• Rebecca Parker
• On March 16, 2017

With so many things to plan, it can be common for the bride to leave it until the last minute to decide how her bridesmaids should wear their hair. Anna Sorbie, bridal hair and beauty specialist, reveals how with some careful planning and preparation and by following her three golden rules, the way the bridesmaids wear their hair can play an important role on the big day.

The perfect match

With the bride’s style the main focus, it can be easy for the bridesmaids’ hairstyles to become an afterthought, however it’s important to bear in mind that the way they wear their hair can complement the bride’s own style, drawing further attention to it and highlighting the beauty of it. If the bridesmaids are the first to walk down the aisle, they will essentially be setting the tone for when the bride enters the room. Additionally, there will be plenty of professional photographs taken with all the bridesmaids. For this reason the bridesmaids’ styles should be part of the same ‘theme’ as the bride’s own style, in the same way that their dresses should be in a similar style to the wedding dress.

If the bride has chosen a traditional look, then the bridesmaids should be styled the same way. Conversely, if the bridal style is very bohemian, the setting for the wedding is very laid-back and the wedding dress is relaxed and modern, it would be odd for the bridesmaids to sport conventional, traditional styles. This doesn’t mean that the bridesmaids should wear their hair in the same way as the bride, as the bride’s style should be unique. Instead, contrast the bridesmaids’ style with that of the bride, but keep the overall idea the same. For example, if the bride is wearing her hair in a stunning oversized fishtail braid worn to one side, then the bridesmaids could wear their hair loose and down, with just one small scalp plait braided in to one side.

Find a style and tweak it

It can be very tempting to give all the bridesmaids the same style, however it’s worth remembering that a bride often has a handful of adult bridesmaids of different ages, with different face shapes, different types of hair and very different personal tastes. The best way to approach this is to find a simple style that can be tweaked to suit each bridesmaid. Keep the style simple, so that it can be adapted. For example, if you were to choose a relaxed top-knot, you would then look at each bridesmaid and consider how the top knot can be adjusted slightly to make it suit their face shape and hair type. For example, a bridesmaid with a round face would benefit from a top-knot with a lot of volume and height at the roots. A bridesmaid with a square face shape should wear their top-knot with a few loose waves around the face, to soften the jawline. Making these adjustments, while keeping the style essentially the same, ensures cohesion, but in a way that is flattering to each bridesmaid.

Remember you can’t please everyone

While it’s important to make sure the bridesmaids wear their hair in a way that is gorgeous and complementary to each of them, it is important to remember that not every bridesmaid will be one hundred per cent happy with her style. Making every effort to ensure that the style has been tweaked to suit each individual face shape and style is essential, but don’t pander to every personal whim. This is especially important if there are several bridesmaids to please. After all, it is the bride’s big day and nothing should ruin that.