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I know that being a tween can be an awkward age for anyone. There can certainly also be a slim and awkward selection of dresses to chose from to be in someone’s wedding.
My littlest lady, FSIL Sweet Cream, is laid-back and go-with-the-flow, so I knew that she wouldn’t care too much about what I put her in for the big day. She trusts my fashion expertise! I know this because she always hopes that I pick out her birthday and Christmas presents and that they are some kind of stylish wardrobe piece. (Hey! I would too if I were the first girl with jeggings in my class, JUST as they were starting to hit the runways of middle school.)
Since older FSIL Sweet Cream sometimes steals things from her 12-year-old sister, I was originally thinking that the littlest lady could totally fit into a size 0 of the BM dresses…and then with a few stitches here and there and a pretty shell top that would go underneath, we would be in business.
This is exactly what I pictured doing to my littlest lady’s dress. A few stitches would make this age appropriate and adorable! / Image via Stylehive
Rhianna does the “shirt under dress” look. / Image via: I Want That Look
Kate B. uses a tank under her sweetheart-necklined denim number / Image via Fabsugar
My vision entailed a silkier or nicer shell—not just some tank top. But it didn’t work out. Not everyone was in agreement with the idea…
So…onward with the hunt! I was surprised by the minimal offerings for tween girls at the bridal store. Dresses screamed out flower girl or bridesmaid—with nothing in between. Where are the junior BM dresses when you need one? I wanted the littlest lady to feel confident, beautiful, and like she fit in with the big girls.
Surprisingly, after wandering into David’s Bridal, we found two different dresses that could be “the one.”
Images via David’s Bridal
While the littlest lady liked both, we decided on the one on the left since the feeling of the fabric was so close to everyone else’s dresses.
Problem solved! We might get it hemmed so that it matches the hemline of the BM dresses. We’ll see what she wants to do when it gets a little bit closer.
Did you have a crazy time coordinating tweens with the rest of your party? How did you solve the problem? Is it OK with you if they aren’t really in the same “look”?
That dark purple dress is adorable!
I was in my sister’s wedding when I was 10, which was a really awkward age for me. Of course this was in the 90s so my dress had giant puff sleeves and a sort of ball gown style skirt. Your FSIL is super lucky to have someone with such great taste picking out her dress.
Both of the dresses are so cute!! The one on the left is prettier so good choice!
I solved this problem by not asking them. (So mean I know!) but I wanted to keep BMs at 3 since Mr. FC only has his best man and I didn’t want to deal with the headache of coordinating a dress for a young teen when all my BMs are in different cities. It would have been something else for my mom to have to help with… and I’d rather leave her out of the uh… dress buying since she’s not too hot on the white BM style.
Those dresses are so cute though! It’s great when you can include everyone in your party no matter what age. I’m sure you’ll pull it off really well!
Oh, Sweet Cream - I totally feel ya! I have a 9-year-old junior party person, and I’ve been driving myself crazy trying to figure out what she’ll wear. (She actually tried on both the DB dresses you showed and she liked the right one, though we eventually went with something else.)We thought the prices were too high for the actual matching junior bridesmaid dresses, but she and I both eventually realized we really wanted her to match everyone else. We found out that ordering matching fabric from the designer (Alfred Angelo) was only $17/yard. So I ordered 2 yards and my mom is going to attempt to sew her a dress! Now I realize this only works if you know someone who can sew and who’s willing to do it for you on the cheap, but I’m putting it out there because I was honestly surprised how affordable the fabric was. So glad you found an awesome option that words for you and your littlest lady!
I was a junior bridesmaid when I was 9 or 10 I think, with my sister who was 8 at the time. We wore dresses that matched the flower girls dress (my other sister who was 5). My youngest sister who was 3 (too young to be in the wedding) even had a dress that matched.
This was early 90’s and the dresses were… well… nothing I would suggest putting a 12 year old girl in today. They were off white with lots of pink flowers, puffy sleeves…. you get the idea.
My jr bm was 13, but hadn’t gone through puberty yet. She was also a little chubby for the jr bm sizes. We ordered her a different dress in the same fabric and added sleeves. She was sooo excited to wear a “grown up” dress, get her hair done, etc.
This looks perfect for a junior bridesmaid! Is she wearing a pretty yellow color too?
I have to agree; the Rihanna dress is a bit too mature for a tween. The DB’s dresses are both really pretty and just grown up enough that she doesn’t feel babyish wearing either one. I really like the one on the right.
My junior bridesmaid is wearing the one on the right! Love them both!
@MissPony - Yep! And the yellow almost matches!
@Kitty125 - yea… Rihanna was a bad example… I was thinking more Kate B or the first one… obviously I wouldn’t want her to feel uncomfortable!! 
Your junior BMs are going to be so stylish! Great choice.
I had SUCH a hard time finding something for my Junior BM that coordinated enough with my bridesmaids!! We ordered their dresses from nordstrom…so I ended up ordering one more and am using the fabric to create her own custom junior bridesmaid dress!! It will match the BMs perfectly and still be tween-appropriate!!
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Miss Sweet Cream, Philadelphia Age and Occupation: 26, Public Relations Account Manager Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Outside Sales Engagement Date: July 4, 2010 Wedding Date: October 2011 Venue: Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church / Rosebank Winery About Me: Born in the ‘burbs of Philly, it took some time living in the Big Apple to realize that I’m a girl who likes her roots. That’s why the mister and I bought a 1950s house on a charming street not too far from our childhood stompin’ grounds. This could also be the reason why our hometown is the scene where we are planning our super sweet, totally charming, BBQ-for-supper wedding that I never knew I always wanted. I DIE over DIY projects and live for vintage, heartfelt inspiration. I obsess over all things mid-century (from forks to furniture). Love is… cartoons and flea markets, and I am known to whip up a mean banana cream pie. I met the Mr. in grade school and after that boy took me for a spin on the handle bars of his BMX, I knew that things would never be the same again. Besides lovin’ my Mr., I also love to plan, sew and create, and that’s just what I’m doing as I navigate through the details, creating a laid-back day that oozes charm; one that will go down in (at least our) history as the Best. Day. Of all time.
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