Curls are the style I’m asked for more than any other, and also the one that fails most often when it’s rushed. A curl that looks right at ten in the morning still has to survive a veil, a lot of hugging, a breeze and hours of dancing, so how it’s set matters as much as which shape you pick. Below are 20 curled looks, from polished Hollywood waves to loose boho updos, with notes on what each one asks of your hair and when I’d point you toward something else. Save the ones you keep returning to and bring them to your trial.
How I Set a Curl So It’s Still There at Midnight
Most curls don’t fail because of the iron. They fail because they’re brushed out while still warm. Heat reshapes the hair, but the shape only locks in as it cools, so a curl that’s touched too soon relaxes back toward its natural fall within an hour or two.
- Wash the day before, not that morning. Squeaky-clean hair is slippery and holds neither pins nor curl as well.
- Prep the roots and mid-lengths with a light mousse or setting spray. Heavy creams weigh fine hair down.
- Curl small sections, roughly the width of the barrel, and pin each one in a coil against the head to cool.
- Leave the pins in while your makeup is done, then release and brush out about half an hour before you dress.
- Spray in light layers from a distance rather than one wet blast, which leaves curls crisp.
Barrel size should match what you want at the end of the night, not at the start. I usually go one size smaller than the finished look, since every curl relaxes over the day.
1. Half Up Half Down Curls
This is the compromise style, and a good one. The top sections are pinned back so your face stays clear for the ceremony while the lengths fall in curls over your shoulders. The detail I watch is the pin point at the back of the crown: if it sits too low, a veil comb has nothing solid to grip, so I build a small hidden anchor of crossed bobby pins there first. It suits most necklines, though a very high collar can crowd the loose lengths. A clip or a few fresh stems over the pin point hides the hardware.
2. Hollywood Glamour Waves
Every curl here is set in the same direction, then brushed out with a boar bristle brush until the curls merge into one sculpted wave. That brush-out is where brides get nervous, but it’s the step that creates the shine. I only recommend it for medium to long hair with some weight, because short layers pop out of the wave pattern. A deep side part makes it read as true old Hollywood, and the smooth surface holds up well under flash. Finish with a light shine spray, never oil near the root.
3. Curled Low Bun
A soft knot at the nape, with curls pinned into it rather than smoothed flat. I curl the hair first and let it cool completely before pinning, since warm curls lose their shape the moment they’re twisted. If your hairline is fine around the temples, leave two or three tendrils out; they hide gaps better than any product. This one sits comfortably under a veil and next to statement earrings, and it lasts through a long day because the weight is supported at the neck. Pearl pins or tiny blooms finish it.
4. Loose Curls With Side Part
The deep part does most of the work, giving volume on one side and a softer drape on the other. Loose curls are less forgiving than they look, though. On fine hair they can fall nearly straight by the speeches. My fix is a smaller barrel than you’d expect, each curl pinned up to cool, then brushed loose just before you step into the dress. Tuck the shallow side behind your ear to show an earring, and use a flexible-hold spray so the curls move without crunching.
5. Curled Updo With Flowers
Curls give an updo texture; flowers give it a garden feel. The hair is pinned into soft swirls and blooms are tucked between them, usually baby’s breath, spray roses or small wildflowers. Ask your florist for flowers that tolerate a full day out of water. Gardenias bruise and brown within hours against warm skin, while waxflower and spray roses hold their shape. I wire each stem into a short pick so it grips the updo instead of slipping out. Using the same flowers as the bouquet ties the two together.
6. Curtain Bangs With Curls
Curtain bangs paired with curls soften the face more than almost any other detail. The parted fringe sweeps along the cheekbones while the rest of the hair falls in loose curls. If you don’t have a fringe yet, please don’t cut one the week before. Get it done six to eight weeks out so it settles and you can practise styling it. On the day I set the bangs over a large round brush, away from the face, so they open rather than drop into your eyes. Worn down or half up, it keeps the whole look young.
7. Curled Side Swept Style
All the curls are gathered over one shoulder, which shows off a one-shoulder gown or a statement earring on the open side. The risk is weight. A full head of curls pulled to one side wants to slide back, so I anchor it behind the ear with a hidden pinned twist before draping anything forward. Long or medium hair works; shoulder-length hair usually can’t reach far enough to lie on the chest. A hair vine or a few pinned flowers at the gathered point adds sparkle.
8. Vintage Pin Curls
Pin curls are set tight against the head, left to cool or dry, then brushed out into the soft, sculpted shape you see in portraits from the 1920s and 1940s. If your hair struggles to hold a curl, set them the night before on damp hair; a dry set with heat is quicker but drops sooner. The texture pairs naturally with a vintage-inspired headpiece or a birdcage veil. I like it most on short and medium hair, where the curls frame the face instead of getting lost in length. It’s the most era-specific look here, so it makes most sense with a dress that has a vintage line.
9. Curled Ponytail
Ponytails earn their place at weddings, especially in summer heat. The hair is gathered into a sleek or voluminous tail and then curled for movement. High reads modern; low reads softer. I always secure the tail with two elastics, one at the base and a second an inch lower hidden under a wrapped strand, because a single band loosens as the curls swing all evening. A ribbon can cover the base if you’d rather not wrap it.
10. Cascading Curls With Veil
Full curls worn down with a veil behind them is the classic pairing, and it’s the one where the veil comb causes the most trouble. Freshly curled hair is slippery. I tease a small section at the crown, pin a cross of bobby pins beneath it, and slide the comb in against that so it stays put through the processional and any wind. When the veil comes off for the reception, run your fingers through the back to revive the curls the tulle flattened. Long and medium hair suit it best.
11. Curled Crown Braid
A braid wraps around the head like a halo, with curls falling loose underneath. The braid gives structure and the curls keep it soft. You do need length: the plait has to travel from behind one ear over the crown to the other, so hair shorter than the shoulder blades usually needs a clip-in strip to make the trip. Thick hair holds it best. Small flowers tucked into the braid suit boho and garden weddings, but I avoid heavy blooms that drag the braid out of line by evening.
12. Loose Beachy Waves
Loose beachy waves are deliberately undone, with bends rather than full ringlets, which is why they feel so relaxed next to polished Hollywood waves. I make them by wrapping hair around a flat iron and leaving the last inch or two straight. The catch is that beach weddings tend to be humid and windy, and loose waves are the first thing to go limp. Prep with a texture spray rather than heavy mousse, and pack a mini spray for touch-ups. A hair vine suits it, and so does nothing at all.
13. Curled Half Updo With Twists
Rope twists taken back from each temple and pinned at the crown add detail to a plain half-up shape, while curls fall below. I twist each section away from the face and lock it with two pins crossed in an X, which holds far better than one pin pushed straight in. Medium to long hair works. Pearl pins along the twists catch the light without adding weight.
14. Curled Bob
Short hair often holds a curl longer than long hair, simply because there’s less weight dragging it down, so a curled bob is a smart choice rather than a consolation. I use a smaller iron, around one inch, and curl in alternating directions so the shape doesn’t collapse into one heavy wave at the jaw. Chin-length and shoulder-length cuts both work. A clip, a slim headband or a few flowers dresses it up. If you’re trimming before the wedding, do it about two weeks out so the ends have settled.
15. Curled Updo With Hair Vine
A hair vine is a bendable wire strung with pearls or crystals that I weave between the pinned curls of an updo. Because it flexes, it follows the shape of the hair instead of sitting on top like a comb. I attach it last, threading the ends under pinned sections and securing them with small pins in your hair colour so no metal shows. If the vine is heavy with crystals, keep the earrings simpler. It suits formal weddings and open necklines.
16. Tousled Curls With Side Tendrils
Tousled curls are styled loose and then broken up with the fingers, with soft side tendrils left out around the face. Tendrils are the part I’m fussiest about. Cut too short or curled too tight, they look stringy by the evening, so I keep them a little longer than the jawline and curl them away from the face. Worn fully down or half up, it flatters most face shapes. A tiny flower or two adds personality.
17. Curled Updo With Pearls
Curls pinned up and dotted with pearl pins or threaded strands. The pearls give a soft shine and echo pearl earrings or a necklace if you’re wearing them. Spacing is what I fuss over most: pins in a neat grid look stiff, so I scatter them in loose clusters that follow the direction of the curls. It suits formal and traditional weddings, and anyone drawn to vintage glamour.
18. Curled Low Ponytail With Bow
Bows are everywhere right now, and this is the easiest way to wear one. The hair is gathered low at the nape, curled, then tied with a ribbon bow. Choose ribbon with some body, like grosgrain or a stiff satin, because thin silk flops within an hour. I pin the bow over the elastic so it can’t slide down the tail during dancing. Leave a couple of face-framing pieces out to soften the front.
19. Voluminous Curls With Deep Side Part
Big curls plus a deep side part gives the most volume in this list. Thick hair carries it naturally. Medium hair can get there with a root-lift spray and a few velcro rollers set at the crown while your makeup is done. Long, thin hair will struggle to look full without clip-in extensions, and I’d tell you that honestly at the trial rather than on the morning. A clip near the part adds sparkle; a flexible-hold spray keeps the curls moving all day.
20. Curled Boho Updo
A loose, lived-in updo with curls pulled into a low messy bun or a twisted shape. Messy hair that lasts needs structure underneath, so I build a firm base first with a hidden elastic or a small padded bun, then pull loose pieces out over it. Braided details, fresh flowers or a vine all fit the mood. It’s at home at outdoor and garden weddings, with a few tendrils left at the face.
Matching These Curls to Fine, Thick or Naturally Curly Hair
Fine or very straight hair
Fine hair takes a curl fast and loses it fast. I lean toward styles where pins carry the weight, like the half-up, the low bun or the crown braid. A damp set overnight or a few hot rollers at the crown makes a real difference. If your heart is set on a fully down look, plan for a touch-up spray and a clip-in weft for body.
Thick or heavy hair
Thick hair holds curl well but takes much longer to style, so build that time into the morning schedule. In an updo, weight is the problem; I pin the underneath sections flat first so the finished shape doesn’t pull. Voluminous curls and Hollywood waves sit naturally on this hair.
Natural curls and coils
If your hair already curls, I’d rather define your own pattern than iron it into someone else’s. A twist-out or flexi rod set the night before, finished with a light gel or curl cream, gives curls that look like yours and stay put. Heat over natural texture often leaves frizz and an uneven pattern by evening. Updos and crown braids are excellent on coily hair because the texture grips pins so well.
Rescuing a Fallen Curl Between Photos and the First Dance
Even well-set curls loosen, especially in a warm room. Hand a bridesmaid a small pouch with these in it:
- Bobby pins in your hair colour, more than you think you need
- A travel-size flexible hairspray
- Two or three clear elastics, for a quick switch to a low ponytail if the curls give up entirely
- Blotting papers, since a damp hairline is where curls collapse first
If one curl has gone limp, wind it around a finger, pin it flat against the head for ten minutes, then release. It won’t look fresh from the chair, but it will match the rest.
Your Hair Decides How Long the Curl Lasts
Start with how your hair behaves on an ordinary day. If a curl drops by lunchtime, lean toward pinned and updo styles, or plan a damp set the night before. If your hair holds a bend for days, the loose waves and fully down looks are open to you. Pearls, flowers and vines can be decided later. Save the few looks you keep coming back to, take them to your trial, and ask your stylist straight out which one your hair will actually hold.
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