You’ve booked your wedding venue, set a date, and maybe even found your dream dress: now it’s time to focus on your bridal party. Even with the most laid-back and supportive squad, bridesmaid dress shopping can be complicated. Budgets, body types, style preferences, and time commitments can all factor in, making the selection process overwhelming for you and your bride tribe. But this doesn’t have to be the case: with some careful prep and our handy shopping guide ahead, choosing the perfect bridesmaid dresses can actually be a breeze (no, really)! Read on for tips on how to shop, stress free.
Find Your Dress First. Your wedding dress sets the tone for the bridal party; their dresses don’t have to match yours exactly but they shouldn’t feel totally out of sync, either. For example: If your gown is soft and romantic, you might not want your bridesmaids in glam sequins. Or if you chose a sleek modern bridal gown, bridesmaid dresses with lots of ruffles or bold florals might clash, as opposed to complement. The idea is for your ladies’ looks to harmonize with yours–and make beautiful bridal party music.
Get Inspired and Define Your Vibe. Start researching online to get an idea of the types of bridesmaid dresses that speak to you. If you don’t already have a Pinterest board for bridal party inspiration, start one. Looking at all of your bridesmaid inspo pins together will help you get a clearer sense of the type of mood, colors, and styles you’re responding to–which will help when you actually start shopping. Try also to come up with a descriptive phrase for the vibe you want your wedding to have (like “nautical romantic” or “rustic and magical”)–it will keep things focused for you when you’re making decisions on everything from bridesmaid dresses to flowers.
Set the Budget and Be Open About It. Weddings can be expensive for everyone involved and expenses can add up quickly. Be upfront about what you expect your bridesmaids to pay for themselves and respect the fact that they are spending time and money to be a part of your big day by being transparent about costs. Not everyone can afford to spend a small fortune on a designer dress–or even wants to. Consider where you can score bridal party dresses and accessories that will have your attendants feeling like a million bucks without spending themselves into debt (ahem, we might know a place).
Remember Alterations. Don’t forget to factor in tailoring costs when discussing budget with your bridal party. The majority of bridesmaids need some sort of alteration done to their dresses and prices can vary widely (depending on what needs to be done and where they live).
Start Looking Early. Start shopping for your bridal party at least seven to eight months before the wedding to save everyone’s sanity–and allow time for coordinating ordering. For example: to ensure dresses are cut from the same dye lot and avoid slight color variations and sell-outs, Lulus Bridal Concierge will hold dresses for two weeks and wait until the entire bridal party is chosen to place an order. No last-minute dress drama!
Craft a Color Scheme. Keep in mind your ceremony and reception venues when zeroing in on colors for your bridesmaids’ dresses (clashing with the decor can put a real damper on wedding photos). Whether you want your ladies all in the same hue, tonal shades, or a mismatched color palette is entirely up to you–and don’t be afraid to incorporate unexpected elements like floral prints or even bridesmaid jumpsuits! Pro tip: if you are going the mismatched route, start with a print and pull out colors from the pattern for solid dress options. To keep the bridal party looking cohesive, give each ‘maid the same monochromatic bouquet.
Consider Shapes. Do you want all your bridesmaids in the same dress? Keep the body types of your girls in mind–A-line silhouettes tend to look great on everyone. Or consider giving your bridesmaids options by offering them varying dress shapes in the same hue (convertible dresses are perfect for this and let your ladies express their personal style). They’ll each find a silhouette that works for them and look great as a group–everyone wins!
Listen to Your Ladies. Yes, you are the bride and yes, this is your big day but you’ve chosen these women to stand beside you because they are special to you–so treat them respectfully. If one of your squad is feeling really uncomfortable in a dress style, hear her out and consider her feelings. There may be a way you can compromise so that everyone is happy in the end.
Get Professional Measurements. Especially when ordering bridesmaid dresses online, accuracy is crucial when it comes to measurements. If possible, ask your ‘maids to get measured by a professional seamstress or tailor at a department store to ensure they order the proper size. And when in doubt, go for the larger size. Repeat after us: it’s always easier to take in a bigger dress than it is to let out a gown that’s too small.
Place Your Order. Having all bridal party dresses ordered at the same time ensures the color will be consistent. After the dresses are all ordered, send a quick email or text to your bridal party detailing the timeline and responsibilities in regards to the dresses. Alterations can take two weeks but remind your ladies that a second fitting can be necessary and to allot time for that. If you don’t want to be in charge of keeping your bridesmaids on a dress schedule, assign the task to your maid of honor. 
Accessorize. If you’re choosing your bridesmaids’ shoes, make sure to take comfort into account (not everyone is a pro in heels). Or consider assigning your ladies a color and letting them pick their own shoes (metallics are always a safe bet and go with everything). The same can be done with jewelry (ie: telling your ladies to wear pearls or rose gold jewelry)–unless you want each lady in the same necklace or earrings, in which case it’s nice to gift a special bauble to all of your bridesmaids.
Show us your beautiful bridesmaids on Instagram @lulus using #lovelulus!
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