Eight winter wedding hair ideas to inspire + advice

Looking for winter wedding hair ideas? We've got plenty in the HJi gallery! With cold conditions and adverse weather, winter weddings can be hard to plan for and bridal hair is no exception. We spoke to bridal expert Anna Sorbie about what you need to plan for when it comes to winter wedding hair.

Winter Wedding Hair Tips from Anna Sorbie

Veil or no veil?

A veil is a fantastic option for a wedding: a well chosen veil can look as traditional or as modern as you like; it’s a great option for adding a little drama to a very simple style; and as long as it is positioned well, any hairstyle can work well with one. However, for a winter wedding, veils can be a little trickier. If you are wearing a veil, then it is essential you put in the prep work to make sure it stays put. While you won’t be spending lots of time outside before the ceremony, you may well need to take a walk from the car to the church or ceremony, so make sure your veil is well secured. To secure, and to ensure it stays in place in windy conditions, slide the comb into a section of hair that has been backcombed or plaited. The hair should be prepped with holding products to ensure it has staying power throughout the day.

Windy weather tips

While you should avoid standing outside for long periods when it is windy – your veil will have a mind of its own – if you plan to have photos taken outside, this may be unavoidable. If that is the case, and your hairstylist is no longer on hand, then a top tip is to delegate a member of your bridal party to keep an eye on your hair, and veil if you’re wearing one, and to be in charge of making sure they stay in place. Prior to the wedding, ask your hairstylist to show them how your veil is best secured and what they need to do to remove it properly or to re-secure it if it comes loose. I would also recommend arming them with a small bristle brush and strong hold hairspray to tidy up any flyaway hairs, between the ceremony and photos.

Heavy rain

No bride wants to imagine that it will rain on their wedding day, but unfortunately in winter in the UK this is often the case. However, as long as you prepare the hair well, with products designed to fight humidity and hold a style firmly in place, you can avoid the resulting frizz, dropped curls and flat locks that rain can cause. Firstly, choose your products wisely. Start by hydrating your locks, by using a moisturising shampoo and conditioner, which will create a smooth foundation and will create a barrier against humidity. Follow with a serum and heat protective spray, before blow-drying and styling, again choosing products designed to fight frizz and inject moisture and shine. Finish your style with a hairspray that has strong but flexible hold – hair should hold in a style, but should still be touchable and should move. Ideally, choose a spray that contains ingredients designed to both block humidity and smooth strands, without weighing down the hair. That way you are giving your hair a fighting chance against humidity-induced frizz! Finally, you may want to opt for a style where your hair is tied up or tied back, rather than left loose. This kind of style will hold up better against rain, whereas a long loose style is more likely to drop and fall flat.

Popular winter styles

A chignon is such a timelessly elegant style and has become quite a fashion-forward choice for brides over the last couple of years, with many bridal designers choosing a modern chignon for their models to wear while modelling their designs during Bridal Fashion Week. What makes this a great winter choice is that the hair is away from the face, and the crown can be sculpted for maximum hold – great if the weather is poor – and adding a headband, tiara or hairpiece will help to keep fly-aways away from the face and will add additional hold in winter weather conditions. Alternatively the crown of the chignon can be left a little softer and looser. This way looks very modern and allows a little flexibility for fly-aways and loose tendrils that will look intentional, even if they’ve been caused by a little bit of windy weather! Chignons also tend to sit lower than top-knots and other up-do’s, at the base of the neck, and so they tend to be less affected by wind or rain too.   [hji-gallery-legacy]