Not all brides want a traditional bridal style, and with weddings becoming less conventional and modern brides now preferring to look more effortless on their wedding day, today’s brides are increasingly requesting bridal styles that don’t look typically bridal.

Anna Sorbie, bridal headwear and jewellery designer, and founder of www.annasorbie.com – a bridal hair and special occasion styling consultancy, which offers hair, extensions, make-up, headwear and jewellery services to brides across the UK – reveals how to avoid creating a bridal style for your client that looks too formal and traditional, and instead create a wedding style that looks thoroughly modern and fresh.

BRAID WINNER

The best modern bridal styles are those that are a revised version of a conventional wedding day look. Ballet buns, chignons and braids are all beautifully classic looks that can be tweaked to look fresh, modern and more relaxed. Bring a halo braid into 2018 by teasing wisps of hair out of the braid; opt for a low-do instead of an up-do; and make your ballet bun messy and textured, rather than neat and ‘prom’ like.

PARTING WAYS

Embracing a trend is a great way to guarantee your client’s wedding day style is more modern and less conventional. Slicked-back wet-look hair has been very on-trend for a few seasons, and has become a huge bridal trend for 2018 – it was spotted at numerous shows at Bridal Fashion Week Autumn/Winter ‘18. You could also try switching up a parting for something more seasonal: a deep side-parting, and a severe mid-parting both look very fashionable right now.

NATURAL BORN THRILLER

Embracing natural texture, length and style is very now. Forget using a hairpiece or clip-in extensions to add length – find a style that makes the most of your client’s own cut instead. Naturally curly-haired brides should forego straightening and smoothing out their curls and opt for ‘disco curls’ instead. Making the most of what you have is a very modern way to approach styling, so is sure to make your clients’ bridal look appear as stylish as possible.

PEARLS OF WISDOM

Keep your client’s hairstyle simple and add statement accessories for a fuss-free look that is still eye-catching. You could thread a string of pearls through your fishtail braid, for example. It will draw everyone’s attention, without looking too fussy.

Dress a parting with a few carefully placed stones or pearls, for a unique look that’s perfect for a bohemian style wedding. Remember: when your client is stood at the altar everyone is looking at the back of them, so dress up a bun or ponytail with a statement hair slide, such as this one, from my Spellbound bridal collection.

LET’S TWIST AGAIN

Accessories don’t need to look typically bridal for a bride to pull them off stylishly – in fact, the most modern looking bridal details are the ones that shun convention and bring an element of fashion to a look. Black ribbons look striking and stylish against a traditional white dress – they’re an unexpected detail that add a contemporary twist – and a piece of black or white lace placed over the hair looks delicate yet unique. Jewelled clips and comb-pins look striking and modern and are the perfect alternative to tiaras, ideal for evening weddings and dressy events. To give your client’s style a hint of modern bohemia, try this floral-inspired piece of headwear, from my Spellbound collection. 

To find out more about the brand, you can visit Anne Sorbie here.