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Miss Cherry Pie Miss Cherry Pie, Seattle/Polebridge, Montana Age and Occupation: 25, Marketing Communications Specialist Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Nurse Practitioner Engagement Date: August 26, 2006 Wedding Date: September 2008 Blogging Since: April 1, 2008 Venue: A tiny town just outside of Glacier National Park About Me: I think of life as a journey and I love the places it's taking me! I went to school to study Magazine Journalism, ended up with a second major in Japanese language, and now work at a company that makes software for libraries. I love writing, computers, photography, and the great outdoors. I spend most of my time playing Guitar Hero and Rock Band or geeking out online with Mr. Cherry Pie. I'm happiest when I'm on the road, especially traveling abroad, or just nesting quietly at home with my sweetie, who is a fabulous cook and bakes a delicious rendition of a certain cherry-filled dessert!
 
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Miss Cherry Pie, Seattle/Polebridge, Montana Age and Occupation: 25, Marketing Communications Specialist Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Nurse Practitioner Engagement Date: August 26, 2006 Wedding Date: September 2008 Blogging Since: April 1, 2008 Venue: A tiny town just outside of Glacier National Park About Me: I think of life as a journey and I love the places it's taking me! I went to school to study Magazine Journalism, ended up with a second major in Japanese language, and now work at a company that makes software for libraries. I love writing, computers, photography, and the great outdoors. I spend most of my time playing Guitar Hero and Rock Band or geeking out online with Mr. Cherry Pie. I'm happiest when I'm on the road, especially traveling abroad, or just nesting quietly at home with my sweetie, who is a fabulous cook and bakes a delicious rendition of a certain cherry-filled dessert!
About Miss Cherry Pie

Burgundy Bridesmaids

April 23rd, 2008 @ 4:06 pm by Miss Cherry Pie

Unfortunately for my bridesmaids, I found the dress I wanted them to wear before I even got a chance to formally invite them. (Way back in December.) This was a bit distressing to me because I wanted to do things “the right way,” but I had to move to buy the dresses right away because they were in a color that was being phased out with the winter stock.

( Sophia silk dress in Vintage Burgundy )

I ended up having to tell them about the dresses and put their sizes on hold before I put their wedding party invite in the mail. How gauche, right? Well, it wasn’t really as big a deal as I’m making it… they all knew they’d be in the wedding party anyway.

Even before I started looking, I knew that my first choice for bridesmaids dresses would be in silk tricotine from JCrew. As a bridesmaid at my best friend’s wedding in 2005, I wore the Sophia long silk dress in black. It was a wonderful dress, both beautiful and practical. In my experience, JCrew’s “occasions” dresses are not only very high quality, they’re also something that deserves wearing repeatedly. I have no stomach (outside of purchasing my wedding dress) for one-night stands with dresses and I can’t stand the shiny, gauzy, poorly made dresses that flood the bridal market and scream “HAY GUYS, I’M A BRIDESMAID TEEHEE!!”

I definitely wasn’t intending to create a rush on the bridesmaids’ dresses but when I saw the lovely “Vintage Burgundy” color online and emailed their consultant about it, they told me it was already in very limited stock and on its way to being discontinued. I had planned to offer my bridesmaids a choice of dress styles in one uniform color, which is usually possible with JCrew’s dresses, but the only style that had any sizes in left in burgundy was the Sophia short silk dress, so Sophia it was. ( I’m not complaining, the Sophia is my favorite style anyway.)

I made sure to explore my options and asked the consultant what colors were offered as constants and what colors they were introducing for the next season. She told me that in February, they were replacing the Burgundy with one VERY orange-red called “Flame” and a magenta “Crisp Beet.” The JCrew consultant was kind enough to send me a fabric swatch of the burgundy to compare with next season’s colors even before they came out!

( Yes, the burgundy looks a bit redder in person than in the photo above )

My second choice for color was the “Espresso” brown, which is available year-round. But I was definitely more excited about the burgundy because it was a nice, bright autumn color and everyone loved it, so I set to the task of snapping up what seemed to be all the rest of the burgundy Sophia short silk dresses on the face of the planet.

This took a bit of work on all of our parts. Three of the dresses came in at once, but two weren’t available in the proper sizes or in petite versus regular. There was some wailing and gnashing of teeth but JCrew and their “wish list” (read: “waiting list”) came through eventually and everyone ended up with a dress in the size that fit best… even though my MOH just got her petite size in the mail a few weeks ago!

It felt somewhat backwards to have my bridesmaids clothed before I had found a dress for myself. But it was a relief that I had taken care of something so early that is usually put off toward the later half of planning.Now I have to figure out shoes and accessories for my maids. I’m lost when it comes to this stuff! I would like to let them choose their own jewelry and shoes (unless I decide to gift them something), but I also want to provide direction.

I’m probably going to wear pearls, and I’d like to find some pearl earrings or necklaces I can recommend and possibly give as a gift. We’re all on shoestring budgets here, but I’ve seen some lovely handcrafted jewelry on Etsy that won’t break the bank. Can you recommend anything that might look nice?

For shoes, I’m thinking cream (like the color in the dress model photos) so I think I’ll look for something similar online and recommend a few pairs to them. Gold and cream is also a nice combination. But the toughest part is finding something nice WITHOUT an aggressive heel– we’ll be outside on varied terrain and I don’t want anyone breaking an ankle!

So please, help me outfit my ladies. We’ll all appreciate your advice!

21 Responses to “Burgundy Bridesmaids”

1.
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Miss Dahlia says:

Miss Cherry Pie, my bridesmaids are wearing the exact same dress! (Well, one of them is; the other two picked other alternatives in vintage burgundy.)

As far as shoes go, one of my bridesmaids is wearing cream, just like you suggested, and I think as second one is wearing black.

I noticed that overstock.com has some pearl necklaces available at a great price, so you might want to check it out.

2.
Ada says:

Hi! You can check out Etsy seller luxedeluxe for pearls, or pearl-like things. She has a bridal collection that I’m planning to use for my bridesmaids. I love the “hidden pearl” set
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=62605&section_id=5372012

3.
daydreamer33 says:

I love the dresses- very wearable afterwards for sure!

what about those merona gold heels Miss Sundae posted earlier today? http://www.target.com/Merona-Alycia-Peep-Toe-Pumps-Gold/dp/B000WSJ09W/sr=1-1/qid=1208982980/ref=sr_1_1/601-3955383-7120951?ie=UTF8&index=target&rh=k%3Amerona%20alycia&page=1

4.
lou says:

This is spooky … first you pick my favourite wedding dress (Diamante), and then you pick the exact same bridesmaid’s dress that is top on my wish list! (different colour though)

I have the same problem as you as well … I love their forest green colour, but I’m pretty sure they’re discontinuing it :(

5.
endb says:

For neckalces, check out http://www.sonyarenee.com. Not sure what your budget is, but I got my ‘maids necklaces here that each feature a coin pearl for $65. Love them! And now I want one for myself.

You can probably get her to custom make one that has a coordinating stone. She’s very flexible. Best of all, they — like the b’maid dresses — are totally re-wearable.

For all-pearl necklaces, also check out sites like overstock.com and smartbargains.com.

6.
Trebuchet says:

It’s strange to hear about it being discontinued…as vintage burgundy is on the list for summer and fall 2008 colors…http://www.jcrew.com/ms/weddingshop/body.jhtml?section=swatches.
This dress & color is one of my strong contenders!

8.
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Miss Cherry Pie says:

@Trebuchet: They discontinued it for Winter and Spring… but they must bring it back for summer and fall. If only I’d known that at the time, I wouldn’t have made my bridesmaids buy their dresses so far ahead of time and we might have been able to mix and match styles. Drat!

9.
Jennifer says:

Love the dress and I see why you snapped them up! For some reason I like how the model in the photo is wearing just the bracelet and no necklace - it seems very clean and chic. What about just a pearl bracelet and some earrings?

Shoes? Would a wedge heel look good with this dress? It would be more stable than a regular heel but still give them some height.

10.
peachy says:

I like the idea of cream shoes, especially if you are thinking pearls. My big advice would be to let them pick their own shoes in the color you specify. The bridal party spends almost all day on their feet. Everyone’s feet are different, and one comfortable pair for one maid can be the party-pooper for another.

11.
Stephanie says:

I bought black Ann Taylor Chloe dresses for my bridesmaids before I even got engaged! I knew they were the dresses I wanted, so I made guesses about the sizes! The dresses were originally $178, but I got them all on clearance for $58… it was too good of a deal to pass up. I got engaged about a month after I ordered the dresses. And by the time I got engaged, not all of the sizes I needed were available. My guessing was so good that only one bridesmaid needs alterations… that’s only because she has started training for a sprint triathlon and is dropping lots of weight!

12.
KatyStardust says:

I hope you know that from here on out, every time I see a cheap bridesmaids dress I’m going hear, “HAY GUYS, I’M A BRIDESMAID TEEHEE!!” playing in my head!! ;)

My advice on the shoes, get wedges. My ceremony will also be outdoors and in both grass and gravel terrains. So I’m wearing wedges during my ceremony (haven’t found them yet) and my Alexander McQueen slingbacks for the reception. That way you can have chic shoes with stable footing without having to wear those god awful platform flip flops.

13.
elizabeth says:

Heehee…I should be a shill for J.Crew, the way I’ve been playing up both their wedding and BM dresses, because I am a purchaser of both. Most of my bridesmaids picked the Sophia as well, save for one BM and the MOH–no wonder they never discontinue it! Needless to say, I’ve been thanked (seriously) for picking out simple dresses in a nice neutral color (navy, because my MOH looks awful in black)–I’m sure you will be too. The burgundy is gorgeous and will look amazing with some fall flowers.

Why not have them wear basic black for shoes? They’ll hold up to walking around in grass more than cream will (and since they will actually show up in photos, that may be a good consideration to make) and they will also be re-wearable.

As for pearl jewelry, if you’re willing to get a little crafty, finding sweet freshwater pearls is not only easy, but also cost-effective. Feel free to drop a message on my blog if you’d like any help with a simple design or suggestions for sources. :-)

14.
CharlestonBride says:

I have to recommend hollygems on etsy. She had a cute necklace similar to what I wanted to gift my girls and she did a custom order for me. I got them coin pearl necklace and earring sets for a great price and Holly was fantastic! I messaged her one morning asking about a custom order and it was in my mailbox in under a week. And the cutie necklace I bought for myself always gets compliments :)

15.
Cari says:

Definitely do wedges for the shoes. One place to check out for jewelry is Things Remembered, they have some nice pieces that incorporate pearls at a reasonable price.

Good luck!

16.
Mags says:

pearlsonly.com has affordable, and beautiful pieces :-) I got my sister the necklace she wore for her wedding, and a cheaper (pink!) one for FMIL this past Christmas.

17.
pasadena says:

I love the dresses! And burgundy too!

18.
Alexis says:

I got these necklaces for my bridesmaids. They’re made from old chandeliers, so they’re not pearls I know, sorry. But the copper chains would complement the burgundy in a great way I think.

http://wedreamincolour.com/jade/chandelier_000.html

19.
Mrs Popcorn says:

I’ve been in love with the sophia dress for ages, and almost got a long ivory one for my wedding dress. I ended up having a dress with a similar bodice made in dupioni.

uh… I’ve been thinking of selling jewellery on etsy, and I’ve done a number of hand knotted pearl necklaces as well as wire work jewellery for myself and as gifts. If you want to try working something out with me send me an email. You’d be my first sale, so it would be a low markup. I’d put it up on etsy to protect us both.

20.
sophi says:

I’m also thinking about getting this dress for my bridesmaids. Though I’m having a hard time getting a swatch from Jcrew. I think it’s the right color, but it’s hard to tell from a picture on a website.

is it a nice deep red?

21.
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Miss Cherry Pie says:

@sophi: I like the red, but it’s a bit brighter than I originally thought it would be. It’s still very pretty!


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