It’s the age-old dilemma: Do I wear my hair up or down for the Big Day? It might not seem important to anyone else, but it’s the one question every bride asks herself almost immediately (sometimes even before picking a dress!). How you wear your hair is an important decision that you shouldn’t take lightly.
Of course, the most important thing is for you to feel comfortable. If you’re most confident when you wear your hair a certain way, by all means—rock that hair! But if you’re at all on the fence about which style to choose, consider some practical scenarios before making your decision.
Wear your hair up if…
The forecast says wind or rain
Wind and humidity will fight against any styling product that’s been used on your hairdo, no matter how much you use. The last thing you want to worry about on your wedding day is keeping your hair in tact—you should be focusing on getting married, not how you wear your hair! Remove the stress by considering the time of year and location and choose accordingly.
Your dress has a high neckline
While your dress doesn’t have to dictate how you wear your hair, it’s still a good check point if you’re on the fence. Dresses with high necklines tend to be more formal, so an up-do would be the most appropriate. Plus, an up-do will prevent any hair from getting caught on the dress—a double win!
You’re wearing a crown or other accessory
Practically, any hair piece is going to stay in place best with an up-do: Hair in an up-do doesn’t move around a whole lot, so the accessory won’t, either. Your hair stylist will be sure to give you tons of extra bobby pins, so you’ll have those on hand for extra protection, should you need it.
You have bangs
An up-do looks especially nice when you leave a little hair down, and bangs are perfect for that. Let your bangs showcase how magnificent your hair is, and put the rest up. Consider styling your bangs differently from how you typically wear your hair—so it feels unique to you.
Wear your hair down if…
Your wedding is at the beach
Chances are, if you’re getting married on the beach, your overall wedding vibe is casual—and how you wear your hair should reflect that! Long, beach waves will represent the carefree nature of the celebration.
Bonus Tip: Half-up, half-down ‘dos are perfect for beach nuptials!
Your dress has thin or no straps
We can’t stress this enough—your dress doesn’t have to determine how you wear your hair. But wearing your hair down does certainly complement a dress with little-to-no straps. Usually worn for summer weddings, thinly strapped dresses tend to have less structure, so your hair should, too.
Your bouquet is small
If you have a large bouquet, long hair, and a veil or jewelry—that’s a lot going on. How you wear your hair should complement your entire walk down the aisle, not add to it. If you’re carrying a single flower, or a few small ones, let your hair down!
Don’t forget…
You can throw your hair up or take it down before lighting up the dance floor—once the photos are taken, your hair is fair game! You don’t have to worry about how it looks, because your priority is having fun and celebrating.
