Ah bridesmaids. There’s nothing like having your best girlfriends and sisters by your side through wedding planning and on your wedding day.
Choosing their dress (or dresses) can be a tricky, often emotional affair.
Here are some tips to simplify the job!
1. Think about your wedding colour scheme. Bridesmaid dresses are a great way to tie in your wedding colours – especially bold hues! You can also choose a range of shades for one colour – light purple to dark purple in a large bridal party would look awesome!
Example: Your wedding colours are navy blue, orange, and white? Well, your tablecloths may not work in orange, but there are flattering shades that could work as dresses. Or, conversely, if your wedding is more traditional, you could choose the navy blue for the dresses and go for pops of orange in their shoes or bouquets!
2. Think about your wedding formality. Long dresses are best suited for more formal or nighttime affairs. The most popular length is just above the knee.
3. Think about your friends’ silhouettes. If you are choosing one dress to suit all, it’s polite to consider their body shapes. An a-line dress or a wrap-dress is often universally flattering. Some smart brides allow their bridal party to choose different dresses in the same colour and material. SMART!
4. Think about your friends’ budgets. If they are paying for their outfits, please be considerate. It’s not fair to make your (sometimes broke) friends pay for exorbitant dresses that they’ll only wear once. Often, dresses have to be altered as well – with the alterations sometimes costing as much as the dress itself!
5. Think about the season and temperature. If it’s going to be cold, choose a shawl, bolero short jacket, or some sort of wrap to help keep your ladies from turning into bridesmaid-sicles during portraits!
6. Think about where to buy the dress. If your bridesmaids live across the country, choosing a dress from a major manufacturer will
be easier on them.
7. Forget about re-wearability. The truth is, most bridesmaid dresses, no matter the cut or style, STILL LOOK LIKE BRIDESMAID DRESSES. I haven’t seen too many ladies at the bar rocking out lavender satin. 😉
This isn’t an invitation to bring back giant bum-bows (hello 1986!), but don’t stress over finding a dress that they’ll wear forever. They won’t. 😉
