9 Fishtail Braid Wedding Hairstyles And What They Cost At The Salon

If you’ve been pinning fishtail braid photos for months, you already know they’re gorgeous. What you probably don’t know is what your stylist is going to charge you for one, or whether that pretty braid is going to survive four hours of dancing and hugging your grandma. So here are nine fishtail braid styles, and next to each one, the real numbers nobody puts in a Pinterest caption: what salons typically charge, how long it holds up, and what hair type or length you need to pull it off.

1. The Classic Loose Fishtail Braid

This is the fishtail braid most brides picture first: one long, loosely woven braid down the back, pulled apart at the edges for texture. Most salons charge somewhere between $75 and $125 to add this to your bridal hair package, and it usually only takes 20 to 30 minutes since the loose look forgives small mistakes. Here’s the part nobody tells you: this braid actually holds better the second day, so if your hair is freshly washed, ask your stylist for a light texturizing spray first or it will slip loose by cocktail hour. I did a version of this at my own wedding on the lake and it lasted through the whole reception without a single pin falling out.

2. Fishtail Braid Half Up Half Down

This is one of the most requested bridal hair braid looks because it works with a veil pinned underneath and still shows off loose waves. Expect to pay around $90 to $140 since the stylist is doing both a braid and a blowout for the bottom half. It holds up beautifully through a ceremony and photos, but by hour three of dancing the front pieces tend to loosen first, so bring an extra bobby pin or two in your clutch. This style needs at least shoulder length hair to look intentional. Shorter than that and the “half down” part just looks like flyaways.

3. Two Fishtail Braids

Two fishtail braids joined into one low style at the nape is a favorite for beach and boho weddings, and it’s actually one of the sturdiest options on this list. Because the hair is split and secured in two places instead of one, it holds through wind and dancing far better than a single braid. Salons usually price this around $100 to $150 because it takes closer to 45 minutes to do both sides evenly. If your hair is fine or thin, this is a smart pick since two thinner braids read fuller than one skinny one.

4. French Fishtail Braid

Unlike the classic version that starts at the nape, a French fishtail braid starts right at the crown and picks up new hair as it goes down, so it looks more polished and structured. It’s also the priciest option here, typically $110 to $160, because it takes real skill to keep the sections even from the top of your head all the way down. The upside is it holds like a rock. Since the braid is anchored close to the scalp the whole way, it can easily go 8 to 10 hours without needing a touch up, which makes it a smart choice if you’re not planning a mid-reception hair check.

5. Dutch Fishtail Braid

A Dutch fishtail braid crosses the strands underneath instead of over, so the braid sits raised and a little separated from the scalp instead of flat against it. It gives more visible texture in photos, which is why so many brides ask for it specifically. Pricing runs close to the French version, around $110 to $150, since it takes the same crown-level precision. If you have fine hair, tell your stylist to backcomb the roots first. Without that extra grip, a Dutch fishtail on silky hair tends to go flat by the time you’re cutting the cake.

6. Fishtail Braid Ponytail

A fishtail braid built off a ponytail base instead of directly from loose hair is one of the more affordable options, usually $65 to $100, because the ponytail does a lot of the securing work before the braiding even starts. It’s also one of the fastest, at about 15 to 20 minutes, which is worth knowing if your morning-of timeline is already packed. This style holds well through movement since the elastic underneath is doing the heavy lifting, but keep in mind a high ponytail base can feel tight by the end of a long day, so ask for it set a little looser than you think you want.

7. Fishtail Crown Braid

This is a fishtail braid wrapped around the head like a halo, and it’s the pick for brides who don’t want a veil or want their hair completely off their neck for an outdoor summer wedding. It’s more time intensive to install, so expect $120 to $170 and closer to an hour in the chair. The payoff is that it needs almost no touch ups all day since it’s pinned at multiple points around the head rather than hanging loose. One caveat: this style needs longer hair, generally past your collarbone, or the braid won’t have enough length to wrap all the way around.

8. Fishtail Braid With Fresh Flowers Woven In

Any of the styles above can have small flowers, usually baby’s breath or tiny garden roses, tucked into the braid as it’s woven. This isn’t something your hairstylist supplies, so budget separately for it. Most florists charge $30 to $60 for enough loose stems to hand off to your stylist the morning of, on top of whatever the braid itself costs. Tell your florist specifically that the flowers are for hair, not a bouquet, so they send sturdy stems without wire that could scratch your scalp. Fresh flowers wilt, so this style looks best for a morning or early afternoon ceremony rather than an evening one.

9. Messy Undone Fishtail Braid

This is the one style on the list you can genuinely do yourself and save the money entirely. A messy, pulled-apart fishtail braid is forgiving of uneven sections, which is exactly why it’s the go-to tutorial style for beginners. If you’re set on doing it yourself, practice on day two or three hair, since freshly washed hair is too slippery to hold the shape. Give yourself at least three practice runs before the wedding, not the morning of. If you’d rather have it professionally done anyway for peace of mind, it’s usually the cheapest braid option at $50 to $85 since a stylist can do it quickly without needing perfectly even sections.

Before you book anything, bring a printed photo of your exact pick to your hair trial, not just a screenshot on your phone that you’ll forget to pull up. And ask your stylist directly how long that specific braid tends to hold through dancing, since that answer changes more based on your hair texture than the style itself. A hair trial is the one appointment on your wedding checklist that’s worth the extra fee every single time.