Hey guys, I have just heard that my two best friends got engaged at Christmas!  They're abroad right now so I have not heard the actual date for the wedding yet, but I'm presuming it'll be this summer (2006).  Very exciting!

My hair is chin length at the moment, how long will it be if I grow it out between now and say, May?  Would I need to get extensions?  I am loath to do this as they are damaging to the existing hair and its growth, so I might consider using a hairpiece just for the day in an up-do.  Has anyone done this before?

Also does anyone know any good bridesmaid-y styles for shorter hair? 

So if the wedding is in early May my hair will be only 2 inches longer than it is now?  Yuck.  But if I have until September it could be 4 inches or even more? 

Either way I think I will definitely use some kind of extension or temporary hairpiece to get a really pretty style.

Thanks for the help!

Hi Heratic, I've heard of similar things happening. Did the bridesmaid cut her hair shorter in order to tone down her appearance a little to enhance the beauty of the bride?

Assuming she did, this would have been a wonderful gesture and I was wondering how she and the bride felt about it after?

Also, just from curiosity as she was curly when long, I was wondering what the top was left like once it was short. Was it left to pull up into plain and simple short curls or was it styled to be more funky?

Sorry for so many questions, but your post really caught my imagination and I'd love to hear a little more about it.

I would like to wish everyone a very Happy, Healthy, Fulfilling and Adventurous New Year.

Regards to my new friends,

Hairscribe

As it was the bridesmaid's choice to go short she was comfortable with it afterwards.  I don't think it had anything to do with trying to enhance how the bride looked on the day (she wore her dark hair in a partial up-do) but more to please herself and avoid looking similar to the bride.  She had become fed up with her long hair and had been comtemplating a style change for some time.  When she found what she wanted she went for it before the wedding rather than waiting.

The starting style was what I would curly - similar to the the picture below, rather than tight ringlets.

http://gallery.hairboutique.com/details.asp?ID=4462 - http://gallery.hairboutique.com/details.asp?ID=4462

On the day of the wedding the top was left soft to give some height to the style - there wasn't any curl present.

http://gallery.hairboutique.com/details.asp?ID=5036 -  

For the life of me I'll never figure out why people make weddings into these complex things where everything from how white your teeth are to what color toliet paper is being used in the bathrooms at the reception.

Then again I do belong to the gender known as man so all these things are lost on me.

My wife has short hair. She got married with short hair, he bridesmaids had long hair.

I dont know of anyone cutting their hair to "tone down their looks" and make the bride look better,( which to me implies having short hair makes you look plain which I totally disgree with) just as I dont know what would compell a woman to grow her hair out just for a wedding. In particular a bride.

If an indivual such as a woman feels they need to grow their hair out for their wedding then I feel they are obviosuly not comfortable with their current looks. Im not here to judge but I feel there is an underlying issue.

In the instance of a groom , if he was to have long hair per say and thought he should get a haircut for the wedding I would say the same thing.

Why should a bride or a groom present themselves any differently just for the sake of a ceremony or for others if they are not being true to themselves. One thing I can say is whether I be a man or female I wouldnt want to be a part of any gathering, ceremony or wedding that made me feel I should look a certain way.

DarkHelmet wrote: For the life of me I'll never figure out why people make weddings into these complex things where everything from how white your teeth are to what color toliet paper is being used in the bathrooms at the reception. Then again I do belong to the gender known as man so all these things are lost on me. My wife has short hair. She got married with short hair, he bridesmaids had long hair. I dont know of anyone cutting their hair to "tone down their looks" and make the bride look better,( which to me implies having short hair makes you look plain which I totally disgree with) just as I dont know what would compell a woman to grow her hair out just for a wedding. In particular a bride. If an indivual such as a woman feels they need to grow their hair out for their wedding then I feel they are obviosuly not comfortable with their current looks. Im not here to judge but I feel there is an underlying issue. In the instance of a groom , if he was to have long hair per say and thought he should get a haircut for the wedding I would say the same thing. Why should a bride or a groom present themselves any differently just for the sake of a ceremony or for others if they are not being true to themselves. One thing I can say is whether I be a man or female I wouldnt want to be a part of any gathering, ceremony or wedding that made me feel I should look a certain way.

dont worry... i'm a female and i feel the same exact way you do.

as for cutting hair as a nice gesture and to "enhance the beauty of the bride"....

um....

what?!?!

i have a friend who said she would never use me as a brides maid unless i let my hair grow out and style it a certain way. wow, nice friend huh? i know that people want all these things at their wedding to be a certain way or fulfill some fantasy girls have been told they need (which is also why some won't let their finace's have a say in anything... i've seen that and hated it and it made me sad because he had so many nice ideas). last i heard weddings were about two people coming together and sharing it with others, and not about being a fashion show or (in some cases, let's be honest) showing off. but i digress and am probably sounding preachy. my apologies.

personally i think chin-length hair is gorgeous. i am currently growing my hair out and can't wait to reach that length so i can style it more easily. i'm sure you will look wonderful at the wedding.

Thanks pinksummer (and everyone), I am really looking forward to it!  My friend the bride is very chilled and probably wouldn't mind if I turned up with pink hair or no hair or whatever, but I personally am quite vain and want to look *just* right :)

Oh, my eldest sister is getting married in August and I'm a bridesmaid. Must remember to go and get a no1 buzzcut the week before so I don't detract from "the beauty of the bride"  .

See I would never have thought of that considerate gesture, if I hadn't read this and I'm sure Susan will be ever so grateful for my gesture  

The beauty of this board is that we are all entitled to our opinions and have a wonderful opportunity to share thoughts and, in some cases, experiences. It is obvious that people will have differing views and it is healthy that people have the opportunity to challenge any statements made. However, it is important that, at the same time, people should have respect for other people’s views and there is absolutely no need to ridicule another person’s message!

…………….LOL. I hadn’t taken offence at all. I merely made a statement that whilst it’s great that we can bring differing opinions and experiences to the board and it is healthy to have the opportunity to debate; equally, it is reasonable to hope that people will show some respect for each other rather than ridiculing or poking fun!

I really don’t know where you got the idea that anyone would think it should become law that all bridesmaids have to be less attractive than the bride. That is, for sure, a very SILLY idea, but there again, that would probably go hand in hand with a SILLY sense of humour! LOL!!!!!!!!!