The ring has been sized, the dress tailored, and the RSVPs accounted for, but you still have one major to-do: Sifting through the best wedding hairstyles to find your look for the big day. After all, the desire to express one’s whole self visually in a single hairstyle is nearly as difficult to do as it was to distill your essence into your now-defunct online dating profile.
The requirements are simple enough. The goal is something timeless and not overworked; understated glamour with ethereal panache. A look back at history’s chicest brides should be proof enough that the very best version of yourself is waiting on the other side of a sleek blowout, a romantic braid, gently tousled waves, a neat top knot, or, in the case of marrying a rock star, era-appropriate volume.
From Diana Ross’s baby’s breath-adorned chignon to Jane Birkin’s untamed floral crown, here are some of the best wedding hairstyles to ever make their way down the aisle.
1. Beach Waves
Photographed by Arthur Elgort, Vogue, December 2004
Barefoot and blissful, Crawford’s laissez-faire loose waves complement her casual beachside wedding. Get the look by loosely braiding towel-dried lengths, allowing to air dry, and finishing with your favorite sea spray.
2. Tiara-Topped Braid
Photo: Matteo Ferrari