The idea that bridesmaids need to wear ugly dresses so as to make the bride look more beautiful is an old one and a tired one. The bride will look beautiful all on her own, especially to the person at the end of the aisle. If anything, a coordinated wedding party where everyone looks their best and enjoys their dresses can only help the overall look of your wedding. The real challenge when it comes to finding the right bridesmaid dresses is not finding dresses that keep the bridesmaids in check, but finding dresses that fit the theme of your wedding.
Wedding themes are fun and they can be done beautifully as long as everything is coordinated. That includes the dresses. It’s one thing to find a wedding dress that fits the wedding of your dreams, but harder to find dresses for your friends that do the same. Here are our tips for finding bridesmaid dresses that perfectly fit the theme of your wedding, whatever that theme may be.
Rustic
A rustic theme is something like a tasteful barn wedding. Lots of wood elements and mason jars in the decor, the backdrop of a wide, beautiful field. Rustic themes are beautiful in their relaxed, natural simplicity. When it comes to bridesmaid dresses, you can’t go wrong with something that has a little bit of lace. Pastoral colors always fit well with the rustic theme, but you can choose darker colors like deep purple for a nice contrast. You can even have the bridal party wear cowboy boots for a touch of fun.
Beach
For a beach wedding, your bridesmaid dresses should be made of breathable material with long, flowy skirts. Material that flows in the breeze a bit will look elegant, but nothing too uncomfortable for bridesmaids to maintain. This effect looks best without sleeves, and sometimes without straps, but if you do want sleeves, cap sleeves are best. Grecian one-shoulder styles look excellent for beach weddings.
Fairytale Wedding
If you’re the princess, your bridal party are your ladies-in-waiting. Their dresses should be fantastic as well. Blues and deep greens are classic fairytale wedding colors, but pink is also a good choice. Something with tulle or chiffon will add to the magical feeling of the day. Another way to incorporate in a pretty, but fun way is to add flower crowns. Get your girls involved by making the flower crowns for the big day together.
Retro Weddings
Weddings styled after a certain period are very popular and very fun to dress. Planning a Gatsby-style wedding? Maybe your bridesmaids can all wear flapper dresses with 1920s headbands. For mid-century modern, you can use knee-length sleeveless dresses in solid colors and mix up the colors to add variety, like this wedding in Toledo, Ohio. Play up the best parts of the era, both for you and for your bridesmaids.
Mix It Up
In any theme, one trend that’s become popular in bridesmaid dresses is to let the bridesmaids choose their own dress, following along a color scheme. You can choose say, silver or light blue, and bridesmaids will choose the dress that best expresses them. It gives your bridal party a look that’s coordinated without being cookie cutter and it works for almost any theme. If you’re working with a theme, tell them the theme and let them have at it.
Your bridesmaids are there to support you on your special day, and they’ll love playing off your wedding’s particular theme to ensure the whole bridal party looks terrific.