Searching for wedding hairstyles for long hair? Across the weddings published in Vogue, brides with long locks have styled their hair in a stunning array of ways for their big day. Choosing your wedding day hair is a major beauty decision. A coiffed updo can create an elegant air to your bridal look that allows a stunning high neckline or beautiful necklace to stand out. In contrast, loose curls can add a bohemian and romantic feel to your wedding style. Or, you can go somewhere in between with a half-up, half-down style that you can easily attach a veil to for your walk down the aisle.
Some Vogue brides opted for their hair down—Olivia Culpo, for example, decided to keep her brown tresses flowing for her classic New England wedding in Watch Hill, explaining she wanted a less-is-more approach when it came to beauty. (Although Tish Weinstock decided more is more when she decided to go with Rosalía-inspired extensions for her Halloween wedding at Belvoir Castle.)
If you want to keep your hair out of your face, however, a wedding up-do is the way to go. Sarah Hyland asked her hairstylist, Ryan Richman, to craft an elegant yet effortless low bun for her Napa nuptials. “We created plenty of texture and tendrils around the hairline and nape of the neck,” he explains. “The goal was a look that was appropriate for a princess on her wedding day, but ‘make it as if the princess had just finished riding her horse through the countryside—not too perfect.’” Meanwhile, Sarah Staudinger wore her hair in several different types of buns for her St. Tropez wedding to Ari Emanuel—including a doughnut bun as she walked down the aisle. (And while chignons, French twists, and buns are seen as classic wedding hair choices, some Vogue brides have opted for elevated ponytails: Kate Bock, for example, did so for her wedding at the New York Public Library.)
Then, there are some who want the best of both worlds: Gabriella de Givenchy opted for simple yet stunning half-up wedding hairstyles, adding slight curls to her tresses.
For brides looking to make more of a beauty statement? Consider adding an accessory like a flower or bow: Adriana Diaz’s hairstylist, for example, created a low chignon adorned with baby’s breath. “I loved how effortless yet elevated it looked. I wanted to keep my hair naturally curly, which is how I always wear it,” she said.
Below, 41 of our favorite wedding hairstyles for long hair, as seen on brides in Vogue.
Hair Down
Keeping your hair sleek with an easy blow-out and defined middle part can be a beautiful wedding day look. Olivia Culpo wore her hair down in a simple middle part and skipped mascara, lip liner, and eyebrow makeup for her classic New England wedding.
Harley Viera-Newton wore soft curls to accent her custom Valentino gown for her intimate West Village wedding. This style looks beautiful when framed with a romantic veil.
Keep the natural texture of your hair intact for a wedding day look that feels true to you. Want even more drama? Tish Weinstock added Rosalía-inspired extensions to make her raven hair even longer for her Halloween wedding.
Adding a slight bend to your hair can create a beachy wave that’s perfect for an outdoor wedding. Just be sure to use product to eliminate any frizz. Lauren Perez went for beachy waves at her Miami wedding.
Having your stylist create large, full curls is a great way to add a glamorous feel to your wedding day look. Bride Anisha Patel had 13 different outfits for her Turkish Riviera wedding—and a different hairstyle to accompany each one. This look was the perfect pair to her bold, red gown.
A deep side part is a beautiful way to change the framing of your face on your wedding day. It especially looks glamorous paired with volume and loose curls. “I think this is exactly how brides are supposed to feel: luxurious, beautiful, kind of on top of the world,” Simone Biles said of her wedding day look.
Is your hair naturally wavy? Leave it be for an all-natural wedding day look. Be sure to add a touch of anti-frizz serum to maintain polish. Here, Joey King wanted to make sure she looked like herself for her wedding in Mallorca.
Straightening your hair can create a stylish, modern feel to your bridal style—just take Dara Brown’s look for her Parisian welcome party.
Updos
A sleek, low bun is the perfect choice for the minimalist bride. Paired with a middle part, it s a chic, symmetrical style for an elegant beauty look. You can also easily pin a veil above the chignon for the ceremony. Kathleen Riley, who has been doing Sofia Richie’s hair for years, executed this style for her wedding day.
Your hair doesn’t have to fully be tied back when wearing an updo. Instead, go for a styled, undone look. “We created plenty of texture and tendrils around the hairline and nape of the neck,” Sarah Hyland’s hairstylist says of her wedding day hair. “The goal was a look that was appropriate for a princess on her wedding day, but ‘make it as if the princess had just finished riding her horse through the countryside—not too perfect.’”
Intricate braiding can lend a beautiful touch to a wedding day chignon. This style worn by Juno Wheeler for her celebration included many small braids to create unique texture to the beauty look.
Want a retro vibe to your wedding? Ask your stylist to create a voluminous top knot straight out of the ’60s. Lola McDonnell went with a top knot for her wedding at Isabella Blow’s former Cotswold estate.
For an easy, clean look, pull all of your hair back into a slicked-back bun. Josephine Skriver’s simple, minimalistic style allowed her veil to take center stage.
Add some intrigue to a low bun by creating it with a thick, wrapped braid. Carly Cucco wanted all of the focus to be on the dress so she styled her hair in this classic low bun and kept her makeup natural.
Rather than a classic bun, add some volume to your updo with a rolled chignon. Chloë Chevalier put a Gigi Burris veil over her style for her wedding ceremony.
Thread your tresses into a woven bun for a unique wedding hairstyle. Selby Drummond added some intricacy to her wedding day bun for her Anguilla wedding.
Want extra volume? Twist your long hair into a doughnut bun. Sarah Staudinger wore this look for her St. Tropez ceremony.
Take your updo to the next level with a fun accent. Cécilia Saint-Viteux s wedding hair included some twists, a pearl pin, and slightly messy tresses.
A mid-height bun is the perfect style to keep your hair off your face. For her beachside wedding in Mexico, Alex Cooper opted for this elegant and pared-back bun.
Take a note from ballerinas for your wedding look. Blanca Padilla paired peachy eyeshadow, soft pink lips, and defined brows with a sleek ballet bun for her wedding day look.
Play with shape and have your stylist create a chignon that rests at the nape of your neck. Oleema Miller’s low bun held up amid the rain for her Hawaiian wedding.
Adding a twist to pull back your hair is a pretty way to create more movement in your beauty look. Eaddy Kiernan wore this style with a blusher veil overtop.
Braids and Ponytails
Wearing a long braid down the back not only helps keep your hair off of your face, but also creates its own woven statement. It was the perfect pairing for bride Madison Utendahl’s rehearsal dinner look.
Even if you wear a ponytail daily, you can easily elevate the look for your wedding day. Cover a hair elastic by wrapping your hair around the tie for a more polished look. Natalie Salmon wore this ponytail style for her London courthouse ceremony.
Another way to step up your ponytail is by using hot tools to create lush, hydrated curls to the ends. Kate Bock proved that a ponytail works in even the most formal of settings.
A ponytail braid is the perfect hybrid of two looks. By pulling your hair back into a ponytail first, it allows for a cleaner, sleek look along the crown of your head. For her evening reception at Balthazar in New York City, Lauren Rodriguez opted for a braided ponytail.
Milkmaid braids—an updo style that has a woven braid circle your head—is a perfect style for a bohemian bride. Taylor Hill’s braid crown was an appropriate aesthetic choice for her Colorado welcome party.
A long, side braid can be a chic choice for your wedding weekend aesthetic. This style is particularly great with volume, so consider adding extensions to achieve your perfect plait. Chef Hawa Hassan wore this beauty look for her wedding welcome party.
Half-Up, Half-Down
Want some hair pulled off your face but still want the natural movement of your long locks? Pull a small portion of your tresses back at the crown of your head. This is a great option if you want to more easily adhere a veil. Gabriella de Givenchy tied part of her hair back for her Capri wedding.
A few strategically long pieces of hair left out of a half-up, half-down style can bring a relaxed, romantic feel to your beauty look. Lauren Rothberg’s loose pieces framed her face during her Napa wedding.
One style that can look super chic is pulling back the front half of your hair for a tucked style. This allows the back half to flow naturally in whatever straight, wavy, or curly style you choose. Nell Diamond embraced this look with her hair partially pinned back.
Going for a more traditional half-up, half-down look? Allow just a few strands to be left out for softness. Taylor Hill kept her hair tamed but wild during her ceremony.
For a sleek aesthetic, have a defined part in your half-up, half-down hairstyle. Emily Caro chose this look to complement her veil.
Slick back your hair fully for a tighter half-up, half-down style. Nina Jiaravanon paired this with loose waves for her Lake Como wedding.
Have curtain bangs? Leave out the face-framing fringe and pull your longer hair back for a beautiful wedding day hairstyle. Meredith Rothman went with pinned-back hair and dramatic makeup for her wedding in Los Angeles.
Hair Accessories
While baby’s breath might be a filler flower, it also has a strong stem that allows it to easily be molded into a fun hair accessory. Adriana Diaz’s hairstylist created a low chignon that was adorned with baby’s breath.
Add sweetness to your wedding style with a long bow pinned to your hair. This can also serve as an alternative to a veil. Justine Jen-Jen Li’s bow was a last-minute, day-of addition for her wedding look.
Many great accessories designers have beautifully crafted pins that mimic the look of florals while providing a stronger hold for your wedding day hairstyle. Ito Aghayere wanted a timeless beauty look that hinted at the era of pin curls and flappers.
Adorn your hair with fresh florals to bring romance to your beauty look. Billie Lourd put flowers in her hair to match her Oscar de la Renta rehearsal dinner dress.
Add extra sparkle to your wedding ensemble with a bejeweled headpiece. Harley Viera-Newton accented her reception look with a pearl headpiece.
Rather than use a large ribbon to hold back a hairstyle, consider using small bow pins as accents. “One of my core inspirations will forever be Marie Antoinette by Sofia Coppola,” Sandy Liang said of her wedding day appearance. “I wanted to channel that energy into my wedding look."
A headband is an easy tool to pull hair off your face and add a sartorial accent. Lucrezia Bonaccorsi Beccaria wore a bridal headband to her reception in Sicily.
