Sunday, November 23, 2008

How to Wear a Bridal Tiara By Bobette Kyle-Wagner and Bobbi Linkemer Platinum Quality Author

As you begin choosing a favorite wedding gown style, you will notice a selection of tiaras in most bridal shops. They sparkle, shine, and practically cry out to be modeled. Most brides-to-be cannot resist trying on at least a few of them. Before you make a final choice, however, first understand a few things about the best way to wear a wedding-day tiara.

Tiaras Come in Different Styles

Say the word "tiara" and most of us think of the stereotypical princess tiara -- rhinestones or crystals set in silver or white gold, gaily twinkling to a filigreed, front-and-center point. In reality, there are many variations. Pearl tiaras, with many designs of mixed pearls and crystals, are available. And they are not all set in silver. You can buy yellow gold or gold-plated tiaras, too.

The tiara's shape can vary as well. You can choose a headband style to hug your hair -- with one, two, or three bands -- or an inverted v-band to sit on your forehead. There are also crown-like designs that are a more uniform width than the classical princess styles (and may require a wider hairstyle than peaked versions).

Combs and Bands

Tiara construction can also vary. These different constructions dictate how you secure the tiara to your head. Some tiaras have small combs attached on each side, near the end of the bands, to more easily secure the tiara from the sides. Others -- called comb tiaras -- are mounted on a larger, single comb, so you can slip the comb backward into your hair from the front. Still others are made with loops at the end, or plain bands so you can use your hair or hairpins to hold the tiara in place. Take into account your hairstyle and which type of design will be easier to hold in place when choosing your tiara.

A Princess, Beauty Queen, or Bride? It's About Emphasis.

Princesses and beauty queens wear their tiaras on display, predominantly as a status symbol. It is all about what (not who) they are. A wedding, on the other hand, is about the bride herself, not the status of being a Missus. For that reason, a bride's tiara is given a different emphasis than that of a princess or beauty queens. A bridal tiara accents the bride's ensemble. If you compare Princess Diana of Wales' wedding photos to official photos of her wearing the Spencer Family Tiara, for example, you can see the difference between Princess Diana and bride Diana (for photos, go to images.google.com and type in Diana Spencer Tiara). On her wedding day, the tiara was worn as an accessory, surrounded by the tremendous veil. When worn in an official capacity as a symbol of her status, the tiara was much more obvious.

Aside from surrounding a tiara with a veil, the way you wear the headpiece can also make the difference between accent piece and centerpiece. Balanced atop one's head, the tiara is a showpiece, drawing attention to itself. Integrated into the hairdo, it becomes part of the ensemble. You can wrap the tiara around your bun or a mass of curls. Or, tilt it backwards at an angle -- so it does not sit straight up -- and hide the ends beneath your hair. Puff your veil or hair behind a large tiara to de-emphasize it.

Your Hairstyle Matters

Which size and type of tiara works best for you partially depends on your hairstyle. Large hair can carry a large tiara. Small hair means a smaller scale tiara. Consider the front profile. If you wear your hair in a bun, for example, your tiara may be more conspicuous set against the bun or wrapped around it, but your hair will be more conspicuous as well, balancing out the effect. The same tiara that works with the bun may be too tall for a smaller profile hairstyle. If you plan to choose an inexpensive tiara, consider buying two or more and experiment until you find the best look.

However you choose to wear your bridal tiara, consult others throughout the process. Ask your hair stylist and those who know you, but will be honest with you about their opinions. Do this and you will find a tiara the looks fabulous and reflects your personality.

Bobette Kyle-Wagner is publisher at http://www.MyOnlineWeddingHelp.com, a Website helping engaged couples get the most use from Internet wedding resources. The site includes online wedding tips, original articles, tutorials, and shopping sections. Read more about wedding tiaras here

Headpiece Styles For Short Hair By Laura Firenze Platinum Quality Author

When you start looking through the bridal magazines, you will likely notice that most of the models have long hair. This allows them to wear any type of hairstyle, from an updo to soft and flowing. Long hair can also be styled to accommodate any type of headpiece. But not every bride has long hair, and there are certainly some wonderful headpiece styles available for short hair.

One great style to shop for is a headband. This type of headpiece fits to your head, and doesn't need the hair to provide an anchor. A headband could also serve as a base for a veil instead of the usual comb. Headbands come in numerous styles. A wide fabric covered band has a classic, innocent 1950s look. A dainty headband can be covered in Swarovski crystals and pearls for a more contemporary look. A great idea is to coordinate the details of your headpiece to your custom bridal jewelry. If you are choosing to wear a headband, beware of styles with flowers attached, as they can make you look like a flower girl.

Another easy-to-wear style for short hair is a wreath. Wreaths tend to work best for brides with an earthy style, or those having Medieval themed weddings. They can also be a terrific choice for a tropical destination wedding. Fresh flowers are one possibility, but they can be the toughest to pull off. One reason is that fresh flowers can just be too big to wear on your head, and there is the wilting issue, as well. A better option is tiny paper or porcelain flowers. They can be woven to create a wreath that is much more dainty and wearable. A wreath made of lasting materials is also nice if you have a sister or friend who might want to borrow it for their wedding in the future.

Depending how short your hair is, there are additional types of bridal headpieces that may work. If you have enough hair to pull the front back, you will have a world of options. Your hairdresser can use a clear ponytail holder to sweep back the front section of hair, which will give you a place to anchor your headpiece and veil. Pieces attached to combs will tend to work very well with this hairstyle, and they are plentiful. You will have your choice of a wide variety of designs.

For a formal wedding, a comb adorned with beautiful materials like crystals and pearls will be perfect. It can be low to the head, or have more height like a tiara. If your custom bridal jewelry is more glitzy, then choose a comb with crystals and rhinestones. A more demure bride could select a piece handmade with sterling silver flowers and tiny seed pearls. If you coordinate your headpiece to your bridal jewelry, it will look perfect.

A full tiara may not be the best choice for a bride with short hair. For one thing, it will be difficult to stabilize the weight of the piece without a lot of hair to put the side combs into. The other factor to keep in mind is that a giant tiara will just be overwhelming if you do not have a big hairstyle to balance it out visually. Brides with short hair will also definitely want to rule out hairpins as their ornament. The ends of the pins are likely to show, and they are sure to fall out of your hair in short order.

Having short hair does not mean that a bride cannot wear a headpiece or veil. Happily, there are numerous styles from which to choose. Whether your style is classic, contemporary, or earthy, there will be a perfect headpiece for your wedding day.

Laura helps brides with their wedding plans by offering advice on selecting bridesmaids gifts, reception ideas and other aspects of planning a wedding. Custom bridal jewelry is a wonderful choice for the bride looking for something unique for her wedding.

The Perfect Wedding Veil and Head Dress By Shannon Medley Platinum Quality Author

There are numerous types of bridal veils to select from for your very special wedding day. However, there are a few things that you must decide before picking out the type of veil you will wear.

1) You need to pick out your wedding gown - this will determine if you are having a formal or casual wedding and you will be able to match your veil with your gown..

2) Choose your hairstyle. Talk to your hair stylist about your different options depending on your hair length and type of hair.

Now, let's consider the different types of veils. Veils can vary in price from as little as $20 (if you make it yourself) or ascend in cost into the thousands of dollars for veils with pearls or real precious stones. Let's go with the premise that you don't want to spend thousands of dollars for your veil. We'll look at a few cost-effective types of wedding head dresses and veils.

COMB

A comb can be plain, but stately. A comb is great if you want people to look at your wedding gown more that your headwear. If you have short hair, a comb is the perfect choice. If you choose a comb, take your comb to your hair stylist so she can try out different styles to compliment the comb.

CROWN

A crown is perfect for the bride that is going for the traditional look. Crowns frequently have beads, precious stones or flower designs on them. A crown is perfect for the bride who wants to wear an updo hairstyle.

HALO

A halo is a circular headpiece and may be used alone or with a veil. Just like the crown, it can have a combination of beads, precious stones or flower designs. Halos are a fine choice if you plan to wear your hear in an up do or if you have short hair.

TIARA

Have you ever wanted to be a princess? Than choosing a tiara for your wedding can make you feel like a princess! A tiara is perfect for just about any hairstyle or wedding dress.

No matter which style of veil you choose, have a wonderful wedding day!

Shannon Medley - EzineArticles Expert Author

Friday, November 21, 2008

Wedding Hairstyles For Medium Length Hair By Laura Firenze Platinum Quality Author

A woman's hair is often referred to as her "crowning glory". On no day will this be more true than your wedding day. If you have medium length hair, you will find that there are many hairstyles available to you. It is just a matter of picking the right one.

There are several things to consider when deciding on your wedding hairstyle. The first is the formality of your wedding. Just as a stiff updo might look out of place at a backyard barbeque, wearing your hair loose might seem underdone at a cathedral ceremony. It is important to match your hairstyle to both the formality of your bridal gown and your wedding location.

Another thing to keep in mind will be weather conditions. If your hair wilts in the heat, forgo the big loose curls that will fall flat before you even finish exchanging your vows. You may also find that on a hot day, it will be cooler to have your hair up off of your neck. Getting married on a windswept beach? Then pull the front of your hair back to keep it from blowing in your face.

The length of your hair will be another determining factor. Brides with medium length hair are lucky, because they can choose almost any style. It is long enough to pull up, yet short enough that it won't be unruly or messy looking when worn down.

One of the most popular wedding hairstyles for brides with medium length hair is the half up look. In this hairdo, the stylist will pull the front of the bride's hair back, and leave the rest flowing down. This look tends to work well for any formality of wedding. Having the hair shaped into a definitive style makes it polished enough for a more formal wedding, but having some of the hair left soft and flowing makes the half up style feel feminine and un-stuffy, as well. It is the best of both worlds.

One advantage of the half up style over leaving all of your hair down is that it makes it easy to anchor the bridal jewelry that you have chosen for your hair. You can wear a twinkling crystal tiara or headband for the most dressy look. If you prefer vintage styles, then a rhinestone comb would be perfect tucked into the side of your hair. You can also wear a comb on the top of your head with feminine details such as porcelain flowers for a romantic effect. Just be certain that the bridal jewelry you choose for your hair coordinates with the rest of your wedding jewelry.

Brides with medium length hair can certainly wear almost any type of updo for their wedding. An updo is often considered to be very formal, but it doesn't have to be. It can be simple and chic, like a classic chignon. It can also be more relaxed, such as a messy bun with little loose tendrils. There are a couple of good reasons to think about wearing your hair all up. One is that your hair will be under control and out of your face for the entire wedding. The other one is that wearing your hair up allows you to showcase a beautiful bridal necklace.

Whichever way you choose to wear your hair for your wedding, be certain to have a trial run. This will give you the chance to see how you like the style with your wedding gown. When your hair looks perfect, you know that you will feel beautiful on your wedding day.

Finding the whole process of weddings and all the planning that goes into one fascinating, Laura writes about many of the considerations that brides have to deal with. Bridal jewelry is not only for your neck and ears - be sure to pick something special to wear in your hair too.

Wedding Headpiece For the Tall and Small Bride - Lace Veil, Tiara Or Pearl Hair Gem By Kacy Carr Platinum Quality Author

What wedding headpiece should I pick to compliment my bridal gown, or what wedding headpiece should I choose that will suit my hairstyle - two of the most common questions that a bride asks for advice on. Every bride wants to look beautiful on her wedding day and fears the wrong choice will spoil the look of the whole wedding attire.

Mistakes in getting it wrong need not happen and can be avoided with careful planning. This is a time where nearly every future bride will have her head in the clouds so as to speak e.g. excited, worried or even contemplating calling off the marriage due to her inability to concentrate on making a decision on what wedding headpiece to wear.

In today`s society wedding headpieces run the scope from the traditional veil to the simple wedding skullcap, headband or glittering jewelled tiara. Choosing the ideal head wear will depend on the style and design of your wedding dress. When trying on headpieces in a bridal salon make sure you have the wedding dress on and try to have your hair styled in the way you intend on wearing it - when you walk down the church aisle to stand alongside the bridegroom. The traditional veil can vary in length. It is best to have a friend or close member of the family with you when choosing so they can give advice on what wedding headpiece is best suited to you and your wedding dress. As the saying goes "two heads are better than one" when making decisions, but it is the brides head we are more concerned about at this time. While many brides choose not to wear a wedding veil, remember this is the only time in your life when you may ever get to wear one.

Some women look upon their wedding day as a fairytale chapter taken from a book where the bride gets to dress up like a princess, this is why the tiara is popular. What wedding headpiece aside from the tiara will make this chapter in your life look like that of a princess? Tiaras come in many designs embedded with crystals, coloured rhinestones, pearls, and other glitter gems that sparkle.

Once again depending on the colour of your bridal dress, design and material i.e. satin, lace or velvet - hair gems are another option. Hair gems are glittery pieces of head ornation glamour - fastened by a pin to sit neatly into or on top of your hair. Head decorations as such also come made of rhinestones, crystals, or semi-precious stones, if money is no object then remember diamonds are a girl's best friend before and after her wedding. If you have paid for an expensive hairpiece gem then after the ceremony when the happy couple were pronounced husband and wife - go along to a jeweller and have him or her make the hair jewel into a ring or a pendant on a gold chain to match your wedding gold band.

Options are endless in what wedding headpiece may be best for you. You have headbands - thick or thin or combs which are usually worn to one side of the head. These can be personally decorated by you i.e. adding fresh flowers, pearls, crystals, ribbons, or even sequins to match either the flowers in your bridal bouquet or your ivory brocade wedding shoes. Hair combs can also be worn at the back of the head or close to the nape. You could consider a wreath circlet. At the end of the day whatever wedding headpiece that is to be worn will all be down to personal taste

If tradition prevails and you choose to wear a flattering veil then simplify the removal of it by making it detachable to a comb or wedding tiara so that you can place it to aside after the marriage vows have been taken. The veil is nearly always removed at the reception.

A little tip - the taller woman (bride) should wear a longer veil. A floor length veil worn by a blushing petite betrothed is not a good idea. What does the (petite and tall) bride have in common on their wedding day? No matter their size they both drink champagne from a very TALL glass. (Toast).

Kacy Carr - EzineArticles Expert Author

Bridal Hairstyles - How to Look Inimitable on Wedding Day By Jerry White

How to make your bridal hairstyle incredibly beautiful? Usually, even experienced stylists won't offer you anything extraordinary; they have a number of slightly different bridal hairstyles they create for all their clients. But what if I want something new, something no one ever saw or wore on a wedding? Well, this is hard, but not impossible.

First of all, be creative. Accessories are a great way to make your bridal hairstyle look spectacular.Bejeweled hair sticks or vintage hair combs can be a good choice. Pick up the bridal hairstyle accessories wisely. Try to choose something you are likely to wear after the day. You can also save money by using your old necklace, brooch, old earrings, cufflinks and other jeweled pieces as the bridal hairstyle accessories.Small hair jewelry is widely available to go into your bridal hairstyle; even if it is very small, it can still make a noticeable change. Anything from pearls to glass or even diamonds can make your bridal hairstyle incredible.

Flowers are also a great way to decorate your bridal hairstyle, but don't forget about taste and combinability. Tied-up hair matches a large clip or many tiny little flowers. With flowing down hair, one or two large flowers to decorate your bridal hairstyle will be enough.

Secondly, if you can't make your imagination work, you may look for fresh ideas of bridal hairstyles in the numerous magazines or websites. If you find something interesting, you don't have to copy the bridal hairstyle exactly how it is. Try to find several bridal hairstyles and make an inimitable combination, pick up the most beautiful and interesting and create your own bridal hairstyle.

The most important recommendation here is to listen to your taste and intuition. You are already inimitable; all you need is to match your bridal hairstyle with your personality. Don't hurry or fall into despair. Look at choosing your bridal hairstyle as at the interesting adventure, walk through the malls and look through the magazines. Wait for a perfect bridal hairstyle idea to come to your mind. That's really an exciting activity and you will enjoy it.

Jerry White writes on Bridal Hair Styles - http://www.hairstylescut.com/bridal-hairstyle.htm

and Wedding hairstyles tips - http://www.hairstylestalk.com/hairstyles-gallery/wedding-hair-styles.htm

and Makeup Tips - http://www.free-makeup-tips.com/haircare/bridal-hair-style.htm

Thursday, November 20, 2008

How to Wear Veil and Bridal Combs

For brides who have no previous experience with developing a wedding hairstyle or choosing a headpiece and veil (or deciding to go without), understanding how to attach and adorn the various components can be a challenge. In the twilight zone called wedding planning, the simple concept of a comb, for example, can take several forms.

In your everyday life, a comb is probably something to run through your hair in the morning taming nighttime tangles. Your hairdresser will certainly use that type of comb while creating your wedding hairstyle, but there are two other bridal versions you may need as well: a comb to attach the veil and one to decorate your hair. The choice is yours whether to have both versions, neither, or one to suffice for both uses.

The Veil Comb

When you buy a veil, it often comes attached to a basic comb. This veil comb is purely functional and will not be a visible part of your veil or hairstyle. It simply helps secure the veil to the top or back of your head. The advantage to using this type of comb with your veil is you can remove the veil after the ceremony while leaving your headpiece intact for the reception.

To place this type of comb, push it into your hair -- down if you are wearing your veil in back or toward the back of your head if you are wearing the veil on top -- so the hair covers the teeth and the veil hides the top of the comb. For a more solid base, insert with the comb angled then rotate backwards into place after the comb is in your hair. You can make the comb more secure, if needed, with bobby or hair pins.

These combs can be various widths and lengths and made of wire or plastic. Wire combs cost more than plastic, but are more versatile and can be pinned if necessary (as opposed to plastic, which is thicker and more cumbersome).

The Decorative Bridal Comb

Unlike the plain veil combs, decorative bridal combs are made to be seen. They can be a perfect accent for your veil, or add interest to your hairstyle if you go veil-less or remove the veil for the reception. The range of styles and sizes available make them versatile and can enhance most hairstyles, from classic to ornate. They can be simple, but elegant, depending on how they are decorated, but can also create a less formal look than some other headpieces.

Hair combs can be worn on the top, side, or back of the head. In the back, you can secure a large comb under a bunch of upswept curls, around a French twist, or beneath a low-set bun. On one or both sides, you can wear smaller combs for an elegant style, instead of a larger headpiece. Decorative combs can also be worn on the top to help hold the hair in place or function much as a tiara. In fact, you can even buy tiaras attached to combs instead of built into the typical band.

Tiara Combs

You have heard of tiaras and you have heard of combs, but you may not know that there are also tiara combs. These look like a tiara but hold your hair or veil in place like a comb. These decorative combs are made with the teeth positioned at an angle so the decorated part stands erect when attached to your hair from the front (as opposed to back or side combs, which are made with the decoration attached flat against or parallel to the teeth section).

Combining Veil and Decorative Combs

Some brides prefer to wear the veil and decorative comb as one piece. You can accomplish this by attaching the veil directly to a tiara or other top/back comb instead of to the plain veil comb. This reduces the number of pieces you must deal with when developing a hairstyle for the ceremony, but limits your options for the rest of the day. You will have to remove both your headpiece and veil or keep your veil intact throughout the evening.

Whichever type of combs you use, involve your hair stylist in the decision. He or she will most likely have valuable input into what sizes and types will most create the look you desire, while assuring your hair remains drop-dead gorgeous throughout the day and evening.

Bobette Kyle-Wagner is publisher at http://www.MyOnlineWeddingHelp.com, a Website helping engaged couples get the most use from Internet wedding resources. The site includes online wedding tips, original articles, tutorials, and shopping sections. Read more about wedding veils here.