Boho vs Classic: Finding Your Bridal Hair Style

Almost every bride asks some version of this in the first ten minutes of a consultation: am I boho or am I classic? The honest answer is usually "both, slightly more one than the other." Here's how we work it out.

What "classic" actually means Classic isn't formal. Classic is uncomplicated, controlled, and tends to skew up rather than down. A chignon, a low knot, a side-pinned half-up with no braid. Classic photographs beautifully because the lines are clean.

What "boho" actually means Boho isn't messy. Boho is structured to look unstructured — every loose tendril is placed, every braid is loose by design. Boho photographs beautifully because it has soul.

The test we use We ask three questions: 1. Imagine yourself in the photograph you're most excited about. What's the light like? (Classic brides tend to picture indoor warm light. Boho brides tend to picture outdoor golden hour.) 2. What does your venue actually look like? (A panelled Georgian dining room and a Cotswold barn want different things.) 3. What does your hair want to do at the end of the night? (If your hair always escapes its updo by 10pm, embrace the boho. If it stays put, lean classic.)

And the boho-classic blend Most of our brides land somewhere in the middle. The "classic with boho whispers" or the "boho with classic discipline." Both are wonderful. The label matters less than the conversation that gets you there.