Let’s be real, planning a wedding can be hard work. From choosing a venue and finding your perfect dress to whittling down your guest list and deciding on flowers, there are so many decisions to be made when planning your special day. Which is why, here at Who What Wear, we want to help streamline some of those choices for you. Whether it’s whittling down the biggest wedding dress trends or creating a step-by-step wedding beauty timeline, we’re here to ease the load when it comes to wedding day decisions. And the next thing that we’re tackling is a biggie: Wedding hair.
Yes, after the dress, your bridal hairstyle is probably one of the most important parts of your wedding day look, and it can be hard to know where to start. Thankfully, though, we’ve got some of the biggest names in the world of hair on speed dial and they were more than happy to share their tips on how to decide on your wedding hair, the bridal styles that will never date, and which hairstyles look set to dominate the wedding landscape for 2023.
There was one thing that all of our hair experts were unanimous on though: before you even think about deciding on your wedding hair, you need to get your wedding outfit locked down. "It's the cornerstone of your look for the day," explains Tom Smith, celebrity hair stylist and Olaplex artist. "Your hairstyle can then be guided by what would work best [with your outfit]. High necklines might mean that your hair should be worn up...minimal, sleek dresses often work best with clean and simple lines in the hair, while ruffles and texture fit better with hair that has more movement."
The golden rule for great wedding hair though? Not veering too far from your usual style. "Your wedding hair needs to be something you feel comfortable and familiar with," advises Syd Hayes, International Session Hairstylist and BaByliss ambassador. "It's not the time to try something totally new, but instead add elegant touches or a bit of something special to a style you like wearing and have been photographed in before."
So, ready to make a choice? We've got plenty of wedding hair inspiration ahead but, to make it less overwhelming, we've broken it down into the 5 key bridal styles that experts swear will look as good today as they will in ten years time when you're looking back on your wedding photos.
1. Half Up, Half Down
Our experts were all in agreement with this one, the ultimate wedding day hair is the timeless half up, half down style. And for good reason—this wedding hairstyle works on all hair textures, types and (unless your hair is super-sort) most lengths too. "It's probably the most common request from brides," agrees Smith. "Half-up, half-down is the perfect hybrid between [a bride] feeling like themselves, while still looking special enough to give extra confidence on their special day."
Seriously, how romantic is this perfectly tousled half-up, half-down style on Lily Collins?
The half-up, half-down style is so versatile. Leave some tendrils around your face to soften the look or make like Nathalie Emmanuel and sweep all of the top section of hair back to allow your makeup to take centre stage. Perfect if you're wearing a bold lip on your big day.
Curl the ends of your hair under like Sophie Turner for a perfectly polished finish to this chic bridal style.
See? The half-up, half-down style really does work on all hair lengths. And it looks oh-so-pretty on Nicola Coughlan's shorter strands.
Expert tip: Prep your hair early
While you're busy deciding on your wedding day hairstyle, all of the experts stressed the importance of starting early to get your hair in the best condition possibly for the big day. "Well prepped hair is key," explains Kasun Godalla Wattage, senior stylist at John Frieda Salons. "Regular hair treatments and a trim in the weeks coming up to the wedding will give you healthy and manageable hair on the day."
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Hayes recommends using this rich mask enriched with shea butter and keratin weekly in the run-up to your wedding as it works to "seals in split ends and boost hydration".
If you can, visiting a salon for a professional treatment will help to get your hair as healthy as possible. However, adding a treatment into your at-home routine at least once a week in the run-up to your big day will do wonders for boosting your hair health. This new launch from L'Oréal Paris works to strengthen strands from the inside out for strong, swishy, shiny hair.
This versatile conditioner works for all hair types and textures—leave it on for up to 30 minutes for nourishing treatment that leaves strands deeply moisturised.
2. Prom Hair
If you're after a fresh wedding hair trend for 2023, but one that will stand the test of time then Smith is placing bets on "sculptural updo's" that he's coining "prom hair". These bridal styles are very much inspired by the red carpet with stars like Anya Taylor Joy, Florence Pugh and Lily James all stepping out with intricate styles. "I'd expect to see a focus on those extremely decorative, elaborate and highly polished styles for brides who want to really make a statement," says Smith.
This couture take on wedding hair is inspired by one of Elizabeth Taylor's very own bridal styles. Lily Aldridge keeps it modern with the oversized blooms and sleek, shiny braid.
Crown braids are a classic way to dip your toe into the prom hair trend as demonstrated by Storm Reid. So elegant.
A topknot is another classic bridal hairstyle, but Anya Taylor-Joy takes hers to new height for a modern take on the look.
Expert tip: Add a hair accessory
Whether you're going for a more experimental red carpet-inspired style or more of a classic updo, hair accessories are one of our experts favourite ways to inject personality into a wedding day look. Try an embellished clip, a bejewelled headband, or even a veil to take your look to the next level.
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This oversized silhouette will turn heads.
A chic twist on a classic bejewelled headband.
How pretty is this petite pearl clip?
3. Supermodel Strands
The power player of bridal styles, supermodel wedding hair is basically making hair look as expensive as possible. "Supermodel '90s-inspired hair is always a winner, it's a timeless look that doesn't go out of style," says Hayes. But whether it's a bouncy blow-dry or poker-straight strands, the key to making this a modern bridal hairstyle is all in the finish. "You want hair to look shiny and glossy and be in its best condition," advises Hayes.
A-listers often pull out a high ponytail for big events and when it looks as good as Jourdan Dunn's it's easy to see why. Bonus points for the fact that it keeps your hair out of your face for the entire day, so it's really low-maintenance.
J.Lo's bouncy blow-dry looks so good. Serious volume.
Ultra-glossy and super-sleek, Maya Jama's classic poker-straight blowdry makes the perfect wedding style. Plus, Wattage predicts that fringes will be in with brides this year: "I think we are likely to see more long fringes that frames the face and the jawline—romantic with an edge."
Keeping it simple with artfully dishevelled waves, Simone Ashley's glam style would make an effortlessly cool bridal look.
Expert tip: Add a shine-booster
If supermodel hair is up your street for the big day then Hayes recommends using a shine spray on your finished style "for added glisten in the photos". If your hair is thick or of a coarser texture then a leave-in conditioner or smoothing product will always help to boost that glow.
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Apply this to damp hair then blow-dry to activate–your hair will never have been smoother or shinier. Trust us.
This does actually what it says on the bottle—adds a gorgeous, gleaming shine to hair.
Apply this cream through the ends and mid-lengths of hair to add moisture and gloss. Start with a pea-sized amount and add more if your hair texture needes it.
4. Low Buns
Buns of all shapes, sizes and heights were mentioned as part of our chats on wedding hair, but it's the low bun in particular that our experts touted as being totally timeless. "It's classic," explains Wattage. "Chic, yet understated, it's the perfect wedding hairstyle to show off your features. And if such a sleek style feels too out of your comfort zone? Just leave a few strands loose around your face advises Wattage.
We love the way that Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's sleek bun has been twisted slightly at the nape of her neck for a fresh finish.
HoYeon Jung's combination of side parting and pillarbox red lip keeps this classic wedding hairstyle feeling modern.
How cool does Niamh Algar's slicked-back bun look? This wet-look style would be perfect for summer weddings or beach locations.
Cute, classic and pretty as a picture, Kelsey Merrit's ballerina bun would make a popular wedding hair option.
Expert tip: Don't forget hairspray
There was one product that our experts were unanimous on being an absolute wedding hair non-negotiable: hair spray. "Hairspray is key to lock in your style and make sure it lasts, but it's also important to find the right one for you as you don’t want it to look crispy or feel crusty," explains Hayes. Plus, don't forget to keep a mini bottle in your bag for touch-ups throughout the day.
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"A timeless classic that I always recommend is L’Oreal Elnett to lock your look in place and seal any flyaways," says Hayes.
At the other end of the price spectrum comes this luxurious hairspray which is so fine that there's no chance of stickiness. Plus, it smells incredible.
Ideal if you're getting married during the summer or in a humid climate, this will lock your wedding hair in place while delivering a dose of conditioning ingredients to encourage shine and boost moisture.
5. Hollywood Glam
It might be a throwback style, but a homage to the golden age of Hollywood might be up your street if you're looking to inject a little extra glam to your wedding day look—and Smith predicts that we're going to be seeing lots of brides wearing these hairstyles following awards season. "We're seeing lots of side partings...deep side partings with the hair flipped over in a voluminous fashion," Smith explains. "This style really oozes sophistication for those brides looking for a really polished look."
It doesn't get much more classic than Eleanor Tomlison's gorgeous side-swept strands.
Make like Ashley Park and add some height at the front of your retro wedding style for an extra dose of drama.
If you love the Hollywood-inspired looks, but want to keep your hair off your face for the day then Leigh-Anne Pinnock's elegant ponytail is the best of both worlds.
Tessa Thompson takes a more laidback approach to this glam look with more relaxed waves in a cool-girl copper tone.
Expert tip: Trust your tools
Of course, we can't all be lucky enough to have a hair pro with us on the day of our wedding. So if you're going it alone and want to create a style with ease, our experts recommend investing in some good heat tools to make your job a little easier.
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Create tumbling waves with absolutely zero styling prowess required thanks to this innovate curl-creating hair tool.
Yes, it's an investment, but you can dry and style your hair with this much-coveted piece of kit. Beauty editors swear by it for creating the look of a professional blow-dry at home.
A supersized version of the classic ghd stylers, this pair cut styling time in half with larger plates that heat up even faster. They're perfect for long, thick and curly hair types and can be used to straighten strands as well as creating glam waves.
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