Bridesmaid Dress Shopping 101

Bridesmaid Dress Shopping 101

First time bride and bridesmaids, this is for you! On top of all the events and details you are planning for, we want to make sure you don’t forget what’s perhaps the most exciting part of the wedding planning- bridesmaid dress shopping! We are helping giving you some tips and tricks for when you shop for your bridesmaid dress for the first time


Decide on a Color Palette


When you are browning through all the different dresses online, you are looking at all the different styles, the necklines, the skirt lengths, sleeves or no sleeves… but one thing you should decide on with your bridesmaids is the color palette of the wedding party. Whether you are going for single-colored look, multicolor, or even cross-fabric, you should know what color scheme you are looking for before you start worrying about the other details. Ordering swatches is an excellent way to start- because the colors and fabrics online don’t always look the same in person. Buying multiple swatches can help you and lock down the colors and fabrics for all the dresses before you continue on with the styles. 


Reference Photo Goes A Long Way


You may already have a Pinterest mood board for all your wedding ideas and inspos, but have you made one for your bridesmaids yet? Creating a mood board just for your bridesmaids can help you decide on what kind of dresses you would like your bridesmaids to wear and even the kind of photos you would like to take the day of. 


Schedule A Group Call


After you’ve had some ideas and are ready to share with your bridesmaids, find a time slot where everyone is free, and share with them your ideas! Check in and make sure everyone is comfortable with the colors and overall styles you are looking for. This is also a great time to update them on the wedding and even just to catch up. 


Maid Of Honor?


One thing you may also want to take into consideration is what your Maid of Honor is going to wear. Is she going to wear the same color and style as the rest of the bridesmaids? Or do you want her to stand out? Some brides have chosen to have her bridesmaids wear more simple chiffon colors while their maid of honor goes for something more extravagant such as sequin. Of course, this is completely up to you as you are the brides. 


Hair


Another factor that comes into play when it comes to bridesmaid dress shopping is the hairstyles of the girls. This could affect the neckline of the dresses you want them to wear. For example, if everyone is going for an up-do, dresses with sleeves could be a great idea. On the other hand, if everyone’s just wearing their hair down, then you probably want to go for something with spaghetti straps or even strapless. 



Alterations 


Last but not least, make sure this entire process happens earlier rather than later. Though bridesmaids dresses don’t take as long as bridal gowns, your bridesmaids still may need time to get it altered. Alterations could take time and you don’t want to stress yourself or your bridesmaids out by doing everything last minute!

Reading next

How To Find The Perfect Bridesmaid Dresses
8 Personalized Bridesmaid Gifts We Are Obsessed With

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