Planning a wedding is all about your own personal taste. This is the one day in your life that everyone will listen when you declare your adoration of peonies and hatred of the color green. After all, you’re the bride—that means your word is law when it comes to party planning.
Still, those endless choices can get tiring. When it comes to deciding on your hairstyle, let us do the work. There are a million wedding updos out there, but only a few that we really love.
Whether your dream hairstyle includes pin curls, beautifully braided strands, or fresh flowers, let us make your workload a little easier. Instead of scrambling to decide on a style, you’ll be fully prepared. With or without a professional stylist, your wedding ’do will be a breeze.
Wide Tucked Chignon
The grueling search for an unforgettable wedding hairstyle ends here. Sabine Constanzo, expert stylist for the French on-demand mobile beauty app Simone and Hair.com consultant, recommends taking your wedding dress into consideration.
“The wedding dress is very important when you choose your hairdo. If your dress has a high neck, then having an updo will look very elegant,” Constanzo says. This dramatic updo emits a celestial aura that will have you looking out of this world. The wide tuck over of hair features a grandiose shape that has a smooth, waterfall-esque movement.
Low Rolled Chignon
“If your dress has a low neck, opt for loose hair,” Constanzo advises.
Try a low chignon where the hair is rolled and tucked into itself. Keep the form loose—loosely tucked, teased volume at the top of the head, or let loose wavy strands or baby hairs gently fall around the face.
Romantic Bun Chignon
“If your face is long, you should fix a low hairstyle in order to balance out the shape,” Constanzo advises.
Slick your hair back from a deep side part into a polished low chignon. Wrap a delicate, shiny thread in crisscross patterns around a ponytail before twisting into a bun. Transport to a fantasy world as an otherworldly historical queen.
Flowing Fishtail Chignon
Create an idyllic atmosphere as if you’re in the European countryside. For a wistful and romantic air, sculpt a wide and chunky Dutch-style braid.
“If you have a round face,” Constanzo adds, “prioritize a higher up do in order to elongate your profile.”
Let the braid flow from top to bottom into a low side chignon. Seek the help of your stylist and try any of these unique chignons that will make your wedding day hairstyle truly memorable!
Side Bun
There are only so many hours in a day, and that means we’d rather not take the time to learn a hairstyle that we can’t wear more than once. The side bun is ingenious in its versatility, fitting in everywhere from a business meeting to a formal wedding.
If you’re a no-fuss lady, ask your hairstylist for this look. He or she will create serious volume at your crown before shaping an oversize bun under one ear. Feeling inclined to wear a sparkly hair accessory? The side bun is the perfect vehicle for it.
Sleek Chignon
While other hairstyles focus on making a statement, we love the sleek chignon for the way it doesn’t seek attention. It’s not the focal point of your wedding ensemble, but rather a complementary addition to your bridal gown.
If you’ve chosen a dress with a statement back or would just rather not worry about your hair all night, this low-maintenance style is the way to go. It’s so simple you’ll even be able to style it at home. Put the money you saved toward an even better party.
Faux-hawk
Are you a natural showstopper? If you live for all the drama, then you need a bridal hairstyle that’s as over-the-top as you are. We stand behind the faux-hawk, an updo that calls for multiple buns along the top and back of the head.
If your hairstylist is very talented, you may end up with a look that’s built with braids instead of buns. Because your look is intricate, you’ll definitely want to visit the salon for a hair trial ahead of your actual wedding day.
Waterfall Braid
Some brides are just not the updo type. Instead of neatly curled buns, they’d rather have soft waves and flower crowns. If this describes your general bridal aesthetic, then try a half-up style for your wedding day.
The waterfall braid—a variation of the French braid—looks perfect accompanying a boho wedding dress and long ringlets. Instead of simply adding hair with every crossover, your stylist will drop a strand, too. The result is a gorgeous, breezy take on bridal style.
French Twist
Is any style more classic or polished-looking than the French twist? Your grandmother and mother probably both wore this timeless updo to their weddings. It’s simple and elegant, leaving space for luxurious accessories (including that new wedding band) and a breathtaking dress.
A word of advice: Thousands of internet tutorials may say the French twist is an easy style to master, but that’s not a chance you’ll want to take on your wedding day. Instead of risking your hair falling halfway through the reception, contract a professional for this one.
Voluminous Ponytail
Ponytails aren’t just for the gym. We like to see them paired with formal gowns and bridal attire. The juxtaposition of formal and laid back vibes adds a fun-loving touch to any bridal aesthetic.
To ensure you’re getting the best ponytail, aim for lots of volume in the crown and clip-in extensions to fill out the tail. Instead of leaving your ends to hang naturally, add a few ringlets at the base of the ponytail and finish with a blast of texture spray.
Loose Braid
It’s your special day, and that means you’re entitled to wear as much fake hair as your heart desires (and your scalp can hold). If you’re in the mood for serious extensions, why not try a mermaid-inspired braid? This wide, loose braid will drape over your shoulder and make for spectacular wedding photos.
Ballerina Bun with Locs
We love the look of locs, which add visual interest and texture to any wedding look. If you’re wondering how to make the best use of them in tandem your bridal ensemble, we recommend twisting them up into an oversize bun.
The resulting look is beautiful and feminine, but still polished. When it comes time to don your veil, add a glittering hair clip into the style to hold the gauzy fabric in place. Come time for photographs, you’ll find not a single hair out of place.
Pin Curls
Old Hollywood, meet bridal wonderland. Pin curls may be most famous as the chosen hairstyle of starlets everywhere, but that doesn’t mean you can’t channel their glamour on your special day. It’s your time to shine, and that means wearing any hairstyle you see fit.
Before getting your heart set on this style, come to terms with the fact that you’ll absolutely need to hire a professional. Your wedding day is not the time to wing it with a ‘06 drugstore curling iron.
Bouffant Updo
The 1960s called, and they want their retro vibes back. If your wedding is going to be lighthearted, full-skirted celebration of vintage love, then choose a hairstyle to match. Backcomb your hair into a teased, voluminous beehive before completing the look with a low bun.
This is a style you could conquer at home, but a professional stylist will tease your hair so that it doesn’t budge at all over the course of the day.
Crown Braid
Earthy girls, this one’s for you. The crown braid is simple and elegant—not to mention beautiful in photographs. Instead of sitting across your face, the crown braid acts as goddess-like headband.
This is a DIY style, one that’s possible to learn after just a few YouTube videos. If you’re a bride on a budget, consider choosing an artistic braid instead of a more traditional updo.
