15 Wedding Hairstyles For Medium Length Hair, What They Cost, And Who Should Do Them

If you have medium length hair, you already know the problem. It’s too short for most of the dramatic updos all over Pinterest and just long enough that a plain ponytail looks a little sad walking down the aisle. Wedding hairstyles medium length hair actually needs a different game plan than the ones built for hair hitting the middle of your back, and most roundups just recycle the same 40 photos without telling you what any of it costs or whether you can pull it off yourself. I planned my own upscale lakeside wedding at my family’s summer house in northern Wisconsin back in 2008, and I’ve helped brides plan weddings on every budget since. Below are 15 wedding hairstyles for medium length hair that actually hold up through a full reception, with the real cost for each one and my honest verdict on DIY versus booking a pro.

Soft Half Up Half Down With Twisted Sides

Half up wedding hair is the safest bet for medium length hair, and it’s what I recommend most when a bride isn’t sure what she wants yet. Twist small sections back from each side and pin them at the crown, then let the rest fall loose. It photographs beautifully from every angle and doesn’t need extra length to work. This one is genuinely DIY-able the night before with a little practice. Grab the Kitsch U-Pins from Ulta in a shade close to your natural color, not the generic gold ones, since gold pins show through lighter hair in every photo. A stylist will charge $85 to $150 for this. Doing it yourself with a curling wand and a can of Bumble and bumble Texture spray costs under $15.

Beachy Waves Half Up For A Beach Wedding

If you’re marrying near sand or water, beachy waves are the move, and medium length hair actually holds this texture better than long hair does. Curl one inch sections away from your face, then pull the top half back loosely with a few bobby pins. The good news is this style shrugs off humidity instead of falling flat by the ceremony. My honest advice is to skip DIY here unless you’ve practiced with a wand at least five times, since uneven waves read as messy instead of relaxed in photos. A pro runs $100 to $175. If you’re doing it yourself, the T3 SinglePass Curl 1 Inch wand from Ulta is worth the $200 price since you’ll use it for years past your wedding day too.

Low Textured Bun

A low bun sounds simple, but medium length hair makes it trickier since you don’t quite have enough length for a full bun without a little help. Have your stylist backcomb the crown for volume, then wrap the ends around a small foam donut before pinning. This is one I’d hand to a professional, because a bun that’s too thin at this length looks like an afterthought instead of a choice. Expect $90 to $160 at a salon. If you’re set on DIY, buy the Goody Ouchless Bun Maker in the small size from Target, not medium, since medium length hair needs the smaller donut to avoid bald patches. My own stylist used one under my veil in 2008 and it held through six hours of dancing without a single pin falling out.

Braided Crown

A braided crown wraps two loose braids across the top of your head, and it’s one of the few styles medium hair does just as well as long hair. It keeps hair off your face for the ceremony and looks intentional even after hours of hugging relatives. This is doable at home if you can french braid at all, so I’d call it a DIY win. Use the Bumble and bumble Prep Primer before you braid, since it gives the hair enough grip to hold a braid without feeling stiff. Salon price sits around $80 to $130. Doing it yourself costs whatever your primer and pins run, usually under $20.

Twisted Low Chignon With A Veil

This one twists the hair from both sides down toward the nape and tucks it into a low, polished knot. It’s the style I’d choose for a formal or black tie wedding, since it pairs beautifully with a cathedral veil without competing for attention. But medium length hair means there’s less to tuck than a stylist working on long hair is used to, so the pins have to be placed exactly right or the twist loosens by the reception. This one belongs with a professional. Budget $110 to $180. Ask your stylist to secure it with Brides and Hairpins pearl-tipped pins, sold through their Etsy shop, since standard black pins show against a veil in photos.

Boho Braid With Fresh Flowers

A loose, textured braid worked with small flowers tucked in along the way is the look I see boho brides save the most on Pinterest. It’s forgiving of flyaways, which honestly works in its favor since a too-perfect braid looks fake. You can DIY this one, but only if you loosen the braid generously after you finish it, since a tight braid reads as a costume braid instead of effortless. If you want faux blooms that won’t wilt by cocktail hour, Afloral sells small silk baby’s breath stems that tuck into braids easily. A stylist charges $85 to $140 for the braid itself, not including the flowers.

Textured Bridal Hair Half Up With Floral Pins

This is a more textured cousin of the classic half up look, with the crown teased for volume and small floral pins added instead of a single statement flower. It’s my go-to recommendation for wedding guest hairstyles medium half up shoulder length looks too, since it works whether you’re the bride or sitting in the third row. It’s genuinely simple enough to DIY with a teasing comb and a handful of pins. Buy the Kitsch Ivory Flower Pin Set from Anthropologie rather than a single large clip, since three small pins spread across the section look more natural than one big statement piece. Salon cost lands around $80 to $130.

Sleek Low Ponytail With A Bow

A sleek, low ponytail finished with a silk bow or ribbon is one of the simple wedding hairstyles that photographs like it cost far more than it did. The trick with medium length hair is getting the ponytail smooth without it looking thin at the base, so most stylists will backcomb slightly at the crown before pulling everything back. I’d call this a true DIY option if your hair takes well to a flat iron. Cover the elastic with a silk ribbon from Etsy shop Firefly Design House instead of a plain bow, since silk holds a shape all night without fraying. Salon price runs $75 to $120.

Curly Voluminous Half Up For Natural Curls

If you have natural curls, medium length hair actually gives you the best volume to work with, since the curls have enough weight to hold shape without frizzing into a triangle. Pull the top section back and let the rest stay curly and full. My best advice is to trust a curl specialist over a general bridal stylist for this one, since not every hairstylist knows how to diffuse curls without disturbing the pattern. Budget $90 to $150. Use Mixed Chicks Leave-In Conditioner from Ulta the morning of, since it defines curls without the crunch that some styling creams leave behind in photos.

Waterfall Braid

A waterfall braid lets sections of hair “fall” out of the braid instead of being woven all the way through, so it looks intricate but is honestly easier than it looks once you get the pattern down. This is a solid DIY option if you give yourself two or three practice runs before the wedding. Spray Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Texture Spray from Target into dry hair first, since the braid holds its shape far better with some grip than on freshly washed, slippery hair. A stylist will charge $85 to $140 for this one, mostly because of the time it takes to get each section right.

Side Swept Waves

Sweeping all your waves over one shoulder gives you a romantic, old Hollywood look without needing an updo at all, and it happens to be one of the most flattering wedding hairstyles for mid length hair since the waves have room to move but aren’t heavy enough to fall flat. It’s DIY-friendly if you’re comfortable with a curling iron, but use a heat protectant first since you’ll likely need to touch up curls throughout the day. IGK Good Behavior Hair Oil from Sephora protects hair from heat and adds shine at the same time. Salon cost is typically $90 to $150.

Twisted Pony

Take a regular ponytail and twist small sections around the base to hide the elastic, and you get a look that feels more finished than a plain pony but costs a fraction of an updo. It’s an easy DIY win, and it’s genuinely one of the fastest styles on this list to pull off the morning of your wedding. Skip a regular elastic and use an Invisibobble Original from Ulta instead, since the coiled design won’t leave a dent or crease in medium length hair the way a standard elastic will. A stylist charges $70 to $110 for this look, which makes it one of the more budget-friendly options here.

Simple Low Bun With Face Framing Pieces

This is one of the simple wedding hairstyles I recommend to brides who want to feel like themselves, not like a version of themselves in a magazine. Pull hair into a low bun and leave two soft pieces out to frame your face. The catch with medium length hair is that a bun this simple can look thin without a boost, so ask for a few clip-in extensions if your hair is on the finer side. Bellami clip-ins from their own website blend in seamlessly and only take about five minutes to add. Salon cost runs $75 to $130, plus the cost of extensions if you need them.

Bubble Ponytail

A bubble ponytail sections a regular pony into small “bubbles” using clear elastics spaced down the length, and it’s a fun, modern pick if you want something that reads different from every half up style on this list. Medium length hair only gives you room for two or three bubbles instead of five or six, so keep your expectations realistic and ask your stylist to space them closer together. This one is doable at home with practice, and Scunci Clear Hair Elastics from Walmart work better than colored ones since they disappear into the hair instead of standing out. A pro will charge around $80 to $130.

Textured Updo With Pearl Pins

A full textured updo is the most formal option on this list, gathering hair up and away from the neck with pearl pins scattered through for a little sparkle. This is the one style here I’d never suggest DIYing, since medium length hair needs extra teasing and precise pinning to hold an updo through an entire reception, and one loose section can unravel the whole look. Book a trial run at least a month before your wedding so your stylist can test how it holds. Brides and Hairpins sells pearl pin sets on Etsy that are worth the splurge over generic craft store pins. Expect $120 to $200 for this one.

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Whichever wedding hairstyle for medium length hair you land on, book a trial before the big day, not the week of. My best advice after helping brides on every budget imaginable is that the trial is where you find out if a style actually works on your hair, not just on the model in the photo you saved. Bring this list, bring your dress photos, and don’t be afraid to ask your stylist which of these she thinks will hold up best on you specifically.