BRIDAL HATS

The very simple answer is that a Bride should wear whatever makes her feel the most comfortable, be it a hat, a tiara - heck even a baseball cap! The main thing to remember is that you'll only get one shot at this day so if a Bride feels like sporting a bridal hat, then they should go for it.

That said, the wearing of a bridal hat, whilst it won't breach wedding etiquette is still not commonplace. Typically UK Brides will wear a veil or tiara or tiara for the big day, with the wearing of hats reserved for wedding guests (in particular the Mother of the Bride and Mother of the Groom). However, when the Bride veers away from the quintessential white wedding dress and opts for a less elaborate outfit such as a suit or informal dress, (this is quite common for Register Office weddings, or for Brides who have been married before) then a bridal hat is an option, but still not a common one.

Our advice would be to consider steering away from the wearing of a large bridal hat, in fact the smaller the better. A large bridal hat can be somewhat overpowering and can also make the ‘first kiss’ a little bit on the tricky side!

If you feel uncomfortable going without some sort of headpiece, an option would be to plump for a fascinator. Typically these are small items that clip or slide into the hair that can be accessorised with a wide range of items such as feathers or bows. They have quite a ‘classy’ appearance and are a good compromise. For more information on them check out our dedicated wedding fascinators can be found on our site in a dedicated article.

A final consideration may be to plump for a bridal hat veil - essentially a combination of a normal bridal hat and a wedding veil. These aren't necessarily the easist to track down on the high street (a bespoke milner's is probably your best bet), but they have an elegant appearance and can equally suit both older and younger brides.

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For more questions like this, be sure to check out our Bride & Bridesmaid FAQ's. If you've a question that you'd like to ask, simply click here and complete the simple form - you'll need to be a member of MyWeddingsday to submit a question, but it's fast and free to sign up.