Tips on choosing bridesmaid gowns

For a bride, shopping for bridesmaid gowns can be one of the most difficult aspects of wedding planning. How can the bride find a gown for her maids that will display her own taste, look great on every girl and will fit into the financial picture? There are so many colors and styles of dresses to choose from. The bridesmaids themselves may vary greatly in size and want a flatteringly gown that makes them feel good. The bride and her bridesmaids may be in their mid-20’s or older and want a more sophisticated look in the bridesmaids gown. The bride also has the task of choosing a gown that will look good with each girl’s skin tone, hair color and figure.

Choosing the right gown can be a challenge, but it’s not impossible. The bride should start the decision process early. It’s ideal to actually place the order for the gowns about four months before the wedding. This will allow time for alterations, shopping for shoes and other accessories and leave time to dye the shoes to match the gown if you choose dyeable shoes. The bride will find it most helpful to shop with the one bridesmaid whose fashion sense she shares. The ultimate decision about the perfect bridesmaid gown will be the bride’s.

The Style & Formality of the Wedding

The first step to choosing a bridesmaid gown is to determine the formality, style and fabric of the wedding gown. The bridesmaid dresses shouldn’t overpower or clash with the wedding gown. For today’s more simple bridal styles, nice detailing in the maids gowns creates a good look for the group. Back accents like straps, halter tops and simple beading are important for ceremony photography. A quality gown of good fabric and construction is necessary for the active bridesmaids who will be walking, dancing or running errands. Who needs to worry about seams splitting apart or buttons falling off during the wedding?

Choose Your Color

The next step for most brides is choosing the gown color. This can be done by looking at bridesmaid swatches in the bridal shop. Most manufacturers make bridesmaids dresses in anywhere from a few colors to as many as fifty or more. Choosing the actual color will narrow the choice of gowns to a more manageable number. If ordering your gowns online, ask the company to mail you fabric swatches before you place your order.

The Sizes of Your Bridesmaids

The bride must then consider the size ranges and figure types of her maids. Most bridal parties have an average of two full-figured members. If this is the case, many times it’s best to begin choosing a gown style with the larger maids in mind. Some larger girls feel comfortable in spaghetti straps or even strapless gowns, but many would rather have at least a short sleeve or perhaps a shawl. The smaller girls can usually wear any style. A-line styles look good on most everyone. A two-piece style with a longer top covering the hip bone is another good style. Almost 50% of wedding parties will include a pregnant bridesmaid. There are many new maternity bridesmaids styles to choose from. Or for a regular bridesmaid gown, extra fabric can be ordered to create a maternity side panel.

Bridesmaid Separates

A new marketing trend for bridesmaids is the idea of separates. Most manufacturers now feature at least some of their styles in separate tops and skirts. Separates offer some flexibility for the maids as they are able to choose different sizes for the top and skirt and can accommodate many different figures types. The bride can also choose the color and manufacturer of the bridesmaid separates while letting the maids have the freedom to create a style they will be comfortable in.

Price of the Gowns

In these sensitive economic times, many gown manufacturers are adjusting their prices to meet everyone’s financial needs. Gowns are an average of $40 less than in years past with no reduction in the quality of the garments.

Shopping Online for Maids

The bride may save time doing her preliminary shopping online. She can narrow her choices and email styles she likes to her maids. Shopping on the internet may be the most logical choice for some brides when her maids live in different parts of the country. Online ordering entails the maids obtaining their own measurements and alterations which must be done correctly for the best fit. Ask the online store to mail swatches in the color and fabric of your choice. Actual colors can vary from the color you see on your computer monitor. Be sure to order very early to allow extra time for shipping the gowns.

Accessorize Bridesmaids

A bridesmaid look is not complete without shoes and accessories. Shoes are available in many styles in fabrics which can be custom dyed to match the gown. Also popular are the clear vinyl shoes in “Cinderella” pumps or strappy sandals. Salon Shoes is now producing 100% silk shoes with leather soles in colorfast fabrics. They are available in lots of styles in 15 colors and can be special ordered for delivery in about one week. Matching wrist or elbow gloves offers a sophisticated look. A simple rhinestone or pearl necklace and earring set will enhance the look of your maids.

With all the choices in bridesmaid gowns available today, every member of the wedding party should be happy with the final results and spend the wedding day celebrating with the bride and her groom.

Learn more about planning for the delivery of your bridesmaid dresses!