I plan a maid of honor’s hair differently from a regular bridesmaid’s. She’s in more photos, she moves more, and she’s usually the one crouching to fix the train or digging through a bag for the rings. Her hair has to stay put through all of it and still sit a step below the bride’s. The styles that do this well right now are polished rather than stiff: low buns, half-up waves, sleek ponytails, braids and twists. These maid of honor wedding hair ideas are the ones I’d actually book, with notes on what makes each one hold.
Morning Chair Order for the Maid of Honor
On a wedding morning I rarely put the maid of honor last. She’s needed for the bride’s dress, the jewelry, the letters and the shoes, so I try to have her finished before the bride sits down. Ask your stylist where you fall in the schedule, and plan around it.
Timing depends on the style. Loose waves on medium hair usually take thirty to forty five minutes; a braided updo or Hollywood waves on long, thick hair can run closer to an hour. If you have very dense hair, mention it when the schedule is being made, not on the day.
How to arrive at the chair
- Wash and fully dry your hair the day before, unless your stylist asks otherwise. Day-old hair holds pins and curl better.
- Skip oils and heavy conditioner on the lengths that night.
- Wear a button-front shirt so nothing goes over your finished hair.
- Bring the earrings and any hair accessory you plan to wear, so the stylist can place them.
And eat something before you sit down. Halfway through a long updo is not a good time to realise you’ve had nothing but champagne.
1. Maid Of Honor Low Bun
If I had to give every maid of honor the same style, it would be this one. A low bun at the nape clears off-the-shoulder, high, square and halter gowns alike, and it stands up to wind far better than loose curls. I give it a little crown volume and smooth sides, then pin the bun from underneath so no grips show in the back-view photos. A couple of face-framing pieces stop it looking severe. Check with the bride before adding a comb or pins, since some prefer the bridal party bare.
2. Maid Of Honor Half Up Half Down Hair
Half up keeps hair out of your face for the speech while the rest falls loose. It needs medium to long hair to look balanced, and brushed waves or loose curls in the length. The crown should be smooth, and accessories small; an oversized clip at the back reads bridal very quickly. A twist or a thin braid tying the top section back finishes it. It’s my usual suggestion when the bride is wearing a full updo, because the contrast keeps you from looking like her understudy. Pin the top section with two grips crossed under the twist, as one pin alone lets it slip down by evening.
3. Maid Of Honor Hollywood Waves
Hollywood waves are deceptively technical. Every curl has to be wound in the same direction, pinned while it cools, then brushed out into one continuous wave, and skipping the cooling step is why they fall flat by the toasts. I prep with heat protectant and a setting spray before curling. Satin gowns and one-shoulder dresses suit the look. A deep side part gives the classic version; a centre part feels more current. Skip the hair accessories, as anything pinned in breaks the wave line.
4. Maid Of Honor Sleek Ponytail
Strong shoulders, open backs and busy bodices all suit a sleek ponytail, because it keeps every strand off the dress. Mid or low height reads elegant; high adds drama. The look depends on three things: shine, flat roots and a strip of hair wrapped around the elastic so it disappears. I add a few soft waves through the length so it doesn’t look like you’re heading to the gym. In summer heat it’s the coolest style here, since nothing touches your neck.
5. Maid Of Honor Braided Updo
Braids give an updo grip, which is why thick hair is easier to put up this way. The volume gets locked into the braid instead of fighting the pins. It can be a low braided bun, a crown braid tucked into the back, or a soft braid wrapped around the back of the head. Outdoor and coastal weddings suit it. I loosen the braid gently after pinning, but stop before it looks pulled apart; overdone pancaking just looks unfinished. Leave a few soft pieces near the face.
6. Maid Of Honor Side Swept Curls
Curled, brushed and pinned to one side so the length falls over the shoulder, this style shows off earrings without committing to an updo. It suits a one-shoulder dress best, with the hair falling on the bare side. The pinned side is where it fails. I build a hidden anchor there with crossed bobby pins in a small twist, then lay the curls over it, so a hug doesn’t drag the hair back to the centre. Medium to long hair works; on shorter lengths the hair won’t reach far enough to balance.
7. Maid Of Honor Textured Chignon
A chignon with texture looks relaxed but still finished, and it shows off highlights or balayage better than a smooth bun, since the twists and pinned sections catch different tones. It sits low at the nape. I build it on a small ponytail base rather than pinning loose sections straight to the head, because that base is what keeps a soft chignon from slowly dropping through the day. Pearl pins dress it up, or leave it plain for a simpler wedding.
8. Maid Of Honor Loose Waves
Loose waves look natural and suit almost any dress, but they’re the style most likely to drop. For a wedding, they need to be smooth and defined, finished with shine spray rather than left beachy. A centre part looks current; a side part adds movement. If your hair doesn’t hold curl, I set the waves tighter than the final look, pin them up to cool and brush them out last. Hands off after that. Every time you run your fingers through them, they lose a little more shape.
9. Maid Of Honor High Bun
A high bun lengthens the neck and puts statement earrings on full show. It keeps hair completely off your shoulders, which is a relief in a hot venue, and it clears detailed backs and dramatic necklines. Soft reads romantic; sleek reads modern. Either way, the base has to be smooth. A high bun is heavy at the crown, so I’d avoid it if you get tension headaches, and I always secure it with more pins than seems necessary, finished with a flexible spray.
10. Maid Of Honor French Twist
Black tie and evening receptions suit a French twist best. The hair is swept up and tucked into a vertical roll, so the shape is clean from the side and back. A very tight twist can look dated, so I keep it slightly soft, with light crown volume and a few strands at the face. The roll is held with a column of crossed pins hidden inside the fold. Pearl earrings and a simple gown are all it needs alongside.
11. Maid Of Honor Curly Updo
Curly, coily and wavy hair has its own built-in texture, and an updo that keeps it visible looks far better than one that fights it. The curls are gathered into a soft shape with volume, not flattened. I start with curl cream and a moisturising leave-in on damp hair, set the pattern, and let it dry fully before anything gets pinned, because damp curls frizz the moment they’re handled. Edges get a soft gel. A few curls left loose around the face soften it. Finish with a light hold that won’t turn curls crunchy.
12. Maid Of Honor Low Ponytail
Simple doesn’t mean plain here. The low ponytail can be sleek, softly waved or twisted at the crown, and it sits well with modern bridesmaid dresses that have high necklines or open backs. Wrapping a strip of hair around the elastic makes it formal in a second. I brush curls through the length into soft waves for movement. It’s one of the most comfortable options for a long ceremony, since there’s nothing to press against when you sit.
13. Maid Of Honor Waterfall Braid
A waterfall braid crosses the crown or the side of the head and lets strands drop through like ribbons. It shows best when the hair below is curled or waved, since the dropped strands need shape to stand out. Medium hair is enough for it. I keep the braid neat and fairly smooth for a maid of honor, a little tidier than I would for a guest, so it reads as part of the bridal party. Fine hair can lose the braid against the scalp, so I add texture spray before braiding to give it grip.
14. Maid Of Honor Short Hair Waves
Short hair often looks more polished for a wedding than long hair, because there’s less to go wrong. Soft waves on a bob, lob or chin-length cut add movement and frame the face. A side part adds volume; a centre part feels sleek. On a very short cut, I focus on shine and texture and add a single clip. Get a trim one to two weeks before, not the day before, so the edges have softened.
15. Maid Of Honor Twisted Half Up Hair
Twisting small sections from each side and pinning them at the centre gives you detail without a braid, and the rest stays loose in waves or curls. The twists show colour movement on highlighted hair especially well. Fine hair benefits from crown volume and texture spray first, or the twists flatten. I hide the pins inside the twist itself rather than over it. Smooth the top lightly and leave the loose hair soft.
Speech Nerves, Bustle Duty and a Hot Dance Floor
A maid of honor’s hair takes three hits that most guests’ hair never does. During the bustle, you’re bent over behind the bride for several minutes, and loose waves fall forward and get crushed. Before the speech, nerves make people touch their hair constantly. And by the last hour of dancing, the room is hot enough to drop most curls.
I plan for that with a second look. If you’re wearing waves or half up, tuck a claw clip or a hair tie in your bag. When the dancing starts, the waves twist up into a quick low bun or a ponytail and still look intentional, because the curl texture underneath gives it shape. An updo needs nothing extra, apart from a few spare pins.
For the bustle itself, flip your hair over one shoulder before you kneel. It sounds obvious, but it saves the back of a curled style from being crushed against the dress.
Ready for the Aisle and the After-Party
Any of these can work for you if it suits your role, your features and a full day of being on. Buns, chignons, ponytails, waves, curls, braids and half-up styles all hold up when they’re matched to the dress, the venue, the weather and the bride’s plans. If you can’t decide, pick the one that keeps hair secure around your face and looks tidy from the side and back. Bring photos to your stylist, book a trial if you can, and prep your hair the way she asks. You’ll have enough to think about without your hair being one of them.
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