Once you've decided on your wedding gown or the theme of your wedding, you can start seriously looking for your bridal party's outfits. Here's a straightforward approach that can help make the decision-making a lot easier, especially when several women are included in your entourage:
Talk Style and Money
As a first step, consider hosting a casual get-together so your bridesmaids can meet each other, brainstorm about wedding ideas, and talk about dress styles. Get a general consensus of their tastes and budgets. Be up front about what you will pay for and what you expect them to cover to avoid misunderstandings. Be prepared to compromise.
If any of your bridesmaids finds the financial responsibilities too much, don't pressure her; if you can't help cover her costs, tell her that you still value her participation and give her a role to play in your wedding that does not require her to be a member of the wedding party.
Browse For Ideas
Look for the current editions of bridal fashion magazines or simply browse the under the Bridal Party section of Weddingbells.ca to get a feel for what's new and exciting in formalwear for attendants. You'll get ideas and may even find exactly what you had in mind.
Solo Shopping
Think about going solo on your preliminary shopping trip for bridesmaids' dresses, - at this point, you're browsing for ideas on their behalf, armed with a sense of their likes and dislikes.
You should bring along a list of the bridesmaids' clothing sizes (including dress size, bust, hip and waist measurements and shoe sizes), especially if you're working with a bridal salon. Here, a fashion consultant will be able to help you select a number of styles that coordinate with your gown and that suit the builds of your bridesmaids. Gowns from a salon are usually custom-ordered, just like wedding gowns, so allow plenty of time.
Narrow it Down
Once you've found two or three styles you really like, it's thoughtful to have the bridesmaids help make the final decision, especially if they are expected to pay for the dresses themselves. Obviously, it's most convenient to work with a single salon or store: your bridesmaids can see all the styles at once and try them on. If your favourites are scattered among different stores, you might want to make a day of it.
Style Tips
Since most bridal parties don't generally look a line-up of Rockettes, bridal designers tend to create styles that equally flatter a range of figures. A good case in point is the sheath dress, often featuring princess seams, that can look equally good on small, large, short or tall women. Dresses with elbow-length or long sleeves, V-necklines, basque or dropped waistlines, and full skirts are also good choices for a group of women with a range of sizes.
An ensemble that features a jacket adds versatility, and is a good choice for larger sizes.
No One-Time-Wonders
If versatility is a major concern, so outfits can easily be worn again, consider a suit style, made up of skirt, jacket, and coordinating blouse or camisole, for instance. A formal floor-length skirt can later be hemmed to knee-length - you can probably even make arrangements ahead of time through the dress shop.
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