- Blog
- Bios
- Boards
- Classifieds
- DIY
- Gallery
- Vendor Reviews
- Shop Weddingbee
Weddingbee Blog
Why is picking out the bridesmaids’ dresses so freaking tough? Because it IS tough. Really, really hard. I’ve been searching online for months and nothing really reaches out and grabs me. I’ve looked at the Dessy Group, Alfredo Angelo, and David’s Bridal. They are all fine, some are OK, but nothing is stellar to me.
Here are some of the confounding factors:
1. I’ve been a bridesmaid before and know how it feels to shell out a lot of dough for that role. And particularly, for a dress that is just OK, or a dress that I feel like I could have found a very similar version of for a lot less on my own. Or for a dress I will never wear again. Cause, really, when will you wear it again?
You won’t. It’s (probably) statistically proven. (source)
2. My style is definitely not the same as my bridesmaids’ styles. So I have to be careful to pick something they will all be comfortable in, and not something with ruffles and flowers just because I like them. Right?
3. I always thought I’d do the “just wear a black dress” thing…that the newly married MRS. Pumpkin did, and it looked lovely, see?
Personal photo
But I’m getting married in the fall…and somehow black dresses feel wrong in our outdoor, colorful, autumn-influenced wedding.
4. I want to pick something moderately priced. This seems to be more challenging now than in the good ol’ days. (I can say that because I am 30.) I’m looking at you, J. Crew. What are you jacking up your prices for*??? Have you not heard about the global economic crisis?!?
5. I have actually found some bridesmaids’ dresses I like. But they are, um, designer. Jim Hjelm, to be exact. Yes, I have a problem.
Are these dresses really better than those other more affordable ones? I think so, but I am also swayed easily by my label-whore tendency.
6. Last confounding factor, I promise. Cardigans! Oh how I love a cardigan. I was originally thinking about letting the brides pick their own style of aubergine colored dress, and I would gift them a cardigan (in either a contrasting solid print or a floral print). But then I stumbled on this image…
Cameron Ingalls via Love & Lavender
Bridesmaids are wearing identical dresses and different colored cardigans! Freaking cute! I love the neutral dresses with the bright cardis! Swoon!
I think I’m just gonna keep waiting for some inspiration. I have awhile anyway until the wedding. But until inspiration finds me…
Do you have a preference over style versus price point? Where did you find your bridesmaids’ dresses?
*For the grammar freaks out there, yes, I am aware that you are not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition like “for.” But, it’s my signature preposition at the end of a sentence for when I am especially frustrated. Thanks for giving me a pass.
I just have my MOH but I’m finding it very difficult to find something I like & think she will look good in that’s affordable and can contain her large ta-ta’s. And of course the dresses I can find that I like are more than I want her to spend. It’s crazy!
I think that it depends on the demographics of your bridesmaids… all of mine will be between 22 and 25. The majority of them fresh out of college, and I really don’t want to stick them with a financial burden. But if your ladies can afford the designer labels, and you REALLY REALLY want them, I think it’s okay as long as they’ll wear them again. My only suggestion is that if you’re going to have them dish out so much money for a dress, it would be really nice of you to let them pick their own dresses. Could you maybe pick a color and collection and have them pick what they like best? And then give them matching cardigans? I like that idea the best.
I had the same trouble trying to find BM dresses, in the end I gave up and had one of my BM’s look for a dress that would fit her :). Once she found one, she let me know and I had the smallest girl in the group try it. It worked on her too. I also have the added fact that 2 of my BM’s are trying to become pregnant (one succeeded) so the dress had to work on a baby bump as well. Luckily, my friend picked a chiffon material dress. You can always ask for your BM’s help 
They may just surprise you
J.Crew definitely has raised their prices, but they also still have great sales - we got my girls’ dresses on sale and they were less expensive than any BM dress I’ve ever bought (and I have been in a lot of weddings!) Also, if you work with their weddings shop, they will most likely give you a discount for the bulk order (they gave us 20% off everyone’s dress for ordering them from the same shop here in NYC). I love the Jim Hjelm ones you have picked out too, though!! Keep looking - you’ll find them =)
HEART the cardigans!!!!!!! BM’s know they won’t wear the dresses again and know the $ to shell out (generally). I have quite a few lovelies stored away myself…..
that said…..can you tell BM’s what you’re thinking and see if they gasp at the cost or say they love the dress or?? (you could still gift the cardi’s as a thank you)
I’m indecisive as it is, and we kinda set our date pretty late in the game so ordering BMs dresses was out of the question….luckily I have only 3 girls and the plan is for all of us to go shopping one day together and find a cute summer dress in one shade (like all shades of pale green or all shades of yellow or something like that) that way they can afford it and will pick something they’d wear again i’m thinking my gift to them will be the accessories - chocolate brown shoes, a pretty necklace and a cute parasol
Why don’t you have your bridesmaids look online (give them a few websites/brands) and pick out three styles each. Then at least you have a general idea of their likes (which most likely go along with their budgets and styles). This way, if you have 3 from each, there might be some crossover and it iwll help you settle on a style (or combine if they come in the same colors!). BTW, I like the third dress that you pictured…it is something I’d wear out again.
I was thinking of gifting my girls with cardigans as well. Love the inspiration photo. Do you have any ideas where I can look for affordable ones?
Bridesmaid dresses are SO tricky! I love the cardigan idea, btw.
I got these dresses in eggplant, but she makes them in many different colors and styles. Just ordered today, so I’m not sure how they will turn out. However, I think they look like something that at least some of my bridesmaids could wear again and they are cheaper than J Crew, etc. Also, they are custom made, so not paying crazy amounts for alterations.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/57683862/eggplant-pleated-collar-dress
Here’s the designer’s website:
http://amandaarcher.com/
BEDAZZLE!! LOL Kidding :]
The cardigans are super cute. Nothing too fancy but it’s definitely not plain :]
Happy hunting!!
I think I will be picking a color or two and letting the girls pick from certain dresses. That way I know that both I and my girls like the dresses and that they can afford them!
Love the cardys!! The combination of natural and bright is just perfect!
BM dresses suck. My MOH was getting depressed because, like me, she had a hard time squeezing into samples. (Aside from my own wedding dress, I also had to go through the exact same struggle of trying on BM dresses for one of MY bm’s weddings. Except she wanted short dresses. Which are ALL tight on the bottom. Which meant they didn’t go past my bodonkadonk.) Also, I didn’t like most of the dresses. Same issue. They were all eh. I also liked Jim Hjelm, but luckily his dresses didn’t look good on my BM’s. We ended up picking Bill Levkoff dresses, because his were all pretty nice too. My BM’s didn’t pick my favorite dress, and they didn’t like the color I wanted, so I ended up changing my whole color scheme to make them happy. In the end, I’m happy with the change because I get to use my favorite colors. My original choices were more of a “theme” than “colors” Anyway, it was a headache picking them out. It was a headache getting everyone to order on time. I hate that their dresses cost so much ($180, which was even a discounted price). FH also kicked out his two “groom’s chicks” because a) they hated the dress I chose, because they wouldn’t pick out of 3 options so we ended up deciding for them. b) they didn’t want to pay that much. c) they felt they should wear black cocktail dresses and that FH and myself had no place in telling them what to wear. So. They were booted, to save FH and their friendships. Dresses weren’t worth fighting for!
WOOHOO Cardis! I was in the same shopping rut as you, Miss M, and opted for the two birds “wear-ten-zillion-ways” silk jersey dress in grey, which they can wear over and over again. the gals loved it. *WHEW*
The cardigans are so cute, and great for a fall wedding!
I understand what you mean. I looked and asked them to look as well in the beginning. We all met up and tried everything on then I let them vote on what they liked the best and not at all. I was trying to stay between 125-150 because I’ve had many dresses in my closest that I know I won’t wear again (until I donated them to this program for a possible prom dress for another girl) and that’s just too much money even if it isn’t mine.
The problem with my girls was that no one would speak up the only response I got was that everything was pretty and whatever I wanted so I picked the dress and found a place where they were $135 meeting all my criteria and that’s what we went with.
I wish you luck… Sorry so long.
I love the cardigans. They are so cute. Now I might be getting my ladies some cardigans.
I thought I was going to do the pick out your own dress thing, but that sent my girls into shock. So I had to start to search.
Finally (finally!) we found some at Jim Hjelm that everyone likes, everyone can afford (we get a killer discount from the shop since I got my dress there as well), and fits the theme. Problem? The freaking dresses don’t come in dark purple. Or any shade of purple really. SOOO frustrating, but it’s back to the drawing board.
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Mrs. Magic, Chapel Hill, NC Age and Occupation: 30, Licensed Clinical Social Worker Fiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Researcher Engagement Date: December 1, 2009 Wedding Date: October 2011 Venue: Barn at Valhalla About Me: I’m a tall drink of water (5’10”!) and a Southern bride with an enormous appetite for Mexican food, good deals, anything French, and all things wedding! By day I am lucky enough to work with individuals with autism and their families. By night, I’m even luckier to be able to spend time hanging out with awesome friends, crafting, shopping, thinking about exercising, and kicking it with Mr. Magic and our two cats. I tend to have sudden, intense cravings that will not be denied (seafood enchiladas! new jeans!) and I’m prone to being a disorganized mess of anxiety and stress. After waiting (and waiting!) to get engaged, I am finally planning the colorful, fun, fabulously awesome Fall wedding of our dreams. In an effort to share the fun and craziness that is wedding planning, I’m gonna blog about it for y’all---the good, the bad, and the pretty!
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
Latest Gallery Pics