Should I have my hair up or down for my wedding?
Whether to have your hair up or down for your wedding, is a question I’m asked a lot as a bridal hairstylist. The answer to this question is not a one size fits all, and there are a few different factors to consider (which I’m going to go through in this blog post!). Whether you decide to have your hair up or down for your wedding day, styled correctly either option can look stunning - so you just need to decide which style is right for you.
Photo by Soulfie Photography
Hair Up or Hair Down - Things To Consider
There are lots of things that can play a part in deciding how to wear your hair for your wedding - some of them may also be things you haven’t considered!
Do you feel more confident with your hair up or hair down? There’s no point forcing yourself to have your hair up if you don’t feel confident that way.
What’s the weather going to be like? If the weather is either going to be very hot/humid, or very rainy/windy on your wedding day an updo can often be more practical (especially if you’re spending a lot of time outdoors).
How do styles tend to last in your hair? If your hair doesn’t hold a style well, having your hair down could require a lot more maintenance throughout the day.
Do you have a sensitive scalp or are prone to headaches? A tight, structured updo might be a bad idea if you’re going to feel uncomfortable in it all day.
Are there any parts of your dress/outfit you would like to showcase? If you dress has incredible detail on the back, it might be a shame to cover it up with your hair!
Do you mind touching things up, or would you prefer to set and forget your hair? Updos tend to be more low maintenance, whereas down styles sometimes need a little brush or refresh throughout the day.
Photo by Mateja Klinc
Can I have my hair all down for my wedding?
Yes, you absolutely can! I’m actually finding more and more brides are opting to wear all of their hair down for their wedding in recent years. Hollywood waves have been a huge bridal ‘hair down’ trend over the last few years, along with softer waves, bouncy blow dries and I’ve also seen a rise in brides wearing bobs and shorter styles down for their wedding day. Wearing your hair down can be super versatile, as there are endless amounts of different waves, curls, bends and ways to enhance natural texture that can be created whilst wearing your hair down. Just because a hairstyle appears simple, doesn’t mean it can’t be worn on a wedding day. For some people, they just feel more confident with their hair down, and if that’s you that is absolutely fine!
A few things to keep in mind if you’re thinking of having your hair completely down for your wedding day -
The weather will affect your hairstyle MUCH more than if you’re wearing an updo.
Lots of people think down styles are quick and simple or ‘just a few curls’ - trust me when I say, making down styles last all the way through a wedding day is often no quicker than styling an updo.
If your hair really doesn’t hold a curl, an updo is going to a more long-lasting hairstyle on you.
Photo by James Thomas Photography
Should I wear my hair up for my wedding?
Updos can look beautiful for a bridal hairstyle, and there are SO many different ways to style them. If you want a hairstyle you can forget about all day, then an updo could be the way to go! A well styled updo won’t need any touch ups throughout a wedding day, and will last through all your photos and dancing. They’re also great if your hair doesn’t hold a curl, with the right products and techniques ANY hair type can be styled into a long-lasting updo. Aesthetically they are also really versatile - you can go for something traditional, clean and sleek, or if you want a more relaxed feel an updo with more texture and stylised mess is a great way of achieving this.
A few pros and cons of updos -
Perfect for a ‘set and forget’ hairstyle, your updo isn’t budging anywhere!
There are a million different options to choose from.
Hair up is great if you have a pretty back or neckline on your dress.
If you don’t feel confident wearing your hair up day to day, you might not feel confident wearing your hair up on your wedding day either.
Photo by Emily Montay
What if I want the best of both worlds?
A lot of my bridal clients like to find a happy medium between up and down for their wedding hair - so in comes the half up half down! The half up has been my most requested style throughout my entire bridal hair career, and I don’t think that is going to be changing any time soon! They’re a little more ‘special’ looking than wearing all of your hair down, if you want to feel a bit more ‘done’ for your wedding day. If your hair doesn’t hold a curl, the ‘half up’ part can also be helpful to take some of the weight out of your hair, meaning half ups tend to be a bit longer lasting than fully down styles. The half up half down is also an incredibly versatile style, and there are lots of different ways to wear them.
Things to consider if you’d like to go half up half down for your wedding hair -
If you have thinner hair, half ups can exaggerate this so you may want to invest in some extensions.
Half ups are longer lasting than fully down styles, but if your hair REALLY struggles to hold a curl an updo is often still going to be your most long lasting option.
They can be time consuming to create, as your stylist has to prep the down part to last, as well as creating half an updo.
They’re a great way to have the ‘hair down’ feel, whilst also keeping your hair out of your face if that’s something that bothers you.
Photo by Soulfie Photography
At the end of the day, whether you should have your hair up or down for your wedding day is a very personal choice. It’s going to depend on your hair type, your tastes and whether you value practicality and comfort over aesthetics or vice versa. However you decide to wear your hair on your wedding day, it will look gorgeous and if you pick the right bridal hairstylist they’ll be able to guide you towards the perfect style!
If you’re still looking for a bridal hair and makeup artist for your wedding who creates modern, natural looks, feel free to check out my service and gallery pages and pop me an enquiry here.