Putting Together My Look: The Hair

I have naturally curly hair. I currently wear it short and the only times I straighten it is when I have a professional do it.

As I believe that I should look like 'ME' in my wedding pictures I do not want to grow my hair out just so I can have an up do and then turn around and cut it off after the wedding.

This seems like a lot of work. Curly hair, at least mine, doesn't grow fast...or doesn't appear to as the longer it is the tighter the curls seem to be so it always drys above my shoulders.

But the main reason is, I do NOT look good in up dos! I think the main reason for this is I have a round face. When I where my hair down the curls frame my face and give the illusion of elongating it.

{Personal Photo: Taken in the Fall of 2009 by Sunshine Photography}

Whereas, during the 4 times that I was a bridesmaid my ONLY request of the hairstylist was "Just don't make me look fat". For some reason this is a humorous request because they always laugh and brush it off with comments like "You aren't fat". I didn't say I was, I said don't make me LOOK fat! But 3 out of the 4 times I was left in an up do that pulled my hair tightly away from my face.

{Personal Photo: Taken in 2003, First Bridesmaid Experience}

So I refuse to risk an up do for my wedding when I will inevitably look back on my photos and think..."I think my face looks fat". Instead I plan on sporting a hairstyle similar to this...

{Source: J. Crew}