24 Updo Bridesmaid Hairstyles, From Chignons to Braided Buns

Updos are the bridesmaid workhorse. Hair up survives a hot ceremony, a tearful hug, and four hours on the dance floor without a single touch-up. It also coordinates a party fast, since everyone up in the same shape matches even when their lengths and textures don't. Some of these a bridesmaid can pin herself. Others want a stylist working through the group. Fine or short hair usually needs a few clip-in pieces for a full bun. The looks below run from a smooth low chignon to braids, twists, and a bow.

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Smooth Low Chignon

A smooth coil at the nape, brushed sleek and pinned low, no flyaways. It's the formal, foolproof bridesmaid updo, suiting nearly every face and dress in the party. Tuck the ends under cleanly and mist for shine. It stays put through dinner and dancing. Good for a black-tie or classic wedding. Sleek styles show every bump, so a good brush-out matters. Clip-in pieces fill it out for bridesmaids with finer or shorter hair.

Messy Low Bun

Loose, low, and undone on purpose, with soft pieces framing the face. It's the relaxed bridesmaid updo for a boho or beach wedding, and it forgives a lot, which helps when the party is doing their own. Leave texture in the hair first so it grips. Pull pieces free once pinned, but not too many. Second-day hair works better. Finish with texture spray and a couple of wispy bits at the nape.

Low Bun with Tendrils

A neat low bun with a few curled pieces left out at the temples and jaw, softer than a sleek chignon but tidier than a messy one. It's the middle-ground bridesmaid updo, dressed but not stiff, and it flatters most faces. Pin the bun firmly and free only the pieces you mean to. Good for almost any wedding. Curl the tendrils so they look intended. It coordinates a party well, since the shape stays consistent.

Twisted Chignon

A low knot built from twisted sections rather than a smooth coil, so it catches light and adds texture at the back. It suits a lace dress or a garden ceremony, softer than a sleek chignon. Pull a few pieces loose at the front. The texture hides small mistakes, which makes it forgiving for a bridesmaid doing her own. Good for a formal or romantic wedding. A patient friend can manage it with a mirror.

Sleek Center-Part Low Bun

Part the hair dead center, smooth both sides flat, and gather into a low bun at the back. The clean center part is the whole statement, modern and a little architectural. It suits minimalist bridesmaid dresses and simple jewelry. Keep the crown flat rather than lifted. It shows every stray hair, so it wants a fresh blowout and strong gel at the hairline. Good for a contemporary or city wedding. Coordinate the part across the party.

Ballerina High Bun

Sweep everything up into a smooth, high bun at the crown. It's clean, modern, and a little dramatic, and it shows off the neck and matching earrings. Smooth the sides up with a brush and gel, then coil and pin tight. Fine or shorter hair needs clip-in wefts for a full bun. Good for a formal or modern wedding. It coordinates a party sharply, since the high placement stays consistent across different lengths.

Top Knot Updo

Gather all the hair into a knot high on the crown, sleek or a little loose depending on the feel. It's the youngest, most modern updo, good for a city or relaxed party. Keep it neat for sharp or tug it loose for soft. There's plenty to build with on longer hair. Good for a bridesmaid who wants something quick and current. It keeps everything off the face and gives a clean line for a bold earring.

Voluminous Round Bun

Build a full, round bun using a donut form so it looks lush even on finer hair, a fuller take on the classic bun. Wrap smoothed hair around the form and pin, tucking the ends. It's neat and substantial, good for a formal wedding, and the form does the volume work so every bridesmaid's bun matches in size. Good for a party with mixed hair thickness. Keep the surface smooth over the form for a clean finish.

French Roll

Sweep the hair up and roll it vertically at the back, tucking the ends and pinning along the seam. The French roll is a formal classic that holds all night. Add a decorative pin at the top or leave a soft piece out at the front. It keeps everything up and off the neck. Good for a black-tie or ballroom wedding. A stylist gets the seam clean, and it looks the same across a party, which coordinates well.

Gibson Tuck

Roll the length under and tuck it into a soft pocket at the nape, pinning to hold, for a vintage rolled updo. No braiding skill needed, which makes it one of the few updos a bridesmaid can teach herself from a mirror. It suits vintage and classic weddings, and works on medium hair that won't reach a real bun. A slight wave gives grip. Good for a party doing their own, since it's forgiving and quick.

Grecian Rope-Twist Updo

Rope-twist several sections and gather them up into a soft, sculptural knot high at the back, goddess-style. The twists give texture and hold, and the higher placement feels different from a low bun. Pull a few pieces loose at the front. It suits a Grecian or column dress especially well. Good for a formal or destination wedding. A stylist builds the shape best across a party, though a patient bridesmaid can manage the twists herself.

Twisted Undone Updo

Rope-twist sections all over and pin them into a soft, low, deliberately loose shape, so it looks undone rather than styled. The twists give texture and hold without the neatness of a braid or a smooth bun. Pull pieces free at the front and nape. It suits thick or textured hair that gives the twists body. Good for a garden or rustic wedding. It's forgiving, which helps when bridesmaids are styling their own hair.

Braided Bun

Braid the hair first, then coil the braid into a bun and pin, so the knot has a woven texture. A fishtail or Dutch braid both work before you coil. Pull the braid wider for a fuller bun. Leave a piece or two loose at the front. Good for a boho or rustic wedding. It holds through dancing and hides its pins in the braid. Weave a matching flower or greenery through the coil for a party.

Braided Chignon

Braid small sections and pin them into a low, flat knot at the nape, so the chignon is built entirely from braids. It's textured and intricate without much height, keeping a clean line at the back. Leave a few soft pieces at the front. Good for a formal or rustic wedding. It holds well through a long day since the braids lock together. A stylist gets a party's chignons even and neat.

Fishtail Updo

Braid a fishtail, then roll or coil it up into an updo so the V-pattern shows across the back. It's more interesting than a plain braided bun and holds neat for hours. Pancake the fishtail wider before pinning so it looks full. Leave face-framing pieces out. Good for a boho or outdoor wedding. A bridesmaid can braid the fishtail herself, though pinning it up cleanly is easier with a second pair of hands.

Halo Braid Updo

Take a single braid around the head like a crown and pin the rest up beneath it, so it's a full updo with a braided halo on top. It keeps everything off the face and looks soft from every angle, pretty for a rustic or garden wedding. Weave matching greenery through the braid. Natural texture grips it better than silky hair. Good when the party wants a braid with everything up. A braider gets the halo even.

Braided Crown Updo

Braid two braids and wrap them up and over the crown into an updo, pinning the ends so everything sits up off the neck. It's romantic and rustic, and it keeps hair fully off the face for a hot outdoor day. Keep the braids loose and pull them wide before pinning. Good for a garden or barn wedding. Tuck matching small flowers along the braids. You need enough length to reach over the crown, so it suits longer hair.

Curly Updo

Gather natural curls up into a soft updo, high or low, and pull plenty of pieces free so the texture spills around the face. It shows off curl while getting the length off the neck, and it works well for a bridesmaid who wears her hair curly. Pin the core firmly and free only the pieces you mean to. Good for a garden or modern wedding. A few matching flowers tie it to the party. Refresh definition beforehand.

Natural Coily Updo

For a Black bridesmaid, pin natural coils up into a soft, sculptural updo, gathered and tucked at the back with the texture kept rather than smoothed away. It suits a formal or garden wedding and keeps her natural hair on show. Pull a few coils free at the front and lay the edges. A stylist who works with natural hair builds the shape best. Good for a party that includes natural textures. Add a gold cuff or a matching flower.

Loose Updo with Tendrils

A soft gathered updo left loose at the edges, higher and airier than a tight bun, with curled tendrils out at the temples and jaw. It's the romantic middle ground, dressed but relaxed, and it moves from ceremony to dance floor well. Gather the length up and pin loosely, then free the face-framing pieces. Good for a formal or garden wedding. It flatters most bridesmaids and coordinates easily across the party.

Pin-Curl Vintage Updo

Set the hair in soft pin curls, then pin them up into a gentle vintage updo with waves at the front. It's a nod to old-Hollywood without going full costume, good for a formal or retro wedding. Pin curls need setting and drying time, so build in the hours. The result is smooth and holds well. Good for a dressier party. A stylist places the curls cleanly across the group, since even placement matters.

Floral Updo

Any bridesmaid updo dressed with fresh flowers worked into the shape, blooms tucked along a bun or twist rather than piled on top. Matching flowers across the party tie the group to the bouquets and the bride's look. Choose small, sturdy stems that won't wilt, and keep them to one area for balance. Good for a garden, beach, or outdoor wedding. Have a florist and stylist place them together so they sit right and stay put.

Updo with a Matching Comb or Vine

Finish any updo with a shared accessory across the party, a jeweled comb tucked at the base or a flexible hair vine woven through the twists. It's the easy way to coordinate bridesmaids who have different updos or hair types, since the accessory unifies them in photos. Keep it to one piece each so it doesn't crowd the style. Good for a formal or evening wedding. Match the metal to the bride's or the jewelry.

Updo with a Bow

Tie a ribbon bow at the base of a low bun or ponytail-updo, the trend that's everywhere right now. It's sweet and current, and a matching ribbon across the party coordinates the group in one soft touch. Choose a muted satin in a shade that suits the dresses. Keep the updo itself simple so the bow stands out. Good for a modern or garden wedding. It's an easy, low-cost way to dress up a plain bun.