Got a wedding invitation on the fridge and no idea what to do with your hair? Most guests I talk to are doing it themselves, often in a hotel bathroom with one mirror and half an hour. So for each of the twenty styles below, from sleek low buns and braids to Hollywood waves and a bubble ponytail, I’ve noted how it holds through a long day, which hair it suits, and the small technique detail that makes the difference. Long, short, curly or straight, there’s something here for the dress code you’ve been given.
Ten You Can Do at Home, Ten Worth Paying For
Guests usually ask me one thing first: can I do this myself? Honestly, about half of these styles are well within reach with a curling iron, a brush, pins and some practice. The rest rely on setting, pinning and brushing skills that take time to learn, and they look home-made when they’re rushed.
Easy enough at home
- Sleek low bun, low ponytail and the bun with a bow.
- Messy low bun and soft beach waves.
- Bubble ponytail and the slicked-back wet look.
- Half-up braids and the fishtail, if you can already braid.
Where a stylist earns the fee
Old Hollywood waves, finger waves, the classic chignon and a full twisted updo are the ones I’d book out. They depend on curls set evenly and pinned so the weight is shared, and a home version tends to collapse by the speeches. If budget is tight, a blow-dry the morning of the wedding gives you a solid base to do a simpler style on yourself.
Whatever you pick, wash your hair the night before rather than that morning. Hair that’s had a day to settle holds curl and pins far better than freshly washed, slippery hair.
1. Sleek Low Bun for Wedding Guest
A sleek low bun is the guest style I’d recommend most often, because it’s hard to get wrong and stays tidy for ten hours. All the hair goes into a smooth, tidy knot at the nape. High necks and open backs both suit it. I brush the hair back with a dab of smoothing cream before tying it, then twist the ponytail and wrap it round the elastic, pinning as I go. A deep centre part looks modern. Shine spray on a toothbrush catches flyaways at the hairline.
2. Half-Up Half-Down With Braids
Braids feeding into a half-up section give you the softness of hair down with enough structure to keep it off your face. It suits garden, boho and outdoor weddings. Two thin braids from the temples, joined at the back with a clear elastic and a couple of pins, is the at-home version. Pull the braids loose for a relaxed look, or keep them tight for structure. A few small flowers tucked where they meet hide the join. In wind, this one behaves better than fully loose hair.
3. Old Hollywood Glamour Waves
Old Hollywood waves are deep, glossy and swept to one side, and they belong at a black-tie wedding. They’re also the hardest style on this list to do yourself. Every curl must go in the same direction, be clipped while it cools, then be brushed out together with a boar-bristle brush until the curls join into waves. Pin one side back behind the ear so the waves fall over the opposite shoulder. A touch of shine serum gives the finish. Pair with a bold lip and keep accessories minimal.
4. Sleek Low Ponytail for Wedding
The sleek low ponytail is simple, and simple is its strength. Gather the hair at the nape, smooth with a brush and a little cream, then wrap a strand around the elastic and pin it underneath. Wear it pin-straight with a centre part for a formal wedding, or leave a few face-framing strands loose for softness. It’s comfortable from ceremony to dance floor. One thing I check: a low ponytail can dent hair at the elastic, so if you might take it down later, use a spiral hair tie instead.
5. Boho Braided Crown
Dreaming of something romantic for an outdoor wedding? The boho braided crown wraps braids round the head like a halo. One braid or several woven together both work; more braids give more volume. Leave a few face pieces out so it doesn’t look too perfect. Tiny flowers or pins slot into the braid. It suits flowy dresses and natural makeup. On a beach, it’s the style I’d trust most, because the wind has nothing loose to catch.
6. Classic Chignon Updo
The chignon twists the hair into a low looped knot, and it’s been a wedding classic for decades because it holds. Formal gowns and delicate jewellery suit it. The trick most people miss is pinning across the knot, not straight into it: the pins hook hair from the bun into the base, which locks it. Smooth and sleek is sophisticated; a bit of texture is softer. Leave out a couple of tendrils. Once it’s in, you shouldn’t need to touch it until bedtime.
7. Soft Beach Waves for Wedding Guest
Soft beach waves belong at daytime and seaside weddings. Use a large wand, leaving the last inch or so of each section out so the ends stay straight, then run your fingers through once they’ve cooled. A texturising spray gives them grip. Here’s the honest caveat: on fine straight hair, beach waves loosen within a few hours, especially in sea air. If that’s you, set them with a light mousse before curling, or pin one side back to give the style shape when the waves relax.
8. Twisted Updo for Wedding
A twisted updo replaces a plain knot with rope-twisted sections pinned in place, so it has texture from every angle. It suits formal and semi-formal weddings. I’d suggest twisting each section away from your face and pinning it where it naturally wants to sit; forcing twists into position is what makes them unravel. Keep it neat or loosen it for a softer look, and pull a couple of wisps out at the front. It looks more special than a standard bun for about ten extra minutes of work.
9. Sleek Ballerina Bun
The ballerina bun sits high at the crown, smooth and round. It lengthens the neck and shows off the jawline and earrings, and it suits a modern gown. Brush everything up with a little gel, check the back with a hand mirror for bumps, then tie, twist and pin. It survives a long night of dancing without moving. If you’ve got a sensitive scalp, this is the one that gives headaches, so drop it a few centimetres below the crown.
10. Side-Swept Curls for Wedding
Swept to one side, curls leave a neckline and the earring on the other side on show. Curl with an iron, then gather the hair over one shoulder. The anchor is the important part: I cross three or four bobby pins at the nape on the opposite side, which stops the curls sliding back. Loosen the curls with your fingers for a natural finish. It’s a good fit for formal weddings, and works especially well with a one-shoulder dress.
11. Braided Bun for Wedding Guest
Want texture and structure in one? A braided bun wraps or feeds braids into a low knot, which makes the bun look fuller than the same hair would in a plain one. It suits spring and summer weddings. A single braid gives subtle texture; two or three make it look intricate. Small pins or flowers sit well between the braids. Because the braids grip, it stays secure for hours. It’s the style I’d suggest to anyone with layers, since the braids catch the short pieces.
12. Vintage Finger Waves
Finger waves are S-shaped ridges set close to the head, straight out of the 1920s and 30s. They suit short to medium hair and art-deco or formal weddings. The technique is old-fashioned: wet hair, a strong setting lotion, a comb and your fingers pressing each ridge, then clips until it’s completely dry. That’s why it takes patience. A heat-styled version with a flat iron is quicker but less defined. Pair with a curled bun at the nape or leave them down, and add a vintage comb.
13. Messy Low Bun for Wedding
A messy low bun is relaxed, but there’s a technique to making it look deliberate. Curl the hair loosely first so the texture has direction, then gather it at the nape, pin it, and pull out strands one by one rather than shaking the whole bun loose. It suits casual, outdoor and boho weddings. A small pin or flowers finish it. If your hair is very silky, add dry shampoo first, otherwise the bun slides out of its pins by the evening.
14. Dressed-Up Bob for Wedding
Short hair can be every bit as polished. A dressed-up bob keeps your length while the styling does the work. Sleek and straight looks modern; soft waves add movement. On a bob I’d use a flat iron for bends rather than a curling iron, since it gives a looser, more grown-up wave. A deep side part adds drama, and a sparkling clip or headband finishes it. Tuck one side behind your ear to show the earring. Length simply isn’t required to look dressed up.
15. Bubble Ponytail for Wedding
Want a bit of personality? The bubble ponytail spaces small elastics down a ponytail and puffs each section into a rounded “bubble”. It suits contemporary weddings and bold earrings. Use clear elastics, space them evenly by measuring with two fingers, and tug each bubble outward from the sides, not the middle. Wear it high for drama or low for a softer feel. It keeps hair contained through dancing better than nearly anything else here.
16. Fishtail Braid for Wedding Guest
The fishtail braid looks more complicated than it is: just two sections, with small pieces crossed from the outside of one to the other. I reach for it at boho and outdoor weddings, worn as a single side braid over one shoulder. Loosen it by pulling the edges outward, working from the top down. Tuck in tiny flowers or pearl pins. Fine hair can look thin in a fishtail, so add texture spray before you start. It works for casual and semi-formal weddings alike.
17. Slicked-Back Wet Look
The slicked-back wet look is the most editorial style here. Hair is smoothed straight back with a high-shine gel or cream, which suits plunging necklines and statement earrings. Apply the gel to damp hair and comb it through with a fine-toothed comb, then leave it to set without touching. Wear it down or pull it into a low bun or ponytail. A word of caution: wet-look gel can transfer onto a silk dress collar, so keep it off the ends if they’ll touch your neckline.
18. Romantic Curls Half-Up
Bouncy curls pulled half up are a romantic wedding guest look that most face shapes can wear. The top section is secured at the back while the curls hang below. Curl with an iron, let them cool fully before touching, then loosen gently with your fingers. Secure the top with crossed pins under a small twist rather than a single elastic, which tends to slide down. A clip or a small bow at the back adds a finishing touch.
19. Low Bun With a Bow
Bows are everywhere this year, and a low bun is the easiest way to wear one. Make a smooth knot at the nape, then pin the bow just above it, with pins through the knot of the bow, not just the ribbon. Velvet looks rich in autumn and winter; silk ribbon is lighter for summer. Keep the bun sleek for contrast. One etiquette note: avoid a large white bow, which can read bridal from behind. A coloured or black ribbon is safer.
20. Voluminous Blowout for Wedding
Sometimes all you need is bouncy hair worn down. A voluminous blowout gives body and shine with a round brush and dryer. Apply mousse at the roots, rough-dry most of the way, then round-brush section by section, pointing the dryer down the hair shaft so the cuticle lies flat. Set the crown in a couple of velcro rollers while you do your makeup. That’s what keeps volume into the evening. Shine spray finishes it, and sweeping one side back shows off earrings.
Black Tie, Barn or Beach: What the Invitation Says About Your Hair
The invitation usually tells you more about hair than people realise. A black-tie evening suits polished shapes: a chignon, Hollywood waves, a sleek low bun. A barn or garden wedding suits softer textures such as braids, a messy bun or loose waves. On a beach, I’d always choose something contained, because sea air and wind will undo loose curls within an hour.
Think about the timing too. A morning ceremony followed by an evening reception means ten or twelve hours in the same style. Updos and braids last that long; curls worn down usually won’t.
A few guest-etiquette checks
- Skip anything that could read as bridal from behind, such as a white floral crown, a veil-like ribbon or a large white bow.
- Leave the tiara at home unless the couple has asked for one.
- If you’re in the wedding party, ask the couple before choosing; they may want the group coordinated.
- Carry four or five pins and a mini hairspray in your bag.
Run Through the Style Once Before the Wedding Week
Wedding guest hair doesn’t need to be complicated. Think about your dress, the venue and how much time you’ll have on the morning, then choose a style that fits all three. A sleek bun, braids, glamorous waves or a bubble ponytail can all be right in the right setting. Accessories like bows, flowers or pins add personality, but keep them clearly guest-sized. And try the style once before the day, so you know how long it takes and where it tends to slip.
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