16 wedding hairstyles for every length

We love wedding season, and we adore talking all things wedding hairstyles which is why we sat down with top hair stylist, Sam Burnett, who also owns brilliant London hair salon, Hare & Bone, to get his top tips on everything we all need to know to getting our wedding hairstyles just right.

When should you decide on your wedding hairstyle?

“Ideally, start thinking about your hair look once you’ve chosen your dress,” advises Burnett, “your outfit sets the tone for everything, from the silhouette to the neckline, and your hair should complement, not compete.”

However, if you’re thinking about a hair change for the big day, that will need some planning. “Of course, growing your hair or switching up your colour will take time and potentially multiple appointments so it’s worth speaking to your stylist well in advance, six to twelve months out isn’t too soon.”

How to choose your wedding hairstyle

“It’s all about balance,” says Burnett. “You want to feel like the very best version of yourself, but not like you’re in fancy dress. So, we always start by considering how you wear your hair day to day, then elevate that to suit the outfit and the setting. A sleek bun might suit a modern city wedding, while soft waves or a textured ponytail could feel more at home in a country garden. The key is to align the look with your personal style and the wedding vibe.”

How do you create a wedding hairstyle on shorter hair?

“Short hair can be just as versatile and stunning as longer styles, you just need to approach it differently. Accessories are your best friend here, think statement clips, embellished headbands, or a chic veil placement. We also love playing with texture: a soft wave, a slick finish, or a tousled pixie can all feel really modern and elegant. It’s about enhancing what you’ve got, not trying to fake length.”

Best wedding hairstyle styling advice

“Practice makes perfect. Don’t wait until the morning of your wedding to try something new. Give yourself a few trial runs, and film them on your phone so you can see how the hair moves and sits over a few hours. Use quality tools, prep the hair properly with product, and keep things simple, less is often more, especially if you’re doing it solo.”

Now you are armed with all the wedding hairstyle know-how you need, here are 16 looks to either try yourself or give to your stylist.

16 Wedding Hairstyles For Every Length:

1.Statement Ponytail

Think a ponytail can’t be wedding worthy? Think again! This pearl adorned voluminous ponytail is proof that with some serious back-brushing, a few extensions and probably a lot of hairspray a ponytail can be worthy of walking down the aisle.

2. Side-sweeping waves

You’ll need a good blow-dry for the base of this wedding hairstyle but once that’s done create a side-parting, as deep as you like, and then loosely tong the length of your hair for a soft wave. And it’s perfect for bob-length hair and longer. 

3. Low-slung Bun

Shorther hair lengths will struggle with updo’s, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go for a low do instead. Gather all your hair and secure in a bun at the nape of you neck. And don’t worry about any hair that comes loose, it just makes it look better. 

4. Embellished Waves

Short hair and accessories are a match made in wedding hairstyles heaven so lets yours do the talking. There’s often a feeling that shorter hair lengths don’t need any styling, but that’s not true. If anything, shorter hair lengths show off texture and tousles even better than long hair so take the time to create a wave or curl run through if you fancy it.

5. Halo Braid

Now, we’re not saying this look won’t need practising, but once you’ve perfected your plaiting skills this is a fairly easy one to do yourself and a great option for shorter hair styles and bobs – although you may want to use some matching hair pieces or volumising hair extesnions to bulk up the plait. Or take the stress out of the situation and get a stylist to do it for you. Keep the sections of hair fairly chunky and loosely plait them for a more relaxed look.

6. Classic Hollywood Waves

Classic, elegant and easy to do – promise! You need to start by blow-drying your hair so the lengths are smooth but you have a bit of lift at the root – a medium-sized round brush is your friend here. Then take 2cm sections of hair and starting a thrid of the way down, tong the rest of the hair length. Before your hair cools, use a soft bristle hairbrush to smooth the hair and watch your Hollywood waves appear. If you’re wearing a veil then you will need to take a section from each side and secure in the middle so the veil has something to attach to. Another look that works for shorter lengths as well as those with longer hair. 

7. Plaits on Plaits

This look will require a hairstylist, or a friend who is particularly braid savvy, as there are three fishtail plaits as well as some hair twists going on. It does also lend itself better to longer hair lengths as you need enough hair to create the length of plait. So if this is the sort of  look your after then plan in time to grow your hair or start researching extensions or hair pieces to help you get the look just right. 

8. Bridal Bun

Depending on the thickness of your hair, you may be either able to wrap two ponytails around each other to create this look, or if your hair is quite fine, you may want to call upon the hair services of a hair donut to give your bun some oomph and bulk. We love the loose and unstructured style of this look so try not to go too tight and ballet-like with it.

9. Tumbling Curls

Whether you are naturally curly or you love adding some serious bounce to your hair then why not show off amazing curls by letting them hang down in all their glory. For just a hint of detail you can take a couple of strands and secure them together and accessorise with whatever takes your fancy.

10. Face Framing Bends

If you never overly style your hair, then a wedding – whether it’s yours or someone else’s – is not the time to start. You want to feel and look like yourself after all. Instead, opt for some simple face framing bends. If you’re a dab hand at blow-drying then you can create them that way, otherwise place your straighteners at the point you want your hair to bend, wrap your hair round them, leave for a few seconds or until the hair feels warm and gently remove.

11. Straight and Sleek

Aside from a light application of serum and a few sweeps of a straightener to ensure maximum straightness, lots of shine and tame any flyaways, keeping hair long and completely straight has to be one of the easiest styles to do yourself that still looks 10/10. Another wedding hairstyle that works whatever your hair length. 

12. French Pleat

This wedding hairstyle will require a professional stylist as there are lots of kirby grips and general hand dexterity required! And, perhaps surprisingly, you don’t need lots of length to create it. The hair all needs to get swept to one side and a line of pins need to placed from the top of the crown to the nape of the neck. The hair is then artfully folded and twisted back on itself to create the pleat and more pins are needed to keep it all in place. Slightly complicated but 100 per cent worth the effort.

13. Messy Updo

This is a great wedding hairstyle for shoulder-length hair and longer as shorter hairs will naturally fall out and create a gorgeous tousled effect and longer hairs can be teased out and gently tonged. Beautiful without any hair accessories but would also look gorgeous with some sparkly hair pins.

14. Retro curls

With its slight nod to 80s and 90s curls, this is a lovely wedding hairstyle for shorter hair lengths especially those whose natural texture leans towards being wavy and curly.

15. Short and Sweet

Pixie cuts can still steal all the drama down the aisle because short does not mean without texture. Get as much movement into the hair as possible using texturising and salt sprays and team with a gorgeous accessory to show the cut and shape off.

16. Bridal Twist

Sitting somewhere between a chignon and a French pleat is this quite traditional wedding hairstyle. Definitely one to leave to the professionals as it will need some serious back-brushing to get the height as well as the grip in the hair to be able to shape it into the most flattering style. Veils can be easily attached either to the top or the bottom of the look.