Weddingbee Blog

This bridesmaid dress shopping is something else, isn’t it? There are a million different colors and designers, many of which will fit your color or theme. Things that look good in photos or online might look hideous in person, and vice-versa. As with most modeling, the Model Ladies in the photos are there to function like hangers; most body types won’t do this in the same dress. Since they are your friends, you should consider how they feel and what makes them comfortable/uncomfortable. And even though you want everyone to like what they’re wearing, you want you to like what they’re wearing, too. There’s nothing like it, really.

It was mildly annoying how the bridal shops we went to did not have a huge selection of dresses or sizes to try on. But, given the information above, it’s hard to have something for everyone. After our first trip out together, we decided a few things:

• Alfred Angelo was the favorite designer.
• Wine was the color.
• Satin. No to chiffon, taffeta, or organza.
• Everyone could wear different dresses, as long as they were all the same color/designer.

After some back and forth and two trips (thanks, girls) to the Alfred Angelo store in Roseville, CA, we finally decided on two dresses for the five ladies. Taco BMs would kill me if I put the dress photos up for the whole hive to see, so let’s stick with the corporate photos.

Three will wear this one:

I like the side gathering, the sweetheart neckline (as one BM puts it, “tasty boob”), and the corset lacing in the back. We figured the lacing, while also pretty, could also help with alteration costs down the line.

Two ladies are wearing this one:

Yes to “tasty boob” and the non-BM-y cocktail thing it has going on. It’s vaguely Deco, which I liked the most about it.

For color reference, this is Alfred Angelo “wine” as it is in perfect lighting from the catalog/website:

(All images from Alfred Angelo online)

As a friend put it, it’s not the dark, inky color of wine in a glass (yum), but more like a spot of dried wine on a piece of paper.

The dresses have been ordered and they should show up in July. This, of course, hasn’t stopped me from staring at the swatch incessantly, worrying that the color is “too magenta”. I don’t know where I get this stuff.

If you let your bridesmaids pick their own dresses, what were the guidelines you set for them, if any?