Wedding Blog
The cute wrapping paper above (holding delightful pieces of snail mail for the Lambaids) was a piece of swag from the fanciest bat mitzvah which I’d ever laid eyes on. I helped my cousin’s design firm by directing the guests to the custom Converse sneaker spray painters. I also helped hand out the swag bags that included sweatshirts, pins, t-shirts, and ball caps. I got this cool, heavy, and oh-so-customized wrapping paper. And if one of my Lambaids got the design that says, “Life with Lex” - hahahaha, yeah, that’s the 13-year-old who got her bat mitzvah at the Ritz Carleton in DC.
Anymaid, inside the “Life with Lex” wrapping paper, there was a little something that related to coordinating bridesmaid dresses. I made a booklet with rules and guidelines for choosing their own dresses.
Now before you go saying, “Excuse me? How is choosing your own dress compatible with a booklet of rules and guidelines? You really are a bridezilla,” just consider that some of the Lambaids asked me for more structure. What you are about to witness is a book that gives both structure and freedom.
If you let your ’maids choose their own dresses, how much structure and freedom did you give? Did you choose a few styles and then let them choose? Or did you just let them wear any dress they felt like (regardless of color, cut, etc.)?
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Share this post: Gettin’ Yo ‘Maid Mojo On!
I wrote this in another post today too.. the girls chose a line out of many that I emailed them. The only guidlines were to choose from that line, the color had to be eggplant and I prefered the chiffon material b/c I liked the way they flow. 
I hope I made it easy enough for them.
That was a friendly way to give lots of information! I’m sure your ‘maids will have fun.
I picked watermelon from David’s Bridal and they chose whatever dress they liked in that color.
That’s a great idea - seriously - to give them a book like that! I want to do a loose feeling that lets them know they can be comfortable, choose their own, and still look amazing for my wedding!
That’s great! However, one of my maids told me that she was in another wedding where the bride told them they could just wear whatever they wanted as long as it was a red semi-formal dress and she said the other maids and her were really stressed out about having to choose their own dress! I absolutely think there is something to be said for wanting your maids to wear what will look best on them, though.
I said floor-length, black and no long sleeves. No one has the same dress and all of them had dresses 20 days before the wedding and one even is wearing a dress from a previous bridesmaid experience (we have 17 days until the big day).
I love the little guide you made! For my ladies, I narrowed it down to 4 dresses and then just let them all vote on which they liked best. But then, I’m paying for the dresses, so the consideration of if they’d wear it again wasn’t there.
ahh! That’s the best maid’s dress guidelines ever! Brilliant, Lamb-o.
i remember those cupcake dolls! i had one of them. lol. your guidelines booklet was actually pretty helpful! i’m sure your girls will be able to find something beautiful to wear
I had those cupcake dolls too! Ah memories. This is a very detailed guide. I am also having my maids wear what they want (within my rules) but I think I am going to just shop with them and see what happens. I can’t wait to see the dresses they end up with!
How creative I love it! Especially those cute wrapping papers!
cupcake dolls! LOL!
i think guidelines are great. too much leeway really makes it hard for BMs to decide without the risk of the bride going “oh.” at their dresses.
I had cupcake dolls! Great comparison. I think you did a great job giving direction without going ‘zilla in the least.
It’s bridezilla in the best possible way. As in you’re organized but not annoying. Well done.
I totally LOLed at this. Fo realz. Out loud.
What a great job.
that a great booklet! I love this! If I was giving my girls this much leeway, I would totally do something like this… but I’m way to much of a control freak to do that! I am super impressed!
This is awesome! I love that you really didn’t give them too much structure. Makes me rethink how much control I am putting on my maids choice- I selected dress maker, fabric and colors, and they get to pick the cut (from a large selection)… hummm
I love the guidelines! I told my ‘maids I don’t care, but one keeps showing me dresses I hate. I think I need to steal a page from your book (literally =P)
This is so cool! I’m a bridesmaid for a wedding next month and I wish the bride would have given me an 1/8 of what you gave them! I had to call HER to find out info, and then she was wishy washy. yuck.
This packet is so cute! I asked my BM to choose a black dress from JCrew, which worked out great for them and me.
so helpful! My maids really had a hard time understanding how it would all look together so I had to give them more specific rules than color! This is such a great idea! Way to go!
Thanks for sharing.
You are absolutely adorable - way to give you ‘maids such freedom!
LOVES IT. I just wrote up a post for my blog for next week about maids dresses and I LOVE what you’ve done here!
I really like how you made it fun but helpful! I think the guidelines are super helpful, but still allow your maids to chose something that fits them!
I haven’t though about those cupcake dolls for years! hahaha
How helpful! That is the cutest BM dress “how-to” Nice work!
Very smart–I wish I would’ve done something like this for my ‘maids!
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Miss Lamb, Norfolk
Age and Occupation: 25, Homeland Security Consultant
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Graduate Student
Engagement Date: January 2009
Wedding Date: January 2010
Venue: Trinity Presbyterian Church/Harrison Opera House
About Me: I’m a Homeland Security Consultant with a tendency towards pulling office pranks, taking lunch breaks, and drinking Wawa shakes. I’m also an English major with a serious obsession with alliteration and rhymes. While I’m not keeping America safe, I’m training for half marathons and the Escape from Alcatraz swim. Or moving for the third time this year. Or baking. Or wedding crafting. Or crying about wedding planning. All the while, I’m getting myself into Lucille Ball-esque scrapes and making Jim Carey-esque faces. Our big fat Czech/Baptist/Jewish/Italian wedding is a combination of vintage eclectic, DIY, and little spoonful of sugar from our Event Coordinator. It’s going to be a Norfolk flavored wedding with the verve of an only-daughter-blow-out bash!
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