#1 YOUR PERSONAL STYLE
The first thing to take into consideration when choosing your hair accessories is your personal style and the style of your wedding. Your wedding day isn't the time to venture far from your personal style. Is your style more romantic? Then a sweet flower comb or hair vine will suit you beautifully. More of a trend setter? Go for a dramatic statement piece. Having a beach or destination wedding? How about a simple and elegant hair flower. Stay true to your own personal style and look for pieces that really speak to you.
#2 YOUR HAIRSTYLE
After taking into consideration your personal style, the second thing that you will want to think about is your hairstyle. Our advice is to hold off on purchasing a headpiece until you are sure what type of hairstyle you will want to wear and whether you are going to want to wear a hair piece in the front, back or side of your head OR better yet, borrow hair accessories using our Try Then Buy program where you can try out pieces before you buy with no cost and no obligation. It is also important to take into consideration the thickness of your hair. While your hair stylist can do wonders to attach your headpiece, brides with thinner hair may want to stay away from bulky or heavier pieces that may have a tendency to fall out or shift throughout your wedding day.
#3 YOUR WEDDING DRESS
The most important aspect of your overall wedding look is your wedding dress. The dress is going to set the style for your whole look. If your dress is more simple with no embellishments, it leaves you more open in choosing any type of accessories. If your dress has more detailed embellishments, you will want to take this into consideration when choosing accessories. The color of the dress is also a consideration when choosing bridal hair accessories that also have color such as colored jewels, lace or fabric.
#4 What color?
Silver has always been the go-to color for bridal accessories and you can never go wrong with silver but colored hair accessories are all the trend right now including gold, rose gold and opal. The general rule of thumb is that gold is going to flow best with an ivory, off-white or champagne dress and make sure to stay consistent and if you are wearing gold hair accessories, make sure your bridal jewelry is gold as well. Make sure to take into consideration and also stay consistent with any details on your dress AND the details and colors of your wedding including your flowers.
#5 What Type of Accessory?
Now we come down to the nitty gritty! With so many options, how do you know exactly what type of hair accessory to choose??? Here is a basic rundown of your options:
Bridal Hair Comb or Clip - Hair combs are by far the most popular choice among brides. With so many different styles to choose from it is easy to find something that fits in with the style of your wedding and your personal style. Combs work best accenting an updo in the back or side of the head but can also be worn with hair down and swept to the side.
Headband orTiara - A headband or tiara can create a beautiful classic look or a dramatic statement depending on the style. Choose a dainty understated look for a more traditional style or a blinged out glamorous look if you want to make a statement. Headbands and tiaras can work great with any style hair including an updo hairstyle, all down bridal hair or a half up half down look.
Hair Flowers - You can't get more romantic than a beautiful bridal hair flower. Choose a simple hair flower for a casual garden or backyard wedding or opt for a beautiful embellished look for a more elegant look that is still soft and romantic.
Hair Vines - The newest trend in bridal hair accessories is definitely the bridal hair vine. Perfect for a romantic or boho chic look, hair vines can be bent and manipulated into different shapes to accent any hairstyle. Twist a hair vine in the back of a soft braided updo, around a bridal bun, on the top of your head like a headband or for an even more dramatic look, hair vines can be worn across the forehead!
Hair Pins - If you are looking for a very simple understated look, hair pins are perfect. Best in an updo or half up half down hairstyle, sprinkle hair pins across your style for a variety of looks.
#6 Change it Up
Just can't make up your mind? You don't have to....just change it up! Many of our bridal stylists tell us that their brides are really having fun with their look and changing their accessories, their hairstyles and sometimes even their dress between the ceremony and reception. Go from a beautiful all down hairstyle to a fun, sassy updo or vice versa, start with an elegant updo and then release your style to reveal your long flowing locks. Word of advice though, if you are planning on a style change it is best to make the investment of having your stylist stay to help you!
#7 JEWELRY
You have found the ideal dress, an amazing hairstyle and the perfect hair accessories...now it is time to pull it all together with your bridal jewelry. Like I mentioned before, best to stay with the same color metal when matching your jewelry and accessories. You will also want to look for jewelry with the same elements as your hair accessories whether that be rhinestones, pearls or a combination of both. If you are wearing a hair accessory that shows from the front such as headband or hair vine, keep your jewelry to a minimum maybe opting for a pair of earrings and maybe a bracelet. If your hair accessories are in the back of your hair then a beautiful necklace and earrings may be the perfect accent.
#8 ASK FOR HELP
If you find a professional hair stylist who specializes bridal beauty, they are a great source to look to for advice and guidance. Visit our list of Hair Comes the Bride professionals to find a stylist in your area.
We hope that our tips have helped and before we go, we just want to remind you that THE most important thing to remember is to stay true to yourself. Don't worry about being the "perfect" traditional bride and certainly don't worry what anyone else thinks you "should" or "shouldn't" do (even your mother)! This is your day and you should feel your most beautiful and your most authentic on this day more than any other! The bottom line is there really are no "rules" except for maybe one and that is to do what makes you happy and makes you feel beautiful and confident!