How to Guarantee a Stress-free Bridesmaid Dress Shopping Experience
You've popped the question, they've said yes, now it's time to dress your besties! Shopping for bridesmaid dresses can be a bit overwhelming. You want your ladies to look and feel great; that means accommodating different styles, budgets, and body types. It's also important that their looks are cohesive with the wedding as a whole (No pressure, right?!). Don't worry - here are a few tips that will help you avoid that unwanted stress throughout the shopping process!
1. Plan Ahead
It's a good idea to wait until you have your color palette and your wedding gown selected to go shopping for your bridesmaid dresses. This will ensure that you are on-point with your color scheme and that your girls' looks complement your gown and don't compete or clash with it. Browse bridesmaid dresses online to see what style(s) you like and what colors are available, so you're not asking your bridesmaids to find something that simply isn't on the market. Don't forget to keep in the mind the price point on the dresses you like, as well!
Photographer | Maria Lamb
2. Talk Budget
Asking someone to be in your wedding party is a way of recognizing how much their friendship means to you and your partner. It is also a BIG commitment on their part, both in time and money. Make sure that you are sensitive to this when shopping for bridesmaid dresses. Talk to your bridesmaids individually about their personal budgets and make sure the dresses that you are considering are within a price point that your friends are comfortable with. If some of your bridesmaids are not comfortable with the price, offer to help them pay for the dress (either partially or in full). This is not expected, but it is a thoughtful gesture that will go a long way. When discussing the budget with your ladies, make sure to take alterations expenses into account. If the dress is floor-length they will most likely need it hemmed, and almost everyone will need the bodice taken in unless the style you choose is adjustable.
3. When and How to Shop
This really depends on what retailer(s) you choose to go with. Each store, even each dress within a store, can have a different lead-time. Some bridesmaid dresses are similar to wedding gowns in that they are made-to-order and can take several months before they are ready to ship. This being said, we encourage you to start shopping at least eight months in advance. This allows two months for you to finalize your decision and run it by your bridesmaids before they need to place their order. Fortunately, most bridesmaid dresses can be ordered online, so an in-store outing is no longer required. If you do want that in-store moment, we encourage you to pick one bridesmaid to share it with (preferably your MOH, or a bridesmaid that lives in your city). Have fun, take pics, but keep it between you two–you don't want the other ladies getting FOMO. Keep in mind that bringing your entire bridal party to an in-store shopping excursion may sound fun in theory, but it can be overwhelming to have that many personalities and opinions in one room.
Lance Nicoll Wedding Photography
4. Mix & Match
In these modern times, many designers and retailers have made it possible to order a plethora of silhouettes in the same color. This allows your bridesmaids to choose the design that allows them to feel their best on your wedding day while staying inside your color palette. We suggest narrowing it down to three or four silhouettes you enjoy and that fit the dress code of your wedding. From there, you simply tell your bridesmaids what color(s) to order and let them choose between the specified silhouettes–super easy, right?
5. Consider Regular Retail
You don't need to limit yourself to typical "bridesmaid" dresses if that's simply not your style. Feel free to look into other retailers that carry formal wear–this offers its own advantages. With traditional retailers, there is usually no lead-time. Your bridesmaids can try the dress on right then and there and buy it straight off the rack. This will save them cost of shipping and potentially the cost of alterations if the dress already fits just right (we still suggest that they budget for alterations, though - just in case!)
6. Have Their Measurements Taken by a Professional
It is not uncommon for every person in your bridal party to live in another part of the country, or in another country altogether. This can complicate things a bit. If your bridesmaids have a brick and mortar location near them that carries the dress, encourage them to go into that retailer and have their measurements taken by the sales consultant before ordering. If any of your bridesmaids do not have a physical location near them that carries the dress, have them go to a nearby tailor, or anywhere that does alterations. Ask the alterations specialist to take their measurements. They will usually need measurements for their bust, waist, hips, and hollow-to-hem (or length) to ensure that they order the proper size. No matter where they end up going to have their measurements taken, there are a few items that they should wear or bring with them to the appointment. In order to get the proper measurements, your bridesmaids should wear the undergarments that they will be wearing the day of your wedding (bra, corset, shapewear, etc.). These undergarments can change the shape of your body as well as your measurements, so it is important to take them into account. While your bridesmaids may not have the exact shoes selected that they will wear to your wedding, they should bring heels of a similar height when they are having their measurements taken. Bridesmaid dresses usually come in a standard length. If it looks like the dress may be too short in the shoes they’ve selected they may want to request that extra length be added to the hem (there is usually a fee for this) or find another pair of shoes to wear with the dress. Make sure that your bridesmaids refer to the size chart for their specific dress when selecting which size to order. If they are in-between sizes, opt for bigger rather than smaller. It is easy to take a dress in – to let it out, not so much (EEK!).
Photography | Winsome and Wright
7. Send Reminders
It's a good idea to follow up with your ladies and make sure everyone has ordered their dress. You should check in with each of them about six months before your wedding (depending on the dress's lead-time, of course.) Around two months out, send a reminder for your girls to schedule their alterations appointments. This is also a good time to touch base with any other styling requests like shoes, clutches, etc. Try not to be too specific with the accessories, being in your bridal party is a big investment as-is, it’s best not to ask them to buy matching designer shoes to go with their dress. Instead, ask them to wear something most women already have in their closets like nude pumps or a metallic (something neutral that will complement the dress!)
Taryn Grey Photography Happy shopping!
