Miss Pudding, Greater Toronto Area/VermontAge and Occupation: 26, High School TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Computer EngineerEngagement Date: August 2008Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Catholic Ceremony, Cultural Hall ReceptionAbout Me: Quite literally a citizen of the world, I was born in Poland, grew up in Canada, and now live in the beautiful state of Vermont. I love reading historical biographies, multi-tasking, teasing my hair, and, despite my height, wearing high heeled shoes. I am the ultimate klutz with an uncanny ability to put on a graceful front. Mr. Pudding and I have been dating for over six years, and are very excited to finally merge our (very large) families. We are planning a traditional Polish-Catholic wedding that is anything but predictable.
I finally pulled the trigger on ordering the bridesmaids’ dresses! Thank you so much for all of your support and encouragement in making this very difficult decision. I really couldn’t have done it without you!
How gorgeous are my Ladies?
Where did this hesitation come from? I am usually a very decisive person - very “down to business”. So what caused me to go so loopy?
Ms. Potato Chips, Boston/Narragansett RIAge and Occupation: 29, PhD StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Personal Trainer/Business Owner/Physical Therapy AssistantEngagement Date: January 1, 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: The Narragansett TowersAbout Me: A semi-professional bookworm, if I could be a literary character I’d be a cross between Jo March and Jane Eyre, only better accessorized and much lazier. My hobbies include sleeping in, seasonal brews, running, Trader Joe’s, and watching Unwrapped and Good Eats with Mr. Potato Chips. I harbor an irrational fear of tulle, crafts, things that are fussy, and overuse of the phrase "Your Special Day". After a year or seven together, down the aisle we go, slouching toward adulthood and planning a Rhodie party with equal parts whimsy, cheer, and pizza.
Last week was my Spring Break. Over the weekend I took time off from tequila shots, hopped off my mechanical bull, and went dress shopping with three of my four bridesmaids.
Sistah Chipz and I are notoriously bad shoppers. We get hungry and cranky if we have to go to more than one store. So, we decided to keep it simple and head to the J.Crew. Luckily our local J.Crew has a wedding section!
Miss Veggie, Raglan, New Zealand/Scranton, PAAge and Occupation: 27, Director of Small Non-ProfitFiance's Age and Occupation: 42, PhD Student & FarmerEngagement Date: June 13, 2009Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Indian Head Camp, Honesdale Pennsylvania
About Me: I am a tree-huggin' farmer turned enthusiastic wedding-planner. I live in a house truck and wear flip-flops more often than shoes. In my old life I was a high school Spanish teacher in love with a crazy guy who lived off-the grid on a farm in New Hampshire. But, we decided to mix things up a bit, quit our jobs and move to New Zealand. My southern hemisphere lifestyle involves growing veggies, teaching, running our small non-profit, and surfing. I love laughing, singing, playing, and the inspirational Mr. Veggie (of course!). For our wedding, I am committed to throwing a killer party that celebrates our values without breaking the bank. Look forward to an eco-thrifty summer-campy weekend-long extravaganza.
Part of the effort to minimize the ecological impact of our wedding is minimizing the purchases we make and that others make on our behalf. With that in mind, I knew early on that I wanted my bridesmaids to wear dresses that they would definitely wear again, and if possible, something from their own closet. If the shopping urge overwhelmed them, I would love it if they all bought from second-hand shops or showed up in eco-fabrics, but I have enough to worry about with my own dress.
Since my 4 sisters are my bridesmaids it should be easy enough for them to coordinate. I told them our colors: saffron, brown, and grey, and gave them these instructions:
Miss Argyle, St. LouisAge and Occupation: 24, Project CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, PilotEngagement Date: February 15, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Jewel Box in Forest Park and Windows on WashingtonAbout Me: I'm a true Midwestern girl (born and raised), lover of red wine, reality TV and the entire J.Crew catalog. I love to dance regardless of who is watching, and enjoy a good laugh with my girls. I have a soft spot in my heart for planet Earth, my two dogs and my fiance. Fall is my favorite season (which is why we are marrying in September), but I love a warm summer day and the Colorado mountains in the winter. We are planning a modern soiree downtown, with lots of bold colors, and fun, eco-friendly elements.
Let’s be honest. We have all spent hours scouring the web and bridal stores for the perfect bridesmaid’s dresses.
I thought I knew what I wanted, until I purchased my dress. The bridesmaid’s dresses I had in mind were WAY too formal for my dress, made of heavy satin or were tea length. So, it was back to square one.
I found a few contenders in my second wave of searching, with this one topping the list:
Miss Hot Dog, Cheyenne, WYAge and Occupation: 23, Health Information SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Personal Trainer
Engagement Date: March 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Family Ranch outside Glenrock, WYAbout Me: I'm a city girl by birth and rural girl by choice. I'm ready to take on the world with a big heart and a big smile! I love all things crafty and DIY. I live in Cheyenne, WY with Mr. HD and our 2 fur babies, our dachshunds, Ollie and Mia. I love travel, adventure, Finding Nemo, '90s music, animals, and laughing. He is the cheese to my macaroni and together we spend more time watching movies than we probably should! I'm an old soul who is super duper excited to pull off our down home-rustic-chic-country wedding (on the cheap)!
Remember my choice in this post and then my second-guessing and new choice in this post? Well, Amy and I went down to David’s Bridal to end this tug-o-war once and for all!
It went great! I had her try on the trumpet style and the short-ruched dress, just to see how each fit. We didn’t even take a picture of the first one because it was just that bad! Not that it made Amy look bad, it just wasn’t a good look and TOTALLY did not go with our aesthetic…
The second dress, however, was a total knock out! She looked AND felt amazing in it! And with the boots? OOOHHHHH MAH GAWD! Gorgeous!
Wanna know what color I chose? It’s the color I was leanest furthest from, but it ended up looking incredible with the brown boots, and it’s totally flattering on most skin tones! Can you guess?? If you said Candy Pink, you were right!
Ready for the pics? (FYI, they didn’t have the ruched dress in the pink, so we found another that was the right color and same material to show you!)
Miss Hot Dog, Cheyenne, WYAge and Occupation: 23, Health Information SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Personal Trainer
Engagement Date: March 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Family Ranch outside Glenrock, WYAbout Me: I'm a city girl by birth and rural girl by choice. I'm ready to take on the world with a big heart and a big smile! I love all things crafty and DIY. I live in Cheyenne, WY with Mr. HD and our 2 fur babies, our dachshunds, Ollie and Mia. I love travel, adventure, Finding Nemo, '90s music, animals, and laughing. He is the cheese to my macaroni and together we spend more time watching movies than we probably should! I'm an old soul who is super duper excited to pull off our down home-rustic-chic-country wedding (on the cheap)!
Not with mine. I’m still having trouble nailing down the bridesmaids’ dresses!
After that last dress post, I kept looking at the satin fabric and realized that I really didn’t like the way it would look with the boots. Something about it just didn’t feel right… so I found another dress at DB, in cotton sateen. It comes in several colors, three of which I LOVE. (See? I can’t even decide on a color!)
Here are the colors, in the cotton sateen fabric swatch:
Miss Hot Dog, Cheyenne, WYAge and Occupation: 23, Health Information SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Personal Trainer
Engagement Date: March 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Family Ranch outside Glenrock, WYAbout Me: I'm a city girl by birth and rural girl by choice. I'm ready to take on the world with a big heart and a big smile! I love all things crafty and DIY. I live in Cheyenne, WY with Mr. HD and our 2 fur babies, our dachshunds, Ollie and Mia. I love travel, adventure, Finding Nemo, '90s music, animals, and laughing. He is the cheese to my macaroni and together we spend more time watching movies than we probably should! I'm an old soul who is super duper excited to pull off our down home-rustic-chic-country wedding (on the cheap)!
SOOO in the first Dress Saga installment, I told you how I’m totally OCD about color. I can’t have a brown dress because the girls are wearing brown cowboy boots of their choosing. What if they don’t go together?
Anyway, after finding those SUPER cute dresses at Ruche, I googled and came across Anna Elyse and this little gem:
It’s called the “Short Jackie-O” and comes in all these different necklines. It comes in a rainbow of colors and a few different fabrics! It also comes with a hefty price tag that’s WAY over my self-imposed budget of $100(ish). Bummer.
Miss Argyle, St. LouisAge and Occupation: 24, Project CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, PilotEngagement Date: February 15, 2009Wedding Date: September 2010Venue: Jewel Box in Forest Park and Windows on WashingtonAbout Me: I'm a true Midwestern girl (born and raised), lover of red wine, reality TV and the entire J.Crew catalog. I love to dance regardless of who is watching, and enjoy a good laugh with my girls. I have a soft spot in my heart for planet Earth, my two dogs and my fiance. Fall is my favorite season (which is why we are marrying in September), but I love a warm summer day and the Colorado mountains in the winter. We are planning a modern soiree downtown, with lots of bold colors, and fun, eco-friendly elements.
I originally thought that I wanted my girls to wear colored shoes, but I was quickly reminded that I will be sporting this lovely pair. But this photo makes me rethink that for a mere second.
Miss Hot Dog, Cheyenne, WYAge and Occupation: 23, Health Information SpecialistFiance's Age and Occupation: 23, Personal Trainer
Engagement Date: March 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Family Ranch outside Glenrock, WYAbout Me: I'm a city girl by birth and rural girl by choice. I'm ready to take on the world with a big heart and a big smile! I love all things crafty and DIY. I live in Cheyenne, WY with Mr. HD and our 2 fur babies, our dachshunds, Ollie and Mia. I love travel, adventure, Finding Nemo, '90s music, animals, and laughing. He is the cheese to my macaroni and together we spend more time watching movies than we probably should! I'm an old soul who is super duper excited to pull off our down home-rustic-chic-country wedding (on the cheap)!
This has been one of the harder decisions for me to make so far. It’s not that I can’t find anything; quite the opposite! I’m finding waaaay too many gorgeous dresses for my ladies to wear!
I’m a firm believer that my bridesmaids should feel beautiful (or at least comfortable!) in their dresses like I will in mine! So my search has led me to dresses that are wearable again. Most of the dresses I’ve singled out are ones that I would love for myself!! LOL
This search has been going on for well over 4 months now, on many different websites and in several different stores. I knew from the get-go that I didn’t want anything blatantly “bridesmaid-y”. And one stipulation was that the dress had to look cute with brown cowboy boots! Sound funky?? Trust me! Look for yourself…
Miss Paisley, Orange County, CAAge and Occupation: 25, JournalistFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Spanish ProfessorEngagement Date: September 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Family Lake HouseAbout Me: From my earliest days I attracted attention, as much for my intelligence as for beauty. I display an originality, a perspicacity, a certain je ne sais quoi that sets me apart. I posses a mysterious authority which compels people to do my bidding. I am a regal blonde with classic features and the daintiness of Dresden porcelain. I am poised, soft-spoken, and well educated... Okay, now that enough eyebrows have sufficiently shot through the roof, everybody can relax---I kid! I'm just a sarcastic NorCal-turned-SoCal girl who loves outdoor activities, books, letterpress printing and of course, Professor Paisley.
So, if you read my last bridesmaid-dress-related post, you’ll know that for about four months, finding the right dress was the bane of my existence. I was trying to find something gorgeous, affordable, and flattering for all body types. My ladies range in size and one is currently pregnant!
Originally, I was dead-set on a lovely pale blue dress, much like this color:
Melissa Sweet Bridesmaid Dress
By the way, if you covet this dress like I did, let me save you some time and possibly a trip to the dressing room: the stiff faille fabric and babydoll design will unfortunately make ANY girl look six month preggers—just beware.
Anyway, so I had somewhat resigned myself to this color. That is, until I saw these bridesmaid’s gowns in a pale champagne pink: Read more…
Miss Paisley, Orange County, CAAge and Occupation: 25, JournalistFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Spanish ProfessorEngagement Date: September 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Family Lake HouseAbout Me: From my earliest days I attracted attention, as much for my intelligence as for beauty. I display an originality, a perspicacity, a certain je ne sais quoi that sets me apart. I posses a mysterious authority which compels people to do my bidding. I am a regal blonde with classic features and the daintiness of Dresden porcelain. I am poised, soft-spoken, and well educated... Okay, now that enough eyebrows have sufficiently shot through the roof, everybody can relax---I kid! I'm just a sarcastic NorCal-turned-SoCal girl who loves outdoor activities, books, letterpress printing and of course, Professor Paisley.
Sigh. Isn’t this dress to die for? I wish it could be an affordable bridesmaid dress instead of a thousands-of-dollars designer dress. And it’s in my color, too! Because I can’t get enough of the thing, here’s Kate Walsh in the dress at the Emmy Awards:
Miss Spaniel, Los AngelesAge and Occupation: 28, Law StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, PsychologistWedding Date: March 2010Venue: Calamigos RanchAbout Me: I'm a third-year law student trying to balance graduating with starting my career, keeping up a relationship, and, oh yeah, planning an Old World, multi-cultural, "mountain lodge" wedding for 180 guests! A South Asian Jewish girl getting ready to marry my handsome Catholic Dane, I'm hoping to blend our cultures in our wedding just a bit more gently than by providing samosas as appetizers and offering æbleskiver for dessert. (Although that would also be awesome.)
Aside from a few blips and the natural problems associated with wedding planning while law schooling, not too much has really gotten to me in the planning process. I have never been to a “perfect” wedding—have you?—so I wasn’t really that concerned with throwing one. This made it easy for me to avoid stress about the details and most of the vendors.
Which of course meant that when the dresses came in late, I freaked out completely.
It all started with the bridesmaids’ dresses, which I ordered from House of Brides back in September because they were at least $25 less expensive per dress than any other retailer I visited. I got notification from them that the dresses would arrive in their warehouse at the end of November. Plenty of time!
And then the end of November came. The dresses did not. Read more…
Miss Hot Wings, Chicago/San DiegoAge and Occupation: 28, Psych Grad StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, Psych Grad StudentEngagement Date: December 20, 2008Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Ocean View Villas/Jasmine Seafood RestaurantAbout Me: I am a psychology grad student living in Chicago and planning my wedding to a fellow psych grad student. I am a Sunny So-Cal bred gal who trudged across the country to follow her love of psychology and ended up finding a partner in the process. I am overly passionate about anything I involve myself with. I am an activist, a foodie, a reality TV watching junkie, an over-analyzer, a photography obsesser, and am utterly cheesy to the core. This is a story of what happens when a boy and a girl meet, fall in love over academic dorkiness, and a shared love for life. We (mostly I) are planning our semi-destination wedding in my hometown of San Diego. We are excited to bring our families and friends together from across our lifespans to celebrate our future in a grand 400+ person culturally blended affair!
Today, we explore the world of brideswomen’s dresses that are in the $50-$100 range. You’ll notice that in this range, the dresses tend to have a bit more detail and use a slightly nicer fabric. Let’s start with some of the same online sources I shared with you in the $50 and under range. Starting with Lulu’s, you can see the fun, young, and flirty look. They seem to be a tad on the short and slinky side still. They’re very cute for nighttime, youthful parties.
Miss Hot Wings, Chicago/San DiegoAge and Occupation: 28, Psych Grad StudentFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, Psych Grad StudentEngagement Date: December 20, 2008Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Ocean View Villas/Jasmine Seafood RestaurantAbout Me: I am a psychology grad student living in Chicago and planning my wedding to a fellow psych grad student. I am a Sunny So-Cal bred gal who trudged across the country to follow her love of psychology and ended up finding a partner in the process. I am overly passionate about anything I involve myself with. I am an activist, a foodie, a reality TV watching junkie, an over-analyzer, a photography obsesser, and am utterly cheesy to the core. This is a story of what happens when a boy and a girl meet, fall in love over academic dorkiness, and a shared love for life. We (mostly I) are planning our semi-destination wedding in my hometown of San Diego. We are excited to bring our families and friends together from across our lifespans to celebrate our future in a grand 400+ person culturally blended affair!
Yeah, you read that right. Bridesmaid’s dresses for under 50 buck-er-roos! A girl’s gotta dream and set goals for herself, right? As the saying goes, I like to shoot for the moon and if I don’t succeed, at least I’ll land among the stars. First off, on a total side note, I love the sentiment of this saying but it doesn’t make any logical sense to me. If you don’t make it to the moon, you would fall back down to earth because the stars are much further than the moon. But shhhhh. Don’t tell anyone. I still have this saying sitting on my desk.
So here are my finds of the day from a couple of my favorite places to window-’net-shop, also known as shopping online, loading up my cart, then closing my browser.
Let’s start with Lulu’s. I am always shocked by their prices. I haven’t actually bought clothes from this site, but I think their selection is great. They typically only carry dresses in small, medium, and large. If you have a large bridal party with lots of varying body types like I do, this is a problem. But here are some of my recent faves.
Miss Pencils, Washington DC/Frederick, MDAge and Occupation: 24, Program Director, Education Non ProfitFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Administrative Assistant, Ocean Conservation Non ProfitEngagement Date: July 26, 2008Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Morningside InnAbout Me: I'm a nerdy Northwestern girl who always knew she was meant to live in the East, harboring a deep love of ice cream, underwear, Diet Coke with a splash of Coca-Cola, pashminas, scrapbooking, stationery, wall calendars and books written for preteens. I think every day should include good thin crust pizza, chocolate, an obscure historical monument, lots of laughter, a dash of wedding planning and, of course, amazing Mr. Pencils! I'm loving the adventure of planning a Maryland wedding and Rocky Mountain reception, and most of all, I just love love!
So, after my last post about our chosen bridesmaids’ dresses, many of you wanted to know how the dress works on REAL girls. So, I sent a plea to the bridesmaids that I have mailed the dress to (some requested that I just hold on to them until the day of) for some pics and their thoughts… and here’s what they gave me!
I hope it helps many of you who were thinking of using convertible dresses- the Victoria’s Secret ones are a great, less expensive option! The ones shown below on my girls are in “chocolate” and mine is “blackberry”.
All of the dresses come with instruction sheets for different ways of tying them; it’s also fun to just play around!
First up, Bridesmaid CH in her dress, and her opinion on the dress, in quotes, beneath the photos:
“I wear a C cup. Some of the styles would absolutely require a bra!”
It’s the color I was leanest furthest from, but it ended up looking incredible with the brown boots, and it’s totally flattering on most skin tones! Can you guess?? If you said Candy Pink, you were right!
