The bride may be the center of attention on the wedding day, but the bridesmaids are key in making the bride stand out. Well-chosen bridesmaids hairstyles are essential to pull this off effectively.
Whether they’re being done at the salon together with the bride before the ceremony, or each girl is doing their own hair at home, it needs to be carefully planned for the best results. Obviously getting everyone’s hair done at the salon all together is the ideal scenario, but not everyone has that kind of budget. So here are some do-it-yourself type looks that can be done at home quite easily with the help of another bridesmaid or friend.
The theme of the wedding is the single biggest factor in determining which hairstyles will work best on the day. Is it a beach-wedding, or an all-white affair in a church? While long, flowing and loose hairstyles suit a beach setting, in a church fancy updos and buns work better. If the theme requires hats, veils or headbands, the hairstyles should make it easy to remove them after the ceremony and not look too dull and lifeless.
What kind of dress will the bridesmaids be wearing ?
The hairstyles really needs to work with the dresses to create a cohesive look. If a very formal gown is worn, then much fancier hairstyles will work. Whereas if the dress is simple and smart, then a basic, straight hairstyle will suit it best.
Of course one needs to choose dresses that work with each bridesmaid’s body type. If she looks best in an off-the-shoulder dress, a cute little updo would be perfect to emphasize the shoulders. A strappy dress or one with sleeves would work better with the hair down and loose.
Each bridesmaid most likely has a very different facial structure, which is something worth considering. When choosing bridesmaids hairstyles it’s best to choose beforehand which facial features you would like to emphasize. Long, flowing hairdos let the eye drift and wander all over the place while short updos bring attention to the eyes.
Overall, once all the bridesmaids hairstyles are chosen you will maybe need to revisit the styles when compared to the bride. If any of them have a chance of upstaging the bride, then it would be best to tone it down. You can do this by making the hair smaller or simpler with less accessories.
The simple updo remains one of the most popular bridesmaids hairstyles simply because it looks great, doesn’t steal the show and requires the least maintenance when styled. The French Twist is one of the more popular variations since it is more elegant than a ponytail and is quicker to create. This is ideal for girls with medium to long hair. It is created by collecting all the hair in a bunch at the back of the head and then twisting it inwards, using hairpins to keep it there. There are some really fun variations that can be achieved with this look depending on the girl’s hair type and length. You could leave the bangs in place or cute little tendrils at the front for a younger look.
To get a more matched look amongst the bridesmaids, the girls with shorter hair can have the front of their hair trimmed to match the longer styles. Alternatively, they could get hair extensions.
For longer hair, the ‘flowing curls’ style is really popular and looks great. The curls can either be set by hand or done in hot rollers to achieve the look. Then the locks should be combed with the fingers with an anti-frizz cream to keep it tidy. Some hairspray could be welcome too.
For those with hair at about 3 inches, a softer, curled look might work well. It’s a sweet and innocent look that will suit the occasion well. To create this look, wash and then dry your hair with a round, bristled brush and a hairdryer. Run your fingers through a few times to get some volume as well. Then go over each curled lock with a flat iron to really keep them together and lock in the shape. The larger the curls the better with this look. A flower accessory would be the perfect accompaniment as well. Maybe test this look out in advance to see if it suits the bridesmaid in question or if she likes it. Check it against the dress too just to make sure it works.
Longer hair might be easier to style, but it’s even more important to get them to work with the bride’s hair as larger hair can easily upstage the bride’s if one’s not careful. You can never go wrong with curls these days as these are incredibly popular bridesmaids hairstyles and work really well. To get these large, tumbling, natural-looking curls, there are two main ways.
The first way is to use a large, barreled curling iron. Firstly you need to cover the hair in heat protection spray and then tie up 75% of the hair. Collect sections of hair about 3cm wide to wrap into the iron and hold each strand for 12 seconds, then let go. Repeat the process until the whole head has big, bouncing curls and cover with hairspray to hold it in place.
Another option is to use large hot rollers. Repeat the same process only with wet hair and hold until dry.
Hopefully these tips will inspire your bridesmaids hairstyles for your upcoming wedding.
