How to Choose the Perfect Wedding Hairstyle in 3 Simple Steps
Your big day is fast approaching. You’ve got all the big stuff figured out. And the little details are falling into place. You find yourself peeking at your wedding dress every chance you get.
You envision how you’ll look on your wedding day. You imagine what his reaction will be when he sees you walking down the aisle. But that picture is still incomplete…
You’re still wondering what’s the best hairstyle for your wedding? What hairstyle would best fit you without being distracting or overdone? How do you choose your wedding hair style?
It’s not like there’s a shortage of inspiration out there. From Instagram to Pinterest, you’ve got all the inspiration you can handle. Quite frankly, you’ve got too much inspiration.
You’ve created huge albums and boards with all the styles you like. But you need help narrowing them down to the wedding hairstyle that is best for you.
Afterall, the perfect wedding hairstyle is about more than what you like – though that’s certainly part of it. It’s about presenting a cohesive style and vibe that includes your dress, accessories, makeup, and hair.
Your hair is your crowning glory. It’s the finishing touch. Let’s get it right.
Here’s how I help my brides choose a wedding hairstyle that reflects their own unique style without being distracting or overdone.
What Is the Best Hairstyle for a Wedding?
Spoiler…there’s no single “best” hairstyle for a wedding — and anyone who says differently is selling something.
But there is a best hairstyle for your wedding…
The hairstyle that perfectly crowns you. Seamlessly melding the style and artistry of your dress while balancing your features and reflecting your style.
You know you’ve got it right when you look in the mirror, and say, “I look like a bride.”
How Do You Choose Your Wedding Hairstyle?
Follow these 3 simple steps to help you narrow down the best hairstyle for your wedding.
1. Are there any practical concerns?
I know, I’m sorry for having to bring up practicality. But I want you to actually enjoy your wedding – not be complaining about how hot it is and wishing you hadn’t worn your hair down.
Weather certainly plays a factor. Is your wedding indoor or outdoor? Summer or winter? These things can have an effect on how you wear your hair. But it has a major effect on what products your stylist decides to use to style your hair.
Pro Tip: If you’re doing you live in a humid climate, use a pump hairspray as you’re styling. Then mist the final style with the aerosol hairspray.
Aerosols give you a firmer hold, but they have these “aerosol bubbles” that distribute the product. When those bubbles meet with the moisture in the air, they burst. This alters the hold and the style “falls”.
A pump hair spray doesn’t go through this change, so it holds better in humid conditions.
My go-to products for outdoor updos are Freeze and Shine¹ by Paul Mitchell and Awapuhi Wild Ginger Finishing spray².
Freeze and Shine is a heat activated pump hairspray that you can spray on the hair before heat styling. Then I follow up with AWG Finishing Spray to hold it all in place.
2. What Is the Overall Vibe of Your Wedding?
Every wedding has a vibe of its own. What’s yours?
Casual elegance
Traditional Glam
Romantic Farmhouse
Beachy Boho
If you find it hard to put a name to it, get out your dress and whatever accessories you’ve already chosen. Then describe them.
Once you have your vibe head back to your archive of hair inspiration photos. Now delete any style that does fit that vibe – even if you love the style.
Remember, this doesn’t mean you can never wear that hairstyle. You’re not saying goodbye for good – just for now.
3. What Have You Got to Work With?
Listen, depending on how much time and money you want to invest in your wedding hair, I can achieve any look with enough time, hair spray, and extensions. It doesn’t matter how long or short, thick or thin, curly or straight, your hair is. I can put any style on your head. BUT…
Let’s have some honest talk real quick. Be honest. Do you really want to look entirely different on your wedding day?
I mean, sure, you want to look special. But there’s special and then there’s special. And then there’s also SPECIAL! And hey, it’s up to you to decide what kind of special you’re going for.
But remember, your fiancé isn’t marrying an overdressed caricature of yourself… At least, I hope he’s not…He’s marrying you – the love of his life.
Yes, you want to look extra special for him on your wedding day…but you also want him to recognize you.
Just as I can put any hair style on someone’s head, I can make any length, density, or texture look truly bridal. So don’t feel like you have to look like that model in Bride’s magazine. You are the bride. And nothing is more beautiful than a bride on her wedding day.
Here’s How to Avoid Getting Carried Away with Your Wedding Hair
Now we’re getting down to the nitty-gritty of exactly what kind of wedding hair styles to avoid.
We’ve all seen it. Wedding hair styles that have so much going on that you don’t know where to look. There are some curls on top, a braid coming down her neck, half of it twisted into a chignon...Frankly, it’s a hot mess.
Hair that’s been overdressed just detracts from you – the bride.
So, there’s this game my mom taught me when I was learning how to dress and accessorize myself.
You get 5 points. Each piece of jewelry counts as one (except your wedding ring). Each pattern counts as one. Purse and hair accessories also count as one. And you’re not allowed to go over 5 points – unless it’s a costume party and you’re trying to be gaudy.
The purpose is to keep your dress modest and tasteful. Not too showy, but not too plain either.
While there are times when you can get away with more, I’ve found that 3-5 points is also a good rule when it comes to dressing your hair.
Braids, twists, and chignons are elements. Curls, waves, and smoothness are textures. You may use two elements plus one texture or two textures plus one element. This leaves room for decorative elements – what I like to call “shinies.”
But do not use all three elements or all three textures in one style.
Some Example of Wedding Hairstyles
You can use braided and twisted elements together with a few face-framing curls, or you can have twists come back to form the curly chignon. You cannot have both.
You can use beautiful glamor waves that curl together at the bottom. Or you can have a slicked-down look with waves at the bottom. Please don’t try all three.
You can even slick everything back and have a decorative braid wrapping the curly pony.
Make Your Wedding Hairstyle Yours
Whatever wedding hairstyle you decide on, if it fits your wedding vibe and doesn’t use more than 5 points, you will look fabulous.
But remember, at the end of the day, you’ll still be married – no matter what your hair looks like.
…Though I do hold it as a point of pride when my bride’s hair lasts past her wedding night…just saying.
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