The Modern Bride's Guide to Wedding Hairstyles

Your wedding day hair and bridal hair accessories reinforce your whole ensemble. The key to flawless bridal hair lies in choosing a style that complements both your dress and your aesthetic—then elevating it all with a sensational headpiece.

From regal to glamorous to modern chic, we've helped thousands of brides find the perfect finishing touch to their wedding day look. This guide explores the most popular bridal hairstyles and shows you (thanks to all our real brides!) exactly how to pair them with knockout headpieces.

Bridal Updos

Wearing your hair up on your wedding day is a classic move. Not only does an updo exude timeless elegance and sophistication, but it's practical, too, if you're a woman who plans to dance all night long! 

Low Buns and Chignons

There's something so romantic about a low bun! This beloved bridal updo just never goes out of style—it's sophisticated, is amazing in photos from every angle, and works wonderfully with any wedding aesthetic you can imagine.

We see so many stellar variations of a low bun: sleek chignons that feel contemporary and polished, textured buns with those sweet little tendrils framing your face, braided details that add a bohemian touch, and side-swept versions that create charming asymmetry. What we love most about low buns is how they showcase your neck and shoulders while giving you the ideal foundation for everything from delicate hair vines to show-stopping statement combs.

→ See all kinds of real bride inspo in our guide to chignons and low buns.

High Updos

If you want to feel like absolute royalty on your wedding day, a high updo might be exactly what you're dreaming of! These endlessly elegant styles sit right at the crown of your head, creating instant drama and sophistication that's simply breathtaking.

What makes them extra special for brides is how well they work with cathedral veils (the veil sits right beneath the updo for the most divine cascading effect) and how they create the ideal platform for showcasing accessories like a custom tiara.

→ Get high updo inspiration and styling tips.

Romantic Down-dos

Wearing your glorious hair down on your wedding day is inevitably gorgeous, and not a little bit sexy. Down-dos are just as adaptable as updos—you can go with tousled, beachy curls, fluid waves, loose curls, and everything in between. 

Old Hollywood Waves

This sophisticated down-do captures all that timeless old-school elegance while feeling completely modern and romantic at the same time.

What makes Hollywood waves so special is their structured, polished quality. Unlike loose waves, these beauties feature deliberate S-curves that start around your ears and cascade dramatically down one side. The result? Pure starlet glamour that never, ever goes out of style.

These waves are striking on medium to long hair, and if you need a little extra length or volume, extensions can give you that true movie-star effect. We absolutely love how Hollywood waves pair with crystal combs and statement accessories.

→ Find inspiration in our guide to Hollywood waves.

Long Waves

More relaxed and flowing than its Hollywood sister, loose waves tumble around your face and down your back in the manner of a period romantic heroine. Though excellent for garden and bohemian weddings (especially when paired with a bridal halo), they're just as at home matched with a glittering statement comb or headband in a gilded ballroom. 

→ Style your long flowing waves.

Voluminous Curls

Defined by lots of bouncy, dramatic curls, voluminous curls offer extravagant movement and drama. Take them in a tousled direction for a beached, free-spirited feel, or glam it up with tighter curls and polished styling, which many of our brides do. Voluminous waves offer the best of both worlds—the drama of Hollywood with softer bombshell vibes.

→ Learn all about stunning voluminous curls.

Short Hair Styles

 

Short hair is fabulous for weddings! If you have a pixie cut, chic bob or lob, you've got so many beautiful options that create the perfect sophisticated, modern bridal look.

The versatility might surprise you—we see everything from classic bobs with those gorgeous vintage finger waves to textured lobs with romantic side-swept styling that's just dreamy. Asymmetrical cuts look incredible with bold accessory placement, and pixie cuts? They become absolutely regal when you pair them with the right statement headpiece.

→ Get inspired by our guide to short bridal hair styling and accessories

Modern Ponytails

Ponytails can be casual or runway-ready, and a bridal pony tail is no different! Offering a contemporary alternative that's both luxurious and practical, this updo is a fit for fashion-forward brides.

 

High and Low Ponytails

The bridal ponytail has had such a glow up! What used to be considered too casual for weddings has become one of the most sophisticated choices you can make. Modern wedding ponytails are all about technique—think Quiff ponytails, blown-out ponytails, and ponies with bumps, curls, and texture.

Whether you're drawn to a low, sleek pony for that classic sophisticated vibe, a high one with a bump for modern drama, or a romantic, curled side ponytail for something softer and more asymmetrical, there's definitely a version that will work for you!

→ This way to wedding ponytail inspiration.

Choosing the Right Bridal Hair for Your Veil Length

The truth is, every kind of veil, from cathedral to birdcage, can harmonize with any hairdo and accessory combination. It’s really about style, which has everything to do with what you like. That said, there are some pairings that go together like chocolate and cake.

 

Timeless combinations:

• Cathedral veils with updos or long curls
• Birdcage veils with finger waves, victory rolls, or sleek side-swept styles
• Fingertip veils with half-up styles or soft Hollywood waves
• Chapel veils with low chignons or braided updos

Keep in mind that a veil’s length and weight (if you’ve got lots of lace, for instance) directly affect its appearance and how it stays in your hair. A long, heavy veil, like a lace-edged, royal cathedral veil, is often a better match for fuller hairstyles that give the veil a place to sit.

→ We’ve got some helpful tips if you plan to wear your hair down with a wedding veil.

The Finishing Touch: Bridal Accessories

Tiaras and Crowns: Regal Romance

Tiaras and crowns are among the most enduring wedding headpieces. Though some might think that a ballgown wedding dress is required to wear one, that couldn’t be further from the truth. This iconic wedding headpiece is a match for any dress or bride who wants to feel like a queen and exude glam.

Over the years, we've found that certain hairdos work particularly well with these regal headpieces. Both low buns and high, full updos provide excellent support. However, Hollywood waves create a glamorous backdrop, and short hair is remarkably striking with the right crown.

→ For more ideas, visit how to wear your wedding hair with a tiara or crown, and how to choose your perfect tiara

Hair Vines and Halos: Endless Sparkle

Constructed on flexible wire, hair vines and halos are light and easily sculpted, so it’s no wonder they’re a favorite among our brides! We, too, love how they can be wrapped around the base of a bun or around a ponytail, woven through loose waves, sculpted to skate your hairline, or placed on your head like a diadem. 

→ To see what we mean, check out our bridal hair vine styling ideas and how to style a wedding halo

Crystal Bridal Combs: Go Bold or Understated

On our list of most adaptable headpieces, bridal hair combs vie for the number one spot. They can be tucked over an ear, into a high bun, alongside a chignon, adorn a half-up-half-down, and sweep loose curls to the side. As with hair vines, the motifs available are too numerous to count. There are bold crystal rose combs, delicate sprays, Art Deco marvels, dainty pearl-and-crystal pieces—you get the picture.

→ For tips and inspiration, see how to style a bridal hair comb and real brides in dainty hair combs

Working with Your Natural Hair Texture

Embracing Your Curls

If you're blessed with natural curls, you have such incredible texture and volume to work with for your bridal style! The secret is using your hair's natural shape and body to make your look sing. One of the most iconic wedding hairstyles at the moment is Hollywood waves—and it's a love match for curly hair.

There are so many ways to style natural curls for your wedding day. You could highlight your ringlets in a glorious, tendrily updo, ask your stylist to create a side part and finger waves, or volumize and let your wavy, curly hair spill around your shoulders in a half-up, half-down mane. Whatever you choose, a crystal headpiece among your curving, swerving locks will underscore it all with fabulous twinkle.

→ See naturally curly wedding hair styles in action. 

Find Your Bridal Hair Accessories

 

No matter which hairstyle speaks to you, the right accessories will elevate your look from lovely to breathtaking. Our carefully curated collection of luxury bridal headpieces includes everything from delicate hair vines to dramatic tiaras.

Ready to see how different accessories go with your hairstyle? We'd love to welcome you to our NYC bridal accessory boutique for a personalized styling session where you can try on headpieces and wedding jewelry.