Bridal Hairstyle Ideas

After a bride chooses her dress, the next choice is how she'll wear her hair. Picking a bridal hairstyle that goes with the dress, the bride's facial features, and tone of the wedding is imperative. With so many styles out there, it is best to experiment prior to the wedding day. Whether you are doing your own hair or hiring a professional hairdresser, finding the hairstyle that is perfect for the special day is one of the most important decisions a bride-to-be can make.

Up-Do

A classic up-do is always an option. A basic chignon, which pulls the hair up and away from the face in a loose bun behind the head is easy and can be used on nearly anyone's hair. A chignon is also able to withstand the weight of a veil.

A French twist is another easy up-do option that moves the bride's hair away from her face, showcasing her upper body, facial features, and embellishment on the dress. The tightly wound twist at the back of the head provides excellent stability for a veil of all sizes and weights. Flowers, pearls, or other decorative hair items can also be wound within the French twist. This adds an extra element of luxury to the bridal hairstyle. To add dimension to the French twist option, back combing at the crown of the head can be done to provide a fuller, more dramatic look.

All Down

Brides with exceptionally long hair or a bob cut can wear their hair down. For brides with long flowing locks, curl up all of the ends with a curling iron and follow up with hair spray. Use your fingers to comb out the hair to create a wavy, voluminous look. A veil can be placed on top of the hair, toward the back of the head. Since the hair is free flowing, the veil will need to be secured with bobby pins.

An all-down bridal hairstyle is an acceptable choice for brides wearing strapless, or tube, bridal gowns. With the hair flowing down the bride's back and shoulders, the look sets off the strapless bridal gown design. If a bride opts for her hair to be completely down with a high-neck dress or a dress with lots of embellishment, such accents will be lost. For bridal gowns that fall in-between, it is important to try out an all-down bridal hairstyle prior to the wedding to make sure both the bride and the dress are able to shine.

Half and Half

The ultimate hair compromise will be a half-up, half-down bridal hairstyle. Using bobby pins or a hair elastic, pull back the front sides of hair and secure. A bit of back combing can be done prior to pulling back half of your hair to add volume and shape. Curl the remaining, loose hair with a curling iron. Spray with hairspray and then gently comb out. The veil will be able to be placed in the half-up portion of the hair while cascading down the back and shoulders with the half-down portion of hair.

Using a half-and-half bridal hairstyle will keep hair away from the face while still providing a dramatic fullness. For brides wearing dresses that are not strapless or tube styles, the half-and-half style will provide a delicate balance between dress, hair, and bride. With half the hair up, the embellishments of intricate beading and pearls on the front of a dress will be visible. With the hair half down it can still lightly graze the bride's shoulders and back without overtaking the dress.

Tags: away from, away from face, bridal hairstyle, bridal hairstyle, French twist