Bridal Chignon

The bridal chignon is the classic low, soft, slightly off-center bun with face-framing pieces left out around the temples and ears. It's the default bridal styling for soft-traditional weddings and has been since approximately the 1950s. The chignon sits at the nape, never higher; the off-center placement adds softness; the face-framing pieces prevent the look from feeling severe.

It flatters oval, oblong, and heart faces — the low position balances oblong faces, the soft chignon shape suits oval, and the face-framing pieces soften heart-shaped foreheads. Wavy and straight hair show the chignon's polish cleanest; curly hair adapts but the chignon is softer. Hair needs to be at least mid-back length for the chignon to gather properly.

High maintenance for the day — the bridal chignon is a stylist-built styling, typically requiring a hair trial before the wedding to lock in the exact placement and amount of face-framing. The trial also lets you photograph the final styling from every angle (which mirrors the day's photography). Book the salon stylist who'll do the wedding-day hair, not a generic stylist. The chignon has been continuously the default 'soft elegant bridal' choice for the better part of a century; it appears in every wedding decade's defining bridal photography.