Reused bridesmaid dresses…tacky or not?

manateehugger

MagicInk said:

PDKH said:

natswild said:

just curious, what's a house party?

A group of people who are not bridesmaids, but are given attire requirements and random tasks that aren't necessary nor an honor, like passing out programs or telling people to sign the guestbook. 

See I read house party and thought keg stands and red solo cups. Clearly I was not right. 

I don't think I've heard of anyone I know doing a "house party" except for the keg stand red solo cup version.

That's because you know cool people.

 

JaxInBlue

@Knottie06367585 (if you're still here):  it's great that you were there for your friend when she got married and saw the house party as an honor.  But PPs are correct - not everyone would feel the same way as being given such a designation usually entails work or expense but necessarily the honor of being a member of the bridal party.

If the bride's goal was to have close friends fill the role of family, she could have done so without asking you to purchase matching dresses.  Simply by sitting in the front row, perhaps with a corsage or nosegay, maybe by being escorted in formally, you wold have been designated as VIP guests. 

PrettyGirlLost

Knottie06367585 said:

Ran it by the bride and she is completely cool with it (my friends are pretty awesome). And she had a house party because she had no family coming to the wedding. We took the place in the front row of the church where her groom's family was sitting on the other side. She didn't "have" to have it…she asked us and we were more than happy to do that for her. 

Ugh, why?

There was no need for you to speak to her about any of this. Seriously, none.  I just don't get why women do this shit.

You gals all know that you all could have sat in the front row of the pews AND wear whatever the hell you wanted to, right?  Wearing matching dresses is not a requirement to sit in those pews.  Was the bride going to require her family to wear matchy matchy clothes if they did attend?

PrettyGirlLost

Knottie06367585 said:

Everyone on here seems so bitter. Weddings are a happy time and I would do anything to make sure my friend's day is how she wants it. I don't feel like buying a dress and being asked to take part in her wedding was a burden. I'm sorry if your experiences with being a bridesmaid or house party member haven't been as good. She is my friend and she asked me to do something for her wedding so I happily agreed. She didn't force us to buy matching dresses, she wasn't a bridezilla, she's actually probably the most relaxed and easy-going bride ever.  She asked if I wanted to be a part of her day and help her out and I accepted. And I know she would do the exact same thing for me. 

I think I'm done with this blog. I appreciate your opinions on the dress but not the digs at a great girl who just wanted all of her friends to be a part of her wedding. 

CMGragain

My sister was my MOH.  She wore an old formal gown of mine, which I had worn for my senior voice recital.  It was beautiful, both times.  Nothing tacky about it!

CMGragain

Knottie06367585 said:

Everyone on here seems so bitter. Weddings are a happy time and I would do anything to make sure my friend's day is how she wants it. I don't feel like buying a dress and being asked to take part in her wedding was a burden. I'm sorry if your experiences with being a bridesmaid or house party member haven't been as good. She is my friend and she asked me to do something for her wedding so I happily agreed. She didn't force us to buy matching dresses, she wasn't a bridezilla, she's actually probably the most relaxed and easy-going bride ever.  She asked if I wanted to be a part of her day and help her out and I accepted. And I know she would do the exact same thing for me. 

I think I'm done with this blog. I appreciate your opinions on the dress but not the digs at a great girl who just wanted all of her friends to be a part of her wedding. 

OP, we can only go by what you posted.  You posted that your friend violated etiquette and treated some people rudely.  This is not our personal opinion.  This is fact.  Wake up and smell the coffee.

PS.  This is not a blog.  It is an open internet forum, and your information about your friend's faux pas is out there for everybody to see and comment on.  You receive lots of good advice about the dress situation, and no one was critical of that.

danamw

The dresses aren't used or recycled, they are "vintage". Who cares that they aren't 20 years old? What other piece of clothing is meant to be worn only once? Very few! If you have the chance to wear a bridesmaid dress again, lucky you!

wandajune6

One of my BMs is wearing the dress I wore as my sister's MOH. My sister is my MOH and thinks it's great. I lost a ton of weight since her wedding so it's perfect for my BM who is due with twins a few weeks before the wedding. We're all thrilled.

I'm fascinated by this House Party idea. That's a level of rudeness and thoughtlessness that had never occurred to me before.

Knottie72584342

MagicInk said:

PDKH said:

natswild said:

just curious, what's a house party?

A group of people who are not bridesmaids, but are given attire requirements and random tasks that aren't necessary nor an honor, like passing out programs or telling people to sign the guestbook. 

See I read house party and thought keg stands and red solo cups. Clearly I was not right. 

I don't think I've heard of anyone I know doing a "house party" except for the keg stand red solo cup version.

me too lol 

itsrandiyo

@Knottie06367585 I'm sorry you got so much backlash. There is no shame in being a good friend; and I do not think people helping with your wedding is rude, tacky, etc. People on here must have maids for their homes as well.

southernbelle0915

itsrandiyo said:

@Knottie06367585 I'm sorry you got so much backlash. There is no shame in being a good friend; and I do not think people helping with your wedding is rude, tacky, etc. People on here must have maids for their homes as well.

What on earth are you talking about? 

Everyone here told her she had a great idea to reuse the dresses. People said they felt bad for her that she had to be in a "house party" - which are super rude. How in the world do you come up some asinine conclusion that people have maids?

lc07

itsrandiyo said:

@Knottie06367585 I'm sorry you got so much backlash. There is no shame in being a good friend; and I do not think people helping with your wedding is rude, tacky, etc. People on here must have maids for their homes as well.

I think someone put crack in my mac + cheese because this makes no sense to me.

Also, @MagicInk - you are correct. That is the only type of house party we should all actively be encouraging and participating in. This other thing is a crazy sham.

AddieCake

I don't understand why people keep referring to these boards as a blog.

bridesmaidlongisland

I'd say go for it. 

[Deleted User]

1. I think reusing the dresses and helping the last girl buy one cheap is genius. Hell yes to that idea.

2. I do not get at all why someone would need the guests on her side to wear matching dresses, and the idea of seeing that many identical women at my wedding weirds me out. I just got a shudder thinking how Stepford Wives that would look, but whatever. I guess the good that comes out of this is bridesmaid shopping is done.