Braut Haar

Braut Haar is a bridal hair and makeup business based at Seestrasse 1 in Rapperswil, run by the stylist Petra Sommerhalder and signed "by Coiffeur LineForm". Its homepage calls it Switzerland's professional hairdressing specialist for wedding hairstyles, bridal styling and makeup, "mit internationalem Know-how", and says it offers service across the whole of Switzerland. It publishes three packages with prices, and it names a Wedding Award Switzerland in the hairstyling and makeup category: the footer reads "Winner 2017, Frisuren & Visagisten". The site is written in German.

Who it is for

The homepage is candid about its market. It describes Braut Haar as hair art for the demanding bride who treats herself to a little more, for whom quality is not a luxury but a requirement, and who wants the wedding hairstyle to be an experience that is part of the whole wedding. It adds that only the coordinated interplay of dress, jewelry, hairstyle and makeup creates a complete bridal styling.

Petra Sommerhalder's own words on the award appear in a short quote: «In der Königsdisziplin Hochzeitsfrisuren mit dem Wedding Award Switzerland ausgezeichnet zu werden, berührt mich sehr und bestärkt meine Leidenschaft». In English, being recognized with the Wedding Award Switzerland in the supreme discipline of wedding hairstyles moves her deeply and strengthens her passion. Under the heading "Mehr als ein Coiffeurtermin" (more than a hairdresser's appointment), the homepage says Braut Haar celebrates the bride's preparation, because the wedding hairstyle and styling are where the most emotional story of a life begins, and it promises to turn the hairdresser's appointment into a wedding experience. A news item on the homepage says she had the opportunity to support the star hairdresser Pedro Sanchez in the Maldives, and that she is now back in Switzerland with new ideas for hair creations.

The three packages

Braut, CHF 600. Your wedding hairstyle and makeup are created in the salon, in a private atmosphere, directly on the Seepromenade in Rapperswil. This is the package for a bride who is happy to come to the salon on her wedding morning.

Prinzessin, from CHF 2050. You are picked up in a vintage car, your hair and makeup are done at an exclusive location, the preparations are accompanied by a violinist, and afterwards the vintage car drives you on to the next stop of your wedding. The page asks you to request a quote and explains that the price depends on the type of vintage car, the route and the location. Elsewhere on the homepage it gives examples of the kind of location it means: a luxurious glass pavilion, or an experience on a glacier at 3800 meters above sea level.

Königin, day rate CHF 1500. Written in the first person, this package books Petra privately for a whole day. In the morning she does your hair and makeup wherever you want; she accompanies you and, for example, restyles and retouches you for photos; in the evening you can surprise your guests with a new hairstyle and evening makeup. The day rate includes travel costs within the Zurich area ("Raum Zürich Fahrspesen inkl.").

Each package carries a button labeled Probetermin (trial appointment), so the booking route for every package starts with a trial. The site does not say whether the trial is included in the package price or charged separately.

Hairstyles

The hairstyles page describes the range. For Braut Haar, it says, the bride's personality, character and own hair come first. Classic updos are called the supreme class of hairstyles, with countless variations and an elegant, romantic effect. Half-up styles, part pinned and part open, give a young, playful look, and hair with curls suits them particularly well. Open styles give a natural and romantic look, and can be matched to the dress through color nuances, waves and hair accessories. For short hair, the page mentions hair extensions, braided elements and coloring to match the look to the dress, and it adds that body jewelry such as tattoos or piercings can be integrated into the bridal styling.

Floral hair accessories get their own section. For floral styles, Braut Haar works with a professional florist, which, the page says, ensures that the flowers do not wilt and can be worked into the hair securely. The florist is a partner, not part of Braut Haar itself. A look-book section shows examples of finished styles, and the hairstyles page notes that there are as many wedding hairstyles as there are people, with new ideas and trends every year.

Contact

The homepage has a contact form headed "Hier beginnt Ihre Hochzeitsgeschichte" (here your wedding story begins), plus the email address info@braut-haar.ch and the phone number +41 55 210 19 91.

What the site does not settle

The site does not say which languages Petra works in. The "international know-how" on the homepage and her work abroad are not a statement that she styles in English, so a couple who need English should ask. It does not say how far ahead to book, whether a deposit is taken or what the cancellation terms are. Travel is stated as included only for the Königin package within the Zurich area; for the Prinzessin package it is part of the quote, and for weddings outside the Zurich area the site gives no travel rate, despite offering service across Switzerland.

It also does not say whether Braut Haar can style bridesmaids, mothers or other guests on the same morning, or at what price. The packages are written for the bride alone, and the Königin package is explicitly a booking of one stylist for the day.

Who it suits

Braut Haar suits a bride who wants hair and makeup treated as part of the wedding experience and is prepared to pay for it. The CHF 600 salon package in Rapperswil is the simplest option; the Königin day rate suits a bride who wants the same stylist beside her from the morning through photos to an evening change of look; and the Prinzessin package, with its vintage car and violinist, is for a bride who wants the getting-ready to be an event in itself.

The caveats are the German-only site, the lack of any stated language, and the fact that anything beyond the bride herself, from guests to travel outside the Zurich area, has to be asked about. A couple from abroad should settle both the language and the trial arrangement early, since every package points to a trial first.