DIY: Hairstyles for the Wedding Dinner

Learn how to style your own hair for your wedding.

As weddings become increasingly expensive, brides and grooms continue to look for ways to save money. Do-it-yourself wedding options abound, from designing invitations to creating flower arrangements and even making the wedding gown. One of the easiest ways to save money while planning for the big day is to do your own hair for the wedding dinner. Wedding dinner hairstyles can range from simple to elaborate, and even those who are not accustomed to styling their hair for formal events can still create a beautiful and sophisticated style for the event.

Things You'll Need

• Blow dryer (with diffuser)
• Curling iron (one-inch)
• Hairspray
• Styling products
• Hair pins (matching hair color)

Instructions

Old Hollywood Glamour

1. Wash hair, apply preferred styling agent, and blow it dry (but not too dry).

2. Using a comb, create a side part that highlights your face well. (This varies by person: in some cases, the most flattering side part is closer to the middle, while in others the most flattering side part is further to the side.)

3. Roll the top part of your hair (at the top of your head) in a curling iron, taking care not to hold the hair in the iron for more than a few seconds.

4. Place the bottom part of your hair in hot rollers for a few minutes.

5. Release the rollers, and spray hair lightly with hair spray, brushing gently as you go. This will produce soft and sophisticated curls.

"Down-do" with Light Curls

1. Wash hair, apply preferred styling product, and blow it dry with the diffuser attached.

2. Roll pieces of hair with the curling iron held almost vertically, and hold hair in the curling iron for a few seconds. This will create a soft wave.

3. Spray hair lightly with hair spray to hold the curls.

Loose Chignon

1. Add a small amount of preferred styling product to hair that is slightly damp and blow it dry with the diffuser attached.

2. Once hair is dry, add a small amount of styling product again and scrunch hair lightly with hands

3. Pull the hair loosely into a small bun at the nape of your neck and add a few hair pins to hold it.

4. Gently pull and lightly tease the top portion of the hair to loosen it even further. This will create the illusion of extra body from the front.

French Twist

1. Pull your dry hair into a loose ponytail and begin rotating the ponytail either clockwise or counter-clockwise. (This depends largely on which hand is dominant.)

2. Rotate the hair until the ponytail is essentially upside down, with the bottom tip of your hair facing the ceiling.

3. Turn the bottom of the ponytail under, tucking it into the roll that you have created. Be sure to press the hair in gently but firmly to ensure that fly-away hair does not get out.

4. Add hair pins to the roll that you have created, inserting carefully to keep the roll in place. Be sure to secure the French twist well, but do not overdo the hair pins, as too many can cause a headache.

References

• Total Beauty: "11 Gorgeous DIY Wedding Hairstyles"
• D It Yourself Weddings: "Hair Styles"
• Total Beauty: "Wedding Hair How- To"