Top Wedding Hairstyles
Your hairstyle is a compliment. It complements your appearance, your clothing, and your attitude. On your wedding day, the bridal hair you choose is also the perfect complement to your beautiful ceremony (and the party that follows).
As your wedding day approaches, there are so many boxes to check off your checklist. You need to find the perfect dress, choose the most delicious wedding cake flavor, discover the right entrance music for the moment, and much, much more. Of course, wedding hairstyles are prominently located on that list.
Your wedding hair is one of the first things everyone attending your big day sees. Your bridal hair also lives forever in wedding videos and, perhaps more important, wedding photographs.
Finding your perfect wedding hair is an important task, but it should also be fun. So, about six months before the big day approaches, peruse magazines and websites to discover some hairstyles for wedding suggestions. Pinterest is also a helpful resource and a great place to “keep” your favorites.
So, to help the search for your perfect wedding bridal hairstyle, here are a few search tips and even some hints for matching a wedding dress to a wedding ’do.
Hair for wedding tips
Be yourself
This may be the most important bridal hairstyles advice (and it also extends through every decision you make about your big day). Everything surrounding your wedding should reflect the personality of you and your partner—and that includes your wedding ’do. If you’ve always been a “throw your hair in a ponytail and go” type, it’s unlikely that you’ll love a big, stylized hairdo just because it’s your wedding day. Most likely, you want to look back on your wedding photos and see yourself, just fancier.
If you decide an extreme makeover is the way to go, do not wait until a week or two before your wedding to make the leap. Instead, head to your hairstylist at least three months before your wedding day and experiment with a couple of looks. Do not make any drastic decisions until you are 100% confident in the change.
However, if you make a big change and are hit with bride hair styles buyer’s remorse, don’t worry. Your stylist has tricks to fix an unflattering ’do, such as adding some hair extensions.
*This tip applies to the bridesmaid hairstyles, as well. It’s fine to ask your wedding party to wear matching hair accessories. However, expecting everyone to wear a matching hairstyle takes things a bit far. After all, your bridesmaids have their own style and want to look their best for your big day (without upstaging you; don’t worry, they know).
Dye another day
Similar to how you don’t want to make drastic changes to the length or volume of your hair, the same rule applies to your hair color. If you’re not a frequent dyer, it is not advisable to experiment with a new hair color days before your wedding.
From a few streaks to an entirely different colored coif, if you choose to dye, do it at least three months before your wedding date. That way, you have time to live with it. If you decide the change isn’t working, you have some time for it to grow out. Also, if you need to redye your hair closer to your natural color, you can space out the applications to avoid damaging your hair.
Hold a “hair trial”
While going with your regular hairstylist is comfortable and familiar, you may want to see if any stylists in your area specialize in formal events (your current salon may have recommendations or even someone in-house). If you go with a wedding hairstyles specialist, book them at least three months in advance. Reservations for popular stylists fill up quickly, especially during wedding season.
As for the hair trial, book it when you reserve the stylist. This gives you a little buffer time (although not much) if you do not jibe with the stylist.
On the day of your hair trial, go into the meeting looking as close as possible to how you’ll appear on your wedding day, i.e., dress up and wear makeup. If you are having a makeup trial, try to schedule it immediately before your hair trial. Bring examples of your favorite bride hair styles and a picture of your wedding dress. As the stylist experiments with various bridal hairstyles, you may want to take notes of your favorites and the styling products that helped create them.
Most important, be honest. You are not going to offend your stylist. They need to know which hairstyles you prefer and, crucially, which ones you dislike. Finding your perfect wedding hair may even take more than one hair trial.
Once you settle on your look, have the stylist take some pictures so you can see the style from all angles (and how it will look in your wedding photos). Then spend the rest of the day with your soon-to-be bridal hair. That way, you’ll have an idea of how well it will hold up on your wedding day. Also, do not make any significant changes to your hair between the hair trial and your wedding day. Your stylist will not appreciate that surprise.
Don’t forget about your veil and other hair accessories
If you are using a veil or hair accessory, remember to bring it when you meet with your stylist. They can plan around an accessory and gracefully incorporate it into your look.
The last thing you want to do is fall in love with the perfect wedding bridal hairstyle only to discover that your veil or selected hair accessory will undo or ruin the look. For example, most clip-in veils rely on your hair to stay in place, which may require some hairstyling help.
Weather aware
Unless you live in one of the few temperate areas in the U.S., there is a good chance that the weather on your hair trial will be very different on your wedding day. So, when deciding on wedding hairstyles, it’s essential to consider how the potential weather on your big day might impact your fancy coif.
DIY
If the thought of searching for a specialist and sitting through hair trials sends shivers down your spine, consider styling your own bridal hair. Just know that the money you save by skipping the stylist may not be worth the stress you gain.
If the thought of styling your wedding hair is comforting instead of traumatic, consider asking a close friend or relative to help you out. Together, you can hold your own hair trial a week or two before your big day. However, try to limit the number of people you enlist to assist with your bridal hair. Well-meaning friends and relatives may feel free to chip in with advice, and you know the old saying about too many cooks.
Popular hairstyles for bridals
Updo
An updo hairstyle keeps the bride’s hair up and out of their face using pins or bands. An updo is one of the classic wedding hairstyles because it feels personal while looking formal. Updos also help summer brides stay cool by keeping hair off their necks. Formal updos are often used by brides wearing ball gown wedding dresses.
Partial Updo
For a partial updo, only a portion of the bride’s hair is styled, while the remainder stays loose. Typically, this look is created by converting the top and sides of the bride’s hair into a bun, braid, or ponytail, while the back of the hair cascades loose. Strapless wedding dresses look great with a partial updo.
Down hair
A down hairstyle is one of the more personal bridal hairstyles because brides tend to feel “like themselves.” Unlike a fancy updo, which is typically reserved for formal occasions, a down hairstyle can feel casual even when it is stylized in a very formal fashion. Down hairstyles are frequently paired with spaghetti-strap wedding dresses.
Chignon
Unlike a bun, which can be worn anywhere on a bride’s head, a chignon is exclusively located on the back of the head, just above the bride’s neck. The name is an abbreviation of the French phrase “chignon du cou,” which translates as “bun at the nape of the neck.” Brides with an elaborate halter top wedding dress often opt for a chignon, so their hair doesn’t compete with the design.
Whether your wedding hair is hair up or down, short or long, we’re sure of one thing: you’ll look great. We can’t wait to see your bridal hair and the rest of your beautiful wedding party when you choose DFW Celebrations to be a part of your special day. Please contact us here to schedule a tour of our Dallas wedding venues.