We were asked by Tie The Knot magazine recently what questions brides most often ask when they come for a bridesmaid appointment. It was for an article they were doing as a guide to 'bridesmaid dress shopping' and I thought maybe it would help if we gave some brides a few pointers on here.
Firstly it's quite a different experience from buying your own dress - you’re no longer just focusing on yourself but a whole girl gang and instead of maybe just your Mum or Sister’s opinions, you have do deal with different personalities, taste preferences and body shapes. Luckily, many of the tougher parts of the experience can be easily eliminated
with a little foresight.
Some helpful Do’s and Dont’s
Do - have an idea of the shade you want or at least have a colour pallet in mind - if you’re unsure then giving your consultant as much info as possible about your venue, flowers, kilts etc can help her make suggestions for you.
Don’t - make your bridesmaid wear a colour that they need to slather masses of fake tan on for - it may sound obvious but putting a pale red head in a pale nude colour and hoping a spray tan will make her look better, the chances are it probably won’t!
Do - remember that lots of bridesmaid dresses need altered and there will be a cost on top of buying the dress. Also bare in mind that some designers may charge extra for longer length and for dresses ordered over a size UK18. (ask your consultant for more info on this)
Don’t - think that you have to have the whole bridal party with you on your first day out, if you think it will be too stressful then it can be easier to just initially bring a couple of girls to try on and then bring everyone back to see your faves.
Do - make it fun for you and them and arrange lunch and even a few cocktails between appointments. Well you’ve got to keep their strength up!
FAQ's
Q - What do I do if my bridesmaid is pregnant?
A - There’s no doubt about it, It's difficult to shop for a pregnant bridesmaid especially when you have no idea how big they're actually going to be by the time the wedding comes along. Not only is it important to pick a dress that can accommodate a baby bump but its important to make your bridesmaid feel comfortable and still look her best. Unfortunately there aren’t a lot of dresses that lend well to a growing bump, some girls will order a dress in a few sizes bigger and hope for the best but it's all really guess work and can cost the bride a lot on alterations when the dress still doesn’t fit. One of the best dresses to buy for your bridesmaids is our Twobirds dresses - not only are they fantastic for pregnant girls but because it’s one sized it means that any change in size of your bridesmaids (be it bigger or smaller) then the dress will always fit.
Q - What do I do if my bridesmaids don't agree on the dress?
A - It’s important to get input from your bridesmaids, after all they’re the ones wearing the dress and every bride wants their bridesmaids to be happy. It’s also your day and ultimately your choice so a bridesmaid should suck it up and wear what you choose but if you would rather have happy bridesmaids in a dress they love then a great option is to let your bridesmaids choose their own style from a cohesive collection in the same colour. Our dress ranges by Ghost and Rewritten offer different cuts and styles to suit all body shapes but in the same fabric and colour which gives a modern feel to your bridal party and lets each bridesmaid express her own style.
Q - What dress do I put my teenage bridesmaid in?
A - This is always a difficult one for brides, especially if the girl is too old to be a flower girl but too young to be a ‘proper’ bridesmaid. Some bridesmaid dresses can be just too sophisticated and glamorous for a young girl so it’s important to keep it young and fresh - a good way to do this is to tweak a bridesmaid dress to give it a ‘younger feel’ Adding straps onto a strapless dress can make it much more age appropriate or cutting a full length dress to just below the knee can give your junior bridesmaid a cute look next to your floor length bridesmaid dresses (we're always happy to make suggestions) Leaving hair down with a bouncy curl and minimal make-up will keep it fresh and why not put them in a pair of converse to let them be totally comfortable.
Let us know if there's anything you want to know or us to help with - we'd love to hear from you -or make an appointment to try on our beautiful range of bridesmaid dresses from designers Twobirds, Ghost, Rewritten, Bari-Jay and Angel.