How Would (Or Did) You Do Your Wedding Hair?

My hair was long and thick, and my stylist assured me we could tame it into a updo. We even did a trial and it worked out great! On my wedding day, all reference photos seemed to have disappeared and my hair was a disaster. The top was a poofy roll ala George Washington or Michelle Duggar and my bridesmaids didn’t fair much better. Thank goodness for friends who swoop in at the exact right moment and set everything right. It seemed like the biggest disaster on the day, but in the year’s since I’ve realized that most people have a wedding disaster. I was just lucky enough to have someone there to fix it!

My hair is long and resists curling. I was comfortable doing my own French braid and then my sister placed a wreath of orange blossoms, which held my short veil. It’s been 38 years but I still think it was perfect.

I went and had my hair done but when we went to location, it was massively windy and it immediately fell down. My photographer grabbed her child’s hairbrush from her car and we managed to get it in a side braid, which is what I do on most days anyways, so it felt more ‘me’ after all. We didn’t have a hair tie as what I had got lost in the strong breeze, but it ended up staying in place just with the texture the curls gave. I ended up loving it more than the original hairdo and regretted nothing!

If i can be honest, my hair is my favorite thing about me. When i was little, it was RED RED, but growing up in the 90s, it was STRAWBERRY BLONDE, OKAY. Little old ladies used to come up to me in public & make me promise to never dye my hair 😂 ANYWAY, now I love having red hair & it gets redder in the summer. My hair is naturally wavy/curly, so my friend just did loose barrel curls. I also made a flower crown from TJ’s wax flowers & it was the most beautiful i have ever felt. I’m not a princess type, but more sporty, so the flower crown was just the most wonderful feminine touch for me. My curls looked wonderful for pictures & started falling by the wedding, but at that point, i really didn’t care. It was a humid day & by golly, we got married, so who cares!! Also, absolutely recommend having talented friends do your makeup & hair. We saved so much money AND so much stress. I just wanted to look like myself, but *elevated enough*, if that makes sense. My friends did such a great job ❤️

I had my dream micro-wedding in a château in the south west of France (Château du Raysse) and I wanted to feel old school glamorous. I was struggling in the years prior with thinning hair and mild alopecia so I knew it would be shorter than I usually have it and I had to let go of my vision of long flowing curls. My wonderful French hair stylist created soft old Hollywood glam waves. It made my heart sing when my husband commented on it during our first look, “you look like a movie star”. Am happy that I worked with what I had rather than trying to go down the extensions route etc. (though everyone should do what makes them feel most beautiful!)

I wore my hair half up, because it was recommended by my hairdresser, and wore a tiara because, like Amy Farrah Fowler, I’m a princess and this is my tiara! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ-IZIKzIsk

I wore my hair just regular ol’ air dried, nothing out of the ordinary, and threw a fingertip-length veil over it :) it was great not having to worry about it!

Long time reader here- the photo I took to my hairdresser was YOUR bridal hair Joanna. The stylist made it my own and I still love how it looked. I love all the throwbacks to the 2013 hair tutorials in these comments.

Here’s my favorite wedding/hair story! When my SIL (husband’s sister) got married, she had taken a nap between the ceremony & reception and we were very late. I did her hair in the back seat of the car on the way to the reception while her best friend re-did her makeup and she arrived very carsick from facing sideways to give us both access (but looked lovely!). I had only known her for ~20 hours as we had never met until I arrived the evening before her wedding day! Luckily I am pretty good at doing hair and her hair (long, thick and curly) is so easy to make look beautiful but wow, what a chill bride! Love her so much :) (I ended up doing a half-up rose-like updo kind of like the last one featured.)

Related, has everyone seen Paulina Poriskova’s recent wedding pics, from Italy?? Gahhhhhhhh, so incredibly beautiful. She’s just stunning. I read she said she wanted to look 61!! Her actual age. I love her so much.

My hair looked almost exactly like Harling’s on my wedding day, 31 years ago last week. My dress was very very similar too! I had a veil attached to a beautiful fresh flower crown, that I really loved. It’s so bright and cheerful in our photos. I didn’t do white flowers for my bouquet and crown, but rather a mix of pink, purple, yellow and white, I wanted the flowers to look like wild flowers rather than something formal. None of this – my poufy sleeves gown, hair, crown, were the style at the time, but I didn’t care. Everything current then was sleek, minimalist, silk shantung sleeveless sheath dresses, no veil, hair pulled back, modern white understated bouquets. None of that looked right on me, and none of it suited me either. I love what the first bride said about not wanting to look like a certain decade, and wanting to look like her every day self too. I just wanted to look like me.

I eloped and did my own hair using this old COJ tutorial. It was always my go-to for putting my hair up! https://cupofjo.com/2011/06/23/diy-wedding-hair-gibson-roll/

all the brides look stunning and I love all of their dresses! the back of the first one is especially gorgeous

I’m a very no-frills person when it comes to my hair. But I knew that I wanted my hair to be done in a way that felt like the most beautiful version of myself for my wedding day. I enlisted my hairdresser who knows my hair. My trial wasn’t great, as she kept my center part, so I looked like a Mennonite. It wasn’t ideal. BUT with a bit of course correction, my updo for my wedding day was absolutely gorgeous. I got a fun hair comb to add a little sparkle to it. It felt like the most beautiful version of myself. But I was rocking my navy blue glasses, so I still looked like myself, only better!

Ok I have advice as a bride and as someone who has worked as a wedding planner! For my own wedding, I wore a style like Harling — very long hair (which is MY THING) in loose, long waves. It was half-up which was perfect so I didn’t have to mess with it in my eyes. I loved it in the pre-wedding photos and for its comfort and truly feeling like me. BUT as the night went on, I had the opposite experience of Harling — the curls fell and it looks so messy/bad/fried in the dancing photos and it’s truly the biggest regret of my whole wedding that I didn’t bring a curling iron to re-curl it. All to say: for any hairstyle, come prepared with a DIY way to refresh it throughout the night if it falls out. As a planner, I always had a pocket full of bobby pins to refresh the bride’s up-do. (And congrats! And what truly matters is that you’re marrying your love <3).

Two of my best friends not only did my hair (soft curls with a Juliet cap veil) but my makeup too, after the makeup woman left and they confirmed I needed to wash my face haha. It was so bad and I looked like a totally different person. They saved the day. It took longer than planned so it was my mom, dad, and two bffs in the backseat with me hysterically laughing on the bumpy Vermont dirt road on the way to the ceremony.

Because it was my second wedding, I wanted to feel and be my most authentic self, which lead me to @mignonettebridalchicago, and the most amazing experience working with the incredible Kpoené to create a simple, playful, made-for-me dress. I took that energy to find a salon in the town where we would get married… and walked out of the trial with a severe 90s prom updo. I sobbed in the car and have no idea why I answered when Kpoené called with a dress update but I did, and she talked me down, and told me to come to the shop the next day to meet @debpetrielli. Deb (really) listened. I walked down a wildflower aisle in that perfect dress with a loose, low bun. I am forever grateful for those patient, talented women. And the surprise at the end: one of Deb’s teammates became my step-sister-in-law a few years later!

My sister in law had worked as a hair stylist at one point and offered to do my hair! I’ve pretty much had short hair my entire adult life, but grew it out a bit for the wedding…I got a perm, to give it some wave, and she just curled everything so it was neat and out of my face…I wore a floral garland with my veil…felt very much like an English garden bride!

I’m from the Deep South and was so worried to have someone do my hair for my wedding, as I was getting married in my hometown. I didn’t want it to look over done or hair sprayed to high heaven. My hair was so long I knew I just wanted it half up and curly, but very casual and cool. My best girls friends came over to get ready before the ceremony and a friend said,”so who’s doing your hair?” And I was like YOU! Lol- she about fell out. I guess i forgot to tell my girlfriends I would need their help. I have a picture of three of my besties with three curling irons all looking at the camera like WTF. It was hilarious and so fun and it honestly turned out great! I’m sorry I gave them all a heart attack but glad it worked out because we still laugh about it.

Funny boomer mom story. I got married in 2020, so it was a very small, pretty casual affair. I styled my already curly/wavy hair into a slightly more polished version of its natural self, similar to Harlings. I spent the morning getting ready at my house with my close female relatives, and I was leaving the house to meet my now husband at the park where we were getting married, my mom said, “when are you going to do your hair?”

One of my siblings-in-law was a hair stylist for a while, so technically he did my hair! But we kept it very simple. My usual style is a short, low fuss bob, so all we added for the wedding day were a couple of pretty twists near my ears that were pinned in place with bobby pins, as well as a flower comb on one side to keep it all out of my fave. It held up pretty well, considering how windy my wedding day was.

I am getting married in October so the timing for this is PERFECT! I have my trial appointment next month, very curly hair, and no idea what I’m going to do. My partner loves my curly hair but like Harling said, it’s so unpredictable! I love the idea of potentially straightening and re-curling.

I wore my hair up in a 90s Pam Anderson style bun! I had a backless dress with a sash tie I wanted to show off along with a very fun veil from Madison Chamberlain I wanted to show off to its full potential — plus we got married in Florida in October on an 85-degree day, so wearing my hair up was necessary hahah!

A long time ago, I thought I was about to get married. While working in NYC I went to Bergdorf Goodman, just for fun, and saw a stunning crystal beaded headband, crocheted onto silver wire. I cost a small fortune, but I bought it. Alas, I did NOT get married then. Not even asked! Silly me. But 4 years after that, I DID get married, and that crystal studded headband was still my absolute choice! Worked into a swept updo, by my dear friend, a hairdresser I had been on the road with for decades. We cried when he set it onto my head, because he knew how my heart had broken in the past. I still have it. Worth every penney! When you see the thing, GET THE THING. Even if it might not be The Time.

JUST got married last month (June 9th!), and I did my own hair as we had a very small and intimate wedding…. In Tuscany (yay!!!). I did it half up half down with loose waves/curls for the ceremony and a simple low bun for the party, both with some pretty floral/pearly accessories. I have A LOT of hair so easy up-dos were definitely the way to go! It fit the day very much <3

I did a blow out with a gorgeous headband made of porcelain-looking flowers. I had almost finished growing out my gray hair and had the last blond bits died to match. I felt sad because my people couldn’t all be there (2021 wedding) but I look back at photos and I look so much like myself. Also, I know I can pass the headband down and it can be used in all sorts of wedding occasions if desired!

I got married in 2013, and did the “pretzel braid,” which I found in a CoJ tutorial! I remember growing my hair out for a full year (I’m not all more of a bon gal), just so I could do this ‘do I went for a run and swam in a salt water pool that morning, which turned out to be the perfect preparation for the hairdo holding itself together all day/night. I did it myself in one take, after one practice – still can’t believe it worked out, as I’m not much of a hair do-er. The only thing I’d change is inching my deep side part a bit closer to center, which is how I wear my part now and seems to flatter my crooked nose (broken 4 times!) better :) https://cupofjo.com/2011/08/25/diy-wedding-hair-pretzel-braid/

I was so surprised how important it was to my husband that I wear my hair naturally curly on our wedding day! He had very few “must dos”- invite all the family we could afford to put up for the weekend, a religious ceremony, and this. I ended up with a big curly bun with pearls twisted in and it made me feel like the most glamorous version of myself on our wedding day.

I wanted to look like a classic ballerina so I wore a bun. I kept my veil on the entire night and I had a beautiful rounded crystal clip under the bun kind of “cupping” it from the bottom. I have hair that doesn’t really do anything right even when the weather is perfect so I knew full well I didn’t even want to think about it at all haha

It was the only time in my life that I had my hair done: I have and had then (2000) a naturally wavy/curly bob, and I had an array of real, tiny roses in my hair. It was very cute. Although it took some time to get those tiny roses out of my hair in the evening …

Jessica’s whole look is so chic!

I left it down, but I did go to a salon to have it blown out and styled in very loose waves (my hair barely holds a curl, so it was barely noticeable). I also had it dyed a really bright, pretty auburn shade that looked really great with my champagne white dress.

We got married after 22 years together, and opted for a simple, informal courthouse wedding (though the Oslo courthouse is amazing!) I took the bus to my regular hairdresser on my way to the wedding. She gave my short bob the loveliest and touchable curls. It felt like me, just an elevated version. In my periwinkle blue dress and with flowers from my local, organic gardener, I felt beautiful.

Jessica’s dress is the dress I searched high and low for in 2011 that did not exist. I even have a drawing of it and I don’t draw. I may need to renew my vows just to wear my fantasy dress.

I wanted an old fashioned French Twist. It took 4 goes with various stylists, but I finally found the sweetest woman who’d been doing hair forever. It took her 30 minutes, what felt like a thousand Bobby pins and a can of hairspray. It was perfect and looked exactly what I wanted.

I rock a pixie, so I did nothing. I did have my hairstylist come to the venue for a blow dry and setting with spray. I’m not good w/ hair, so I like it when she does it for special occasions.

It was 1988 – so of course it was a French braid with curly bangs! For both my daughter and son’s weddings, I went with a textured updo with some wisp around the face. Both of those weddings were in July – so hair off my neck was a must!

My hair was just above my shoulders.. I never even gave my hair a thought until that day. I had an appointment and just asked them to add some curl and pull a bit back out of my face. It came our very normal / natural, perfect for me!

Love how Jessica looks but I fear that a slick-back bun may be the most “2020s” time-stamped hairstyle out there! (With love from a bride who thought my side bangs were also a timeless look, ha!)

I meant to get a blow out the day before my wedding. I also meant to wash my hair the day of my wedding….i did neither ! I finger combed my not-quite-clean hair and put on really bold red lipstick while my sister and step daughter curled their hair next to me in the bathroom. One of my favorite pictures of the day is me on the toilet with my sister and step daughter doing their hair and my college roommate talking to my NYC roommate, all in my bathroom (which to be clear, is not like a two-sink bathroom).

In the ramp up to my wedding, I was working outside with a hard hat every day. I had been growing out my hair, and I had to wrap it up in my hardhat. As temperatures ramped up in the spring, I got so sick of the extra weight and heat that I started looking at short hair wedding looks. I settled on recreating Anna Chancellor’s giant floral wreath from Four Weddings and a Funeral, sent the photo as inspiration to my florist, and got my hair chopped off the following weekend.

My ceremony was at a park, so I had to get ready in the public bathroom. I didn’t know how my wavy-curly hair would behave so I called an audible the day of and did some twists at the ears and pinned them at the nape of my neck then added a pearled barrette my husband’s grandma lent me for my “something borrowed.” It stayed all day and the pics of me prepping with the help of my best friend/officiant are priceless.

Loved all of these, especially the headband idea :). (Not me here taking notes if/when it’s my turn to plan my wedding!)

I’ve never been married (common law for 20 plus years though), but if I was, I’d hope to be as beautiful and as happy as they all were on their wedding day:) Lovely wedding photos

I did own hair for my wedding – 40s glam deep side part with my hair clipped up on one side. It’s a style I always fall back on for dressy occasions, so it feels fun and nostalgic when I style my hair for events.

My wife and I both have short hair, and got haircuts together before our wedding. We didn’t do anything special to our hair, but we both wore fresh flower crowns. We didn’t really know what they’d look like, as our florist used in-season flowers. They turned out absolutely beautifully, and made us feel so so special. I tear up a little when I think about looking up at my wife at our ceremony and their face framed by the flowers. magic magic!

My bff was supposed to do my hair, but got very sick with covid two days before the wedding. So I called around the Boston area looking for a salon that would do a last minute wedding updo without a practice session and without charging $$$$$. I found a random place who would take me and had no idea what to expect. My hair stayed in place all night and the stylist didn’t use a ton of hairspray, so I say it worked out great. (She also trimmed my self-trimmed bangs. Her: “Do you trim these yourself?” Me: *sheepish nod* Her: “Mmhmm.”)

These photos are beautiful! Gorgeous, gorgeous women. I got married 14 years ago and had almost waist length hair. I wore it down with small braid in the front. I have very straight hair and wanted waves which only lasted about 30 minutes. Like Jessica, the look was an elevated version of my every day look and 14 years later, I still adore my hair on that day.

I wore my hair half up and half down with a golden laurel wreath headband, a braided half crown, and loose curls. When I took maternity photos last month I was able to rewear the headband, which felt really special!

Elle’s beautiful red hair made my day! My (now former) sister in law did my hair for my first wedding and it was a simple updo. If I ever get married again, I really want to wear a veil. My growing sense of self and faith offers a framework for veiling that which is sacred—not to hide, but to honor. I am sacred, whoever is worthy of marrying me will understand this, and it will mark our whole lives.

I did my hair myself for my courthouse wedding. Practiced curling it with a curling iron, sitting on the floor of my bedroom in front of my full-length mirror like I used to do in high school. My “dress rehearsal” was the day we went to get our marriage license so I could see how it did in the Florida humidity. The day of I listened to Harry Style’s ‘Kiss all the Time, Disco Occasionally’ and curled and sprayed and fluffed. I’m so proud of how it turned out.

My wife (!!) and I eloped in our favorite park by our city apartment two weeks ago with just us, a photographer, and a self-uniting license (thanks, Quakers) and I got a blow out at my salon up the street. It was basically a nicer version of how I do my hair on most days, and it held up in the “feels like” 110 temps we had that day!