When it comes to your bridal styling, you don’t have to ‘go big’ to make an impact - small wedding hair accessories can be just as head-turning as a larger headpiece. 

From dainty bridal hairpins and sleek slides to detailed wedding hairvines and statement bridal crowns, sparkle can come in all shapes and sizes.

Smaller bridal hair accessories tend to initially appeal to brides who aren’t used to wearing accessories or that want to err on the subtle side of styling. But there can be numerous reasons to choose petite bridal pieces and you’ll find delicate designs for every style of bride!

Read on for my guide to petite headpieces to see if a small hair accessory is right for you.

 

Benefits of Small Wedding Hair Accessories 

Easy Wear For Accessory-Shy Brides 

If you’re not experienced or confident in accessorising your outfits, it’s natural to feel the fear when it comes to your bridal extras. A small hair accessory will bring together and enhance your bridal look without making you feel overly made up or uncomfortable. For the accessory-shy brides out there, I’d suggest a delicate headband or mini hairpins that will add a subtle hint of sparkle without causing overwhelm. Great examples would be my small India wedding hairpins or India bridal hairband, which are both light pieces featuring beautiful crystals and freshwater pearls.

Work Well With All Hair Types & Lengths

Smaller pieces are often lighter and require less work to hold them in place, so they won’t slip through or weigh down finer tresses for shorter hairstyles. Petite pieces can work equally well with thick and curly hair types too. A bridal hair comb or delicate headband is ideal for short hair and finer locks - and my metal combs can all be gripped into the hair for extra staying power, such as my sparkling Elsa design. Meanwhile, for longer, thicker or wavy strands, a scattering of hairpins, such as my celestial Star or floral Daisy pins, can effortlessly create added interest. A lightweight bridal headband or hairvine, such as my Celine design, is the ultimate small wedding accessory all-rounder. Created using flexible wire, it can be positioned and gripped into place anywhere on the head, or its accompanying ribbon ties can be attached and secured at the back of the head or nape of the neck.

Can Be Pared Back Or Built-Up

Small hair accessories can be styled to be either subtle or striking. For those wanting to keep it low-key, I’d say to stick to just one piece, such as a fine headband like my Daisy design or a dainty yet detailed hair comb such as Imogen. If, however, you want to increase the impact, double up on the same accessory - so multiple headbands worn in a row, or a pair of combs with one placed on either side of the head. Another alternative to up the small-accessory-ante is to use sets of hairpins to build up your own unique hairpiece or look. My top picks for this would be either the May botanical wedding hairpins, which can be ordered alone for a simple look or worn as a pair or trio for a bolder look, or my Minna floral hairpins, which are available in three different sizes. The final option for a bolder look is to team two different accessory types together, like my Anya headband with matching Anya wedding hairpins.

Perfect For Bridesmaids 

While no bride wants to be upstaged by their maids, adding a little sparkle to your bridal party’s attire can help luxe-up their look and make them feel extra special. It might be that you choose to go with a large, sparkling hairvine for your main bridal accessory and mirror this within your bridesmaids’ style via tiny twinkling hairpins, such as my Anya pins. Alternatively, if you wanted to perfectly match your bridesquad, you, as the bride, could wear a pair of my statement earrings, like my moon and star Asteria design, while your maids could wear coordinating Asteria hair combs. Better still, these accessories can double up as gorgeous thank you gifts for your leading ladies too.

Ideal For A Smaller Budget

A modest bridal budget doesn’t mean wedding hair accessories are a complete no go. Small pins and slides often come in under the £100 mark, making them a more affordable option than super detailed wedding headbands and dazzling crowns. Within my collections, you will find items ranging from just £25, with budget-friendly designs, including my pretty Prudence bridal hairpins, contemporary Artemis hair comb and delicate Haillie pins.

Won’t Detract From Your Dress

As I talked about in my blog post on How To Shop For Your Wedding Hair Accessories, generally, it’s considered best to go for more statement accessories if you're wearing a minimalist wedding dress design and to go for simpler and more delicate accessories if your chosen attire has a lot of detailing or heavy embellishment. So, if you want to leave the talking to your dress, smaller accessories will complement but not compete with your gown. Look to pared-back items like my Amy crystal wedding hairvine, Prue simple pearl headband, and sparkling Saffron hairpins for inspiration.

Can Be Worn Again Beyond The Big Day

While most of us are unlikely to head out for Friday night drinks wearing a crystal-adorned wedding headdress, smaller items such as a pearl wedding hair slide or chic bridal earrings can easily be refashioned for occasions beyond your wedding. In my collections, designs such as my Daisy hairpins, Mona wedding hairclip and Beth bridal earrings are gloriously versatile. These wouldn’t look out of place if worn to a bar, restaurant, party or festival.

Small Wedding Hair Accessories to Suit Different Bridal Styles

So, having covered all the plus points of petite wedding pieces, I thought it would be helpful to pinpoint my top small accessory picks for different styles of brides. Question is, which one are you?

Modern Bride - Pearls are having a chic bridal revival right now, making my Mona slide and earrings set the perfect choice for fashionistas.

Vintage Bride - For divine daintiness, my vintage-inspired Luna and hair combs in a variety of colours provide the ideal pop of sparkle to a classic bridal look.

Statement Bride - Stand out with my Astra hairpins and Asteria earrings to project chic cosmic vibes, or wear the Haillie rustic crown for a delicate take on this popular bridal hair accessory trend with a boho feel.

Minimalist Bride - Designed to enhance but not overwhelm, my May hairpin is a simple botanical hairpin and worn alone is a lovely petite accessory. Choose classic bridal pearl or go for clear or gold crystals for a more ethereal vibe.

Classic Bride - Naturally undone but beautifully classic, the glistening Anya wedding headband and matching Anya hairpins are perfect for those wanting a timeless, princessy look.

Cool Bride - It’s celestial vibes all the way for hipster brides with my dreamy luxury high lustre Star crystal headband and hairpins set.

Ethereal Bride - Wonderfully versatile, my Coralie design is a gorgeous floral hairpin that can be worn as a single piece or dot or group a few hairpins through a plait or updo for extra ethereal impact.

Glam Bride - Understated glamour comes in the form of my Lyra hairpin trio set or a chose a single Nova hairpin for a super-sparkling look.

Sophisticated Bride - Go sparkly chic with the gorgeous Thea hairvine, a luxurious creation of leaf effect luxury high lustre navette crystals mixed with pale ivory freshwater pearls and crystal flowers on a delicate hand wired base.

Boho Bride - There are numerous botanical-inspired small wedding hair accessories in my collection that sing with boho beauty. You free-spirited brides will be spoilt for choice by the likes of the Isabella floral headband, mother of pearl and crystal Viola hair comb and beautifully twinkly Haillie hairpins.

Shop my full range of wedding jewellery and bridal hair accessories here.

Not sure if a small headpiece is for you? Check out my quick-read tips and tricks to find your perfect bridal hair accessory match - or, if you've got more time on your hands check out my full length blog post on how to choose a bridal hair accessory