20 Natural Wedding Hair Ideas to Swoon Over

Getting married allows brides (and grooms) to customize their vision down to the nitty-gritty—and that personalization is that much more apparent when it comes to your wedding-day fashion and beauty. Gone are the days of what you're "supposed to do" or friends and family dictating how and what you'll wear; long overdue, now, and forever: Brides can and should chose exactly how they want to look when walking down the aisle.

When it comes to bridal hair and makeup, gone are days of Eurocentric beauty standards—not to mention the pressure of straightening your hair to conform to outdated norms. "Natural hair is essential to the identity of women of color," explains celebrity stylist, Cheryl Bergamy, who works with Ashleigh Murray, Ruth Carter, Essence Atkins, Kat Barrell, and Leslie Odoms Jr. "Now, more than ever, women are embracing their God-given texture and whipping it out in the world, displaying the beauty and uniqueness of their curls." And with that comes endless styling options? "From braided up-dos to twisted soft cluster curls, there are so many elegant styles to choose from," Bergamy explains. "For many, the wedding day is not just about loving the partner you are going to marry, but loving every inch of yourself—and that includes your hair!"

While there are still many obstacles to overcome to normalize natural hair in the workplace (and thankfully, legislation like The Crown Act is changing that for the better), celebrities continuing to push the needle when it comes to styling natural hair for the red carpet has provided endless inspiration. And as women continue to embrace and celebrate all standards and styles of beauty, "The question is not why are women choosing to wear their natural hair, but why not?!" adds international celebrity hairstylist, Nafisah Carter, who works with Michelle Williams, Tinashe, Erica Mena, Debbie Allen, and Misty Copeland. "Wearing your natural texture can mean different things to people, but I feel on a deeper level and especially on your wedding day, it’s more about showing people that 'I I love me, this is me, this is who I am,' she says. "It’s about embracing life, your skin, your hair, and who you are as a beautiful woman of color," she continues.

As you navigate finding your ideal wedding look, we’ve collected tons of natural hair inspiration for your big day—and all the events leading up to it.