Should bridesmaids wearing matching dresses have matching hairstyles?

I'm not a fan of matching hair and makeup looks (or matching dresses, but that's a different post.) Your bridesmaids are individuals, not clones. They have different hair lengths, textures, styles, colors...What looks good on one person won't always look good on the next. I haven't seen bridesmaids with matching dresses, hair, and makeup in at least a decade.

I think it’s best. I wanted my girls to feel beautiful. I personally look awful with my hair in a bun and I wouldn’t want to put someone in a position where they are cringing at photos. Plus they are unique individuals not just something for my pictures.

I personally feel like its up to you. However you would want them to look. Me...i pick same hair styles different dresses to accomdate their own bodies and make them feel comfortable

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I agree. If i am making them wear the same dress, the least I could do is allow them their own choices for hair and makeup!

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Agree! it's important to me that they feel good that day and like their appearance in pictures too.

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I didn't think about that option either. I kind of like that, which allows them to be individual, but the same hairstyles pull everything together.

I think that’s fine to let them have their own hair style even if their dress is the same

I would definitely let them choose their own hairstyle and makeup. As for shoes, if the dresses are long, you won't be able to see the shoes anyway so might as well give them a color to work with and tell them they can wear any shoe in that color

Let their individual personalities shine with hair and makeup. Shoes don't have to be identical either since no one will see them.

I think matching hair makes them look TOO uniform honestly. You still want them to have a little individuality!

My bridesmaids are wearing different styles, same color and the same hairstyle. I want them to feel comfortable, confident but cohesive.

There’s no rule that says they have to have matching anything. It’s entirely up to you.

It really is up to you. There's nothing wrong with having them look "too uniform" or "too different", that is for you and them to decide.

I'm personally having my bridesmaids wear the same dress, shoes and hairstyles, but they are wearing different jewelry and different makeup styles.

As a person that has been a bridesmaid on countless wedding I would say it depends who’s paying for hair and makeup. I was a bridesmaid in 8 weddings and I always had paid for my dress, hair and make up. On some of those weddings we all looked the same (same dress, same hair style, same makeup colors etc.) and I can tell you there was always someone unhappy with the outcome. It’s impossible that the same style flatters/pleases every bridesmaid. I’ve been also been on weddings in which the bride gave us a color and we each picked our own dress style and hair and makeup. Based on those experiences, I would say most of the bridesmaids were happier having a choice. We all spent according to our budgets and personal preferences. When you add up dress, hair & makeup, and other wedding activities, being part of the wedding party easily gets expensive. It’s your day and ultimately it should be your decision, but I believe your bridesmaids should also be happy with the services they are paying for. Sometimes dealing with drama and people upset is not worth it.

Well I'm going to be on the losing side, but it sort of just ended up that way for me. They all loved the same dress, they all loved my inspiration pic for makeup (the coloring changed to match their eye color and skin tone, but it was pretty neutral) and they all picked the same hair style! One got hers done with flower pins, and the other two were like "do you mind if we do something like that, too?" The first bridesmaid didn't mind at all. I guess I had "clones" but it was entirely incidental 🤷‍♀️

And by the way I in NO way think that different hairstyles and makeup will ruin your cohesive look.

And I also bought their dresses, and paid for hair and makeup, but didn't force anything. Just "natural plus"

I think it’s crazy to specify to someone how to wear their hair and makeup. Matching dresses is a common and traditional thing, but I’ve always thought that a bride should take their ladies preferences into consideration (for instance one of my ladies mentioned a problem area she’d rather hide, so I listened to that in picking the bridesmaid dress), but people are particular about their hair. I also think if you’re requiring a certain hairstyle then you also need to pay for their style. Another thing to think about is could all your girls pull off the same style? My MOH has pretty short layered hair, one of my ladies has a just longer than ear length bob, and my other has really long hair. I mean there’s no way I can ask them to style it the same as each other, and it seems kinda shallow to only ask girls who could do a particular style to be your bridesmaid?

Hi Olivia! Trust me - the matching dresses is more than enough to have a fully cohesive look!! I actually prefer differing hairstyles and accessories now to make your bridal crew look less matchy-matchy!

My bridesmaids wore matching dresses and then I just gave cohesive guidelines for everything else. I requested they wear nude-colored shoes and dainty jewelry (or basically just no statement earrings or necklaces) but let them choose and wear their own so save them money and let them feel more comfortable!

I also paid for all of their hair & makeup, and gave a little guidance there as well! We all prefer a more natural look, so we all got similar makeup done - I just requested I more natural lip color for pictures and let them each choose if they want fake eyelashes or not based on their personal preference.

For the hairstyles my only request was that the styles not be too intense! I shared a few inspiration pictures of simple styles I like with my bridesmaids, but let them each choose if they wanted their hair fully up, half up, or completely down. I personally hate the way I look with my hair up so I've always dreaded being asked to wear an updo as a bridesmaid!

Here's the finished look!

Honestly having them have different hair and shoes doesn't mess with the overall cohesive look. As long as the hairstyles aren't outrageously different then it should be fine. Makeup on the other hand, I would recommend having the same just because some people may use different lip and eye shadow colors that could change the tone.