How To Pick The Perfect Bridal Headpiece For The Big Day
Selecting The Perfect Bridal Headpiece
Choosing your bridal hair accessories doesn’t have to be stressful! Picking out a bridal headpiece can be just as much fun as choosing a wedding gown. For some brides, selecting a headpiece is special because it’s one of the first accessories they choose on their own. That’s not to say that you can’t shop with your bridesmaids at your side—it’s just that shopping for accessories is your time to choose exactly what you want, without an audience throwing their opinions into the ring.
Where to Start?
The first step—and we mean the very first step—is choosing your wedding dress. Without that, it’s almost impossible to choose a bridal headpiece. This is because the tall, gold crown tiara that looks so beautiful in pictures might not look as beautiful with your rum pink gown. Your goal should be a coordinated look. The accessories should complete your outfit, not be the starting point for it. They need to enhance your entire wedding look and that means matching your accessories to your dress and shoes, and not the other way around. Your accessories shouldn’t overpower your wedding dress or your facial features.
The second step is having an idea of your wedding day hairstyle. An elegant updo may warrant a very different bridal headpiece than a long, loose style. If you are planning on having a bun, then choosing an elaborate style tiara may be a better choice. Otherwise, if you want to wear your hair down, then a dainty tiara, headband or even a hair clip will be a great choice. Not sure what you should be looking for? Your stylist will be able to tell you what kinds of tiaras and hair accessories go best with which hairstyles. The hairstyle should also match the tiara. Wedding tiaras can dramatically change your look for better or worse, depending on their size and placement.
What style is best for me?
This is a question that only you can answer, but we’re happy to give you a little insight into your choices!
Traditional tiaras offer the most dramatic look. Their eye-catching central peaks appeal to the romantic, traditional bride-to-be who wants to feel like royalty on her big day, and coordinate with everything from modern sheath dresses to classic ball gowns. They’re also versatile in that they can be worn with of without a bridal veil—so your options are wide open. We see tiaras paired with bridal updos more often than other hairstyles, but tiaras can be worn with almost any kind of bridal hair.
Wedding headbands are the new trend in the bridal world. They are compatible with nearly any hairstyle, from hair that’s worn long and loose to short bridal hairstyles and updos. For brides who want to wear their hair down, a headband adds a touch of elegance to loose hair or a side-swept ponytail. Short hair? No problem! A bridal headband is the ideal compromise for brides with hair too short for other accessory options. Tip: Try side-accented headbands for a modern look.
Double headbands do double duty. They can be worn flat on the head as a headband or tilted forward in tiara style. Some can even be wrapped around a bun!
Bridal combs are are more popular than ever now that there is more variety in the world of wedding hairstyles. They’re a simple bridal headpiece style that can be worn with almost any hairstyle. Some, like tiara combs, resemble tiaras and are worn in the same way, while others are worn at the side of the head or in the back. Choosing this alternative to the classic tiara or the more modern headband is a way of highlighting your wedding day hairstyle by giving it a beautiful focal point. A comb-veil combination makes having a second look for the reception easy.
Wedding hair pins are also very versatile. A bride who wants to showcase her hairstyle and not her bridal headpiece will often choose wedding hair pins for the perfect touch of sparkle they bring to her overall look. They are a great option for any hairstyle, whether formal or tussled, up or down. They can enhance your bridal hairstyle without overwhelming the dress you’ve so longingly waited to wear or the wedding jewelry that you’ve chosen just for this special day. Wedding hair pins make great accent hairpieces for your bridesmaids, too, and many brides choose hair pins for their attendants that coordinate with their own more elaborate wedding tiara or headband.
How do I choose a tiara?
Finding the right tiara is usually a matter of not only finding one that harmonizes with the color and decorative elements of your wedding gown, but also thinking about the shape of your face. Any tiara should draw attention to your face by framing it, not draw attention away from it. Your tiara should complement the shape of your face and your hair style, so it enhances your natural beauty and accentuates your most positive features. How do you make that happen?
• Elongated face: Opt for headbands and tiaras that add little height. Avoid tall tiaras which only lengthen your face. Large combs or silk flowers worn at the side of the head also work well with this shape, as they add fullness and width to the face.
• Oval face: You can wear just about any accessory style because your face is well proportioned. However keep in mind the groom’s height if you want a tall tiara as you will not want to overpower him.
• Round face: To make your face appear longer, choose a headpiece that will add some height or one that has a strong peak. Choosing a tall piece will help elongate your round face. As your face is the widest at its ears and cheeks, avoid side pieces as they accentuate the roundness of your face.
What is color matching all about?
Your bridal headpiece should be a part of your overall wedding day ensemble. In other words, it should not draw attention away from your face, but rather be an enhancement of your beauty. The same rules that you follow when choosing bridal jewelry apply when choosing the perfect bridal headpiece. As a general rule of thumb, it’s always advisable to keep your bridal headpieces as simple and elegant as possible. All eyes will be on you all day long, so you should exude a sense of stunning beauty, one that doesn’t need a host of froufrou accessories to compete with.
White gown: Choose a bridal headpiece that is silver-tone and has clear rhinestones or white pearls to emphasize the brilliance of your wedding dress.
Ivory gown: Choose a bridal headpiece that is gold-tone or has ivory pearls to highlight the softness and femininity of your dress.
Diamond white gown: This is a fairly new shade of white that is lighter than off-white but isn’t stark white. Choose either gold, silver-tone, or white pearl accessories.
Champagne or dark ivory gown: Choose a gold-tone headpiece or dark ivory pearls, because these will let the unique color of your dress shine.
What pattern should I choose?
It’s really tempting to look at all the gorgeous bridal headpieces out there and forget to think about colors or your wedding jewelry, but remember that your hair accessories are part of a whole. There’s no one perfect pattern for these headpieces, but try to match the pattern in the detailing of your gown to the pattern in the headpiece. If you have a floral pattern in your gown, look for a bridal headpiece with similar detailing. A modern, plain white gown usually looks best with a tiara with straight lines or a geometric pattern. Again, it is all about unity! It is recommended that the accessories do not outshine the bride. Your dress and accessories shouldn’t be fighting for attention.
And a few more helpful tips…
• Match the beading of your dress to the accents in your bridal headpiece. If your dress features pearls, choose a bridal headpiece with some or all pearls. If your dress sparkles with crystals, choose a bridal headpiece with crystal accents.
• A tiara with only Austrian clear crystals (rhinestones) and no pearls will match any gown.
• A bridal headpiece with pearls should match either the pearl accents on the gown, the color of the gown itself, or the pearls in your other wedding jewelry. Most pearl headpieces go great with off-white or ivory gowns, but some pearls are brighter white, so be sure to check the description of the bridal headpiece.
• Be sure to take a step back and make sure that all the pieces of your bridal ensemble work together and that no one piece overwhelms another. Your guests should be looking at you, not staring at your headpiece.
• Brides with short hair look absolutely beautiful wearing tiaras! Pick a lighter, more delicate tiara that won’t require lots of pinning to hold it in place or try headband style tiaras with a more petite shape.