20 Hair-Down Wedding Hairstyles for Glam Brides

woman with long brown wedding hairstyle

 judith rae photography / Sam Brash

Making decisions on how you want to look on your wedding day can feel equally exciting and daunting. Deciding on the dress you want to wear, the way you want to do your makeup and the colour nail polish you want to wear can all feel too much. Then there's the dilemma of how you want to do your hair. Should you wear it up, down or somewhere in the middle?

If you plan on wearing your hair down for your big day, we have plenty of inspirational hairstyles for you to scroll through and choose from. Read ahead, to see 20 expert-approved wedding day hairstyles.

Meet the Expert

Cassandra Olivia is a hairstylist and licensed cosmetologist based in New Castle County, Delaware.

Jennifer Nast is a senior hairstylist at Sharon Dorram Color at Sally Hershberger Salon, based in New York.

Alwyn DiGregorio is the Design Team and Dual Educator for Schwarzkopf Professional and Alterna Haircare.

Priyanka Chopra's Glamorous Blowout

Priyanka Chopra Jonas rocks a glamorous blowout at Citadel's global premiere event

Getty Images / Mike Marsland

Cassandra Olivia suggests using LEAF + FLOWER's CBD 7 Minute Blowout ($35) on damp hair to give it the same bounce and shine like Priyanka Chopra's blowout. "Do a rough dry all around the hair to get it around 75% dry, and then take a round brush and dry hair by sections, wrapping each section around the brush," she adds. "Use a concentrator on the blow dryer to help focus the heat on the hair and apply heat, brushing the hair down. Once each section is dry, move to the next section. Apply a finishing cream in the hair and style as needed with the blow dryer to achieve a bouncy look."

Kerry Washington's Casual Natural Curls

Kerry Washington wears her shoulder-length curls down and poses by a large window

@kerrywashington / Instagram

To achieve Kerry Washington's soft, natural curls, Olivia suggests washing and conditioning your hair as usual and then drying the hair with a hairdryer that has a diffuser attached on the end. If you're looking to add more definition to your curls, Olivia recommends pulling out sections of your hair with a wide tooth comb and using a thin curling iron to create tighter curls. Finish off the look by applying your favorite hair oil to your curls.

Margot Robbie's Brushed Back Old Hollywood Waves

Margot Robbie wears her hair in brushed back, old hollywood waves style

Getty Images / Jon Kopaloff

Margot Robbie looks every bit the movie star with her brushed back, old hollywood waves. "To achieve this look, start off by using a mousse and volumizer on towel dried hair. Then blow dry your hair in small sections using a small round brush and pin each section to cool," Jennifer Nast says. "Using a 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 inch curling iron, curl each section with the iron and repin. Spray a flexible hairspray over set hair and let it cool. Unpin your hair and brush out and then spray it with a firm hairspray."

Laura Harrier's Soft Waves With a Deep Side Part

Laura Harrier wears a her hair in a soft waves hairstyle with a deep side part

To recreate Laura Harrier's luscious, soft waves, Nast suggests applying mousse on towel dried hair from mid-lengths to ends. Nast recommends using the middle of your eyebrow as a starting point for your part.

"Blow dry your hair using a large round brush. Once dry, use a 1 1/4 inch curling iron to wave your hair. Use a light hold hairspray to spray over the waves," Nast says. "When the hairspray is fully dry, brush your waves out softly with a brush or comb. Use a small amount of wax or gel to hold down the smaller side of the part and tuck behind the ear."

Simone Biles' Long Hollywood Waves With a Side Part

Simone Biles rocks old hollywood waves for her wedding photo shoot

@stanlophotography / Instagram

To get Simone Biles' long old hollywood waves, Alwyn DiGregorio suggests applying Alterna’s Caviar Anti-Aging Restructuring Bond Repair 3-in-1 Sealing Serum ($38) on towel dried hair from mid-lengths to ends. 

"Blow dry your hair using a large boar bristle brush for smoothness and a little bounce," DiGregorio says. "Taking 1 or 1 1/2 inch partings, spray your hair with Alterna’s Caviar Anti-Aging Professional Styling Working Hairspray ($40) and in a horizontal direction, twist your hair around a 1 1/2 inch curling rod, twisting at each rotation."

For the side part, DiGregorio recommends using the high point of your eyebrow and going straight back to the natural part at the apex. 

Ashlyn Harris' Short Slicked Back Hairstyle

Ashlyn Harris wears her in slicked back style for her wedding

@ashlynharris24 / Instagram

To recreate Ashlyn Harris' short slicked back hairstyle, DiGregorio recommends emulsifying a small amount of Alterna’s Caviar Anti-Aging Smoothing Anti-Frizz Blowout Butter ($35) and applying it through your hair. Afterwards, blow dry your hair in a slick-back direction with a paddle brush to get your hair super straight. Finish off the look by using a texture spray to add some grit and hold to your hair.

Halle Bailey's Jumbo Twists

Halle Bailey wears her hair in jumbo twists while posing in a car

@hallebailey / Instagram

Halle Bailey never fails to wow us in the hair department. To recreate her jumbo twists, we recommend using Rebundle's 30" Braid Better in Natural ($45) to add some serious length.

Chanel Iman's Textured Half-Up, Half-Down Hairstyle

Chanel Iman wearing her hair in a half up, half down hairstyle
Getty Images

If you're torn between an up or down hairstyle on your wedding day, fret no further. Instead, do like model Chanel Iman and opt for an elegant half ponytail that still allows you some length but keeps flyaways at bay and the focus on your smile and wedding makeup.

Gigi Hadid's Large Barreled Curls

Gigi Hadid wearing her hair in large curls in a brushed back fashion
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Cue the romance: It's not just Gigi Hadid's white dress that feels bridal in nature, as it's also her large barreled curls and brushed-back volume. (For statement-making strands on the big day, you can't miss with T3's Whirl Trio ($325).

Zoe Saldana's Sleek, Center-Parted Hair

Zoe Saldana wears a hair in sleek, center-parted style and she pairs it with red lipstick and a white dress

Getty Images/Albert L. Ortega/Contributor

Zoe Saldana is the queen of sleek, center-parted hair, which would be so chic and sophisticated for an evening wedding.

Jourdan Dunn's Undulating Twists & Waves

Jourdan Dunn wears her hair in waves to an event
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To get model Jourdan Dunn's undulating twists and waves, all you'll need to do is curl, twist, pin, and spray. For all day (and night) hold, we're fans of R+Co's Outerspace Flexible Hairspray ($36).

Elsa Hosk's Curls With Bobby Pins

Elsa Hosk wears her hair in curls with bobby pins to pin it back
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If you're looking for a flowing low-maintenance hairstyle but crave something with a little more interest than basic curls, a strategic bobby pin like model Elsa Hosk's can do wonders on your special day.

Zendaya's Brushed Out, Voluminous Curls

Zendaya wears her curls in brushed-out, voluminous fashion and she pairs it with a pink, shoulder less dress
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We'd honestly wear every single one of Zendaya's red carpet hairstyles come the day we say our vows. However, this voluminous style worn down with expanded curls is on another level entirely. (It might even steal the spotlight from the rest of your wedding day look.)

Blake Lively's One-Part Mermaid Waves, One-Part Braided Down Hairstyle

Blake Lively wears her hair in a one-part mermaid waves, one-part braided down hairstyle
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Polished in the front and a bit more party-friendly in the back, this one-part mermaid, one-part braided down 'do is perfect for anyone who's feeling indecisive when it comes to their wedding hairstyle.

Zoe Kravitz's Platinum Blonde Micro Braids

Zoe Kravitz wears in her platinum blonde hair in a half-shaved, half-micro-braided down hairstyle
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Be still our heart; actress Zoë Kravitz has done it again. (Arresting us with her siren-like beauty, that is.) And where head-turning wedding hairstyles are concerned, we're not sure if her platinum blonde, half-shaved, half-micro-braided down hairstyle can be surpassed.

Kendall Jenner's Short, Vintage-Inspired Curls

Kendall Jenner wears her short curls in a vintage-inspired hairstyle
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Kendall Jenner's Old Hollywood–Esque look boasts serious potential for those who love the idea of a vintage-inspired wedding hairstyle. For shine like Jenner's, we've become monogamous to Oribe's Supershine Moisturizing Cream ($52).

The first thing we did upon seeing Jessica Biel's epically gorgeous Golden Globes hairstyle? Took a screenshot and saved it to our wedding hair board, of course.

Joan Smalls' Sultry Coils

Joan Smalls wears her hair in a sultry, coily fashion
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If you're looking for a way to wear your hair down that's both natural and not too precious, model Joan Smalls epitomizes the ultimate inspiration: sultry coils and lots (and lots) of volume. (Plus, a slightly off-center part like Smalls' will add an even heftier dose of drama.)

Gal Galdot's Sleek, Brushed Back Hairstyle

Gal Galdot wears her in a straight, sleekly brushed back hairstyle
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Even if you lack naturally bold texture, you can still make a statement as you walk down the aisle. We love the way Gal Gadot's sleekly brushed-back style keeps her facial features front and center.

Madeline Brewer's Brushed Back Romantic Curls

Madeline Brewer wears her romantic curls in a brushed back hairstyle
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In addition to her romantic curls and brushed back crimson mane, we also think actress Madeline Brewer's pearl-studded strands deserve a standing ovation. And while she debuted this particular look at the 2018 SAG Awards, it could double as a head-turning wedding hairstyle.

Yara Shahidi's Mega-Watt Afro

Yara Shahidi wears her hair in an afro style to a Black Panther event
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Actress Yara Shahidi never ceases to wow us with her onslaught of covetable hairstyles, and this mega-watt afro is no exception. To keep strands off your face without sacrificing must-have volume, try a braided headband like Shahidi's.

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