Too Few Bridesmaids For Different Dresses?

Too Few Bridesmaids For Different Dresses?

January 3rd, 2007 @ 4:23 pm by Mrs. Lime
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While I hate anything matchy-matchy, I’m also a minimalist who likes to keep certain things very simple. In the realm of bridesmaids dresses, that means I’d love to pick one, easy, simple dress that fits everyone OK. However, I like the idea of giving them a color range and letting them pick their own dress somewhere retail to avoid matchy-matchy, to keep them happy+comfy girls, and to hopefully keep the costs down. One problem will be finding the colors I like retail, but that’s for another post.

I have nightmares of the 80’s dyed-blue carnations (don’t get me wrong, I might actually use them as I like them when used properly, but just say no to dyeing flowers) and hydrangea (very pretty flower, but the blue ones are a little too purple for my taste). Therefore, no blue flowers for me. I think I will stick to mostly red flowers since Asian “adults” have a thing with white flowers being for funerals. Plus, I like how red pops in photos.

[Gross!]

I like this overall look, from the most recent InStyle Weddings [Winter 2007]:

[The colors for all except the leftmost one with "streamers" (that actually look like her halter's come undone) are within the range I'm thinking for "soft aqua."]

They can then carry bouquets like the following (the little one and the big one is a little too vintage/garden/rustic/leafy/some-word-I-can’t-find for the look I’m going for):

[I do like the bouts and proportion of porcelain berries (the name of the flower, they're not literally porcelain) for a little blue in the nosegay, too. Also from InStyle Weddings, Winter 2007.]

Anyway, the pretty pictures make me digress. Are three bridesmaids too few to do the mix-and-match thing? I think it looks more fabulous the bigger the bridal party from past photos I’ve seen. For illustration purposes, see my friend’s recent wedding below.

[It looks ok, but it's not meeting the vision of ideal bridesmaid "look" in this wedding-obsessed head. Maybe if I keep the skirt lengths the same it won't look as piecemeal...]

Tags: bridesmaid-dress, los-angeles |

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19 Responses to “Too Few Bridesmaids For Different Dresses?”

Guest

Lucy

I was one of three bridesmaids in a wedding recently. The dresses we wore were the same fabric and color and the skirts were all the same, but the tops were all different. I liked the effect–not too matchy, but similar enough to feel bridesmaidy.

1/3/07 @ 4:38 pm (reply)

Guest

lindsay

i do agree that three is too little. the mix-match works better with the larger bridal parties.

it sounds like lucy had a great experience as a bm. i really like the whole same fabric, color and skirts, but different tops. i think that’d be the way to go with only three bridesmaids.

1/3/07 @ 4:41 pm (reply)

Guest

WeezerMonkey

Same skirt lengths are a must for uniformity’s sake. Otherwise it ends up looking…well…stupid. (Apologies to your friend.) With just three bridesmaids, I would recommend the same color and same fabric for all. There simply aren’t enough bodies to get the “shades” effect, but three different styles of dresses will still look good.

Also, the word you can’t find for the big and little bouquets is “ugly.” The one in the upper left corner is quite fetching, though. I’m thinking different blooms (as opposed to just one type of flower) for you but still monochromatic and with a contrasting wrap.

In your head! In your head!

1/3/07 @ 4:51 pm (reply)

Guest

Meri

I had three bridesmaids in my wedding, this past June, and they all wore the same dress in different shades of blue’ish-purples. It looked great in pictures and gave me a nice variety of hues to incorporate into my wedding theme. It also felt more personal for the girls, because they each had their “own” color. Let me know if you’d like to see a picture, it would be my pleasure.

1/3/07 @ 4:51 pm (reply)

Guest

WeezerMonkey

And by “left,” I mean “right.” Poor spatial reasoning skills. Sorry.

1/3/07 @ 4:52 pm (reply)

Guest

Tea

my best friend was going to do different dresses for us 3 bridesmaids until she got bullied into a more uniform look. have your girls try on different dresses and take a picture of them together and decide whether or not you like it. honestly, whatever you want to do is probably the best way to go. things get more complicated when you try to account for what you think is “supposed” to be right.

1/3/07 @ 5:10 pm (reply)

Guest

Hi Miss Lime, though I am not a bride to be, nor have I been to any weddings recently, I just wanted to tell you my opinion and what I think pleases my eyes (and if we have different tastes, then you can just disregard all this).

I actually think having 3 bridesmaids wearing different shades of aqua blue would look better than with a larger bridal party. Just by looking at that page in the magazine, it seems that having so many different colors (i.e. more people) is too much, I think. And I agree with what you said about keeping the length of the dresses around the same. That would stay within the desired formality of your wedding.

One more thing that came to mind: if you’re going to have your bridesmaids buy their own dresses at retailers, wouldn’t it be too hard to have the right range of shade? It would probably be easier if you picked 3 similar shades from ONE retailer and have them each wear a different style.

Anyway, just my 2 cents. Let us know how it goes!

1/3/07 @ 5:42 pm (reply)

Guest

marilyn

Is that bride really your “friend”? No offense intended but you really seem to be picking her wedding apart detail by detail. It seemed that way from your very first post about her wedding.
I agree with L about the dresses.

1/3/07 @ 6:05 pm (reply)

Guest

I love her wedding style! Have you had the chance to ask her what designer made that dress and shrug?

1/3/07 @ 6:39 pm (reply)

10.

Guest

Miss Lime

Thanks! Yes, her wedding was very warm, elegant, and fun! I am waiting to hear back from her, but don’t want to over-pester her as she settles into newlywed life, a new home, and new responsibilities at work.

As soon as I hear, I will be sure to post!

1/3/07 @ 6:44 pm (reply)

11.

Guest

Rebecca

I don’t think three bridesmaids is too few for mix-n-match, but you may want to limit it to one color and keep the length the same.

I have 4 bridesmaids and they picked their own dresses from Simple Silhouettes, all the same color, fabric, and length (like some Weddingbee blogger, can’t remember who). I think it’ll look super.

1/3/07 @ 10:34 pm (reply)

12.

Guest

Jessica

I don’t think that three is too little, as long as you stick to the same length skirt, and the variance in color shouldn’t be too great.

1/4/07 @ 9:09 am (reply)

13.

Guest

sue

i was thinking about doing this as well. if you only have 3 bm, you might be better of getting the same dress in different hues of the same shade (if they even offer that many)

1/4/07 @ 9:26 am (reply)

14.

Guest

pam

I haven’t bought the new InStyle weddings yet, but if you have it in front of you, can you tell me who makes the blue dress on the far right of that spread you posted? The v-neck one. thanks!

And, I agree on the same dress length. Vital.

1/4/07 @ 9:32 am (reply)

15.

Guest

Vanessa

HM- the dress in the picture is actually the dress I got for my own wedding (off Ebay). The designer is Harriet de Prag. Google her and you’ll only find one site that mentions her. Apparently she is French couture. Not sure about the shrug.

1/4/07 @ 11:40 pm (reply)

16.

Guest

Miss Lime

hm,
The dress designer, as Vanessa said, is Harriet de Prag, a French designer. She bought it at the bridal salon located inside Koreatown Galleria here in LA. The dress was also available for rent.

She rented all of her accessories including the shrug, veil, jewelry, and tiara from the same place. I think they cut her a deal on those rentals since she bought her dress from them.

1/5/07 @ 12:03 am (reply)

17.

Guest

Nicole

i am looking for this wedding dress. Please advise!

Thanks!

8/19/07 @ 3:37 pm (reply)

18.

Guest

Evie

I’m getting married in the fall and decided to pick one color (chocolate brown) and let my bridesmaids select their dresses. The women in the bridal party range in age from 27-43 so I felt like it was ridiculous to tell them to wear the same prom-like dress with a sash. Not to mention that they all have very different body types. So, I’m helping them pick out dresses but I’ve never been into the whole matchy-matchyness of bridesmaid dresses. I’m giving them pashmina wraps in the same color (probably more of a fall-like reddish/burgundy color) to tie their looks together.

2/1/08 @ 3:58 pm (reply)

19.

Guest

Alise

I had four bridesmaids, all in different black dresses. I actually just got our professional wedding pictures back and I am SO happy I let my friends pick dresses that fit their body type and style. A lot of people told me it wouldn’t look right, but I was really happy with the results, at least for the look of my wedding (which wasn’t very traditional).

You can see a picture here: http://vaselinetangerine.blogspot.com/2009/11/follow-your-vision.html

11/23/09 @ 1:52 pm (reply)