A round face doesn’t need hiding, and I’d never style a bride as if it did. What I do is shift where the volume sits. The wedding updos for round faces that work best put lift at the crown, keep the sides close rather than puffed, and leave a few pieces that fall past the cheekbone so the eye travels down instead of across. Side parts, textured buns and diagonal braids all help with that. The fifteen below follow those rules in different ways, and they suit bridesmaids and guests with round faces just as well as brides.
How I Read a Round Face Before Pinning Anything
Round faces aren’t all the same. Some are wide at the cheeks and soft at the jaw; others are full all over with a short forehead. Before I plan an updo, I look at three things with your hair pulled loosely back.
- Where the face is widest. Usually it’s the cheeks, and that’s the line I keep volume away from.
- How tall the forehead is. A short forehead gets more crown lift; a taller one can take side bangs to break it up.
- Where your natural part falls. Moving it an inch to one side is often the single most flattering change I can make, and it costs nothing.
These are guidelines rather than laws. If you’ve worn a centre part your whole life and love it, I’ll keep it and adjust elsewhere. Feeling like yourself shows on camera more than any proportion trick.
What I usually steer round faces away from
- Width at ear level, such as big curls pinned behind the ears
- Blunt, straight-across fringes
- Framing pieces that end exactly at the cheek
- A completely flat crown with everything scraped back
1. High Bun Wedding Updo For Round Face
Height is the simplest correction a round face has, and a high bun gives it to you outright. The eye goes up, the face reads longer, and the jawline looks cleaner in photos. I keep the bun soft rather than ballet-tight, because a scraped high bun can make the cheeks look fuller by contrast. Two slim pieces at the temples help. It stays put in heat, too, which makes it a good bet for a summer ceremony, and veils, pearl pins and a simple comb all sit comfortably below it.
2. Low Chignon Wedding Updo For Round Face
Low chignons are lovely on round faces, but only if the crown isn’t flat. Pull everything straight back to a low knot and the face becomes the widest thing in the picture. So I lift the crown first, shift the part slightly off centre and leave fine pieces that fall below the cheekbone, which pulls the eye downward. Classic gowns and lace suit it. A small accessory tucked into one side of the bun shows up nicely in profile shots during the ceremony.
3. Messy Bun Wedding Updo For Round Face
Where I place the bun matters more than how messy it is. Sitting at the nape, a loose bun can look round on round; slightly higher, around the middle of the back of the head, with lift through the crown, it looks lighter and longer. The loose texture keeps the shape from reading as a compact ball. It suits wavy or curled hair from medium length down. A few wispy strands near the jawline soften the edges, but I keep them fine; thick chunks at the jaw add width rather than hiding it.
4. Side Bun Wedding Updo For Round Face
A side bun breaks the symmetry that can make a round face look rounder. The bun sits low on one side, a deep side part sweeps across the forehead, and suddenly the face has an angle. Keep the crown softly lifted and the bun textured but not wide. One-shoulder dresses, floral pins and vintage details all pair well. I ask which side you’d like it on and usually suggest the opposite side to your partner, so the bun is visible during the vows rather than tucked away from the camera.
5. Braided Bun Wedding Updo For Round Face
Braids help a round face when they run on a diagonal. A braid that starts high on one side and travels down into the bun cuts a long line across the head, which reads slimmer than a braid wrapped evenly around. I keep the braid slightly loose, the crown lifted, and the bun no wider than the back of the head. It suits outdoor and garden weddings and needs little decoration, since the braid carries the detail. A few fine pieces at the front soften the forehead and cheeks without dropping volume at the sides.
6. Curly Updo Wedding Hair For Round Face
Curls add volume, and on a round face the question is always where. I pin them upward and keep the crown airy, while the sides stay controlled though not flat; flat sides can make the cheeks look fuller by contrast. Any loose tendrils around the face should be longer rather than shorter, ideally past the chin. Natural curls and set curls both work. Curls also hold small pearls and floral pins well, since there’s plenty of texture for the pins to grip.
7. Textured Updo Wedding Hair For Round Face
Texture is forgiving, but on a round face the direction of it matters. I twist and pin sections so they climb up the back of the head rather than spreading outward behind the ears, which lengthens the outline while keeping it relaxed. Balayage and highlights look especially good this way because each pinned section shows a different tone. It works with simple gowns, boho dresses and soft veils. The danger is bulk; once a textured updo gets wider than the face, the effect reverses, so I check it from the front, not just the back.
8. French Twist Wedding Updo For Round Face
The vertical seam of a French twist is a natural lengthener, and with the right finish it can flatter a round face beautifully. The version I avoid is the flat, scraped one, which can look severe and make the cheeks the focus. I lift the crown, leave a couple of airy pieces at the front and choose between a smooth roll for a formal look or a softly undone one for a romantic dress. High necklines and satin gowns suit it, and a veil can sit above the roll or tuck beneath it.
9. Loose Updo Wedding Hair For Round Face
A loose updo is easy to wear on a round face because nothing is pulled tight against the cheeks. I put light volume at the crown, pin curls or waves through the back and leave face-framing pieces that fall below the cheekbones to make a vertical line. It’s the right pick if a tight or formal finish makes you feel unlike yourself. It does need proper hidden anchoring, though. Loose shapes rely on pins you can’t see, and without them they slip by the evening. Veils blend into it nicely.
10. Twisted Bun Wedding Updo For Round Face
Twists that start at the temples and travel back into a bun guide the eye diagonally, which is exactly what a round face wants. I keep the bun medium or low and add lift at the crown so the two balance. Medium and long hair with a smooth wave twists most cleanly; very layered hair pokes out of the twists, so I set it with a little cream first. Minimal with no accessories, or pearl pins tucked into the twist, both look right.
11. Updo With Side Bangs For Round Face Wedding
Side bangs do quietly what an updo alone can’t, by drawing a diagonal line across the forehead. An updo with side bangs pairs well with a lifted bun, a chignon or a textured pinned style. Avoid blunt straight-across bangs, which cut the face horizontally and make it look shorter. One warning if you’re thinking of new bangs for the wedding: get them cut four to six weeks before, so they’ve grown slightly and you’ve learned how they fall. Fresh bangs are usually too short and too stubborn to sweep.
12. Updo With Face Framing Pieces For Round Face Wedding
The length of a face-framing piece decides whether it helps or hurts. Pieces that stop right at the fullest part of the cheek draw a line across it, which is the opposite of what we want. I cut or place them to fall near the cheekbone’s lower edge, the jaw or the collarbone, and curl them lightly away from the face. Pair them with a lifted bun, a loose chignon or a curly updo. Two or three per side is plenty; more starts to look stringy by the reception.
13. Half Updo Wedding Hair For Round Face
Half-up hair suits round faces when the loose lengths fall downward instead of puffing out at the sides. I give the crown a gentle lift, pin the top section securely, and curl the rest into waves that start below the jaw rather than at the cheek. Medium and long hair work best. Veils, small combs and delicate pins sit easily in the pinned section. In humid weather the loose part will lose some shape, so it’s worth bringing a few pins for a quick switch to a low bun if needed.
14. Sleek High Updo For Round Face Wedding
Sleek and high can look sharp on a round face, provided the shape is vertical and the sides aren’t scraped flat. I add a small amount of crown lift or a soft side part so the face isn’t framed by two tight lines. It’s a striking partner for minimalist gowns, statement earrings and plain veils. Practically, it barely moves all day. The honest catch: there’s no softness to hide behind, so I’d only suggest it if you already love wearing your hair pulled back.
15. Boho Updo Wedding Hair For Round Face
Boho styling is all loose twists, small braids and pinned waves, and on a round face I build it upward: the bun slightly lifted, the sides kept light, and a few longer pieces falling naturally past the chin. It takes more pinning than it looks; the casual effect comes from careful placement. Outdoor ceremonies, beach weddings and rustic venues suit it. Tiny flowers or pearl pins add detail, but keep them on the crown or the bun rather than at the temples, where they’d draw attention sideways.
Earrings, Veil Height and the V of Your Neckline
The updo isn’t working alone. What hangs from your ears, where the veil attaches and the shape of your neckline all add lines around your face, and they can support the hair or undo it.
Earrings
Drops and slim linear earrings carry the eye downward and pair well with any lifted updo. Large round studs or big hoops repeat the round shape. They’re not forbidden, but if you love them, I’d go higher on the bun to compensate.
Veil placement
A veil attached at the crown adds height, which suits round faces. One set low at the nape is fine too, just keep the comb tucked under the bun rather than spreading out wide behind the ears. Bring the veil to the trial so we can see it from the front.
Neckline
V-necks, sweetheart and off-the-shoulder lines open the neck and pair easily with nearly every style above. A high crew neck or a bateau neckline sits close under the chin, so I’d lean toward a higher bun with those to bring back some length.
Height on Top, Length at the Sides
If you remember one thing, make it this: keep the volume above the eyes and the length below the cheeks. High buns, low chignons, side buns, braided and curly updos and textured styles can all suit a round face when the crown is lifted and the sides stay slim. Side parts, diagonal braids and longer framing pieces finish the job. Bring your saved favourites to your stylist, but book a trial and take photos from the front, not only the back. The front view is the one every guest and nearly every portrait will see.
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