How to Pick Bridesmaid Dresses: A Complete Guide for Every Bride
Choosing your bridesmaid’s dresses can be one of the most exciting parts of planning your big day, but it can also come with its own set of challenges. Between considering your bridesmaids’ personal styles, body shapes, budgets, and theme of your wedding, there is a lot to think about.
Read on for more information about how to pick bridesmaid dresses so the process is seamless, fun, and a great bonding experience for you and your besties.
How to Pick Bridesmaid Dresses
It’s not as easy as choosing your favorite color, finding a dress in that color, and texting your bridesmaids where they can get it.
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There’s a lot to consider from what the weather will be like, how the dresses will look in photographs, what the costs will be, and more.
But don’t get overwhelmed just yet. These tips will help you select the perfect bridesmaid dresses with ease.
1. Consider Your Wedding Theme and Venue
It’s important that your bridal party matches the theme of your wedding and the ambiance of your wedding venue.
If you are already planning a black tie wedding, you’ll need your bridesmaid dresses to fit the bill as well.
If you’re getting married in a modern venue and your decorations will be very elegant and sophisticated, opt for a formal, structured rather than something bohemian. On the flip side, if your wedding will be decorated with lots of florals and natural accents, a fun patterned bridesmaid dress will look lovely in photos.
2. Match Your Color Palette
If you haven’t picked your wedding colors yet, this part is vital before choosing your bridesmaids dresses. The dresses should complement the wedding color palette. Also keep in mind how different colors will look on each bridesmaid. Take into consideration different skin tones, hair colors, and personal styles.
Neutral colors like blush, champagne, gray, or taupe are not only flattering to most body types but also work well with most skin tones. They also blend well with the most common wedding colors.
3. Consider Mismatched Bridesmaid Dresses
We know it’s your wedding day but it’s important that your bridesmaids (who are likely your close friends and family) feel comfortable and confident in their dresses. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to each person’s body type before making your bridesmaids dress selections.
This is where mismatched bridesmaid dresses come in.
Whether it’s different dresses in different shades of the same color or different colors that align with your color palette, mismatched bridesmaid dresses allow your bridesmaids to pick a color and style they feel looks best and adds a bit of variety to your wedding photos.
4. Keep Your Bridesmaids’ Budgets in Mind
At Kendall Point we know that you want the best of the best when it comes to your wedding but that doesn’t always mean you should choose the most expensive designer gowns for your bridesmaids.
Remember, bridesmaids typically incur a lot of costs including shoes, accessories, hair, makeup, travel to your wedding (if needed), the bridal party, and the bachelorette party. The expenses can really add up!
Before shopping (and falling in love with a bunch of dresses), set a realistic price range and stick to that. Make sure that the dress shop only shows you options in that set price range so that no bridesmaid feels overwhelmed by the finances.
5. Think About the Season
In places like San Antonio, there is mild weather almost year round (yes even for Christmas weddings), but no matter where you’re getting married, weather is part of every decision—especially when it comes to what people are wearing.
For spring or summer weddings, lightweight fabrics like chiffon, silk, or tulle are perfect for a breezy and breathable dress. For fall or winter, a dress with sleeves and heavier fabrics will work well. If you’re having an outdoor ceremony but indoor reception, you can bend the fabric rules a little bit, but always make sure you’re considering your bridesmaids’ comfort.
Maybe add a shawl for an outdoor winter ceremony. That way, your girls can still rock a lightweight dress on the dance floor.
6. Include Your Bridesmaids in the Decision
Getting your bridesmaids’ input will be the key to your success. You may have your vision but involving the actual people who will be wearing the dresses in the decision making process is important as well.
It also takes some of the weight off your shoulders by asking for help!
If you have some bridesmaids that are out of town, make an idea board to share with them and get their feedback. This ensures that everyone feels involved and gets them excited about the dresses they’ll be wearing.
7. Plan for Alterations
Once you choose the dresses, don’t forget to account for the time that it takes for alterations. Bridesmaids dresses will need to be tailored to fit each person perfectly—not all that different from your dress!.
This means that the bridesmaids dress will need to be one of your earlier decisions in the wedding planning process.
It’s better to have the dresses altered a few weeks before your wedding. That way bridesmaids have the perfect and flattering fit without cutting it too close.
8. Don’t Forget the Accessories
Picking the dress or dresses isn’t the end of the job. Don’t forget to help your bridesmaids coordinate their accessories as well.
Most brides let their bridal party choose their own accessories, but you can still set some guidelines about how much jewelry, heel height, hairstyles, and more to ensure you have a uniformed look in photos.
Lights, Camera, Bridesmaids: Ready for the Big Day!
Choosing bridesmaids dresses should be a fun and exciting part of your wedding planning process that helps you grow closer to your friends and family that you’ve chosen to take part in your wedding day.
By considering your venue, color palette, bridesmaids’ personal preferences, body types, and budget, you can make sure that your bridal party feels confident, beautiful, and ready to support you throughout the process.
At Kendall Point, we’re ready to help make your wedding dreams a reality. From offering advice on the best places for unforgettable bridal party photos to providing a stunning backdrop for your big day, our venue is designed to make your wedding as picture-perfect as possible.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you plan the wedding of your dreams!
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