Your wedding is bound to be one of the most significant events in your life. Consequently, you will undoubtedly choose your bridesmaids carefully after much time and consideration. It can be really fun to outfit your bridesmaids in beautiful clothes for the wedding. Here are eight tips for choosing a bridesmaid dress.

1. If you are having more than one bridesmaid, you can use the following tip to find a bridesmaid dress that will suit them all. Look for dresses that will suit the various builds of all your attendants. Some dresses look best on a slim figure and others work best for more voluptuous bodies. Try to find a dress that will work for everyone.

2. The dress you choose should have something in common with your wedding dress. One of the tips for choosing a bridesmaid dress is to look for selections that echo the theme of the bridal dress. If the wedding dress is sleek and slinky, a lacy frilly bridesmaid dress would not look quite right next to your gown.

3. Another tip for choosing an appropriate bridesmaid dresses is to think about the season. Velvets are beautiful for winter weddings, while crepes and taffetas are lovely for summer weddings. Some bridesmaid dresses cross all seasonal boundaries with their classic elegance and formal style.

4. Your bridesmaid will be glad if you think about her comfort as well. Remember that most weddings are long, drawn-out affairs - especially if you have a lengthy reception. Your bridesmaid will thank you if you choose a fabric and style that is designed to be worn and not just to be modeled.
5. Bridesmaids dresses should be well-constructed for the same reasons that they need to be comfortable. You do not want your bridesmaid’s dress to start coming apart at the seams before the wedding is even over. Therefore, one of the tips for choosing a bridesmaid dress is to get one that will last and last.

6. If everyone does not fit into the bridesmaid dresses, select garments that can be altered. One of the most important tips for choosing a bridesmaid dress is to be sure that it can be made to fit everyone who will be wearing one.

7. You can make your bridesmaid happy by using dresses that can be worn long after the wedding is over. To make this happen, you need to pay attention to other aspects of choosing a bridesmaid dress. Also, look at the style to see if it is something you would wear to some other occasions.

8. The final tip for choosing a bridesmaid dress is that you can save on the price of the dresses. Sales are great for those on a budget. Beginning and ending of seasons are popular times for clearances of bridesmaid dresses. If you know about your wedding long before the date, or plan at the last minute, you are likely to be able to take advantage of these sales. The most important thing is to select a bridesmaid dress that makes you happy.

The bridesmaid dresses that you choose for your wedding will have a big impact on the overall look of your event. After all, there is only one bride, but there are often as many as five or more bridesmaids, so you will be seeing quite a lot of that same dress, and you want it to make a good impression. The trick is to find a dress that will enhance the beauty of your wedding without sending your attendants to the poorhouse!

There are ways to save money on bridesmaid dresses without sacrificing style. If you are looking for traditional dresses, one very simple way is to buy them from the same place where you purchased your bridal gown. They will often offer you a discount on your attendants’ dresses, especially you are ordering them in a large quantity. At any rate, it never hurts to ask.

Another good way to save is to look for dresses on sale at the end of a season. This works best if you are planning well in advance so that you have time to search around. The only thing to be aware of is that all of the dresses may not be from the same dye lot if you buy them from different stores.

Don’t forget about shopping for your bridesmaid dress at regular stores instead of bridal shops. You might be able to find special occasion dresses for less than traditional bridesmaid dresses. If you buy them all at once, some stores will give you a discount if you open a store credit card for the purchase - sometimes as much as 20%.

Cocktail dresses are a more affordable alternative to full length gowns. They are often quite chic and stylish, so your bridesmaids will be very happy. It is really only the most formal weddings that require gowns to the floor. For most weddings, knee length or tea length dresses will be perfect.

Of course, you can also look for bridesmaid gowns at the large national bridal chains. You are likely to find excellent prices at those types of stores. However, the quality of the dresses can vary widely. Some may be well-constructed from nice fabric, but many others will be cheaply made. Be sure to look the dresses over carefully in the store,or check the return policy if ordering online in case you are disappointed with the quality.

If you have shopped around, and just cannot find a bridesmaid dress that is a bargain, you may want to consider how you can soften the financial blow to your attendants. Some brides will decide to purchase the dresses instead of asking their bridesmaids to shoulder the cost. Others may still expect their attendants to buy their own dresses, but will help them out in other ways.

The biggest complaint of bridesmaids is the ugly dresses that they are forced to wear. You hear horror stories of gold lamé, dresses in rainbow colors with matching ruffled parasols, and even electric blue satin with enormous bows. It does not have to be this way! The top trends for bridesmaid dresses are all focused on making the bridesmaids feel attractive, and hopefully even choosing a dress that they will want to wear again.

If you haven’t been to a wedding for a while, you may be in for a surprise. Gone are the days of a gaggle of girls decked out in petticoats, ruffles, and poufy sleeves. Today’s bridesmaid dresses are much more like regular cocktail dresses (in fact, they may even be cocktail dresses from a non-bridal store). Dresses are slim, not full skirted, and most of them do not even reach the floor (the better to show off a really cute pair of shoes and a great pedicure!). Your bridesmaids should be able to move and dance easily in their dresses, without feeling encumbered.

Bridesmaid dresses are definitely sexier than they used to be (within the limits of good taste, please!). One of the hottest necklines is the halter, which is flattering to almost every woman in any size. If you like the halter, but are having a formal ceremony in a house of worship, matching wraps are a great idea for the service. Wraps provide a more modest look for the ceremony, and then they can be discarded for more of a cocktail dress look during the reception.

The cookie cutter look is definitely out of style. Brides are allowing their attendants to customize their look. A very popular idea is to have each girl choose separates in a designated fabric and color. That creates a look that is coordinated, but not too matchy-matchy. It also means that each bridesmaid can select the cut that is most flattering to her figure. Your attendants will thank you for that!

Another top trend is for the bridesmaids to wear a range of colors. Now we are not talking about the aforementioned rainbow of pastels that were seen in the 1970s. Rather, the bride specifies a theme, such as “shades of pink” or “autumn colors”, and each attendant has the luxury of picking a dress that she loves within those parameters. It is a good idea, though, for the bride to take a look at all of the bridesmaid dress before the wedding, because sometimes you can end up with one off-choice that sticks out like a sore thumb.

A lot of brides these days like to pick out a dress at a national retailer, such as J Crew or Ann Taylor. It used to be that you would have to find a suitable dress in their everyday line (which were usually best for informal weddings), but now several of the big chains also offer special occasion collections designed for bridesmaids. This can be a terrific choice for a bride whose attendants are scattered all around the country. It allows them to go down to the store in their local mall and try on the dress in person, which is great. (Returns, if needed, are usually very easy, too.)

The disadvantage to finding a bridesmaid dress in a national retailer is the lack of flexibility. If you have one bridesmaid who is not a standard size, she may be out of luck. The other thing is that it can be hit or miss. If you are the type who likes to plan ahead, it may be nervewracking waiting for the spring collection to arrive in time for your summer wedding. What is nice is that choosing a dress in a store like J Crew is usually less expensive than buying one from a bridal shop (although if you choose from their special occasion collection, the savings may be small.)

The traditional place to buy bridesmaid dresses is at a bridal salon, often the same one where you got your wedding gown. There are some advantages to going this route. The biggest one is that a bridal salon will have the widest selection, especially if you prefer a floor length dress. Also, they usually order the bridesmaid dress, which means that you don’t have to worry about five girls all needing the same size (which would be a problem when buying off-the-rack), or having a range of figures from petite to average to plus size. Special fit issues can often be handled without a problem. The other good thing about ordering from a bridal salon is that you will have access to their seamstresses, who will specialize in wedding alterations.

There are some drawbacks, though, to choosing your bridesmaid dresses in a bridal salon. For one thing, they can take a long time to come in. The biggest disadvantage is likely to be the cost. Traditional bridesmaid gowns are going to be the most expensive choice. This can be tough if your attendants are paying for their own dresses. A bride who selects a pricey dress for her attendants can take some of the sting out if by giving her bridesmaids their shoes, wraps, and pearl bridesmaid jewelry as a gift.

Everyone shops online these days, and brides are no exception. Sometimes if you are looking for a great bargain or something out of the ordinary, the internet is the place to find it. This is certainly true for accessories, such as your pearl bridesmaid jewelry. When buying bridesmaid dresses online, though, be sure to look before you leap. Unlike a pair of earrings, sizing and fit is important for a fancy dress. Carefully check the retailer’s return policy - can you send back any dresses that do not fit your bridesmaids? If so, is there a restocking fee or any other hidden charge? One of the nicest things about picking a bridesmaid dress online is that you can email the picture to all of your attendants in a flash to get their opinions.

When choosing a dress, it is the bride’s privilege to select the color and type of fabric of the bridesmaids’ dresses. It should complement the bride’s gown, but it should also be comfortable and attractive for the attendants. Consideration should be given to the bridesmaids’ style, color preferences, their figure types as well as their budgets.

The Internet is a wonderful resource for finding bridesmaid dresses. We also recommend thumbing through the more popular wedding magazines, such as Bride’s and Modern Bride magazines. It is recommended that the bride go shopping with one or two of her bridesmaids and see what styles they like. Once you narrow it down, you can then get input from your other bridesmaids if you desire.

There are steps you can take to make sure the dress stays clean and wrinkle free on the big day. Below are some great tips in making the bridal dress and bridesmaid dress a success:

Make sure to choose types of flowers that don’t stain. You can also ask your florist for this information as well as to remove any parts of the flowers that may stain the dresses (if possible).

Bring an iron and spray bottle with you. It is also helpful to remember an extension chord and mini ironing board if possible.

A garment bag is key to making sure the dress stays nice, especially if you are going to change.

Use both a deodorant and antiperspirant on the big day since both will help in keeping your bridal dress clean.

If you are doing your makeup, make sure to do it before your dress is on and if you have to touch up the makeup after the dress is on, use a towel or some drape cloth to make sure no smudge hits the dress.

Use barrettes or something to hold the long dresses up so they do not get dirty on the ground before walking down the isle or taking pictures.

Make sure to think the worst when getting into a car, leaning or sitting down that there may be something dirty you will be pressing against. Always make sure to wipe off or look at what you are pressing against whether sitting or leaning.

In outdoor weddings, watch out for ledges where birds may be resting. It has happened before for a bride to be pelted by a bird which is not a pretty site.

With a seamless waist and slight flare, A-line bridesmaid dresses look great on everyone. You might opt for a scoop neck and cap sleeves, or let each gal choose her own neck and sleeve style. An alternative: Many brides decide on a certain designer and color, and then let each maid pick something from the line in that color but in a style that flatters her most. If you’re not a stickler for an exact match, just let everyone know what color you want them to wear and let them choose their own dresses. We all know that women who feel comfortable and pretty in what they’re wearing, look more smashing than women wearing dresses they dread!

Purchase the junior bridesmaid dress at the same time as the bridesmaid dresses so the material comes from the same dye lot.
Choose a classic style. Opting for a knee or ankle length dress and less formal style ensures the junior bridesmaid can wear the dress for another “dressy” occasion.
Ask the alterations expert for a “swatch”, a small bit of material. This is to give to the person who will dye the shoes for reference.
Avoid styles that are too grown up. Mini dresses and plunging necklines are for grownups and have no place at a wedding.
If there is no matching junior bridesmaid dress, choose a different style made in the same colors as the older bridesmaids. If you can choose a style by the same manufacturer or designer, you might be able to use material from the same dye lot.