Your wedding is a celebration of the love between you and your soon-to-be husband. It is also a time for all of your friends and family to gather and support and celebrate your commitment, including your best friends. It can be difficult to shop for discount bridesmaids dresses that everyone can afford, everyone loves, and that flatters everyone. But here is how to achieve all three of these things.
Not only is it an honor for your best friends and family to be in your wedding, it is also an honor for you that they want to be there to support you. It is important that you give them dress options that they all love and are fine with spending money on (even if they can never wear it again!). Sometimes buying the right bridesmaid dress is as important as finding the perfect wedding dress.
The first way to get bridesmaids what they want is to talk to them. Brides usually have the responsibility of selecting the dresses, but that does not mean you have to be a dictator about it. Talk about the style of dress they all enjoy or the patterns they may love or hate. If you have any requirements for the dress, like the color, let them know before having them select their favorites.
When you are talking with your bridesmaids about what they want to wear, make sure you give them visual options. You can get bridal magazines with tons of bridesmaid dress options in photos. Sometimes the bridal shop you went to for your dress has a catalog of bridesmaids dresses you can look at online. If this is the case, you can pre-shop and have bridesmaids select a few of their favorites to try on when you all go shopping.
Choose styles that complement all the different shapes and sizes of your bridesmaids. Figure out the problem areas that each bridesmaid would like to hide. It can be difficult to find a style of dress that complements everyone in your bridal party. Check out empire waists, princess skirts, or A-line dresses. These styles are very complementary.
A trend lately to accommodate all sizes of bridesmaids has been to choose dresses that have slightly different styles but all have the same color. Allowing bridesmaids to show off their individuality will allow them to feel great on your wedding day and show off their most flattering aspects.
Don’t forget the season you are getting married along with whether you are having an indoor or outdoor wedding. If you are having a wedding in warmer months, consider strapless or spaghetti straps along with shorter skirts. In the fall or spring, consider thicker straps or bell cap sleeves. If you are having a winter wedding, consider long sleeved dress styles and long skirts for warmth.
Make sure to choose a fabric that not only looks nice, but also the bridesmaids feel comfortable wearing. There are many popular fabrics that are both comfortable and beautiful. This includes chiffon, lace, organza, satin, brocade, georgette, and crepe. Make sure not to choose a fabric that wrinkles easily.
When you shop for bridesmaids dresses, always take the bridesmaids with you. You want to see how the dresses look on everyone before settling on one to buy. It is a good idea to go to the same bridal shop you visited to get your wedding dress, if they offer a wide selection of bridesmaids dresses.
Always have your bridesmaids try on the dress before buying. This will also give you an idea of what alterations are needed for each girl. Have them take notes on what they need or want altered and get it done by a skilled tailor in plenty of time before the wedding. Sometimes the bridal shop you buy the dresses from will offer alterations as well.
Lissa Kamel
