18 Short Curly Wedding Hairstyles, Pixies to Finger Curls

ByCathyN

Short curly hair might be the most wedding-ready combination there is. The curls give a crop built-in volume and softness that straight short hair has to work for, and there's nothing to wilt or fall flat halfway through the day. The main job is definition, getting the curls to their best and holding them there. A good product routine matters more than any fancy technique. The looks below run from a tapered curly pixie to a finger-curl bob and every natural-curl method in between, plus a few ways to add a flower or a veil.

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Tapered Curly Pixie

A tapered cut keeps the back and sides short and close while leaving more curl and height on top, so the shape is neat but full of texture. It's a strong, modern crop that holds its shape all day. Keep the tapered sides sharp with a fresh line-up, and define the top curls with a little cream. Good for a formal or contemporary wedding. Big earrings finish it, since the neck and ears are on show.

Side-Swept Curly Pixie

Take a deep side part and sweep the curls across the top to one side, leaving the shorter side close to the head. The asymmetry gives a curly pixie some drama and softens the face. Define the curls with a light gel or cream so the sweep holds. Keep the back and the shorter side cropped close. Good for a formal or city wedding. A jeweled pin at the deep part adds sparkle without flattening the curls.

Tousled Piecey Curly Pixie

Work product through a short curly pixie and separate the curls with your fingers so they look piecey and undone rather than uniform. It's the relaxed, modern take, good for a garden or low-key wedding. Use a curl cream, not a heavy gel, so the pieces stay soft and movable. Keep the sides and back short and close. Good for a bride who doesn't want to look overdone. A little texture spray adds separation without crunch.

Curly Fauxhawk

Pin or cut the sides close and let the curls rise up the center for a soft fauxhawk on a short cut. It's bold and modern, right for a fashion-forward or unconventional wedding, but still bridal when the curls are defined and the edges neat. Build the center with your natural curl or a little product for height. Keep the sides tight and clean. Good for a confident bride. It pairs well with a strong earring and a bare neckline.

Curly Undercut Pixie

Show off an undercut by pairing shaved or closely clipped sides with full curls on top, an edgy, distinctive crop. If you already have the undercut, style the top curls full and defined so the contrast pops. Some brides add a subtle design or a jeweled pin along the shaved section. Keep the top curls soft, not stiff. Good for a modern or alternative wedding. It photographs with real personality and needs little upkeep on the day.

Curly Ringlet Bob

A chin-length bob worn in full, defined ringlets, soft and bouncy. The curls give a bob body and a romantic, playful finish, and they photograph with movement. Define with a curl cream on damp hair and let it dry, or diffuse for volume. Curls spring up shorter, so the bob will sit higher than when it's straight. Good for a spring or garden wedding. Pretty with a floral tucked at one side or a delicate pin.

Tousled Wavy-Curly Bob

Looser than tight ringlets, this is a bob worn in soft, tousled waves and curls with face-framing pieces out. It's the relaxed, beachy version, right for an outdoor or coastal wedding. Rough the curls up with your fingers and a texture spray so nothing looks set. Leave the ends a little undone. Good for a laid-back bride. It suits a longer bob especially, and it holds up well in wind where a sleek style wouldn't.

Deep-Side-Part Curly Bob

Part a curly bob deep to one side so the curls fall heavier on the long side, covering one brow slightly for a glamorous, sultry finish. The deep part adds drama to a short curly cut. Pin the shorter side behind the ear if you want the asymmetry sharper. Use a strong-hold product, since curls can spring out of a deep part. Good for a formal or evening wedding, paired with a bold lip and a statement earring.

Vintage Finger-Curl Bob

Set a curly bob into sculpted, vintage finger curls, the flat, defined S-curls of the twenties, for an Art Deco look. It's precise and glamorous, right for a themed or black-tie wedding. Finger curls need the hair set with product and dried fully before you touch them, so leave this to a stylist unless you've practiced. On naturally curly hair they set faster than on straight. Good with a beaded headband or a birdcage veil.

Curly Bob Half-Up

Pin the top section of a curly bob back at the crown and leave the curls down, so the front comes off the face while the texture stays on show. There's not much to gather at bob length, so a small clip or a couple of pins does it. Keep the pinned section a little loose so it doesn't flatten the curls. Good for almost any wedding. Add a comb or a small bloom for a bridal finish.

Wash-and-Go on a Short Natural Crop

For a Black bride, a wash-and-go lets your own curl pattern take center stage on a short crop: work curl cream or gel into soaking-wet hair, scrunch, and let it dry into defined coils. It's true to your texture and needs no heat. Refresh the definition the morning of with water and product, and lay the edges soft. Good for a garden or modern wedding. Add a flower or a jeweled pin, and let big earrings do the rest.

Twist-Out on a Short Crop

Set short natural hair in two-strand twists the night before, then unravel them for defined, springy coils across the crop. The twist-out gives a fuller, more uniform curl than a wash-and-go, with a soft ridged pattern. Do the twists on damp, moisturized hair and let them dry fully, or the pattern falls flat. Lay the edges to finish. Good for a garden or daytime wedding. It's your natural texture at its most defined, no heat needed.

Bantu Knot-Out on a Short Crop

Set small bantu knots on damp short hair, dry fully, then unravel for looser, stretched S-waves rather than tight coils. The knot-out gives a curly crop a softer wave pattern with plenty of body. Don't over-separate, or it frizzes. Plan the set the night before, since the knots need real drying time. Lay the edges soft. Good for an outdoor or evening wedding, and it suits a bride who wants defined curl with a bit more stretch and movement.

Finger Coils on a Short Crop

Coil small sections of short natural hair around your finger to set tight, uniform spiral coils across the whole crop. The coils give a crisp, sculptural finish that stands out on its own, more defined than a wash-and-go. Coil on damp, product-coated hair and let it dry fully. It's time-consuming, so start early or have it done. Lay the edges and add a small flower or pin. Good for a bride who wants precise, defined curls for the day.

Flat-Twist-Out on a Short Crop

Flat-twist short natural hair against the scalp, let it set and dry, then unravel for defined waves with a sleek, patterned root and curl through the ends. The flat-twist-out keeps the crown smooth and controlled while the ends stay curly, a nice middle ground for a crop. A stylist gets the flat twists even. Moisturize first so they lie flat. Good for an outdoor or long day, since the set holds well. Lay the edges to finish.

Curly Crop with a Flower Crown

A crown of small fresh flowers worn over a short curly cut is the boho-bridal move for curls. The flowers sit into the texture rather than on top of flat hair, so they nestle in and hold well. Choose small, sturdy blooms and greenery wired to your head size. Keep the curls full and defined beneath it. Good for a garden, beach, or festival wedding. Have a florist and stylist build the crown so it sits right and won't wilt.

Curly Pixie with a Jeweled Headband

A slim jeweled or pearl headband turns a curly pixie into a bridal look in one move, and short curls hold a headband more securely than straight hair. Slide it back from the hairline over full, defined curls and let it be the focal point. Keep the curls soft around it so it doesn't flatten them. Good for a classic or vintage wedding. Match the band to your earrings, and choose something delicate rather than wide over a short cut.

Curly Bob with a Birdcage Veil

A birdcage veil, the short netted piece over the eyes or to one side, pairs beautifully with a curly bob, especially finger curls. It adds vintage drama without needing length, pinning to a small comb tucked into the curls. Keep the bob's curls simple and defined beneath it so the veil is the statement. Good for a retro, courthouse, or intimate wedding. Have a stylist set the comb into the curls so it holds through the ceremony.

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