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Last Updated on November 15, 2023 by Steal the Style
Choosing bridesmaid dresses can be a lot of fun and a great bonding experience for the bridal party. It can also go wrong when no one can agree, or a bride forces an unflattering dress on her girls. For your wedding, you want happy bridesmaids who feel good in their dresses. You also want them to stand out and to have a chance to shine without competing with the overall theme. There are several ways to achieve this goal, including:
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1. Mix It up With Color
An ongoing trend in bridesmaid dresses is to choose one color and vary the style. This has many benefits, namely that each girl gets to choose a dress that flatters her figure and makes her feel good. Gone are the days of matching dresses. More brides are embracing a multi-colored wedding party, using more than one color or shade for the dresses.
However, this can be tough to pull off. You want to avoid clashing colors while still letting each bridesmaid shine. One way to do this is to choose a color and opt for different shades. For instance, some bridesmaids may choose sage green bridesmaid dresses, while others select emerald or forest green.
2. Allow Them to Choose Their Style
Let your girls choose their preferred style, whether you go with a single color, multiple shades in one hue, or a rainbow of colors. Forcing everybody into the same type of dress can cause problems. Each bridesmaid should feel good about the dress they’ll have to wear for hours.
To avoid looking completely mismatched, select one designer and your color palette, and then let each girl choose a dress within that framework. This ensures it’s not a free-for-all but also allows each girl to shine in a dress of her choice.
3. White Bridesmaid Dresses
White for anyone other than the bride was once taboo. Today, it’s a trend worth considering. All white is elegant, classic, and clean. The only challenge is ensuring that the bridesmaids look different enough from the bride, so she stands out.
One way to do this is to choose shorter dresses for the wedding party and a gown for the bride. Or, the bridesmaid dresses can be more casual. A texture, like lace or beading, can also distinguish the bridal gown from wedding party dresses.
4. Go for Different Hairstyles
As with dress choice, hairstyles can help your bridesmaids showcase their personalities and best features. There’s no need to put everyone in the same updo or soft curls. Let the girls decide how they want their hair done for the big day.
In addition to matching their preferences and personalities, a chosen hairstyle also sets off each dress. A girl with a showy back to her dress may want to have her hair swept up off her neck. Another with a low back might feel better with her hair down for some coverage.
Provide some guidelines or inspiration if you want to have some consistency while still letting your wedding party choose their own styles. For example, if your wedding has a boho feel, a sleek, tight bun won’t work. Suggest loose updos, half-up styles, and big curls.
5. Embroidered Dresses
For something truly unique and trendy, try embroidery. An embroidered bridesmaid dress is on the cutting edge of bridal trends right now. Lace is the obvious choice, but you can find all kinds of embroidered options, including florals, beading, and multiple colors in one dress.
The most obvious benefit of choosing embroidered dresses is doing something different. Your girls will stand out with this non-conventional dress option. The embroidery provides an interesting texture, but it can also support any theme, depending on your choice: romantic and soft, hippie and bohemian, or country and casual.
With embroidered dresses, you run the risk of having a bridal party that looks a little cluttered. For such a bold look, it’s more important to choose similar gowns or the same dresses. If you want to let your girls choose their own dress, stick with a strict color and style palette so they don’t look all over the place.
When Your Bridesmaids Shine, So Do You
Letting your girls shine on your big day is considerate. They’re your friends, and you don’t want them to be uncomfortable or to feel like they have been forced into dresses they don’t enjoy. Let them stand out in their own unique ways. When you let them shine and be themselves, the entire experience is better for everyone.