Bridesmaid Dresses in Different Colors

MollyandD

I'm asking my bridesmaids to choose dresses that are not all the same. The colors I'm using for decorations are various shades of pink. I was thinking of having each bridesmaid wear a different colored dress, but carry the same bouquet and maybe have similar shoes. Has anyone else done anything similar?

I'm compiling a list of other things they could do (shoes, hair, flowers) to show they are part of the wedding party, but I'm sold on the idea of not having matching dresses.

Any other ideas would be helpful. Thank you.

Maggie0829

Here are some links of non matching dresses in either the same color or variations of one color.

http://www.google.com/imgres?rlz=1C1TSNO_enUS509US509&espv=210&es_sm=93&biw=1600&bih=799&tbm=isch&tbnid=tZJDS-DBVRhCAM:&imgrefurl=http://www.bellethemagazine.com/2012/01/secrets-of-successful-mismatched.html&docid=7Ixv2WDTmf97eM&imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jM1EBqzSUec/TwdcF3Aw-jI/AAAAAAAAHFo/JgdLsgtYfqI/s1600/mismatched-bridesmaid-dresses-24.jpg&w=645&h=429&ei=TnzdUuPxM9DKkQfv-YGoAw&zoom=1&ved=0CFwQhBwwAg&iact=rc&dur=605&page=1&start=0&ndsp=25

http://www.google.com/imgres?start=113&rlz=1C1TSNO_enUS509US509&espv=210&es_sm=93&biw=1600&bih=799&tbm=isch&tbnid=fVfpDxgsJTWoQM:&imgrefurl=http://weddingplannerncdotcom.wordpress.com/category/pinehurst-wedding-planner/&docid=6Dvoufy8FIDpvM&imgurl=http://weddingplannerncdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/bridesmaids-with-bride.jpg&w=640&h=427&ei=cHzdUsaEJ4mQkAeYi4HoAg&zoom=1&ved=0CCwQhBwwDThk&iact=rc&dur=583&page=5&ndsp=34

http://www.google.com/imgres?start=113&rlz=1C1TSNO_enUS509US509&espv=210&es_sm=93&biw=1600&bih=799&tbm=isch&tbnid=ZjKSp_RiuZO4ZM:&imgrefurl=http://www.landybridal.co/blog/fashion-trend/spring-2013-bridesmaid-dress-trends&docid=CF0HLhD4NkoowM&imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3cz5rekc_Hw/T1HGxluZz4I/AAAAAAAAAeg/JXfSoJAo0C0/s1600/l_t_087.jpg&w=600&h=429&ei=cHzdUsaEJ4mQkAeYi4HoAg&zoom=1&ved=0CEQQhBwwFThk&iact=rc&dur=600&page=5&ndsp=34

And I don't think you need to have your girls wear anything or do anything with their hair to show that they are part of the wedding party.  The fact that they will be walking down the aisle and carrying a bouquet is enough to show that they are in the wedding party.

MollyandD

I think you're right. Thank you for so many links. I can share these with my ladies and we can make some decisions together.

AddieCake

It's perfectly fine for their dresses not to match, but I wouldn't worry about doing anything else to make them "look like part of the wedding party." Like Maggie said, it will be pretty obvious they are in the wedding party when they are carrying bouquets down the aisle. As a guest, I would not be looking at their shoes anyway, so that would not be an indicator of the wedding party ladies. 

MollyandD

I know you will be able to tell during the ceremony. I just was thinking of a way to have them stand out during the reception. But maybe I don't need to do that. I think you all are right and they are ok as they are. Thank you.

AddieCake

I think your guests will still recognize them at the reception from having just seen them in the wedding. Are you looking to have them all in different shades of pink or completely different colors altogether? 

MollyandD

Completely different. I'm actually a big Disney fan, and my girls are getting dresses inspired by Disney characters. My maid of honor likes Cinderella, so she will find a light blue dress. I'm wanting them to all have a "flowy" look, but different colors.

Maggie0829

Yeah you don't need to do anything to make them stand out at the reception.  Your guests will remember who they are from the ceremony.

I my opinion I prefer dresses in all different shades of one color over different colors all together...less rainbowy.

MollyandD

I considered the different hues, and that can be beautiful also. I'm ok with the rainbow thing, so that's what I'll be having.

MollyandD

Oh and I should have mentioned there will be a second venue. The ceremony site can't fit everyone we want to invite, so we will have a second location in which more friends will be invited to. They won't all see the ceremony.

AddieCake

Molly&Domenic said:

Oh and I should have mentioned there will be a second venue. The ceremony site can't fit everyone we want to invite, so we will have a second location in which more friends will be invited to. They won't all see the ceremony.

Ummmm, that's not really ok. 

Maggie0829

Please don't make you girls dress like they are disney princesses.

And not being able to have everyone come for the ceremony is rude.

MollyandD

I was told that it's not ok to invite to the ceremony without reception, but it is ok for reception without ceremony.

If I'm rude, well then it's a mistake. Invites haven't gone out yet, so there is time to remedy this. I certainly don't want to upset anyone. The second venue is also a place to go that we have for a longer time so either way we will use it.

Anyway, that's another issue. I'll make sure I take care of the second site rudeness issues closer to invitation time.

Thanks for advice on colors.

MollyandD

And they aren't wearing Halloween costumes, they are just wearing different colors. No one should see the fact that they are Disney inspired but me. I'll find a picture to show what I mean.

Maggie0829

You can have a small immediate family only (meaning parents siblings and maybe grandparents) ceremony and then a larger reception.  But you can't invite 50 people to your ceremony and then 100 to your reception since you couldn't fit everyone in your ceremony venue.

manateehugger

Molly&Domenic said:

I was told that it's not ok to invite to the ceremony without reception, but it is ok for reception without ceremony. If I'm rude, well then it's a mistake. Invites haven't gone out yet, so there is time to remedy this. I certainly don't want to upset anyone. The second venue is also a place to go that we have for a longer time so either way we will use it. Anyway, that's another issue. I'll make sure I take care of the second site rudeness issues closer to invitation time. Thanks for advice on colors.

This is only ok if you are having a truly private ceremony (such as immediate family and your closest 10 friends). 

Picking and choosing guests to attend the ceremony is rude and should not be done. You need to find a new ceremony venue or cut your guest list to the number the ceremony venue can hold. 

Dignity100

I'm hoping to be a Disney bride - and on one of the Disney sites I'm on, one of the girls is doing a princess theme with each girl in a dress to match a different princess - to me (without knowing the girl) it looks like really awkward (I guess my style is more matchy-matchy though).

Like others have said - it's against proper etiquette to invite guests to one part of the wedding but not another. 

MollyandD

Maggie0829

Yeah I have no problem with Disney theme it is just when you start making your wedding party play dress up that I start to have a problem with it.  It is not fun for those involved because they really should be happy and comfortable in their outfit not worried about whether or not they are representing the princess to the best of their ability.

MollyandD

My girls are very excited to do it. They told me they like this better, because they can chose a dress that fits their own body types.

Anyway, that part won't be changing. Although I appreciate the comments and advice, I will only be making up my mind when it comes to dresses with my girls. But I am very grateful for links to be posted and for the comments on whether hair and shoes should match or not. That's what I was seeking to have answered.

MollyandD

Dignity100 said:

I'm hoping to be a Disney bride - and on one of the Disney sites I'm on, one of the girls is doing a princess theme with each girl in a dress to match a different princess - to me (without knowing the girl) it looks like really awkward (I guess my style is more matchy-matchy though).

Like others have said - it's against proper etiquette to invite guests to one part of the wedding but not another. 

I can see why you like the matching. That's personally what I'm trying to stay away from. It can be gorgeous, but it's not what I want. Thanks for the input.

And rest assured, I will take advice on the guests at the ceremony and reception. No more worries there.

MollyandD

If you have the Disney sites you've looked at, please share a link!

TKzilla

If you decide to go with different color dresses, try to stay in the same fabric family and length for continuity. So don't ask one girl to wear a satin floor length gown and then have another in short chiffon...

MollyandD

CourtaniaLynn said:

If you decide to go with different color dresses, try to stay in the same fabric family and length for continuity. So don't ask one girl to wear a satin floor length gown and then have another in short chiffon...

I am leaning to asking them to find chiffon, because I love how it moves. Plus it's going to be a summer wedding.

PrettyGirlLost

Dignity100 said:

I'm hoping to be a Disney bride - and on one of the Disney sites I'm on, one of the girls is doing a princess theme with each girl in a dress to match a different princess - to me (without knowing the girl) it looks like really awkward (I guess my style is more matchy-matchy though).

Like others have said - it's against proper etiquette to invite guests to one part of the wedding but not another. 

Yep, it looks super silly and campy to me: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/a-real-life-princess-ariel-takes-the-character-to-another/article_e18db1ce-ea9f-5657-b0a1-0f217f1dc29e.html

The Disney Princess theme aside, I think that it would look better visually for the BM dresses if you pick a pair of colors or a group of colors that are all different hues of the same color, like pink for example.  Or that you pick a coordinating color palette.

MollyandD

Oh yeah, those pictures are nothing like what I'm wanting! Haha, I see why you didn't like them. Did you see the picture I posted? My girls are using Disney as inspiration only. This is not a costume party.

PrettyGirlLost

Please don't ask your BM's to have matching hair and shoes, unless you are prepared to pay for the hairstyles and the shoes.

Let them do their hair however they want and let them pick shoes that coordinate with their dresses. . . if they own a pair they can wear that pair, or they can buy another pair if they want to.  Ultimately, let that be their decision.

You could buy them or make them coordinating hair pieces to wear in order to have a common thread to visually tie everything together, or make sure their bouquets are uniform.

MollyandD

I will definitely have matching bouquets for them. I'm leaning toward having matching jewelry that could be my gift to them. I hadn't thought of a hair piece. That could be pretty, and each girl could work it in her hair her own way.

MollyandD

This is what INSPIRATION means to me.

PrettyGirlLost

Molly&Domenic said:

I will definitely have matching bouquets for them. I'm leaning toward having matching jewelry that could be my gift to them. I hadn't thought of a hair piece. That could be pretty, and each girl could work it in her hair her own way.

If you give them jewelry that you want them to wear for your wedding, then it is not a gift but another part of their wedding uniform.

Give your BM's gifts as if you were buying them a birthday or Christmas gift.  They should be individual to each BM.

MollyandD

I thought it was typical to give bridesmaids gifts as part of the wedding? A friend of mine bought her BM dresses and she called that her gift to them.