Can you wear a hat to a winter wedding?

According to LaVine, wearing a hat to a winter wedding is absolutely allowed. “Much like an everyday outfit, a wedding gown can more complete with other elements,” she explains, adding that wedding dresses can be totally transformed and elevated when styled with accessories like hats.

What are the best hats to wear at weddings?

The best hats to wear to a winter wedding are the ones that are comfortable, says LaVine. If you plan to wear a hat for the entire event, you'll want to make sure it fits well and stays put while dancing the night away. It should also compliment your wedding gown and personal style—much like jewelry, it should feel like an extension of you. As far as hat style is concerned, Bruhn says it depends on the time of day and location. “If it's a destination wedding in Montana, a cowboy hat in soft neutral tones would be perfect, but it might not fit in a formal church wedding,” she explains. If hats aren’t your style, but you want something a little less traditional than a veil, Bruhn says a crown of flowers can have a similar effect.

How do I choose a winter hat for my wedding?

If you want to wear a hat on your wedding day, LaVine says to first consider fabrics and accents. “Feathers, fur, lace, satin, and tulle are my favorite choices for a winter bridal hat,” she explains. Wool cowboy and pillbox hats also have a luxe feel to them in the winter (especially when adorned with velvet, pearls, and other accents). With that said, LaVine says you can make virtually any hat—even straw—into a winter wedding accessory. “For example, a straw hat naturally feels like a spring, summer, or outdoor garden party look, however, when you add black accents, it suddenly becomes more appropriate for the winter season.”

The 12 Best Winter Hats for All Your Bridal Festivities—Including Your Wedding Day

Best Winter Hats for All Of Your Bridal Festivities — Brides / Brian Kopinski

Whether it's a chic cashmere scarf for engagement photos or a cozy shawl for a snowy ceremony, a winter accessory can elevate your bridal style and create a moment of luxury—and also keep you warm! If you’re planning a winter wedding, hats are one of our favorite ways to create this moment, as they can piece the entire look together and feel like a true embodiment of personal style.

When choosing a hat for your wedding day, personal stylist Alison Bruhn says the most important thing is to make sure your face can be seen. "You don't want your hat to cast shadows on your face in photos," she says. Stylist Hope LaVine reminds brides that hats and other headpieces can be fun accessories to play with, but it's OK to use it a prop versus a highlighting it as a main part of your outfit. “Wear it for just a few photos—you don’t have to fully commit,” she advises, noting that hats can add a nice touch to bridal portraits and editorial-style photos.

Meet the Expert

Alison Bruhn is a personal stylist and co-founder of The Style That Binds Us.
Hope LaVine is a a bridal stylist based in Santa Monica, California.

For winter brides wanting to add some flair to their ensemble, we rounded up our favorite options for everything from engagement photos to the honeymoon, and—of course—the wedding day.

Read on for the best winter hats for wedding events.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Lele Sadoughi Pillbox Beret at Lelesadoughi.com

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Best for Honeymoon:

Mod Party Beanie Hat at Etsy

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Best for Destination Wedding:

Maison Michel Straw Hat at Net-a-Porter

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Eugenia Kim Wool-Felt and Fishnet Cap at Net-a-Porter

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Best with Veil:

Maison Michel Tulle, Satin, and Wool-Felt Hat at Net-a-Porter

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Best Beanie:

Tasha Beanie at Nordstrom

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Best Wool:

Lack of Color Benson Tri at Lackofcolor.com

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Best Pillbox:

Lawliet Wool Pillbox Hat at Amazon

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Best Fur:

Overland Alpaca Fur Cossack Hat at Overland.com

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Best Fascinator:

Elegancey Fascinators Fascinator Hat at Etsy

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In This Article

Our Picks
What to Look For
FAQ
Why Trust Brides

Lele Sadoughi

View On Lelesadoughi.com

A cross between a pillbox hat and a beret, this pearl-encrusted design is one of our favorite winter hats. Crafted out of a soft boucle fabric, it has just the right amount of bling, with pearls in varying sizes scattered over the top. The subtle gold stitching also makes this hat the perfect accompaniment for yellow gold accessories.

Price at time of publish: $225+

Etsy / Mod Party

View On Etsy

If you’re headed someplace chilly like Aspen or the Swiss Alps for your honeymoon, the Mod Party MRS Beanie Hat is a fun accessory for the trip. It's made from ultra-soft acrylic yarn and features a faux fur pom pom on top, which adds a nice wintery touch. We also love the sparkling rhinestone "MRS" patch that states your relationship status loud and clear.

Price at time of publish: $18+

Maison Michael Kiki Bow-Detailed Satin Trimmed Straw Hat

Net-A-Porter

View On Net-a-Porter

Whether your winter destination wedding is in a tropical location or on top of a snowy mountain, this whimsical hat is an excellent pick for the occasion. Made out of straw, it has a lightweight feel, but feels luxurious thanks to the addition of a satin hat band and bow. The short, fishnet veil adds a gorgeous fashion-forward feel to your wedding day photos.

Price at time of publish: $930+

Eugenia Kim Sabrina Wool-Felt and Fishnet Cap

Net-A-Porter

View On Net-a-Porter

This ivory hat is inspired by a traditional Breton cap and is constructed from a wool and felt blend that is super soft to the touch. The fishnet veil adds a bridal accent—it feels effortless, elegant, and cool all in one.

Price at time of publish: $177

Maison Michael Jackie Bow-Detailed Tulle, Satin, and Wool-Felt Hat

Net-A-Porter

View On Net-a-Porter

Winter brides looking to wear a veil will love the seasonal spin that this option offers. It elevates a traditional veil by pairing it with a chic wool-felt pillbox hat and tulle bow. It’s a fun twist for a modern bride and is sure to make a statement, whether you wear it for just the ceremony, the pictures, or the entire night.

Price at time of publish: $854

Nordstrom

View On Nordstrom

We love this ultra-wearable style, which can be sported on a wintery honeymoon or featured in a snowy photo moment. The beanie is constructed from an ultra-soft nylon, polyester, and acrylic blend with a fluffy faux fur pom pom on top—and it features tiny rhinestones for a touch of sparkle. It’s a gorgeous hat that will keep you warm for years to come, long after the wedding is over.

Price at time of publish: $34+

Lack of Color

View On Lackofcolor.com

Wool is the ultimate winter fabric and the Lack of Color Benson Tri hat completely transforms the material, making it wedding appropriate. This ranger-inspired hat is designed with a tall crown, wide brim, and is constructed from 100 percent Australian wool, with a gorgeous strip of velvet as the band. On top of that, it actually offers sun protection with a UPF rating of 50+, so it's a practical piece you'll definitely wear again

Price at time of publish: $149+

Amazon

View On Amazon

Give your bridal ensemble a classic 60s touch with this budget-friendly pick from Amazon. Made from 100 percent wool, it's a timeless silhouette that feels sophisticated and dressed up. Wear it in white if you’re the bride and, if you’re a wedding guest looking for a winter hat, the camel, hot pink, or wine colors are all excellent choices.

Price at time of publish: $22+

Overland

View On Overland.com

Lean into the winter wedding with a furry accessory moment. This stunning hat is the perfect choice for this occasion and makes for a perfect après ski-style bridal accessory. It's made from Peruvian alpaca, so it offers tons of insulation and warmth for frigid wedding day temperatures.

Price at time of publish: $149+

Elegancey Fascinators Bridal Birdcage Veil Fascinator Hat

Etsy / Elegancey Fascinators

View On Etsy

This handmade fascinator hat features a small pillbox-inspired shape adorned with fabric roses, and feathers (one of the top trends for this year). As far as bridal colors are concerned, the hat comes in a crisp white, as well as ivory. You can also choose to add a fishnet veil or keep it simple for a less formal look.

Price at time of publish: $46+

Altarâd State

View On Altardstate.com

A cowboy hat is a western wedding requirement, even if it’s just for the photos. If you’re shopping for the best bridal cowboy hat, we love the Altar’d State Starburst Cowboy Hat, which is constructed from a polyester suede material and features a striking faux leather band with a metallic geometric design. The hat (which would also look amazing in engagement photos or a rehearsal dinner outfit) is versatile, stylish, and one you’ll get lots of use out of for years to come.

Price at time of publish: $55+

Village Hat Shop

View On Villagehatshop.com

This floral beret has a soft and whimsical feel, ideal for styling with retro-inspired bridal hair and other accessories like strands of pearls and long white gloves. Perfect for pictures and the reception, the gorgeous wool texture of this hat adds a nice nod to the season.

Price at time of publish: $38+

What to Look For in Winter Hats

Coverage

The best way to test out the coverage is to have someone—be it the mother of the bride or a bridesmaid—take a few photos of you wearing your hat options. Test them both outdoors and indoors, so you can get an idea of how the hat looks in different lighting and if there's too much coverage over your face.

Size and Fit

How the hat fits is also important. “If it’s too large for you, the hat will hide your face and, if it’s too small, it will sit on top of your head, giving the illusion that you have a longer, larger face than you actually have,” says Bruhn. If the hat fits well and you’re set on it, she recommends doing some practice dancing to ensure that it will stay on your head for the reception.

Subtlety

Bruhn says to remember that a wedding hat should accent and frame your face, not be the focus of the entire look. “The dress, veil, hat, and jewelry should not distract from the bride—the most important part of the entire look should be her face,” she explains. Of course, if you’re shopping for a hat for a bachelorette party, you can play it up a bit more and go for more of a statement piece.

Personal Style

Another necessary thing to consider when shopping for a winter bridal hat is personal style. LaVine says that a hat might not be the right choice for a wedding if you don't wear hats often, if you fidget with them every time you have one on, or if your hair is your favorite asset. You can still consider a hat for other, less formal wedding-related events like your bachelorette weekend or honeymoon.

FAQ

Can you wear a hat to a winter wedding?

According to LaVine, wearing a hat to a winter wedding is absolutely allowed. “Much like an everyday outfit, a wedding gown can more complete with other elements,” she explains, adding that wedding dresses can be totally transformed and elevated when styled with accessories like hats.
What are the best hats to wear at weddings?

The best hats to wear to a winter wedding are the ones that are comfortable, says LaVine. If you plan to wear a hat for the entire event, you'll want to make sure it fits well and stays put while dancing the night away. It should also compliment your wedding gown and personal style—much like jewelry, it should feel like an extension of you.
As far as hat style is concerned, Bruhn says it depends on the time of day and location. “If it's a destination wedding in Montana, a cowboy hat in soft neutral tones would be perfect, but it might not fit in a formal church wedding,” she explains.
If hats aren’t your style, but you want something a little less traditional than a veil, Bruhn says a crown of flowers can have a similar effect.
How do I choose a winter hat for my wedding?

If you want to wear a hat on your wedding day, LaVine says to first consider fabrics and accents. “Feathers, fur, lace, satin, and tulle are my favorite choices for a winter bridal hat,” she explains. Wool cowboy and pillbox hats also have a luxe feel to them in the winter (especially when adorned with velvet, pearls, and other accents).
With that said, LaVine says you can make virtually any hat—even straw—into a winter wedding accessory. “For example, a straw hat naturally feels like a spring, summer, or outdoor garden party look, however, when you add black accents, it suddenly becomes more appropriate for the winter season.”

Why Trust Brides

Contributing writer Jessie Quinn has a bachelor’s degree in fashion journalism. From working in the fashion closet and interviewing designers at NYLON Magazine to now writing about the best style trends for various publications, Jessie researches and sources the best fashion finds. As a hat collector herself, Jessie has a keen eye for hat style, fabric, and design, and, when curating a list of the best winter hats, she used her personal experience plus her fashion education to inform her research. She also tapped top bridal style experts Alison Bruhn and Hope LaVine to learn more about what makes a hat wedding appropriate and what to look for in a bridal hat, no matter if it’s for a honeymoon, bachelorette, or the big day.

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