Braids for Your Bridesmaids

Brides. A lot of you will hire a fab stylist to do your hair, but the bridesmaids are often left on their own to figure out their hair – and nothing wrong with that, it is your day after all. :)  With aforementioned scenerio in mind, Heather and Erica came up with these helpful braid tutorials to give your ladies some quick and easy options for your big day!

From Heather, “The inspiration for this is all the bridesmaid anxiety I’ve seen over hair in the short minutes leading up to the wedding ceremony. It’s usually the case that the brides have a fab hairstylist but sometimes – or many times, rather, I’ve seen the bridesmaids left with messy pony tails, terrible french twists, etc. So we made this tutorial with them in mind. Four simple hairstyles that take 15-30 minutes.” Thanks to Erica Gray for the hair and makeup and to Heather Curiel for the photos!

carousel braid DIY


Carousel Braid:

1. Section off 2-3 inches of hair starting with the hair near your ear and following along the line of your face. This is the section of your braid that will run along the front.

2. Secure the rest of your hair with an elastic to keep it from getting in the way while your braid the front.

3. Take a small section of hair just behind the ear. You will be braiding up towards your forehead and around the rest of your head.

4. Start creating the braid by making an inverted french braid keeping your braid loose. Make sure that each addition to the braid comes directly from the center to prevent having any lines showing.

5. Once you have braided along your face line, remove the elastic and continue braiding along the back of your head to meet where you originally started. This part is a little more difficult to do on your own so grab a friend to help you. Make sure you keep braid pulled along the direction you are braiding. This keeps your braid tight.

6. Once all french braiding is done, continue regular braiding the entire length of your hair and secure with elastic.

7. Pin the ends of the braid tightly around into the braid itself to finish.

Carousel Braid DIY

Carousel Braid DIY

Carousel Braid DIY



Mermaid Braid DIY


Mermaid Braid:

1. Create a deep side part.

2. Leave short layers down and partition the rest of the hair into a side pony in your hand.

3. Create two sections from the pony. These will be used for two braids. Use elastic to keep one section in place while you work on first braid.

5. Lightly mist with light hold hairspray to tame fly-aways.

6. Create first braid til about 3-4 inches from the tips and secure.

7. Continue braiding second section.

8. Use bobby pins to hold braid sections together and secure both pieces together with an elastic.

9. Braid or curl (if you are choosing to curl make sure to curl only the middle of the hair shaft to create a beachy or romantic look) the additional front pieces. Either leave these down or bobby pin those sections behind the braid (optional)

Mermaid Braid DIY

Mermaid Braid DIY

Mermaid Braid DIY

Mermaid Braid DIY



Rafael Braided Updo DIY


Rafael Braided Updo:

1. Take mermaid braid start at the bottom and roll up to a diagonal bun of the ear.

2. Pin around the base of the bun until the bun is securely in place.

3. Braid or curl the additional front pieces and bobby pin those sections into the bun neatly (optional)

Rafael Braided Updo DIY



Waterfall Braid DIY


Waterfall Braid with Curls:

Soft hollywood curls (front)

1. Take section in front of the ear and divide that section into 4 sections, two sections in two rows.

2. Lightly hairspray and curl each section and secure the bottom of the roll to the hairline. Let this four curl set cool for 10 minutes.

3. Unpin and gently brush out with a paddle brush and a smoothing balm (optional). pin over the two waterfall braid you created to match the other side.

Waterfall braid (back)

1. Create side part and take a small section near the crown of your head to begin the braid.

2. French braid normally along your face a few times gathering small sections each time you add to the braid.

3. After a few links of french braiding you can either begin a regular braid or create a waterfall braid.

Waterfall Braid DIY

Waterfall Braid DIY

Waterfall Braid DIY


Which braid is your favorite? I’m pretty obsessed with the waterfall braid!

photography: Heather Curiel // wedding dress: Zara // hair and makeup: Erica Gray // model: Joanna Wilkinson

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