Your wedding approaches. You don’t know if you have more knots in your stomach than those you’ll be tying, but regardless, excitement is bubbling. You probably have ‘the dress’, and duly, now’s a good time to start thinking about your bridesmaids’ outfits.
Unfortunately, for many brides-to-be, this may cause some serious nerves. With so many different body shapes, styles and colourings to deal with, it may feel like a frankly impossible task. While you’ll never be able to please everyone, there are some ways to make choosing your lovely ladies dresses less fraught with stress. With this in mind, here are 5 IDEAL tips for bridesmaid dress shopping.
THINK ABOUT THE WEDDING AS A WHOLE
Hopefully by this point, you’ll have decided on the theme of your big day. If not, it’s time to get cracking as ideally, you’ll want to match your bridesmaids’ dresses to suit the overall style and vibe of the wedding. If it’s going to be a casual garden party, why not ask your girls to wear floaty floral numbers? Or how about long lace gowns for a more regal affair?
Also think about what the groomsmen are going to be dressed in. Are they wearing a classic black tuxedo or a double breasted jacket? Is the fabric plain or does it have a herringbone pattern? Plenty of questions to answer, sure, and if like us you’re not au fait with all the different answers concerning men’s dress wear, Edit Suits have a section of their website dedicated to ‘tying the knot’ showing loads of different styles.
FORGET MATCHY MATCHY DRESSES
When it comes to cut and design – whisper it – your bridesmaids don’t have to wear exactly the same dress. All your girls have different tastes and personalities, so don’t try to shoehorn your bridesmaids collectively into something that doesn’t work for them, just because it’s the perfect accompaniment to your dress or the flowers.
You want your bridesmaids to feel confident and comfortable in their attire, as their role is just as much about being charming as it is gorgeous. Opt for dresses in the same colour with different lengths and necklines, giving your girls the option to choose the style that’s more flattering for their body type. Having your bridesmaids looking and feeling gorgeous and showing of their unique individual personalities makes the day go with much more of a bang, so don’t overlook it!
CHOOSE A COLOUR THAT SUITS EVERYONE
Just because the colour compliments your skin tone, doesn’t mean it will look good on your girls. Whether your lovely ladies have fair, olive or dark skin tones, make sure that the colour looks good on everyone when you go bridesmaid dresses shopping.
Think laterally with colours. We love the idea of using a two colour palette or having the same dress in lots of different tones – things needn’t be identical. In fact, a little contrast brings a lot of intrigue. If you’re having a winter wedding, consider mistmatched sequin dresses in different colours – this way your girls can choose a shade that looks great on them. Make sure you consider your bridesmaids’ hair colour too. If one of the wedding party has bright blue hair, try to make sure the colour of the dresses doesn’t clash with their locks.
GET YOUR GIRLS TO TRY ON LOTS OF OPTIONS
One of the top rules for bridal dress shopping is to keep an open mind, and the same should apply to bridesmaids and their dresses. Go to a specialist and have your bridesmaids-to-be try on lots of different frocks in different styles and colours. Your friend who has sworn off anything girly could look perfect in a pastel pink number. Remember, it’s going to be hard to make everyone happy, but keep an open mind and you’ll be richly rewarded.
MAKE IT FUN
Don’t make being a bridesmaid a chore. Your bridesmaids have their own lives so don’t expect them to drop everything just because you’re getting married. If you want to take them dress shopping, plan a date well in advance. This way you can make sure that they’re free, it fits in with their schedule and they won’t have to cancel. Make a fun day out of dress shopping, with the reward of dinner and drinks at the end of it for everyone to look forward to!