Three Things to Consider When Choosing Bridesmaid Dresses

Choosing your bridesmaid dresses is an important part of bringing your visions of your wedding day to life. Their dresses are most likely where your color pallet will be most evident. There are so many different options, but finding the dresses in the style and color your want at an affordable price is not always as easy as it seems. Here are the four biggest considerations I suggest focusing on when choosing dresses for your bridesmaids.

Style

It is a known fact that no two bodies are exactly alike. That being said, choosing a style of dress for your bridesmaids that will look good on everyone is very important. The last thing you want is for your bridesmaids to be uncomfortable or self-conscious about the dress you choose for them. 

One way to avoid this is by choosing the brand, fabric, color and length of the dresses and letting your bridesmaids choose the style. Some may prefer a strapless, fitted dress and others may prefer straps and a more flowy look. If you want your bridal party to look more uniform, then this may not be something you want to consider. If you like the idea of creating a subtle array of looks throughout your bridesmaids, this is a great way to accomplish that.

Here is one of my recent pins that shows a slight variety in the bridal party dresses.

Color

Finding the color you envision for your big day may not be as simple as you think. If you have a color that is not a common shade, you may want to start search for a brand that carries the color you have in mind before you fall in love with a dress that doesn't come in the right color. Also, when deciding on a color for your bridesmaids, you should consider the season the wedding is in. If it is a spring or summer wedding, you may want to consider brighter colors or colorful flowers. If it is a fall or winter wedding, neutral or darker colors are popular. Of course, there is no "rule" that says you can't do a certain color in a certain season, but you may want to consider this when thinking about the overall look and feel of your wedding.

Another issue might be that even though the colors may be called the same thing among various brands, it doesn't mean they are the same color.

For instance, I have been frantically searching for the "perfect" mint bridesmaid dresses. The MoriLee, lin of bridesmaid dresses have a mint that looks like this:

http://www.morilee.com/bridesmaids/bridesmaids/686

The Bill Levkoff mint looks like this:

http://www.billlevkoff.com/style/bridesmaid-dress/730

Be sure you ask for color swatches or visit a store that carries the dresses that you are considering or you may end up disappointed.

Price

Being in a wedding is not cheap and it is something that your wedding party is fully aware of when agreeing to be in the wedding. However, if you can lower the expenses for your wedding party as much as possible, it will make for a much smoother process. If your bridesmaids will be paying for their own dresses, I suggest choosing a dress that is a price that you would expect to pay if you were the bridesmaid. 

In some instances, the couple our their parents pay for the dresses. If cost isn't an issue, the possibilities are essentially endless. You still will want to consider the number of bridesmaids there are and how much of your budget will be spent on their dresses if you choose to pay for them.

Now go out and find your perfect bridesmaid dresses!