Elizabeth Filmore Bridal

Would You Chop Your Hair in the Middle of Your Wedding?

Consider this trend for a look switch-up with max beauty drama

Multiple wedding looks have become the norm for brides. Today, it’s not just about wearing just two dresses for day and night; it has become common to see brides rock upwards of five looks on the big day (we can thank Paris Hilton for setting this trend with multiple looks at her 2021 wedding). But an even more drastic bridal style switch-up is taking hold: the wedding haircut.

Instead of (or in addition to!) a wedding dress change, this is a transformative haircut that takes place between your ceremony and reception. Just take a scroll through TikTok to see the trend in action. There are millions of views on videos of brides donning a cutting cape over their wedding dress and having their hairstylist chop their lengthy beach waves into sleek styles like a Hailey Bieber-inspired bob, or adding a shaggy curtain fringe.

@teased.bysteph

CHOP CHOP 👏🏻 #weddinghaircut #weddingtiktok #bridalhairstylist

♬ Paradise – Bazzi

After all, a major hair chop is often one of the first things to happen post-wedding, so why not have it happen as part of your wedding day to begin married life with a fresh new vibe?

Bridal hairstyling specialist Shannon Petrolito is a fan of the wedding haircut trend. “I love the idea of a look change before the reception, and what could be more dramatic than cutting your hair?” she says. “We know that brides change their dress at least once for their reception and tweaking the style to match has been a thing for several years. The wedding hair chop takes this idea of changing your look to a whole new level; you can completely change the tone of your style and the event by showing up with a fresh-from-the-salon look.”

@jessmariedell

Chop chop 💇🏽‍♀️ @CIRCLES OF HAIR #perthbride #fyp #perthbrides2023 #perthhairstylist #bridalhair #weddingtiktok

♬ Dancing Queen – ABBA

Petrolito says the wedding haircut trend is ideal for those who are daring, with a creative spirit. A few of her favourite style switches are bombshell waves chopped into a fluffy French bob with bangs, or a sleek modern updo changed up for a sleek lob. “It has become one of my top wedding day moments,” she says. “I love it when couples get creative with the details because it makes for the most unforgettable of events.”

If you are considering the wedding haircut, here’s how the process typically rolls. Petrolito recommends planning your chop at the middle portion of your celebration. “Ideally the chop happens after the ceremony and formal wedding portraits, but before cocktail hour,” she explains. “You need at least an hour to make this happen—a good haircut is not something to be rushed! You also need a calm space at your venue to work in and escape to. Build the haircut into your wedding day timeline and don’t forget to have your wedding photographer document it all. It’s a fun and unique moment to capture.”

Whether or not you’re planning a mid-wedding haircut, you’ll want to know what’s trending for wedding hair this year. Here, Petrolito breaks down her top three styles.

The wedding pony

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by & FOR LOVE (@andforlove)

“This one always has my heart,” says Petrolito. “I love a sleek pony, one with soft waves, or extremely undone and textured. Bows are still very big this year as a bridal hair accessory—an alluring ponytail adorned with a hair bow ticks all the boxes.”

The sleek half-updo

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Chris Appleton (@chrisappleton1)

This one is inspired by Jennifer Lopez from her Las Vegas elopement. Petrolito loved the cool contrast of textures with this look—the sleek half-updo with wavy lengths—and the fact that hair felt soft and not over-styled. “The super-structured glam waves have had their moment and I am loving a softer look,” she says.

The midi bun

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Paris Hilton (@parishilton)

This is another celebrity-influenced look inspired by Paris Hilton’s wedding ceremony look. “She wore this timeless bridal hairstyle with a side part and soft bang and suddenly it looked incredibly modern and fresh,” says Petrolito. “I love a more tousled version of this style and can’t wait to play around with it for some of my upcoming brides.”

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