The maid of honor hairstyle works harder than anyone else’s in the wedding party. She bends to fluff the train, kneels to fix a hem, hugs everybody and stands closest to the bride in nearly every photo. So when I style a maid of honor, I ask two things before anything else: how much will she be moving, and what is the bride wearing? The fifteen looks below are the ones I’d build for her, with notes on how each holds up while she’s actually doing the job.
Your Slot in the Hair Schedule Changes Which Style Will Survive
On most wedding mornings the bride goes last or close to last, so her hair is freshest for the ceremony. The maid of honor is often done early, because she needs to be ready to help. That means her style might be worn for a couple of extra hours before the first photo is taken.
If you’re going first, pick a style built on pins and braids rather than loose curls. Curls styled at eight in the morning can be noticeably looser by a four o’clock ceremony. If you love waves, ask whether you can be scheduled in the middle of the morning, or whether the stylist can do a quick refresh before you walk.
Also plan for the jobs you’ll do in that dress. You will probably zip or button the gown, lift a heavy veil and crouch to arrange the train. A style that holds only while you stand still won’t make it to the reception.
One more practical point: bring a button-front shirt to the hair appointment. Pulling a T-shirt over a finished updo flattens the crown, and it is a surprisingly common way for a maid of honor’s style to get damaged before she has even put the dress on.
1. Low Bun Wedding Hairstyle For Maid Of Honor
A low bun is the style I’d choose for a maid of honor if I had to pick one blind. It survives bending over a train, it stays clear of the bride’s veil in close photos, and it suits almost any neckline. I curl the hair first so the bun has grip, pin it at the nape and keep some height at the crown so it doesn’t look flat in profile. If the bride is also wearing a low bun, I shift the maid of honor’s slightly higher or make it more textured so the two don’t look identical side by side.
2. Half Up Half Down Wedding Hairstyle For Maid Of Honor
A half up half down hairstyle keeps hair out of her eyes while she’s adjusting a veil or reading a toast, and the loose length still looks soft. It is best on medium to long hair. The top section can be twisted, braided or gathered. My one rule: keep the accessory smaller than the bride’s. A single pearl pin is plenty. If the bride is wearing her hair half up too, a different texture underneath, waves instead of curls, separates the two looks in the group shots.
3. Sleek Ponytail Wedding Hairstyle For Maid Of Honor
A ponytail reads as modern and stays completely off the shoulders, which is useful in a strapless dress on a dance floor. It only looks wedding-ready when every part is deliberate: a smooth crown, the elastic hidden under a wrapped strand, glossy ends. I set the height with the face in mind; a high one lifts a round face, a low one calms a long one. Black-tie city weddings suit it best. On a rustic farm wedding it can feel too sharp next to softer bridesmaid styles.
4. Loose Waves Wedding Hairstyle For Maid Of Honor
Waves give an easy, soft finish, but they’re the least durable option here. A maid of honor touches her hair constantly, and every touch loosens a curl. To help, I curl with a larger barrel, pin each curl to cool, and brush out only once they’re cold. Beachy texture tends to frizz by evening, so I keep these smooth. Tucking one side behind the ear with a small pin adds a bit of structure that lasts. Honestly, if the wedding is humid, I’d suggest one of the updos instead.
5. Braided Updo Wedding Hairstyle For Maid Of Honor
Braids give an updo a framework. Pins hold to the braid rather than to loose hair, so the shape holds even through wind and hugging. The braid can wrap into a low bun, cross the crown or run along one side. Highlights make the weave easier to see. I keep it secure at the anchor points but loosen the outer loops slightly so it looks soft rather than school-picture tight. A garden wedding is a nice excuse for a couple of small floral pins.
6. Chignon Wedding Hairstyle For Maid Of Honor
A chignon is quietly formal, which suits a maid of honor because it never competes with the bride. It sits low and close to the head, so hugs and turning to talk don’t knock it. Fine hair can wear it well too; I’ll add a small foam padding or backcomb the base so it has fullness. Smooth looks classic with pearl earrings. Slightly textured looks younger and less strict.
7. Curly Updo Wedding Hairstyle For Maid Of Honor
Natural curls should be shaped, not hidden. I define them with a curl cream and let them dry completely before pinning, otherwise the updo flattens wherever the pins sit. Large U-pins hold curly hair better than bobby pins, which tend to disappear into the volume and slip. High, low or off to one side all work. Of every style here, this one copes best in humidity, because curly hair is already doing what humidity wants it to do. Leave a few curls at the face and nape.
8. Side Swept Waves Wedding Hairstyle For Maid Of Honor
Pulling waves over one shoulder adds glamour without much weight, and shows off earrings on the open side. The hidden side holds everything up, so I pin it with a criss-cross of bobby pins behind the ear before moving the hair across. With a one-shoulder dress, sweep the hair toward the bare shoulder, not over the strap. It needs some length to work. Clip-in extensions fill it out if her hair is shoulder length.
9. High Bun Wedding Hairstyle For Maid Of Honor
A high bun clears the neck completely, which is useful on a hot day or with a high-neck dress. The risk is tension. If the bun pulls at the hairline, she’ll have a headache by the toasts, so I pin it in sections and check comfort before spraying. It can be neat or slightly textured. Keep a few soft pieces at the temples; scraped back with no softness, a high bun can look severe in close-ups.
10. Low Ponytail Wedding Hairstyle For Maid Of Honor
Low ponytails are tidy like an updo but let the hair move. I add volume at the crown first, then tie the ponytail and wrap a strand around the elastic. Straight looks sleek; waved ends feel softer. The real bonus for a maid of honor is that it’s easy to fix. If a piece comes loose during the day, she can smooth it back herself without help.
11. Twisted Half Up Wedding Hairstyle For Maid Of Honor
Instead of simply pinning hair back, I take small sections from each side and twist them back to meet in the middle. A twisted half up hairstyle has detail without much risk, since each twist is pinned on its own. It suits long, medium and wavy hair, and straight hair once it has a little curl through it. Pearl pins or a small comb can go where the twists meet. Or nothing at all; the twists are enough.
12. Hollywood Waves Wedding Hairstyle For Maid Of Honor
Hollywood waves suit a formal maid of honor look at a black-tie or vintage-themed wedding. They need precise work: every section curled the same direction, pinned to cool, then brushed into one continuous S-shape. A deep side part makes it read glamorous. One warning: next to a bride in a soft boho style, these waves can look more formal than her. Check the bride’s plan before booking this one.
13. Textured Bun Wedding Hairstyle For Maid Of Honor
A textured bun forgives movement. If a few pieces shift during the day, it still looks intended, which is exactly why I like it for a busy maid of honor. I curl, lightly tease the crown, then pin loose sections into an airy shape. Chiffon dresses and outdoor venues suit it. Formal enough for photos, relaxed enough for dancing.
14. Short Bob Wedding Hairstyle For Maid Of Honor
A short bob needs no updo to look dressed up. I either bend soft waves through it or smooth it sleek and tuck one side behind the ear. A deep side part and a small clip make it formal enough. If her hair is chin length, I’d advise against forcing extensions or a tiny updo; the bob styled properly looks better and is far more comfortable. It is also the lightest option on this list.
15. Crown Braid Wedding Hairstyle For Maid Of Honor
A crown braid keeps every strand off the face, which matters at outdoor ceremonies where wind and a microphone during the toast both get involved. It can wrap fully around the head or form a band with the rest pinned low. Natural texture and long layers both work. Keep the braid loose on the outside and secure at the pins. Small flowers or pearl pins work, but go smaller than whatever the bride is wearing.
A Pocket Full of Pins for the Bride, Not Just You
The maid of honor is usually the person the bride turns to when a curl drops or the veil slides, long after the stylist has left. I always hand her a few things before I pack up, and show her how to use them.
- Bobby pins in the bride’s hair colour. Slide them in with the wavy side down, and cross two in an X when something needs real hold.
- A travel-size flexible hairspray. Spray onto your fingers and smooth flyaways, rather than spraying straight onto the hair in front of the camera.
- A small comb or tail brush for lifting a flattened crown.
- Clear elastics, in case a braid or ponytail end slips loose.
Ask the stylist to show you, at the end of the morning, how the veil comes out. Taking a veil off the wrong way can pull an updo apart, and it is usually the maid of honor who does it before the first dance.
Does Your Hair Let You Do the Job?
A maid of honor appears in more photos and more behind-the-scenes moments than anyone except the bride. Her hair has to survive bending, hugging, toasting and dancing, and it should sit alongside the bride’s look without matching it. Low buns, chignons, ponytails and braided updos are the hardest-wearing; waves and half up need more care. Match the style to the dress neckline, the weather and her own hair texture, and talk to the bride before the trial so both looks are planned together.
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