessary.

You may know of a friend or family member who wore hijab at her wedding. She’s been through it, so she may know some do’s and don’ts to help get you prepared. And even if you don’t know anyone, social media makes connecting with people virtually just within reach. You’ll never know the answer to a question until you ask. And in my experience, most people are ready to connect with you via DM or even in the comment sections.

Here’s an example , “You looked stunning in your hijab at your wedding! I’m so inspired and my big day is coming up. Any tips on how to keep your hijab looking perfect through the night?” You might learn a lot and gain a new friend as well.

Here are three items I would highly recommend from Haute Hijab to keep in your wedding hijab styling kit. You can even carry it all in an HH Tote so that all your items are in one place:

If your special day is coming up, or you are attending a wedding as a guest, let us know if you used any of these tips! Wishing you the best hijab day ever on a day that should be absolutely magical!