Hair

The silhouetteof the bride.

From the back of a wedding hall nobody can see a lip line. What they can see is a silhouette — and that is built, not styled.

What the braid carries

A traditional South Indian bridal braid can be asked to hold jadai billai, a length of jasmine, a kunjalam, and often a substantial amount of added hair.

That weight has to sit still through the ceremony, through several changes of position, and through a great deal of embracing. The braid is not built to look good at seven in the morning; it is built to still be there at seven in the evening.

Fine hair, short hair

Both are extremely common and entirely workable — but they need to be said out loud at the trial rather than discovered on the morning.

Added hair is normal for bridal work and is matched to your own texture and colour. Short hair can carry a full traditional silhouette; it simply takes longer, and that time has to be built into the morning.

Jasmine

Jasmine is measured in muzham, not in stems, and it wilts. It should be bought as close to the morning as possible, kept cool, and never sealed in plastic overnight.

If the ceremony runs long, plan a second string. It is a small cost and it is visible in every photograph taken after midday.