Ever since Meghan Markle walked down the aisle wearing her hair in a delightfully undone messy updo, we’ve been seeing brides up and down the country emulating the royal’s style, with more and more people opting to side-step perfectly preened hair in favour of a more undone, relaxed bridal style.
In the same way that immaculately iced wedding cakes have become less popular in recent years, with couples favouring boho naked cakes, bridal style has evolved too, away from polished chignons and bouncy blow dries and towards artfully dishevelled hairstyles with loose tendrils, creating a laidback luxe look that we’re totally in love with.
Of course, sleek, classic wedding hair dos will never go out of style, but for the moment we’re loving the effortless elegance of easy going, messy updo styles. Part of the beauty of relaxed wedding hair is that if you’re hit by strong wind or rain on the big day, flyaway strands will add to the effect rather than look out of place.
Whether you’re wearing a simple and chic wedding dress, or going for a quirky bridal style with an alternative wedding dress, there’s a messy updo to suit your wedding dress. Take a photo of your dress to show your hairstylist when you’re planning your wedding day hair to help them get a feel for the vibe of your look – your wedding dress will have a big influence on your bridal hairstyle.
Read on for all the messy updo inspiration you need to find the perfect wedding hairstyle for you.
Messy Updo Hairstyle for Medium Length Hair
Add a delicate vine accessory to your messy updo for a bit of extra special wedding sparkle. Debbie Carlise has a lovely selection that we’re big fans of.
Messy Wavy Updo
Lightly tonged hair looks beautiful gathered into a ponytail at the nape of the neck. Allow thick strands to fall about the front of your face to complete this easy going style.
Messy Bun Updo
Give a classic chignon a modern twist with undone texture and a pearl hair vine – this look gives us total Grecian goddess vibes. To really work this style, wash your hair the night before your wedding to avoid your locks being too shiny and silky; you need a roughed up texture to pull this off.
Easy Messy Updo
To create this lived-in look, curl the hair, then brush out the ringlets for relaxed, vintage style waves that can easily be pinned up into a messy updo, creating gorgeously casual wedding hair.
Wedding Ponytail Ideas
Ponytails are often associated with lazy days at home, or long forgotten P.E classes at school, but they can be glamorous too! Lightly curl the lengths of your hair, before sweeping into a mid-height ponytail and wrapping strands around your hair tie. This is an ideal hairstyle choice for showing off the back of your wedding dress, if you’ve gone for a gown with pretty back detailing.
Messy Curly Updo Hairstyles
Curly hair works just as well as straight when it comes to messy updos; pile your hair on top of your head to create this tall, dramatic hairstyle.
Messy Plaited Wedding Hair
If you’re wearing a wedding dress with beautiful back detailing, but still want to wear your hair down, sweep it to one side in an undone plait to show off your dress without having to wear your hair completely up. The addition of fresh flowers makes this style extra pretty.
Messy Wedding Updo
Wear your hair low at the back of your neck with loose strands at the front for a laid back luxe feel that is perfect for boho and barn weddings.
Easy Messy Updo for Weddings
Don’t stress about flyaway strands or imperfect sections of hair, they just add to the relaxed feel of disheveled wedding hair. You’ll feel much more laid back knowing that throwing shapes on the dance floor won’t disrupt your hairstyle, giving you one less thing to stress about on the big day.
Relaxed Wedding Hairstyle Inspiration
Pair an undone wedding hairstyle with an off the shoulder wedding dress for a picture perfect wedding style that would look as amazing at a sun soaked destination wedding as it would at a winter wedding, paired with a deep red lipstick.
Messy Braid Updo
We particularly love messy updos for weddings as they look different from every single angle, meaning none of your wedding photos will look the same – messy updos look especially beautiful from the side, where you can see every little detail.
Messy Wedding Updo with Flower Crown
Make a statement on your wedding day with a dramatic flower crown atop your messy updo. Match the blooms to the ones used in your bouquet for a cool coordinated look.
Relaxed Wedding Hair with Leaf Hair Vine
A low bun looks gorgeous when complemented with a crystal leaf hair vine. Wear with a heavily embellished wedding dress for a whole lot of wedding day sparkle.
Messy Braid Updo for Weddings
There’s nothing quite like a braid to add a boho element to your wedding hair, especially when it’s accompanied by lightly curled tendrils and a cute floral hair accessory.
Messy Braid Wedding Hair
Embrace a forest fairy vibe on your wedding day with a low, unruly plait in your hair. This would look gorgeous at outdoor and woodland weddings in tipi venues.
High Ponytail for Weddings
Embrace Ariana Grande’s hairstyle of choice on your wedding day with a high ponytail. Rather than the singer’s preferred slicked back look, go for a more casual feel with a softer style, complete with a few loose strands.