Every bride has a vision of her wedding party as they walk down the aisle. You have a color in mind, a style and your maids have been carefully chosen. Shopping for your bridesmaid dresses should be easy, but its not. Maids or mom do not like the style, the color or the fabric. Take the sting out of shopping for your bridesmaid dresses by keeping in mind your maids body shape and their budget.
Pre shop for your maids with just ONE trusted friend, the maid of honor, your sister or your mother. Look at the different styles, colors and fabrics and narrow down your choices to no more than three dresses. Then make an appointment with the salon to bring your maids to pick THE dress, giving all the maids a choice and a vote.
When pre shopping, its really important to keep your maids body shape in mind. Happy maids equal a happy wedding. If they are uncomfortable in the style you have chosen, you will have problems. You need to concentrate on dresses that will flatter their figures, are within their budget and whether they want to wear the dress again. If you choose a knee length dress, they will have to buy matching shoes which needs to be added to their budget costs.
No one has a bridal party where everyone is built the same or has perfect figures. Every body shape is different. and none are perfect. What will flatter your size 8 sister may look awful on a size 20 best friend. If you have a large busted maid, you can not expect her to go bra-less in a plunging neckline. She will be uncomfortable, you will be uncomfortable.
Do not hesitate to ask your bridal consultant for help in choosing dresses that will flatter your maids. Tell the consultant the range of sizes, keeping in mind that their regular size will not be the same in a maids dress. Maids dresses run smaller because they are cut directly to the body, there is no ease or wiggle room in the dress. If your friend is a size 12 in regular clothes and you order a size 12, chances it will not fit her. Bridesmaid dresses are sized by measurements and they run small.
If one of your maids is a plus size, she will have to pay extra for a larger size. It is a manufacturers charge, it costs more money to produce because they use more fabric. You need to keep her in mind when choosing a dress. You do not want to put a plus size gal in a mermaid silhouette unless she is built perfectly in proportion. You also do not want to put any pear shaped or larger hipped maid in a sleek mermaid silhouette. It will not flatter them. Instead, choose a softly flowing A line skirt that flows over the hips. Your maid will look slimmer, she will be comfortable and you will be happier.
If you have a maid who is very large busted, avoid plunging necklines or any dress neckline where she can not wear a strapless bra. Many of today's strapless dresses have built in bras and detachable spaghetti straps. Be aware that some maids will still have to wear a strapless bra. Look for a dress with a straight across strapless neckline that comes up high enough on the bodice to hid the cleavage.
If you have maids that are thick in the waistline, look for empire waist or baby doll dresses. Wrapped waist dresses that wrap to the side of the dress are very slimming and give the illusion of having a smaller waistline.
If you have a maid that is very small busted, bra cups sewn into her dress can even up her figure. It is a very common alteration and very inexpensive.
If your maids want to wear the dress again, the truth is that they probably will not because a bridesmaid dress is a formal dress. However, if you choose a color that they can wear again and a simple elegant style, they can. Long dresses can be shortened to knee or tea length. Brooches can be unpinned, straps or a little jacket or shawl can be worn with it. If you INSIST on putting them in baby pink poofy rouched pick up skirts, make sure they are all up for it and can afford the expenditure before you commit to the purchase.
Another thing to keep in mind is that not all dresses and styles come in all colors. If you just have to have a color, you will waste a lot of time shopping and limit yourself to very few choices. Instead, shop for the style and pick a shade variation based on your color choice. And please consider whether the color will be flattering on your bridesmaids.
The quality of the dress does matter. If you fall in love with a bridesmaid dress your maids can not afford, and you see a knock off of the dress for a ridiculously low price, it is not going to be the same dress you saw in a salon. The fit will be different, the cut will be different, the fabric will be different. It probably will not have that cool built in bra or enough support to keep the girls in place. It probably will wrinkle more than the original because they are using lower grade fabric. If you do not see it and can not touch it, please do not buy it sight unseen. You will save yourself and your bridesmaids a lot of disappointment.
Pre shop for your maids with just ONE trusted friend, the maid of honor, your sister or your mother. Look at the different styles, colors and fabrics and narrow down your choices to no more than three dresses. Then make an appointment with the salon to bring your maids to pick THE dress, giving all the maids a choice and a vote.
When pre shopping, its really important to keep your maids body shape in mind. Happy maids equal a happy wedding. If they are uncomfortable in the style you have chosen, you will have problems. You need to concentrate on dresses that will flatter their figures, are within their budget and whether they want to wear the dress again. If you choose a knee length dress, they will have to buy matching shoes which needs to be added to their budget costs.
No one has a bridal party where everyone is built the same or has perfect figures. Every body shape is different. and none are perfect. What will flatter your size 8 sister may look awful on a size 20 best friend. If you have a large busted maid, you can not expect her to go bra-less in a plunging neckline. She will be uncomfortable, you will be uncomfortable.
Do not hesitate to ask your bridal consultant for help in choosing dresses that will flatter your maids. Tell the consultant the range of sizes, keeping in mind that their regular size will not be the same in a maids dress. Maids dresses run smaller because they are cut directly to the body, there is no ease or wiggle room in the dress. If your friend is a size 12 in regular clothes and you order a size 12, chances it will not fit her. Bridesmaid dresses are sized by measurements and they run small.
If one of your maids is a plus size, she will have to pay extra for a larger size. It is a manufacturers charge, it costs more money to produce because they use more fabric. You need to keep her in mind when choosing a dress. You do not want to put a plus size gal in a mermaid silhouette unless she is built perfectly in proportion. You also do not want to put any pear shaped or larger hipped maid in a sleek mermaid silhouette. It will not flatter them. Instead, choose a softly flowing A line skirt that flows over the hips. Your maid will look slimmer, she will be comfortable and you will be happier.
If you have a maid who is very large busted, avoid plunging necklines or any dress neckline where she can not wear a strapless bra. Many of today's strapless dresses have built in bras and detachable spaghetti straps. Be aware that some maids will still have to wear a strapless bra. Look for a dress with a straight across strapless neckline that comes up high enough on the bodice to hid the cleavage.
If you have maids that are thick in the waistline, look for empire waist or baby doll dresses. Wrapped waist dresses that wrap to the side of the dress are very slimming and give the illusion of having a smaller waistline.
If you have a maid that is very small busted, bra cups sewn into her dress can even up her figure. It is a very common alteration and very inexpensive.
If your maids want to wear the dress again, the truth is that they probably will not because a bridesmaid dress is a formal dress. However, if you choose a color that they can wear again and a simple elegant style, they can. Long dresses can be shortened to knee or tea length. Brooches can be unpinned, straps or a little jacket or shawl can be worn with it. If you INSIST on putting them in baby pink poofy rouched pick up skirts, make sure they are all up for it and can afford the expenditure before you commit to the purchase.
Another thing to keep in mind is that not all dresses and styles come in all colors. If you just have to have a color, you will waste a lot of time shopping and limit yourself to very few choices. Instead, shop for the style and pick a shade variation based on your color choice. And please consider whether the color will be flattering on your bridesmaids.
The quality of the dress does matter. If you fall in love with a bridesmaid dress your maids can not afford, and you see a knock off of the dress for a ridiculously low price, it is not going to be the same dress you saw in a salon. The fit will be different, the cut will be different, the fabric will be different. It probably will not have that cool built in bra or enough support to keep the girls in place. It probably will wrinkle more than the original because they are using lower grade fabric. If you do not see it and can not touch it, please do not buy it sight unseen. You will save yourself and your bridesmaids a lot of disappointment.
