Bridesmaid Dresses
Bridesmaids' and the maid of honor's dresses are, without a doubt, the most infamous component of a wedding. In fact, it has become somewhat of a tradition now to either sell it off in the local thrift store or hang the dress after the wedding somewhere in the back of the closet like a Halloween costume. The reason is that these dresses are unsightly, not according to the girls' preferences and without any alterations. Keep in mind that bridesmaids' and the maid of honor's dresses are a big factor in determining the degree of elegance and classiness of a wedding, and obviously an unfashionable dress would make everything around like the bouquets, look less pleasant as well.
For the reason mentioned above, it is necessary that you spend some quality time in picking out the perfect dresses for your maid of honor and other bridesmaids. While selecting them and getting the alterations done, keep the following tips in mind:
1. Do plenty of research
The wedding industry has become gigantic, and there are countless resources to choose the best dresses from. Instead of going straight to your local dress store, do some research on the Internet for ideas, ask newly-weds around for references and browse through some magazines. Not only will that give you more ideas, it will also give you a few names of designers and stores that you could visit for good dresses and alterations.
2. Make a scrapbook
Purchase a few latest season bouquets and bridal magazines, and cut out pictures of your favorite bridesmaids dresses, flower arrangements and bouquets from them. Paste these pictures on a scrapbook and take it along when you go to the salon, so the sales person could get an idea of what you are looking for. This will help establish the color schemes of the dresses according to the wedding's overall theme. In older times, the length of the maid of honor's dresse would absolutely have to be full-length if the bridal dress was full length. However, nowadays there are more important considerations than the length of the dress, for instance, the choice of fabric, color, alterations and the choice of bouquets to go with them.
3. Make sure the dress goes for everyone
Naturally all of the bridesmaids will have different body shapes and types. Unless they are all super models, keep in mind their problem areas, as you do not want to highlight them in the dresses you choose. Not only will that make them uncomfortable, you will have to spend a lot of time getting the alterations done. For the most flattering fit for all body types, it is best that you choose length that falls below the knees. Also keep in mind that spaghetti strap or strapless dresses are very difficult to pull off, certainly not something that everyone is capable of.
No matter how pretty the dress or the bouquets are, if the maid of honor doesn't look good, her dress will not be able to complement the wedding gown. Also, bear in mind that choosing a style that the girls would be able to wear on other occasions too will make them happier.
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4. Choose the fabric
We certainly pick out ordinary dresses while taking the weather and season into consideration. However, that factor may be overlooked when picking out bridesmaids dresses. For one thing, the dresses are often selected months prior to the wedding, and just the stress of having the perfectly styled dress with perfect alterations can make you forget about the weather.
Avoid velvet and satin fabric for the summers, and chiffon and light satin in winters. If it is an outdoor reception, make sure the fabric can breathe through and is appropriate for both warm and chilly weather.
5. Pick the color
Don't go too overboard and keep in mind that the bride has to stand out, not the bridesmaids. The colors largely depend on the theme of the wedding, and should go with the floral arrangements and bouquets. If the theme of the wedding is wintery, black, platinum and silver colors are most appropriate. If it is a spring theme, bright and vibrant colors of the bouquets like green, lime, pale yellow, and several shades of blue can really complement the wedding.
6. Don't rob a bank
The dresses should not force the maid of honor and the girls to pick up extra shifts at work or go bankrupt. Since they have to pay for themselves, make sure the budget is not too overwhelming. If cutting cost is a huge consideration for you, a creative and personalized idea is to have somebody sew the gowns in the wedding party according to the bouquets theme. Not only will that be inexpensive, it will also allow all the bridesmaids and the maid of honor to ensure the perfect fit and get alterations done where needed. Custom sewn dresses with perfect alterations can look just as beautiful as any expensive one, all the while being more personal.
7. Keep in mind their preferences as well
At the end of the day, it is your maid of honor and the bridesmaids who have to wear those dresses, therefore, try to factor in their preferences as well. When you look back at your wedding, the perfect dresses wont matter as much compared to how they felt. Their personalities, opinions, budgets and shapes should all be considered when making the final purchase.
