How to Choose the Perfect Bridal Hairstyle for Your Face Shape

Finding your dream bridal hairstyle should feel exciting, not overwhelming. With so many gorgeous styles trending each year, it’s easy to get swept up in inspiration photos without knowing which look will flatter you best. One of the most helpful starting points? Your face shape.

At Updos For I Dos, we style thousands of brides across the East Coast, and one of the first things we look at during a trial is how a style works with your natural features! Your face shape helps determine which silhouettes, parts, textures, and details will enhance your favorite features and create a balanced, seamless look on your wedding day.

We’ve created a fun and straightforward guide to help you discover a bridal hairstyle that feels truly made for you!

How to Determine Your Face Shape

If you’re not totally sure what your face shape is, try pulling your hair back, looking straight into a mirror, and paying attention to:

Where your face is widest (forehead, cheeks, or jaw)

Whether your jawline is soft or angular

If the length of your face is longer, shorter, or about the same as its width

From there, most brides fall into one of these main categories: oval, round, square, or heart-shaped.

Once you have a general sense of your shape, let’s look at what styles tend to compliment each one beautifully!

Bridal Hairstyles by Face Shape

Oval Face Shapes

Oval faces are typically slightly longer than they are wide, with gently rounded lines and balanced proportions.

Why it’s great: This is one of the most adaptable face shapes, meaning you can wear almost any style with confidence.

Some flattering bridal ideas include:

Classic updos or chignons for a timeless bridal moment

Long, soft waves if you want something effortless and romantic

Center or side parts, depending on your dress, vibe, and comfort

Half-up styles, braids, or textured details that add interest without overwhelming your features

If you have an oval face, focus less on “correcting” anything and more on choosing a hairstyle that matches your comfort and personal bridal aesthetic!

Round Face Shapes

Round faces tend to be fuller through the cheeks, with a softer jawline and roughly equal width and length.

What to aim for: Adding height or movement that creates the appearance of length and subtle definition.

A few of the best bridal looks for round faces:

Updos with volume at the crown to draw the eyes upward

Loose, long waves or layered lengths to add vertical lines

Side parts or swept pieces to break up roundness

Soft, wispy face-framing pieces to create shape without hiding your features

These looks create a naturally elongated effect while maintaining your face’s youthful softness!

Square Face Shapes

Square faces have strong, defined jawlines with your forehead, cheeks, and jaw being similar in width.

Your goal: Introduce softness and curves to balance some angles.

Great bridal hairstyle choices include:

Romantic waves or bouncy curls to soften edges

Layered or textured styles that add movement

Off-center parts to prevent intense symmetry

Loose updos with gentle face framing pieces for a delicate, airy feel

This combination brings harmony to your facial structure and creates a beautifully feminine bridal look!

Heart Face Shapes

Heart-shaped faces usually feature a wider forehead and cheek area that tapers into a narrower chin.

What to focus on: Balancing the width at the top of the face with softness near your jawline.

Flattering wedding-day hairstyles include:

Fully down or half-down styles with curls or waves that add fullness around your chin

Shoulder-length or mid-length styles for a chic, face-framing effect

Side-swept bangs or curtain bangs to soften your forehead

Relaxed updos with soft pieces around the frame of the face

These choices help create proportion while highlighting the natural, delicate angles of a heart-shaped face.

How We Personalize Your Bridal Hairstyle at Updos For I Dos

Face shape is just the beginning. During your hair trial, our artists consider:

Your natural hair texture and density

The neckline and style of your gown

Your personal bridal aesthetic

And most importantly, what makes you feel the most confident and comfortable

We’ll test out several variations of hairstyles so you can see how different options compliment your features and also test how they make you feel! Our goal is always the same: to help you feel like the most elevated, confident, radiant version of yourself.

So, How Do I Choose the Perfect Bridal Hairstyle for My Face Shape?

Your face shape gives you a helpful foundation for choosing a bridal hairstyle, but ultimately, the style that’s “perfect” is the one that feels authentically you!

A professional stylist (hi, that’s us!) can tailor truly any hairstyle to enhance your features, your dress, and your overall wedding day vision. When all those elements align, magic happens!

If you’re ready to book your bridal beauty team or schedule a trial, we’d love to style you. Just let us know, your dream wedding-day look starts here.

Cover Photo Credit: Allison Dash Photography