LET ME TELL YOU NOW – SHOPPING FOR BRIDESMAID DRESSES IS PURE HELL. I mean maybe it’s not as bad as I made it out to be but trying to find bridesmaids dresses that weren’t over £150 each, in the colour I wanted, and were adaptable to all shapes and sizes was near enough impossible.
It’s also why I ended up going with an easy multi-ways dress but I wish there was more out there that had the same functionality but with different variations of material and design.
If you’re shopping for Bridesmaid dresses then I’m probably not the expert in this department. However, at the very least, I can give you some advice on what worked for me now that I’m married and nearly three years down into my life sentence. Just kidding, I love the bones of my husband and he makes beautiful children so I’m blessed. Anyway here are my girlies in their bridesmaids dresses and here’s what I’d suggest.
Set a budget
Like anything when planning a wedding, you could really spend a fortune on bridesmaids dresses. However, you don’t need to spend a lot on bridesmaid dresses for them to look the part. In order to keep to a realistic wedding budget, it’s always good to overestimate but consider how much you’re willing to spend for each bridesmaid when it comes to their whole ensemble. For example, these were my costs for the bridesmaids by the time the big day came around.
- Dress – £50 pp
- Makeup – £50 pp
- Hair – £80 pp
It’s crazy how much everything costs and I had six bridesmaids so you can do the maths! I had the bridesmaids get their own shoes and jewelery. I wasn’t really particular with the type of shoe other than the colour just being a muted gold. Obviously, the more bridesmaids you have, the more expensive it becomes so it’s worth thinking about this before you go asking your friends to be bridesmaids.
Know what colour you want
Colour was a hard one for me because I really wanted burgundy and it wasn’t really the time of year for that colour. I got married at the end of August so really this type of colour would typically be seen in the winter.
I loved the colour though on my bridesmaids and I’m glad I stuck to it even though there really wasn’t much to pick from with this color shade. Burgundy was a really great shade for all my girlfriends because they all have such beautiful complexions and I think this deep red colour suited them all really well.
Shop online for samples
Shopping online is worthwhile even if it means you’re ordering several different bridesmaid dresses from different places. I got most of mine through Amazon as a lot of the brands had shops on this platform. Ultimately we ended up going for the multiway dresses but it’s certainly worthwhile having a number of dresses, possibly one just for an individual bridesmaid to try on so that you get an idea of how it looks.
Make comparisons where you can be bothered
I didn’t really do this but it’s worth doing if you have more time on your hands and the motivation to do it. Once you’ve figured out the colour and which dress types and styles suit your bridesmaids the best, it’s good to shop around for some comparables. You may find you get a bargain with a similar-looking dress at a fraction of the price.
Be accommodating to your bridesmaids but ultimately it’s your wedding day
The best type of bridesmaids are those who’ll happily walk down the aisle in a bin bag to make you happy. While you want them to look their absolute best and feel comfortable, it’s your wedding day and therefore your say on what you think looks the best for the photos and overall wedding theme.
With that being said, I ultimately wanted my bridesmaids to be comfortable with what they were wearing. I had bridesmaids of all shapes and sizes so prior to the big day, we decided on a few different top-half styles that the bridesmaids could fashion with the multiway dresses. That way, there’s some flexibility to suit everyone’s shape but some limits on what styles they’d choose.
I’m so thankful I had best friends who were all willing to just go with the flow on what to wear, how they were styled with their hair and makeup, etc. I think this definitely helped to ensure everything well smoothly and that all of the girls looked their best.
What recommendations do you have when it comes to shopping for bridesmaid dresses? Let me know in the comments below.
