Long hair is wonderful at a wedding until about four in the afternoon, when it’s sticking to your neck on the dance floor and falling into your soup. Putting it up solves that, but long hair is also heavy, and weight is what pulls a guest updo loose by the reception. The styles below are the ones I set for guests most often. For each I’ve noted whether you can realistically do it yourself, what keeps it in place, and where it tends to fail. Most of them take accessories like pearls, flowers, or sparkling clips without any change to the base.
A Hotel Mirror, Forty Minutes and Waist-Length Hair
Most guests do their own hair, often in a hotel bathroom with bad light. Long hair makes that harder than shorter hair, because the weight fights you and your arms tire long before the bun is done. A few things make a big difference.
- Day-old hair grips better than freshly washed hair. If you must wash that morning, dry it completely and add texture spray before you start.
- Use proper bobby pins that match your hair color, plus a handful of U-shaped hairpins for the bun. U-pins hold large buns better and are less likely to dig into your scalp.
- Secure everything to an elastic base first. Pins anchor much better in a ponytail than in loose hair.
- Do the style once, a week before, and time yourself. Then add twenty minutes for the wedding morning.
If your arms or patience give out, braided styles are the easiest to do in stages. You can braid, rest and then pin. Buns and twists have to be done in one go.
1. Low Bun Updo for Long Hair
Easy to do yourself, and the most forgiving updo on this page. Pull hair into a low ponytail at the nape, secure it with an elastic, then wrap and pin the length around the base. With long hair the bun gets big quickly, so I often split the tail in two and wrap each half separately, which spreads the weight and keeps the bun from sagging. Tease a little at the crown and pull out a few face-framing pieces. A single pearl pin is enough decoration.
2. French Twist Updo for Long Hair
A French twist rolls all the hair to one side and tucks it vertically up the back of the head. On long hair the roll gets thick, so the ends need tucking deep inside it, otherwise they push the seam open. The secret is crossing pairs of bobby pins along the seam in an X; one straight row of pins slides out as soon as you start dancing. It reads formal and keeps your neck cool in summer. Leave the sides sleek, or loosen a couple of strands near the temples.
3. Messy Chignon Updo for Long Hair
A messy chignon looks careless but needs texture to hold. Clean, silky long hair slides straight out of a loose chignon, so spray a texturizer or dry shampoo through the lengths first. Curl a few tendrils at the sides and let them fall, then gather the rest loosely and pin it close to the head. It suits barn and lakeside weddings and takes a small floral pin well. Keep the loose pieces fewer than you think in humid weather; they’re the first to frizz.
4. Braided Crown Updo for Long Hair
Two Dutch braids running from the nape up and over the head, pinned at the top, make a crown that’s very secure. Long hair is an advantage here, because the length reaches all the way around without extensions; the leftover ends tuck under the opposite braid. Pull the braids gently apart before pinning so they look fuller. Small flowers slide into the plaits easily. If you’ve never braided the back of your own head, practice twice before the wedding morning.
5. Sleek Slicked-Back Bun for Long Hair
A slicked-back bun needs gel or a strong smoothing cream brushed in with a boar-bristle brush, then the bun twisted tight at the crown or nape. Long hair makes the bun large, which looks dramatic at an evening reception. I’d skip this one if you have a lot of short regrowth at the hairline; it shows up as fuzz under strong flash. Bold makeup and statement earrings balance the severity.
6. Side Bun Updo for Long Hair
Gathering everything to one side gives an asymmetric shape that shows one earring and one shoulder. I like it with an off-shoulder or one-shoulder dress, with the bun on the covered side. Long hair coils into a full knot here. The weight all sits on one side, though, so anchor the base with an elastic before you coil it, or the bun slides toward your ear by evening. Curls near the face and a few pearl pins finish it.
7. Twisted Low Ponytail for Long Hair
A twisted low ponytail starts with small twists from the temples pulled toward the back, which hide the pull of the elastic and add detail. Long hair gives a graceful tail. Wrap a strand around the elastic and pin it underneath so the band disappears. The tail can stay sleek or get loose waves. Heavy, very long hair can pull the whole pony downward over the hours, so a second elastic just below the first takes some of that load.
8. Curly Updo for Long Hair
Curls swept up into an updo give height and volume, and they look best when the curl pattern stays defined rather than brushed out. Pin sections loosely; tight pinning squashes curls flat. A couple of crystal clips add sparkle. The curls left out at the sides give a soft, cascading texture around the face. Naturally curly hair holds this far better than curled straight hair, which loosens in warm rooms.
9. Braided Low Bun for Long Hair
Braid a section, then coil it into a low bun with the rest of the hair. The braid adds texture and also acts as a built-in anchor, so the bun stays put even through hours of dancing. Pearl pins or a small accessory fit between the coils. Pancake the braid before you coil it; on long hair it can otherwise look thin compared to the size of the bun. Classic and boho dresses both suit it.
10. High Bun Updo for Long Hair
High buns lengthen the neck and keep it completely clear, which is worth a lot at a July wedding. Long hair makes the knot very full. That’s also the drawback: a big knot on top of the head pulls on the scalp, and by the speeches some guests feel a headache coming on. A thin elastic for the pony and pins for the bun, rather than a thick tight scrunchie, keeps the tension lower. Pull a few pieces loose around the face to soften it.
11. Twisted Updo With Tendrils for Long Hair
Soft twists pinned into shape, with loose face-framing tendrils, balance structure with something softer. Twist each section away from the face, pin it, and let the twists overlap at the back. Long hair gives you enough to make several twists without the shape looking sparse. Curl the tendrils with a small barrel iron so they hold. It adapts to daytime and evening, and small pins or tiny flowers personalize it.
12. Rolled Updo for Long Hair
A rolled updo tucks hair into smooth, sculpted rolls for a vintage finish. The usual DIY trick is rolling the hair around a headband or a section of hair at the nape and tucking it under. With long hair, the roll can get bulky and push outward, so I cut the volume with a few tucked sections pinned flat underneath. It pairs with retro dresses and a jeweled comb.
13. Half-Up Twisted Updo for Long Hair
Half-up, half-down is the compromise for guests who can’t decide. The top section twists back and the rest falls in waves. On long hair the bottom half gets heavy, and heavy hair drops its curl fast, so curl it tighter than you want and let it relax over the first hour. Use a firm-hold spray rather than a flexible one. A small floral clip or pearl pin where the twists meet finishes it. Be aware it won’t keep your neck cool.
14. Pearl-Accented Updo for Long Hair
Pearl pins scattered through a low bun or twisted updo catch light without adding much weight. Push each pin in against the direction of the hair; pins pushed in with the hair slide straight back out. Long hair gives a fuller base, so pearls show up clearly in photos. Pearl earrings coordinate nicely. Space them unevenly; a neat row of pearls looks more bridal than guest-like.
15. Loose Romantic Updo for Long Hair
The most relaxed updo on this page: waves pinned up loosely, with plenty of face-framing pieces left out. It needs curl first, then a texturizing spray, then pins placed without tension so it looks swept up rather than fixed. Long hair creates the soft, full shape. Garden ceremonies and boho weddings suit it. Its weakness is staying power: what looks undone at four can look undone in the wrong way by ten, so carry a few spare pins.
16. Braided Updo for Long Hair
Fishtail, Dutch or a classic three-strand braid can each be wound into an updo. A fishtail gives fine texture; a Dutch braid sits raised and catches more light in photos. Long hair lets you braid and pin the whole length into intricate shapes, and braids are the most secure way to control a lot of hair. Leave soft pieces around the face, and tuck in small flowers or pearls.
17. Twisted Bun Updo for Long Hair
Twist each section before coiling it into the bun; this small step adds visible texture so the bun isn’t a plain round shape. Long hair makes it full and secure. Place it at the nape for a low neckline, or higher if the dress has a high collar that would crush a low bun. Pull a few face-framing pieces loose and add a sparkling pin or comb for evening receptions.
18. Low Chignon Updo for Long Hair
A low chignon loops the hair into a smooth bun at the nape and suits nearly every dress. Long hair can make a chignon bulky, so I fold the length back on itself before rolling it in, which keeps the shape flatter against the head. Keep it sleek for black tie or soften it with tendrils. A decorative comb or pearl pin is plenty. It fits under a fascinator if the wedding calls for one.
19. Floral-Adorned Updo for Long Hair
Fresh or faux flowers tucked into an updo give a garden-inspired wedding guest look. A bun, twist or braid all work as a base. Fresh flowers wilt quickly against the warmth of your head, so pick sturdy blooms like spray roses or waxflower over soft ones, wire or tape the stems, and add them last. Faux flowers avoid the problem entirely. Choose colors that go with your dress, and keep away from all-white blooms that echo the bride’s.
20. Sleek High Ponytail Updo for Long Hair
A sleek high ponytail is bold and modern. Brush the hair up smoothly, secure it at the crown, wrap a strand around the base and pin it. Long hair gives the pony a dramatic length. The tail can stay straight or get waves. It’s not technically an updo, so it won’t keep your back cool, and a heavy tail drags the band down; two elastics stacked help keep it high all evening.
Pairing an Updo With a Fascinator or Hat
At formal daytime weddings, plenty of guests wear a fascinator or a small hat, and the updo underneath has to make room for it. A fascinator usually sits on one side, slightly forward, so the bun should go low or to the opposite side; a high bun pushes the headpiece off balance. Fascinators on a headband or comb are easiest, and I slide a pair of bobby pins through the comb into the hair so it can’t creep backward.
A brimmed hat calls for a low chignon or a flat twist at the nape, nothing at the crown. Expect some flattening on top when the hat comes off for dinner, so leave the crown smooth rather than teased; teased hair under a hat looks dented, while smooth hair just needs a quick brush with your fingers.
Leaving the Tiara at Home and Other Guest Courtesies
A guest updo can be as detailed as you like, but some choices look too bridal in the photos. The ones I would gently talk a guest out of:
- Tiaras, full crystal headbands or anything that reads like a bridal headpiece.
- A long veil-like trailing ribbon or tulle in the hair.
- All-white flower crowns, especially if the bride wears flowers too.
- A copy of the bride’s hairstyle, if you happen to know it. Ask the bride or a bridesmaid if you’re unsure.
Bridesmaids are different. If you’re in the wedding party, the bride may ask for matching styles or a certain hairpiece, so check before you plan anything. For everyone else, one accessory and a well-pinned updo is plenty.
Long Hair, Long Day, and the Updo That Survives Yours
The updo to pick is the one that suits your dress and can survive your particular day: an outdoor summer ceremony, a long drive, a crowded dance floor. Braided styles and pinned buns hold best; loose and half-up styles need more care. Whatever you choose, practice it once before the wedding, carry a few spare pins, and let the length work for you instead of against you.
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