At this point in the wedding planning process, you might have already picked out your venue, style, colors and your own wedding dress. Now it’s time to nail down the dresses your best friends will be wearing as they stand beside you on your big day! But this decision might not be as smooth as picking your color scheme. When considering bridesmaid dresses, you now have to take others opinions into consideration…even more so than with other wedding aspects. So how do you navigate this decision to both make your girls happy but also sticking to your vision?
- Step 1: Talk About Budget
As with anything else, you’ve got to have the budget conversation. Get honest feedback from your bridesmaids. If everyone is responsible for paying for their own dress, know what they are comfortable spending. Get a group consensus on what the max budget is that they are willing to spend. This will help narrow down your options and keep you from wasting time on dresses or boutiques that simply aren’t practical.
- Step 2: Rule Out the No’s
What makes bridesmaid dress shopping long and tedious is everyone having their own opinion on style or taste. Each girl has their own list of what they want and what they look good in. To help make this process a little easier, start from a different angle. Don’t ask what everyone likes. Instead, ask each girl what is the one thing they absolutely can’t say yes to. For example, your maid of honor might draw the line when it comes to the color orange. Or your sister might say she can do anything but a strapless dress. Take these “no’s” into consideration and rule out the dresses that include these things.
- Step 3: Consider Everyone
Another big part of picking out the perfect dress for your girls is considering everyone’s body type. Not everyone looks good in that off-the-shoulder gown you’ve been eyeing. If you’re open to different dresses for each bridesmaid instead of one uniform look, it makes this step a whole lot easier! Each girl can then buy a dress that fits their shape.
- Step 4: Make the Decision
After taking all of these steps into consideration, it’s time to make a decision. If you’ve opted for every girl to wear a slightly different dress, you might want to give them a few different ones to choose from and let them make the final decision on what they want to buy. This might mean giving them three neckline options. Or maybe you might give them a color family to stick to. Or, if you’ve decided everyone looks best in the same style and color dress, it’s time for you to make that final selection.
At the end of the day, remember that this is your decision and your wedding. Don’t lose sight of what you want! Take time to consider your bridesmaids and their wants and needs, but be confident in your decision. Your bridesmaids will thank you as you take the time to make a dress selection that’s best for everyone. Have fun shopping!
