Of-the-moment bridal hairstyles, particularly for outdoor weddings, tend to be simple. And that’s good news, says stylist George Pereira of Sergio Limpopo in New York.

“Softer looks are more sophisticated,” says Pereira. “You work with what you have now,” he adds, noting that contemporary styles eschew the extensions and padding of bygone seasons. He says women who married in more fussy hair days like the big-hair ‘80s or who wore the high-volume, highly teased styles of a couple of years ago are often aghast today when they look at their wedding snaps. “What I like about styles now is they’re traditional. There’s no crazy cake in the hair.”

Pereira, who does editorial work for Self magazine, says in-vogue styles look like something you would do yourself. “You want something flowy, not cemented—particularly since outdoor weddings tend to be daylight affairs and therefore a bit less formal.”

He prefers fresh flowers to headpieces or sparkly baubles for daytime. Two flowers that work well are baby’s breath and orchids in white, color, or both, as the dress dictates. If the hair is worn down, the flowers can be pinned throughout. For volume on top, Pereira suggests pulling up small pieces from the sides and catching them with a clip. Women with shorter hair can pull a couple of pieces up and pin them with a flower or simply tuck a blossom behind the ear.

With an outdoor wedding comes practical considerations. You’re always at the mercy of the weather. Many women with very wavy or curly hair are tempted to straighten it for special occasions, but Pereira advocates working with hair rather than against it.

Sylvan, garden, and beach settings all lend themselves to fresh blossoms, but the beach, he says, is a whole other game with its own rules. The style must be uber-simple so it can withstand exposure to a lot of wind and salty air. “I see a crown of flowers,” he says, “or pull it all back in a ponytail with flowers.”

Simple as that sounds, it’s better to have your hair done professionally. A photo helps, but be realistic. Decisions about whether to wear hair up or down will depend on how much you have to work with. Pereira also has brides bring the dress to their consultation.

Tips From George Pereira

Hair that behaves is all wet

Keeping a hold and keeping frizz or unwanted waves at bay involves more than just a blizzard of hair spray. Hair that’s already well-moisturized, Pereira says, doesn’t react as much to moisture in the air. Brides can start working on that well in advance. Hair oils (he uses Alfaparf Semi di Lino Cristalli Liquidi) will also keep hair moist, so it will be less inclined to react to humidity. Of course, spray is important, and hair might need to be touched up throughout the day.

Only your hairdresser should know if you’ve teased

Pereira’s trick for teasing: Tease at the root, spray, and then hit the hair with a blow-dryer to harden it. Tease only for a bit of lift at the crown and to help secure accessories. Never tease where it shows. 

Kathryn Casey, who wore a kind of helmet at her own wedding, thinks the prettiest headpiece she’s ever seen was a single flower tucked behind the bride’s ear.