Let’s talk about bridal ponytails. I don’t mean some really uppity up-do masquerading as a bridal ponytail, but rather sleek and simple bridal ponytails that are totally accessible to the DIY bride with a little pre-wedding practice. And before you reject this easy-peasy wedding day hairstyle, remember that there’s nothing that says a bride has to have hair teased into the stratosphere.

Isn’t that a sweet look? Admittedly, it’s unfussy and less-than-formal, but some brides are like that. And a simpler hairstyle can really showcase an elaborate wedding gown and/or bridal jewelry. Then again, there’s nothing wrong with pairing a sweet and simple wedding dress with a pony! Want to see more? There are six awesome examples of bridal ponytails under the cut!

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As is the case with many great finds, I stumbled upon Dream Catcher Studio by accident and was hooked. For those brides who have chosen un-embellished wedding dresses but want to add a touch of old Hollywood glam, the design team behind the shop makes beautiful decorative belts and sashes. But what really tickled my fancy is the one-of-a-kind bridal headpieces that make great bridal veil alternatives. Here are four that caught my eye:

A pretty hand-beaded bridal head piece reminiscent of a lace handkerchief that might be pinned over a woman’s hair in church. Imagine it paired with a vintage wedding gown, maybe one from the 40s.

Cluster pearls and crystals come together in this pretty headband that is like the glamorous older cousin of the Roman civic crown. It works with a variety of bridal hairstyles and can be worn with shorter hair.

How about a romantic bridal aigrette made of elegant ivory Alencon lace instead of a veil? Perfect for the bride who wants something smaller in her hair, but still very striking.

Headbands are a great choice, especially for brides who aren’t sure they have enough hair to pull off a clip or comb. This lovely example is made of vintage beaded applique-medallion with vintage Swarovski crystals.

Yum! Are you opting for an alternative to the traditional bridal veil?

How sweet are these bridal hair accessories from Oh My Deer? I’m not suggesting that a huge chiffon peony is for everyone, or that most brides’ first choice of ensemble topper ought to be a headband. But maybe we can all appreciate tiny veils? Big blooms? Lace flowers, feathers, and adorable bows? You know, from an aesthetic point of view. And maybe even if these bridal hair accessories aren’t for you, they’re helping you get out of the veil-or-nothing rut.

Pretty and fun! What more could you want? And I’m really tickled that at least one of Oh My Deer’s images feature a smiling model!

Flower clips? Fascinators? Jeweled hair sticks? All lovely! But I was inspired today to go looking for something that the funkier bride who wants everything from her shoes to her accessories to be a little alternative could wear in her hair. My search led me to Mairzy Dozy, a shop created by two sisters with tons of business and design experience under their belts.

Among other things (like flower girl basket and ring bearer sets, floral headbands, and bridal bouquets) Dawn and Marie craft gorgeous, amazing, made-to-order hair forks that are perfect for securing a quick and spunky up-do, a classic bun, or a romantic French twist. Yes, hair forks are only for brides with hair longer than shoulder-length, but I think that’s a demo that includes a lot of brides.

Mairzy Dozy hair forks come in different lengths and are entirely customizable – just convo the sisters what you’re thinking of. Their specialty appears to be beautiful hammered copper with delicate hand-twisted wirework, sometimes featuring glass seed beads, jasper coins, and other pretty things. Too bad I didn’t know about Mairzy Dozy hair forks (or any hair forks) when I got married – I didn’t want big blossom or a veil, but something like these would have been perfect. In fact, if I still had long hair, I’d be buying one right now!

This week’s LOVE/HATE objects of scrutiny are bridal hair accessories from Anne Michelle Heirlooms, a duo of sisters who love all things pretty and dainty. They’ve made it their business to create custom veils and hair clips for brides and bridesmaids or anyone else keen on wearing a feather flower in their hair. They also sell a limited quantity of pre-designed bridal hair accessories in their Etsy shop.

I am not ashamed to say I looooove them, especially since they’re not trying to be something they’re not. The feathers are front and center, shaped like flowers, but not trying to masquerade as flowers in any meaningful way. These bridal hair accessories are what they are, and what they are is simply awesome. Nothing big and poufy here or ostentatiously jeweled. Just plain loveliness.

Or maybe not, according to some. What say you?

Aren’t these just too pretty? LaVieja Tun Tun‘s bridal necklaces, hair clips, hair pins, and other bridal accessories are feminine, romantic, and perfect perhaps for the bride who wants a striking piece of jewelry to complement her classic, Hollywood, or vintage wedding day look.

Hand formed soft fabric roses are paired with glass pearls, Czech beads, semi-precious stones, and brass links to make all manner of bridal jewelry (that is also nice for the bridesmaid or even the non-bride). Apparently, LaVieja Tun Tun will happily custom make a necklace or other piece using your wedding colors, but I’m having a hard time confirming that. I’m envisioning the brighter counterparts of the accessories above on brides who want to add a little more color and flair in their bridal ensemble.

What do you think? LaVieja Tun Tun’s designs are quite chunky and can dominate. Too much? Just enough?

When I announced my engagement, several people told me there are two things ‘every’ bride does: grow her hair long and go on a diet. Me? I did neither. I admit part of the reason I didn’t grow my hair out was…well…it was already as long as it goes, which is about hip length. That seemed like plenty of hair for my purposes, anyway.

Still, in reaction to comments like that, a tiny piece of me wanted to go out and get a buzz cut.

I didn’t, though I’ve had one before and rocked it pretty well, actually. But that gives you an idea of just how much it annoyed me to be informed that only long-haired women were welcome at the altar.

The attitude seems to carry on to this day, too. In a google image search for ‘short-haired bride’ I found three measly pages of images. In one for ‘short hair’ + ‘bride’ I got a lot more pages…and at least 90% of them were of long-haired brides. One image presented for my consideration was of Nicole Kidman’s wedding to Keith Urban, where his hair wasn’t exactly short, either. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got nothing against long hair on a man. In fact, Mr. Twistie’s hair has been considerably longer than mine numerous times. It’s just that wasn’t what I was looking for.

What I was looking for was images of brides rocking the short locks and looking fabulous – particularly if they did so while not adding hairpieces or making faux long styles. Well, I found a few. These I pass on as inspiration to brides who wear their hair short and don’t want to grow it out for the wedding.

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