Plenty of bridesmaids end up doing their own hair, whether the budget only covers the bride or the morning schedule simply runs out of chairs. That’s fine. Most wedding styles follow the same order I use at every appointment: prep the hair, build the shape, pin it properly, then soften the finish. Skip a step and it shows by the speeches. Below are twenty styles broken into the steps I’d actually teach, with notes on which ones are realistic to do yourself and where people usually go wrong.
Tools Worth Owning Before You Practise Any of These
Most failed home updos come down to the wrong pins rather than the wrong technique. Drugstore bobby pins with a slick finish and a weak spring slide straight out of clean hair. A small set of decent tools fixes most of that.
- Matte bobby pins in your hair colour, in two lengths. The longer ones go into thick hair and bun bases.
- U-shaped hair pins for buns and twists. They hold shape without flattening it.
- Clear elastics for twists, bubble ponytails and hidden bases.
- A one-inch curling iron covers most of these styles; a flat iron does bob waves.
- Texture spray for grip before styling, flexible hairspray to finish.
- Sectioning clips and a hand mirror, so you can see the back of your head.
Buy them at least a week before. Using pins you’ve never handled on the morning of the wedding is how a practised style suddenly won’t sit.
1. Bridesmaid Low Bun Tutorial
The low bun is the style I’d teach first, because it’s hard to get badly wrong. Add loose waves or texture spray so the hair has grip, part it, and gather it at the nape. Twist into a soft bun and pin from several angles rather than relying on one big clip; a single clip lets the bun swivel every time you turn your head. Pull out a couple of face-framing pieces and smooth the crown with a light brush. It copes with wind and suits satin and high necklines.
2. Bridesmaid Half Up Half Down Tutorial
Curl first, then leave the curls alone until they’re cold. Warm curls pinned up fall out; cooled ones hold. Take a section from each side, twist it back and secure the two with pins or a clear elastic, then tug the twists gently so they look fuller. Break up the lower curls with your fingers rather than a brush. It needs medium or long hair to show the curls underneath.
3. Bridesmaid Low Ponytail Tutorial
Start with smooth waves or a polished blow-dry, gather the hair low at the nape and secure it firmly. The step people skip is hiding the elastic: wrap a small piece of hair around the base and pin it underneath, with the pin sliding into the elastic itself so the wrap can’t unwind. For a softer version, loosen the crown and pull out two front pieces. Statement earrings and simple necklines suit it.
4. Bridesmaid Braided Crown Updo Tutorial
This one is harder on your own than it looks, mostly because braiding along the hairline at the back means working blind. Create a deep side part and braid one side toward the back, then repeat on the other side or twist the rest into a low bun. Pin the braids around the bun and tuck the ends underneath. Prep with dry shampoo or a little mousse first; freshly washed hair makes the braid slip. Widen the edges once it’s pinned.
5. Bridesmaid Side Swept Curls Tutorial
Curl away from the face and let each section cool before brushing it lightly. Make a deep side part and take the fuller side over one shoulder. Pin the smaller side behind the ear with two bobby pins crossed in an X, or a small decorative comb if you trust it to grip. Flexible spray keeps the curls moving. It frames strapless, one-shoulder and sweetheart dresses well.
6. Bridesmaid Hollywood Waves Tutorial
Hollywood waves take patience and look the most formal of anything here. Start with a clean side part and curl every section in the same direction, which is the bit most home attempts get wrong. Clip each curl while it cools, remove the clips, then brush the whole head with a paddle or boar bristle brush until the curls merge into one wave. Shape the front dip with a fine-tooth comb and shine spray. Allow a full practice run before the wedding; the first attempt rarely connects.
7. Bridesmaid French Twist Tutorial
A French twist relies on one vertical line of pins, so the prep matters more than the twisting. Texture spray first, especially on silky or clean hair. Sweep all the hair toward one side and pin a vertical column of crossed pins up the centre back. Roll the length back over those pins, tuck the ends inside and pin along the seam. Loosen the top slightly. It suits formal weddings and black dresses, though it’s hard to see the back on yourself, so a friend with a hand mirror helps.
8. Bridesmaid Messy Bun Tutorial
A messy bun should look loose, not rushed, and the difference is pins. Curl the hair, gather it into a mid or low ponytail, then twist small sections around the base one at a time, pinning each as you go. Leave a few ends out so it feels airy, and pull gently at the crown for volume. Flexible spray, never hard hold. It suits outdoor and rustic weddings and forgives an imperfect section here and there.
9. Bridesmaid Fishtail Braid Tutorial
The fishtail is easier than it looks: two sections, and you keep crossing a tiny piece from the outside of one into the other until you reach the ends. Small pieces make the pattern; thick ones make it look like a regular plait. Pull the hair over one shoulder if you’re braiding yourself, since braiding behind your own head gets uneven. Secure it and widen the edges. Long hair or extensions only. On shoulder-length hair it runs out almost immediately.
10. Bridesmaid Bubble Ponytail Tutorial
A bubble ponytail is one of the most reliable home styles for a long day. Start with a smooth ponytail at whatever height you like, add small clear elastics down the length, then pull each section outward into a rounded bubble. Space the elastics evenly by measuring with your fingers, otherwise the bubbles end up different sizes. Thick hair makes the best bubbles. Shine spray for a sleek look, texture spray for a softer one.
11. Bridesmaid Sleek Bun Tutorial
Smoothing cream through the roots, brush into a low or mid ponytail, secure tightly, then twist and pin the bun flat. A clean toothbrush or small brush with a little hairspray handles flyaways at the hairline. Keep the part sharp. On humid days this is the one I’d recommend, since there’s no curl to drop. Minimalist dresses and pearl earrings suit it.
12. Bridesmaid Curly Half Up Tutorial
Refresh your curls with water and curl cream or mousse, and only start pinning once they’re defined and fully dry. Wet curls stretch when they’re pulled back and dry looking different from the rest. Take small sections from each temple and pin them at the back. Lift the roots with your fingers, never a brush. The curls stay full, and you look like yourself.
13. Bridesmaid Braided Low Bun Tutorial
Start with loose curls or waves for texture. Make one small braid on one side, then gather everything, braid included, into a low ponytail. Twist into a bun and wrap the braid’s tail around or across it before pinning. Widen the braid so it shows in photos. Layered hair suits this well, since the shorter pieces tuck into the bun instead of escaping.
14. Bridesmaid Short Bob Waves Tutorial
No extensions, almost no pins. Apply heat protectant and use a wand or flat iron to bend small sections away from the face. Leave the last inch straighter, which keeps a bob from looking like a 1980s perm. Add a side part, tuck one side behind the ear and pin if needed, then finish with texture spray. Chin-length to shoulder-length bobs, casual or city weddings.
15. Bridesmaid Pixie Hair Tutorial
A pixie cut is quick, but every detail shows. Work a light cream or mousse into damp hair, blow-dry the top for lift, and smooth the sides close to the head. Sweep the fringe across or set a deep side part. Get a trim a week or two before, not the day before; a fresh pixie cut often looks too sharp at the edges. A small pearl pin is plenty of decoration.
16. Bridesmaid Natural Hair Updo Tutorial
Start with moisturised hair, stretched or defined depending on the texture you want. Gather it upward into a puff, roll or pinned crown shape and secure with strong pins. The one thing I’d stress: keep tension gentle at the edges. A tight updo worn for twelve hours pulls at the hairline, and that’s the area most prone to damage. Smooth the edges with a soft brush if you like, then a light shine mist. Coily and kinky textures carry the volume well.
17. Bridesmaid Locs Updo Tutorial
Locs give an updo real structure. Decide first where you want the volume: high crown, low bun or to the side. Gather the locs gently and secure them with a snag-free tie, then wrap sections around the base and pin into a rounded bun or twisted shape. Locs are heavy, so check the hold before you leave the house by shaking your head; if it moves, add pins at the base. Leave a few loose at the face for softness.
18. Bridesmaid Boho Braid Tutorial
Wave the hair first so the braid has body. Then a loose three-strand, Dutch, or fishtail braid down the back or over one shoulder, pulled outward at the edges once the end is secured. Let a few face-framing pieces fall. Light spray only. Tiny pins or small accessories dress it up for outdoor weddings, but it still needs a secure elastic at the end.
19. Bridesmaid High Ponytail Tutorial
Curl for bounce or straighten for sleek, then brush the hair upward and secure it at the crown. The weight of a high ponytail tends to drag the elastic down over a long evening, so I put a second elastic just below the first and wrap a section of hair over both. Tease the base lightly and smooth the top layer over it. Long hair suits it, and it’s comfortable for dancing.
20. Bridesmaid Chignon Tutorial
A chignon is a soft, low updo made in three moves. Create a low ponytail, split the hair above the elastic and pull the ponytail through for a twist, then roll the length upward and pin it into a rounded shape at the nape. Loosen the sides so it isn’t tight. Hairspray only once the shape is right; spraying too early sets mistakes in place. It works with nearly every neckline.
Practise Twice, Then Time Yourself
Your first attempt at any style will take twice as long as the second. I’d do a full practice run two or three weeks before, and another the week of the wedding, using the same products you’ll use on the day.
What to check on the practice run
- Photograph the back and both sides. Gaps and visible pins are obvious in a photo and invisible in the mirror.
- Wear it for at least four hours. Note where it slips and add pins there next time.
- Time yourself from first section to final spray, then add half again for nerves and a busy room.
- Try it with the dress or at least the neckline, if you can.
Where I’d suggest booking a stylist instead
Hollywood waves, braided crowns and large loc or natural hair updos are the hardest to do on your own head, mostly because the work is behind you. If those are on the bride’s list, ask whether one stylist can do the tricky parts while everyone else handles simpler styles themselves. A pro finishing a half-done style usually takes less time than a full appointment, though you should ask in advance rather than on the morning. And if a style falls apart mid-reception, don’t fight it: take it down, brush the curls out with your fingers and pin the front back with two crossed pins. Soft waves always look intentional.
Build Texture, Let It Cool, Then Pin
Every style above goes back to the same three habits: give the hair grip before you start, let curls cool before you touch them, and pin more than looks necessary, hidden underneath. Pick the style by your length and texture first, then the dress and the weather. Do that and a home-done bridesmaid style holds up next to the professional ones in the group photos.
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