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Minds out of the gutter! Today we’re talking hair. Wedding hair, to be exact.
One thing I’ve always been sure about was wanting to wear my hair up for our wedding. I wear my hair down about 99% of the time, so wearing my hair in an updo always makes me feel fancy. And I want to feel fancy on our wedding day. So, updo it is!
I’ve heard of many ladies who grow their hair out for their upcoming weddings in order to achieve their desired hairstyles. Naturally, after getting engaged, I assumed I should follow this practice as well since I want to rock a fabulous updo come September. But now my hair will. not. stop. growing.
Currently, my hair falls to my natural waist, which you may or may not be able to tell from my awesome self portrait below.
I’ll only subject you to one picture, since my self portraits skills are seriously lacking. And since it was impossible to get a picture of my hair without cutting off my head in the process.
I’m lucky in that my hair grows extremely fast. But, when I started growing my hair out nearly 15 months ago, I did not anticipate this much growth. And now I’m worried that it will be too long to properly style in an updo. Or that it will cause me a major headache from having all that hair piled on the top and/or back of my head.
Add to this that I really want to donate my hair after the wedding, meaning I need to have a good 8-10 inches to cut off in order to do so, and you’ve got a Pony with a very long tail and no clue what to do ’bout it. The obvious answer would be to ask my stylist, but, um, I don’t have one, so I’m asking you ladies instead.
We’ll talk updos soon, once I’m closer to my trial, but inquiring minds want to know, how long is too long for an updo? Should I chop some off before it really starts making me crazy? How much hair can one pile on top of their head before a headache is inevitable? Anyone else have too much hair?
The length determines the volume you have to pin to your head, but you’re already carrying that weight with your head. So I wouldn’t be worried… I’ve had much longer hair (and my hair is thick and heavy) and I’ve never had problems. 
Your hair is GORG, lucky you that it grows so fast! Like SnowflakeDS, I’ve also had superlong (to my waist) hair and pretty much always wear it up in a twist/chignon/bun-like thing, and as long as you/your hairstylist is careful about giving you a good distribution of bobby pins, you’ll be fine with superlong hair. Can’t wait to see your inspiration pics!
I would wait until your trial and ask whoever is doing it. Better to have too much hair and need a trim than to accidentally cut too much off and not get the desired look you want?
I have had hair down to my butt, and in my case it was a problem. Even just putting into a ponytail meant a guaranteed headache by the end of the day, and if you add the extra weight of bobby pins and hairspray from an updo, this could be a problem for you as well. Also, when my hair was that long, stylists had trouble figuring out what to do with it. It was like I had SO much hair that they would get completely overwhelmed. Yours looks thinner than mine, so maybe it won’t be an issue. I would say to do your trial with your hair as is, and make sure to wear the updo for a full day. Then you can see if it will cause you any headaches.
The more hair the stylist has to play with - the “fuller” your hair will be in the up-do. Meaning, keep letting it grow because you are on the path to gorgeous wedding hair! I think it will still look pretty if you cut a few inches off, but I would let it keep growing if I were you.
If you are worried about the headache - I would actually start now to try to “train” your head to handle all that hair. I have had long and very thick hair for years and it gets very heavy when its piled on top of my head. But I also wear my hair on top of my head at least 3-4 times a week (if I get too hot, I usually do a quick bun on top of my head). You need endurance hair training! Wear it on your head a few times a week and I guarantee it will get easier to wear the more you try it. To go further, actually use bobby pins to pin it up. This will add to the overall weight of your hair and get your head ready for all the “tightness” that the bobby pins will cause on your head.
I have waist length hair as well and had 2 different stylist tell me that I couldn’t wear it up. Ummm…yeah not an option…too hot!
So finally I found a stylist and we worked with a do that was perfect and didn’t hurt or was too heavy. But it did take a long time and ended up being super pretty, IMHO.
PM me if you’d like a pic
I used to have wayyyy too much hair! It was just over two feet long for the wedding. I knew I was getting a post-wedding chop, so I didn’t bother cutting it before the wedding. So it just kept growing…
It was totally fine for my updo, and I wouldn’t have done it any other way. After my PWC I ended up with a 22″ ponytail to donate. Just a word of caution, make sure you donate to somewhere reputable that won’t sell your hair/wigs for profit. My local cancer agency had a list of approved businesses to send hair donations to and I chose one of those to make sure my hair would actually go to the people I wanted it to.
@SnowflakeDS: Good to know.
@ThePinkPeony: Aw, thanks!
@kcroxyoursox: Very true, which is why I haven’t cut my hair in a long, long time.
@SabrinaR424: Interesting, my hair is the definition of medium hair, so sometimes it’s hard to tell what will happen.
@ladyliath: Very good idea, do you think doing it on weekends would be enough? I’m usually too hurried to fix my hair in the mornings.
@SouthernTulip: Sounds great! I’m definitely going to PM you!
@linguo42: . I’ve donated twice to locks of love, and I’ve heard both good and bad things after the fact. I just want my hair to go to a good cause! I’ll be sure to ask a reputable agency for their recommendation. Thanks!
Perhaps just a tiny trim soon before the day of to keep in managable? I think it is so selfless to donate your hair. That is a tradition in my family with of all the girls
I so envy you! I cut my hair to my chin when i was 18, and have been “growing it out” ever since. It is getting pretty long by my slow-growing-hair standards, but its still not remotely as long as yours.
And that is SIX YEARS of trying to grow it out. Ugh I need to take some vitamins or something.
My hair is the same length as yours. (I call it “beneath the boob” because I’m classy.) I never knew it was a problem until my usual up-do girl admitted to me that it IS trickier with hair as long as mine- more pins, more wrapping around, etc.- depending on the style.
I’ve always had long hair, but I got 2 inches lopped off the week before our wedding. It was too much, even for me!
Ha! I just wrote a very similar post. I fantasize about cutting mine off every morning when I face off with the hairdryer for 30 minutes.
Funny story. I started growing my hair out before I even officially met the fiance. I decided I would grow it out until I got married, which was about 3 years ago. But not only does mine not grow super super fast, it also seems to have all together stopped growing at a certain length. It just doesn’t seem like it’s gotten longer in the past year! It’s almost stuck. But this is a good post, because it’s definitely something to think about!
@stephbonthego: What a great tradition! I would feel guilty if I didn’t donate my hair. Mine will grow back (usually very quickly), so it just makes sense to me.
@Miss High Wire: Dude, get some vitamins! I take a multivitamin everyday (for working out) and it totally makes my hair grow like crazy. It’s worth a shot, right?
@Miss Prairie Dog: I usually call it that too! I decided to class it up for the blog though. My aunt does my hair and she tells me it’s too long for styling, but I hate cutting any off. We sound very similar about our hair management PD.
Yes mos def, even 2 times a week is better then 0! If you have a talented girlfriend who can do hair or even your aunt (or in my case, my lovely gay BFF!), ask them if they can put it up for you (almost like hair dates?) and that will make the practice even better. Bribe them with cupcakes and martinis!
I know some of the other gals said that some stylists have trouble with too long hair but I really think that any talented stylist should be able to work with your hair - no matter the length!
omg, i’m goin through this right now!
i’ve been meaning to chop my hair (like, chin-length chop), but now that we’re engaged i don’t want to because i want to put it up for the wedding…. but the wedding is next april, so i have time to grow it out again, right? but what if we do engagement pictures? wouldn’t i rather have long hair? AHHHHH!
I live in Bloomington, and Katie H. from Fox and Hounds is a great stylist! Very knowledgeable and I’m sure she’d be able to help with your hair questions!
OMG I would give you a limb for your hair length! LOL jk…You should decide after your trial if you want to cut it. See what they say and how it feels and stuff.
I have really long hair and am planning on donating it after we get hitched. I, too, have no stylist. You could just try one out (or if you know where you want to go) and ask for tips and style options.
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Mrs. Pony, Bloomington, IL Age and Occupation: 25, Attorney Fiance's Age and Occupation: 34, Attorney Engagement Date: March 22, 2010 Wedding Date: September 2011 Venue: Mackinaw Valley Vineyard; Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts About Me: I found my Southern counterpart in law school and since he popped the question last March, we have been busy graduating, job searching, bar taking, and wedding planning. My loves include must see TV, magnets, quotes, anything green, my car, fun socks, the Cubs, and my Mr. Together we love wine, playing outside, and exploring the world together. Stay tuned to see our Midwest wedding full of Southern charm, vintage flair, lots of DIY details, and a whole lot o’ wine.
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