Welcome to the ultimate bridesmaids dress shopping guide. Here, you’ll learn everything you need to know about bridesmaids dress shopping, including etiquette, budgets and making sure everyone looks and feels awesome.
Choose your ladies
Seems like an obvious first step, but we’ll say it anyway. You really do need to know who your bridesmaids will be before you start choosing what they’ll wear. This will help you determine the style and colour that will suit them.
Get your wedding dress first
Before you get carried away with choosing bridesmaids dresses, you’ve got to get yours! Your girls will be next to you in the photos, so it’s important that their look complements yours. The style of your dress will determine the style of theirs.
Work out the budget
This is a pretty boring step but an important one. As with everything else in your wedding, you need to know what you can spend. Don’t forget to include extra budget for alterations.
Decide what you’ll pay for
Do you intend to pay for the whole wedding dress cost for each bridesmaid? Or would you like them to contribute? Etiquette dictates that if you can’t buy your bridesmaids their dresses, you can’t tell them what to wear. If you ask them to contribute towards the cost of the dress, ask what they can afford and then don’t put pressure on them to add in anything more.
Try this: “I’d love for all of you to wear emerald green dress, but I’m happy for you to decide on the style and cost.”
If you are paying for the full cost, you can be more involved in deciding what the girls wear. However, you should still get their input.
Remember the season
Thick fabric in the heat of summer? Short, strapless dresses for your winter Christmas wedding? No thank you. Remember the season and select dresses that fit.
Consider your wedding theme
The overall theme and style of your wedding will be carried through your bridesmaids dresses.
Related: Should Bridesmaids Match Or Not? These Are Your Options!
Get inspiration
The best place to seek inspiration is from real life couples who have been there, done that. Every week, we share a real wedding feature, which includes photos and stories from couples who have recently tied the knot.
Check them out here: Real Weddings
Ask your bridesmaids for input
Get the girls involved in choosing dresses! This includes getting their opinions on style and budget, as well as silhouettes that accentuate their best features.
Give them choices
With a budget, style and fabrics in mind, you can present a list of options. Ask your bridesmaids what they think and allow them to give honest feedback.
Arrange a group fitting
It’s important to see what the girls look like as an ensemble because they’ll all be together when posing for photos. It’ll also get everybody’s excitement levels up!
Talk about finishing touches
Once you’ve settled on the dress choice/s, it’s time to talk about the finishing touches. We’re talking about jewellery, hair and makeup, shoes and accessories. Discuss who’s paying for what (and remember the rule that if you’re asking them to pay, you’ve got to let them choose).
