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Side Headpieces for Weddings: How to Choose and Wear One

A side headpiece is a bridal comb, vine, headband or clip worn off-centre, usually just above the ear or at the temple. It suits down, half-up, side-swept and low styles. It also keeps the back of your hair free for a veil. Pick the shape to match your neckline, your hair length and your hairstyle, then confirm the placement at your hair trial.

This guide covers the main types, the hairstyles each one suits, placement, how to secure it, and what to check before you buy.

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Table of Contents

What a side headpiece is

A side headpiece sits to one side of the head instead of at the crown or the back. Brides use the term for several different pieces:

  • Side comb. A short comb with a decorated top, slid into the hair at the temple or above the ear.
  • Side headband or vine. A flexible band of wire, beads or flowers that follows the hairline and finishes at one side.
  • Hair vine. A long, bendable piece that can be worn across one side, through a half-up style or around a low bun.
  • Clip or pin cluster. Small decorated pins placed together on one side.

Searches for “side comb wedding hair” and “side headband bridal” point to the same idea: one decorated area that draws attention to one side of the face and the hair around it.

Why brides choose the side placement

It works with hair worn down. A centred crown can feel formal. A side piece adds a finished detail to loose waves without a full updo. One bridal hair guide describes anchoring a side comb at the temple as the way to make a down style look finished.

It leaves room for a veil. The back of the head stays clear for a veil comb. A veil comb needs an anchor point, which RobeMarie describes as anywhere your hair changes direction or density, such as the seam of a low bun or the gather of a half-up style. A side piece sits in a different zone, so the two do not compete.

It balances a neckline. A detailed back or a high neckline can take a quiet side piece. A plain, simple dress can take a fuller one.

It frames the face asymmetrically. Wearing the piece on one side softens a symmetrical face and gives photographs more depth.

Types of side headpieces compared

Type Where it sits Best with Hold
Side comb Temple or just above the ear Loose waves, half-up, low chignon Teeth grip the hair, pins add security
Side headband or vine Along the hairline, ending at one side Down styles, side-swept hair, braids Pins at each end
Hair vine worn low Wrapped around a low bun or ponytail Low buns, sleek ponytails Pinned along the length
Pin or clip cluster One side of a half-up or updo Short hair, bobs, pinned-back sections Individual pins

Matching the piece to your hairstyle

Hair worn down

Loose curls or waves with a side part suit a comb or a short vine. Place the piece where the hair is pinned back from the face. The comb then grips a section of hair instead of sitting on a slippery surface.

Silver Flowers & Rhinestone Bridal Side Comb

Half-up, half-down

This style has a built-in anchor: the point where the hair is gathered. A side comb or vine sits at or just beside that gather. The piece holds better and the gather is hidden.

Low bun or chignon

Wear a vine along the side of the bun, or a comb at the temple on the opposite side from your part. Low styles leave the sides of the head visible, so a side piece has room to show.

Ponytail and side ponytail

Brides searching for ponytail bridal hair accessories often want something at the base of the tail. A side ponytail gives a different option. Cloud Nine lists a long side ponytail among its wedding looks, with a few strands left down at the front to frame the face. A decorated comb or a small vine pinned at the base of a side ponytail replaces a hair tie cover and keeps the line clean.

Short hair and bobs

A comb needs enough hair to grip. For a bob or cropped style, choose a lightweight comb or a small cluster of pins. Place the piece behind a tucked section of hair. Heavy pieces can slip on very short hair, so test the weight at a trial.

Choosing by face shape

Face shape guides where the volume and the decoration go. Modern Wedding notes that round faces generally benefit from height to offset width. For a side piece, this means placing the decoration slightly higher, near the temple, instead of low by the cheek. Oval faces suit most placements. Square or long faces can try a lower placement with softer waves around the jaw. Take photos at the trial from the front and the side before you settle.

Side-piece placement by face shape

Matching the piece to your dress, jewellery and metal tone

Use one hero element. If your headpiece is detailed, keep earrings simple. Our guide on drop versus chandelier earrings starts with the gown, and the same logic applies to hair. Our look at one hero piece for the year explains the idea in more detail.

Check these four points:

  1. Metal tone. Silver and rhinestone suit cool whites and bright ivory. Gold and bronze suit warm ivory and champagne.
  2. Fabric. Pearls and porcelain suit satin and crepe. Crystal and leaf work suit lace and tulle.
  3. Neckline. A high neckline suits a bolder piece. A plunging neckline suits a delicate one and a necklace may not be needed.
  4. Scale. A large, flower-style piece needs a plain dress. A fine vine suits an embellished one.

For colour coordination across jewellery, see our guide on jewellery for blush dresses. For formal weddings, see black tie wedding accessories.

Side headpieces from our range

These pieces suit side placement. Each page has full details, sizing and current pricing.

Browse the full bridal hair accessories collection to compare more shapes. We ship worldwide, offer free shipping over $100 and accept returns within 30 days.

Luxury Crystal Silver Leaf Bridal Headpiece Comb

How to place and secure a side comb

Placement matters more than the price of the piece. A comb that sits in the wrong place tilts, drops or pulls.

  1. Find the anchor. Choose a spot where the hair is pinned, twisted or backcombed lightly. A comb on smooth, freshly blow-dried hair slides out.
  2. Angle the teeth. Push the comb in the direction the hair grows, then press it back toward the scalp. Do not push it straight down.
  3. Add two pins. Cross a pair of bobby pins through the comb’s loops, or beside the teeth, and into the hair underneath.
  4. Check from every side. Turn your head, nod, and hug someone. The piece should not move.
  5. Photograph it. Take pictures from the front, the side and the back to confirm the line.

Fashion editors describe how French side combs are designed to secure hair with a snug grip that does not leave dents. Bridal combs follow the same principle with a decorated top, so the same technique applies.

Bring the piece to your hair trial

Buy the headpiece before the trial. The Knot advises that you bring your headpiece to your hair trial so your stylist can see the whole look together. A Perth bridal stylist, Daria Medko, says accessories should be chosen before the trial and that trials generally run 60 to 90 minutes. Her listed trials range from $150 to $300, depending on how many styles are tested. Prices vary by stylist and city, so ask yours.

Take with you:

  • The headpiece, plus a veil if you are wearing one.
  • Photos of your dress, front and back.
  • Your earrings, if they are chosen.
  • Reference photos of hair you like, and ones you do not.

Ask the stylist where they would anchor the piece, how many pins they use, and whether the hair will be prepped with texture spray. Then ask them to photograph the result.

A note from us

We built The Wedding Garter on the belief that every bride has her own style, and her accessories should reflect it. Our experience is that the headpiece decision gets made too late. Brides choose a dress, then a venue, then the details, and the hair piece is left to the week before.

Our advice is to choose the piece in the same window as your jewellery. Decide whether the hair or the necklace is the hero. Then confirm the placement with your stylist. We stock combs, vines and headpieces in silver, ivory, gold and bronze tones, so the metal can follow your jewellery and your garter.

If a piece does not suit, our 30-day returns policy lets you try it against your dress and hair before the day.

— The Wedding Garter

Build the rest of the look

A side headpiece sits next to the rest of your accessories. Check these areas in order:

Common mistakes

  • Buying after the trial. The piece changes how the hair is styled, so the stylist needs to see it.
  • Placing a comb on slippery hair. Add texture or a pin base first.
  • Choosing too heavy a piece for fine hair. Test it by shaking your head at the trial.
  • Clashing metals. Match the headpiece to earrings and garter detail.
  • Skipping the side photo. Many guests will see you in profile during the ceremony.

FAQ

Which side should a wedding headpiece go on?

Wear it on the side opposite your part, or on the side that will face the guests during the ceremony. Your stylist can test both sides at the trial. Photograph each so you can compare.

Can I wear a side headpiece with a veil?

Yes. Place the veil comb at the back, under the anchor point of a bun or half-up gather, and keep the side piece higher and further forward. Test the two together at your trial so neither pulls on the other.

Will a side comb stay in all night?

It will if it grips a section of hair that is twisted, pinned or lightly backcombed, and if it is pinned in as well. Smooth, freshly washed hair is the most common cause of slipping. Ask your stylist to add texture before placing the comb.

Do side headpieces work with short hair?

They can. Choose a lighter comb or a small cluster of pins, and place it behind a tucked section of hair. Check the weight at the trial, as heavy pieces can drop on very short hair.

Sources

Tags: side headpiece, wedding hair comb, bridal side comb, side headband bridal, bridal hair accessories, ponytail bridal accessories, Australian brides, bridal headpieces

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