Selecting Bridesmaids Dresses: a few tips from a Bride and a Bridesmaid

Selecting dresses for your bridesmaids can be a fun experience. But with any bridal party, a difference of opinion is sure to be in order. Don't let picking the dresses for your maids be a stressful experience! Here are a few tips from my experiences both as a bride and a bridesmaid.

Considerations. Before making any selections, take into consideration the formality of your wedding, the time of year and the time of day. Bridesmaids dresses for a black tie, evening affair will differ from an outdoor garden wedding on a spring afternoon. The overall feel and formality of your wedding will help narrow down your options.

Pick your color (or colors) first Or at least narrow them down. Having an idea of your color scheme before you shop will help you to determine the availability of the dresses in the color(s) of your choice. Opening yourself up to too many options can make it more difficult to make a decision.


Browse. Look through bridal catalogs, and wedding websites to get an idea what style dress you prefer. Even if you're open to different styles, also consider fabric and length before hitting up the bridal shops.

Narrow down the options before bringing your maids into the mix. Bringing all your bridesmaids shopping with you can be a fun and memorable experience. But beware of conflicting opinions as dresses of all styles and colors can be pulled from the racks and into the pool of potential dresses. It's great to have your maids as sounding boards, but too many opinions can lead to an overwhelmed bride. To avoid this, I picked some dresses I liked and took my co-mohs and my junior bridesmaids shopping. My two best girls tried on from the ones I had picked and helped me narrow it down to three dresses we all agreed on before getting opinions from the rest of the bridesmaids.

Be Flexible. Remember not every dress is flattering for every figure. Take your bridesmaids' feelings into consideration and put yourselves in their shoes so to speak. Don't force your best girls to wear something they don't feel comfortable in and insist on it because it's YOUR day. It is your day, but they are part of the wedding too. Be open to letting your bridesmaids where the same color dresses but in different, complementary styles.

Have fun! Don't get so caught up in trying to make a decision that you forget to have fun in the process. Possibly the most fun and memorable part of shopping for bridesmaids dresses was when my co-mohs were in the dressing room and I got some downtime with my junior bridesmaids (my two nieces.) Be sure to enjoy the experience!

Choosing Wedding Colors

Some brides know exactly what colors they want for their wedding - sometimes even before they have the ring!

I was not one of those brides.

When it came to colors, I was all across the board. I liked the combination of greens and pinks for a garden wedding in May.

I loved the bright, fun summer hues like raspberry and tangerine with tropical flowers, perfect for a waterfront, beach themed wedding.

I wanted warm hues that screamed romance, champagnes and blushes. Roses everywhere.

I  loved the colors of autumn and the changing leaves. 














Most of all, I wanted colors that were classic and elegant, that I (hopefully) wouldn't look back on in ten or twenty years and cringe!

When my fiance and I finally narrowed down the season for the wedding- our favorite season, fall - I was excited to choose from a palette of autumn colors. But I got hung up on the idea that I needed a two-color scheme: one main color and a complementary color. Everyone I knew seemed to have two colors: My parents, who just celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary, had two colors: pink and gray. Fast forward 25 years and the tradition still held, my best friend whom I grew up with also had two colors in her wedding: navy blue and silver.

Even theknot.com wanted me to select two colors on my wedding page. I just couldn't narrow it down to two!

I fell in love with plum for the bridesmaids dresses. It's a beautiful fall color, elegant, and one that my fiance could agree on. I couldn't narrow it down to just one complementary color - so I didn't.

Plum is our main wedding color, the complimentary colors are the colors of fall: rustic red, sunflower yellow, burnt orange.

A color scheme doesn't have to be limited to two colors - use three, four or five - just don't overdo it. If you choose bold bright colors (like the aforementioned raspberry and tangerine) offset them with a cooler, neutral color like cream.

For me, the most important thing I did was pick colors that I like. I know that sounds obvious, but I'm surprised at how many brides choose colors based on the bridesmaids' preferences or their mothers' tastes. It's important to consider the opinions of those who are a part of your big day (including your future husband!) but don't let them bully you into choosing colors that just aren't you.

Now every time I see anything in plum - dresses, jewelry, clothing (and even things non-wedding related!) I get excited. And that's how I know I made a good decision. Ask me again in ten or twenty years and I hope I'll still feel the same!