Choosing The Best Dress for Your Bridesmaids
Choosing a wedding dress can be both exciting and exhausting, so sitting down to choose a special dress for your bridesmaids – who are all likely to have different figures and tastes – can really tip your patience over the edge.
It can be confusing and confronting to manage different expectations and desires, especially when you have your heart set of a particular style for your special day.
Read Also: 4 Beautiful Wedding Dresses Designed by Maggie Sottero
So how can you navigate bridesmaid dresses without losing your mind or your friendships?
Tell Your Bridesmaids Exactly What You will Provide for Them As Part of Your Party
It’s no secret that weddings can be a pricey affair.
Before you announce your bridal party, sit down with your partner and discuss the budgetary allowances.
Outline in black and white exactly what you, as a couple, are prepared to pay for or contribute towards, such as:
- Dresses/suits
- Accessories
- Attire hire
- Fitting adjustments
- Hair and makeup
- Fake tans
- Manicures and pedicures
Then, when you invite your friends to be part of the party, outline clearly what you are able to provide as ‘thanks’ for their help.
It might not bring you the warm and fuzzy feelings you want, but it will help preserve your friendship long-term!
Start Managing Expectations Early
Once you’ve confirmed your bridesmaids, jump onto a platform like Pinterest and create a secret board with them filled with bridesmaid dresses and colours that you like. In turn, encourage them to add images of things they like, and discuss!
Making it clear from the start as to what sort of attire and style you’re aiming for will ease confusion and help avoid confrontation should a member of your party ‘not understand’ your taste.
Proactively discussing the pros and cons of these choices will also help clear up any concerns – especially if the dresses are to suit a specific theme, venue, season or location.
If Confirmation is Important, Pick A Dress That Works with Most Figures
Generally, V-neck A-line dresses flatter most body types, but your bridal shop will be able to help offer some guidance and tailoring options if you fall in love with a particular style.
Every cut comes with benefits and limitations: strapless dresses can be unforgiving for friends with a small or large bust, while high-necked dresses can exaggerate the bust line – so don’t be afraid to explore the options.
Let Your Bridesmaids Choose A Style from The Same Swatch of Colour(s)
If it’s more important that your bridesmaids stick to a colour or shades of a colour, then you can either explore designers who use the same material over several styles, or, cut some swatches and send them out to find a dress.
If you are sending your bridesmaids out, make sure to set some parameters on length, occasion and budget so they don’t end up buying something gorgeous, but inappropriate.
This will take some tension off you, and allow them to do the hard work in sourcing a dress to match!
Let Your Bridesmaids Pick Their Dress to Your Theme
Another way to sidestep different tastes is to let your bridesmaids choose a dress that fits your theme and colour scheme more broadly.
For example:
- A beach wedding might call for more pastel colours, so you could ask your girls to find pastel coloured tea-length dresses
- A garden-inspired wedding might work best with some lace-embellished dresses in creams, off-whites or ivories
- A wedding themed to a specific period might call more for dresses of a certain cut – such as 1950s style swing dresses with a polka pattern
